San Pedro de Atacama is a remote oasis town in northern Chile that serves as the gateway to stunning volcanic landscapes salt flats geothermal geysers and some of the most spectacular stargazing destinations on the planet.
Chile: Santiago
Contents
1. About Santiago
2. Things to do
– Stand Before History at the Palacio de La Moneda
– Marvel at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
– Visit the Museum of Memory and Human Rights
– Discover the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural
– Step Inside the Museo Artequin
– Tour La Chascona — Pablo Neruda’s House Museum
– Explore the MAC at Quinta Normal
– Explore the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
– Discover Santiago’s Street Art
– Take a Day Trip to Valparaíso
3. Getting around
4. Vegan dining options
5. Best time to visit
6. Where to stay
About Santiago
Santiago Chile sits at an elevation of roughly 520 metres above sea level, cradled by the dramatic Andes mountain range to the east and the lower coastal range to the west. As the political, cultural and financial heart of Chile, it is home to more than seven million people and serves as the country’s primary gateway for international visitors. The city’s layout is a fascinating blend of grand colonial plazas, leafy residential districts and gleaming modern towers that reflect Chile’s emergence as one of South America’s most prosperous nations.
The city’s neighbourhoods each carry a distinct personality that rewards exploration on foot. Barrio Lastarria and Barrio Italia are beloved for their independent cafés, vintage boutiques and gallery spaces, whilst the historic centre around Plaza de Armas offers centuries of architecture and the grandeur of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Bellavista pulses with nightlife and street art, and the affluent districts of Providencia and Las Condes showcase upscale dining, international shopping and gleaming business towers that speak to Santiago’s global ambitions.
Beyond the city limits, Santiago’s position makes it an outstanding base for wider exploration. The vineyards of the Maipo and Casablanca valleys are within easy reach, producing world-renowned Carmenère and Sauvignon Blanc. In winter, the Andes ski resorts of Valle Nevado and Farellones attract enthusiasts from across the globe, whilst the colourful port city of Valparaíso lies just over an hour away by road. Whether visiting for a weekend or a fortnight, Santiago Chile offers a richness of experience that few South American capitals can rival.
Things to do
🏛️ Stand Before History at the Palacio de La Moneda
The Palacio de La Moneda is one of those places that looks impressive on the outside and turns out to be even more significant once you know what happened inside. Originally built as a colonial mint — designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca and completed in 1805 — this handsome neoclassical building became Chile’s presidential palace in the 19th century and has been the seat of government ever since. If you’ve read anything at all about Chilean history, you’ll know what occurred here on 11 September 1973, when the palace was bombed during the military coup that overthrew President Salvador Allende. The bullet holes on the exterior walls have been repaired, but the visible traces of that terrible day remain a quiet and sobering presence. Today the palace functions as a working seat of government and is also open to visitors on guided tours, which take you through various ceremonial rooms including the Salón Independencia, from whose balconies Chilean presidents have traditionally addressed the nation. Downstairs, the Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda is a remarkably large underground space housing six galleries dedicated to photography, art, history, and Chilean crafts — it’s free to enter and well worth the time. The Changing of the Guard ceremony, held every other day, draws quite a crowd and is genuinely worth seeing, though I confess the Chilean guards cut a more elegant figure than I did standing in the sun trying to photograph them.
- Location: Moneda s/n, Plaza de la Constitución, Santiago Centro
- Website: https://visitaspatrimonio.presidencia.cl/
- Telephone: +56 2 2690 4000
- Opening Hours: Palace guided tours available on weekdays (check current schedule); Cultural Centre: Monday–Sunday 09:00–21:00
- Fees: Palace tours: free (booking required). Cultural Centre: free entry
🎨 Marvel at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
If you’re going to see one museum in Santiago, and I’d strongly recommend seeing several, make it this one. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is the oldest art museum in South America — it was founded in 1880, initially as the Museo Nacional de Pinturas, with a collection of 140 paintings pulled from various public institutions including La Moneda and the National Library. That original building is long gone, replaced by the magnificent Palacio de Bellas Artes, a Beaux-Arts structure designed by Franco-Chilean architect Emile Jéquier and opened in 1910 as part of Chile’s centennial independence celebrations. The design was inspired by the Petit Palais in Paris, which gives you some sense of the ambition involved, and was declared a National Monument in 1976. The building itself is genuinely extraordinary — a soaring central hall with an enormous glass roof that floods the interior with natural light, making the whole place feel airy and grand in equal measure. The permanent collection covers Chilean and international art across several themes, including Chilean and Spanish painting, Dutch Golden Age works, Italian painting, engravings, sculpture, and photography, all spanning from the colonial period to the present day. There are also rotating temporary exhibitions. Free guided tours are available in Spanish throughout the week. The museum shares its building with the Museum of Contemporary Art, so you can conveniently move between the two without even stepping outside — which is very civilised, particularly if the weather has turned.
