By air
Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL), ~17 km
South America · Chile
Santiago, Chile
A capital ringed by the Andes
Getting there
Best time to visit
September to November and March to May — mild
Don't miss
The Plaza de Armas
La Moneda
Cerro San Cristóbal
The Museum of Memory
Things to do
Cerro San Cristóbal's funicular
The Maipo Valley wineries
Lastarria's cafés
Where to eat
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The garden steps of Cerro Santa Lucía
Questions travellers ask
What time of year is best for Santiago?
September to November and March to May, when it's mild. Bring layers.
How far is the airport from Santiago?
Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) is about 17 km away.
What are the must-see sights in Santiago?
The Plaza de Armas, La Moneda and the Museum of Memory, then ride Cerro San Cristóbal's funicular. Save time for the garden steps of Cerro Santa Lucía.
What should I eat and drink in Santiago?
Pastel de choclo, and seafood at the Mercado Central. For wine and coffee, there are the Maipo Valley wineries and Lastarria's cafés.
About Santiago
- Mountains
Where it is
Santiago, the capital of Chile, lies in a broad central valley at about 570 m, with the snow-capped Andes rising to the east, the lower Coastal Range to the west and the Mapocho River running through it.
History
Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago in 1541 at the foot of Cerro Santa Lucía, in a valley whose Picunche villages had been under Inca rule. It became the capital of colonial Chile and, after independence in 1818, of the new republic, and it has grown into a modern city of towers and metro lines, rebuilt many times after earthquakes.
People
Santiaguinos speak Chilean Spanish, with its own rich slang, and the metropolitan region is home to over a third of the country's people, including many Mapuche. Markets such as La Vega and the Mercado Central, completos (loaded hot dogs) and once, the Chilean evening tea, are part of daily life.
Known for
- Cerro San Cristóbal and its funicular
- The Plaza de Armas and La Moneda palace
- Wineries of the Maipo Valley
- Skiing in the nearby Andes
- The Lastarria and Bellavista neighbourhoods
Did you know?
Cerro Santa Lucía, the rocky hill where Pedro de Valdivia founded the city, was remodelled in the 1870s into a landscaped park of terraces, fountains and stairways.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.