One day in Santiago

Day by day

1. Day 1: Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano and La Chascona

   Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano, La Chascona, Plaza de Armas and Metropolitan Cathedral and La Moneda Palace, then Sky Costanera in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano

      Go up in the morning after rain or wind, when the smog has cleared and the Andes are sharpest; walk down through the woodland to Pedro de Valdivia. Allow Half a day.

   2. Late morning

      La Chascona

      Pair it with Neruda's seaside house at Isla Negra or La Sebastiana in Valparaíso if you plan a coast day trip. Allow 1 hour.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Empanada de pino

      Bakeries and empanaderías across the city, especially on Sundays and around the September national holidays.

   4. Afternoon

      Plaza de Armas and Metropolitan Cathedral

      Start a walking tour of the centre here, then continue to the Mercado Central four blocks north and La Moneda five blocks south. Allow 1 hour.

   5. Late afternoon

      La Moneda Palace

      Combine the façade and plaza with an exhibition at the underground cultural centre, entered from the south side of the palace. Allow 1 hour.

   6. Evening

      Sky Costanera

      Time your visit for late afternoon so you see the city by day and the lights after sunset.

Before you go

• La Moneda Palace: Guided visits inside the palace are limited and must be requested in advance through the presidency's official channels.
• La Chascona: Visitor numbers are limited at busy times; arrive early or check the foundation's site for reservations.

If it rains

• Swap in Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Centro Histórico): Allow time for the basement Chile gallery, which many visitors miss after the main floors.
• Swap in Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Quinta Normal): Plan at least two hours and something gentle afterwards, such as a walk in the Quinta Normal park opposite.
• Swap in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Parque Forestal): Walk through Parque Forestal along the Mapocho afterwards towards Lastarria.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–8 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in June to 14.4 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. The Metro has several lines covering the centre, Providencia, Las Condes and the suburbs, with fares that vary slightly by time of day.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Santiago
• 3 days in Santiago
• 5 days in Santiago

Questions travellers ask