Santiago, Chile

Explore a vibrant and engaging city surrounded by the Andes Mountains

Budget: $300 per day (this trip is based on a layover)

Duration: 1 day

Santiago is a major city with over 7 million residents. There is certainly a great deal to explore and experience. My trip to Santiago was part of a layover on the way to Antarctica. The original trip was planned to fly into Santiago, then leave for Ushuaia, Argentina. However, I extended my stay in Santiago to get a glimpse. To be honest, I was fairly satisfied with what I was able to see in even a full day in the city and wouldn't recommend a longer stay unless you really wanted to absorb many of the cultural elements, food, nightlife or nearby nature excursions. Though those might be reasons enough to extend the stay, I found that it is possible to get a feel of the city and see some of the main sights in a full day or two.

Getting (there and around):

The main airport is Arturo Merino Benitez Airport and it is typical for a large international airport. It was a reasonable distance to the heart of Santiago. My Antarctica cruise company picked me up near baggage claim, which made the experience of getting through baggage, customs and away from the airport fairly easy. The customs line was a bit lengthy, as any international port can be, so plan ahead.

I'm always a fan of using public transit when a rail system is available (trams or subways), and found Santiago's metro fairly easy to navigate and use. Like any large city, you want to use basic caution with safety and valuables. But I had my camera in a backpack that I kept close, and felt pretty comfortable using it during the day (did not go out at night). The main stations I used were safe areas to walk around.

Staying:

The hotel that was selected for me through my cruise was the San Cristobal Tower Hotel. It is a higher end hotel that was renovated in about 2010 and is nice, but has a bit of an older décor style with lots of gold. I'm not sure the hotel still operates under the same name or under the Sheraton it was connected to, and it wasn't noteworthy enough to matter. It was a bit overpriced for being out of town (about 3.5 miles), though was in a safe neighborhood near a hospital. The main take away was that it was okay to be out of downtown and the Sheraton in the same complex is a fine choice to use transit (with walk) or care hire to get into sightseeing areas, yet relax in a nice area at night. However, if I had a choice of hotels, I might choose something a little closer to the heart of downtown to be able to walk instead of transit.

Doing:

My favorite site in Santiago was Santa Lucia Hill (below). There are some beautiful buildings built into the side of the hill and a short walk to the top provides stunning views over the city and mountains. It is good for about an hour to walk up and around the site and is near the Plaza de Armas.

The main cultural activity is Plaza de Armas. It is a very large public square with restaurants lining the edge, people selling crafts, entertainment, and people socializing. It is good for a walk through and to appreciate the scene. That said, there were some concerns about theft and left me cautious. I got a few strange looks having my camera out in public. At one end is the Cathedral and worth visiting the inside. To get there, simply take the metro to the Plaza de Armas station and a couple block walk along the shops will bring you to the heart of the square.

For tourist shopping, I highly recommend the Centro Artesanal Los Dominicos (below). A market of local artists in a relaxing and local setting, it is perfect for more authentic souvenirs and a good way relax in a safer environment. You can easily spend a couple hours walking along the various businesses and escape the heat with small indoor shops and shaded walkways. While a number of shops are run by local artists, many of them accept credit cards if you are not carrying lots of local currency. It is about 45 minutes by metro from the city center but is an easy ride. A short walk from the metro brings you to the entrance to the artist market.

Eating:

With such a short amount of time, I didn't take advantage of any local fine dining. Instead, I stopped into a couple quick markets and cafes, other than a dinner at the hotel. I would definitely seek out some options for food before hand if I had more time and was near good choices.

It was nice to have a beverage and snack in the Plaza de Armas. I'd recommend aligning the visit to that sight with a good opportunity to take a break to refresh while soaking in the vibrancy and activities around the square.

Photography Tips:

Some of the best views are from the Santa Lucia Hill and worth the short walk up.

I was a bit nervous with expensive camera equipment in Plaza de Armas and would recommend keeping it hidden when there. You can hide in a backpack and step into the Cathedral to pull it out briefly. Then, take a few photos and go back to hide it again. That way people are not necessarily watching you to track that you have it (assuming you take enough time).

Day Planning:

Start the day at Centro Artesanal Los Dominicos for relaxing shopping for souvenirs. Head back into the city and exit at Plaza de Armas for a lunch while watching the crowds in the afternoon. Walk over to Santa Lucia Hill and appreciate the architecture and views at the top.