- Location: José Miguel de la Barra 650, Parque Forestal, Santiago (nearest metro: Bellas Artes, Line 5)
- Website: www.mnba.cl
- Telephone: +56 2 2499 1600
- Email: contacto@mnba.cl
- Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:45. Closed Mondays
- Fees: Free
🕯️ Visit the Museum of Memory and Human Rights
This is not an easy museum to visit, and it is not meant to be. The Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos — the Museum of Memory and Human Rights — was inaugurated on 11 January 2010 by then-President Michelle Bachelet, herself a survivor of torture during the Pinochet years, as a memorial to the victims of human rights violations carried out by the military regime between 1973 and 1990. The building, designed by acclaimed Brazilian architect Marcos Figueroa, is immediately striking — a great copper-clad structure set on the eastern edge of Parque Quinta Normal, its facade both dramatic and oddly fitting for what it contains. Inside, spread across three floors and eleven rooms, the exhibition takes you from the military coup of 11 September 1973 through to the gradual return of democracy, using legal documents, newspaper cuttings from the period, photographs, letters written by prisoners to their families, video footage, radio broadcasts, and testimony from survivors. There is a room dedicated to the suffering of children. There are maps showing the locations of detention centres across the country. You can hear Salvador Allende’s final radio address, which is a genuinely arresting experience. The museum is thorough, sobering, and important, and it is delivered with clarity and restraint, which makes it more powerful, not less. We came out into the afternoon sunshine feeling rather quiet and very glad we had gone. Audio guides are available in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Mapudungún, the language of the Mapuche people. Admission is free.
- Location: Avenida Matucana 501, Santiago (nearest metro: Quinta Normal, Line 5)
- Website: http://www.museodelamemoria.cl
- Telephone: +56 2 2597 9600
- Email: contacto@museodelamemoria.cl
- Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00 (extended to 20:00 January–early March). Closed Mondays
- Fees: Free entry. Audio guides: approx. CLP 2,000
🦕 Discover the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural
Founded on 14 September 1830 by French naturalist Claudio Gay, who had been commissioned by the Chilean government to undertake a complete study of the country’s flora and fauna, the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural is one of the oldest museums in the Americas and the first of its kind in Chile. It originally opened at the former Royal Customs building — the same site now occupied by the Pre-Columbian Art Museum — before moving in 1876 to its current home in Parque Quinta Normal, a magnificent neoclassical building designed by French architect Paul Lathoud for Chile’s International Exhibition of 1875 and declared a National Monument in 1991. The museum was closed for repairs after the devastating earthquake of 2010 and reopened in 2012 with a completely redesigned exhibition layout tracing a north-south route through Chilean geography, biodiversity, and history. Twelve permanent galleries spread over two floors cover everything from botany, zoology, and mineralogy to archaeology, covering the origin of life, the extraordinary natural landscapes of Chile from the Atacama to Patagonia, and the relationship between the land and Chile’s first peoples. The dinosaur skeletons are a particular hit, though I accept that is not a sentence that narrows things down much. The building itself, with its imposing entrance, grand proportions, and palm-fringed facade, is worth a moment of appreciation before you go in. Entry is free on Sundays.
- Location: Parque Quinta Normal, interior, Santiago (nearest metro: Quinta Normal, Line 5)
- Website: www.mnhn.gob.cl
- Telephone: +56 2 2680 4600
- Email: mnhn@mnhn.gob.cl
- Opening Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–17:30; Sunday and public holidays 11:00–17:30. Closed Mondays
- Fees: Nominal admission fee Tuesday–Saturday; free entry Sundays and public holidays
🎭 Step Inside the Museo Artequin
Museo Artequin is one of those places that is thoroughly enjoyable to visit and slightly difficult to explain to people afterwards. Opened on 27 May 1993, it is an interactive museum of art reproductions — very high-quality reproductions of some of the most celebrated works in the world, hung at heights accessible to children, in a building that is itself one of the more extraordinary things in Santiago. The Pabellón de París was originally built in France in 1889 by architect Henri Picq to serve as Chile’s official pavilion at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, the same exhibition for which the Eiffel Tower was constructed. Once the exhibition closed, the entire iron-and-glass structure was dismantled, shipped to Valparaíso, transported by rail to Santiago, and eventually rebuilt in its current location opposite Parque Quinta Normal, where it was restored and opened as Artequin. The building’s cast-iron frame and glass panels give it a wonderfully light, airy quality. Inside, the museum’s educational mission is to make art genuinely accessible and engaging for everyone, using guided tours, workshops, and hands-on activities that help visitors understand different artistic movements and historical periods through a timeline that places art in its broader context. It is particularly good for families with children, but adults without children in tow also find it rather more absorbing than expected — we certainly did.
Location: Avenida Portales 3530, Estación Central, Santiago
Website: www.artequin.cl
Telephone: +56 2 6812 9467
Email: contacto@artequin.cl
Opening Hours: Tuesday–Friday 09:00–17:00; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 11:00–18:00
Fees: Approx. CLP 3,000 adults; children under 3 free; voluntary contribution on Sundays (except Children’s Day)
🏠 Tour La Chascona — Pablo Neruda’s House Museum
When Pablo Neruda, Chile’s Nobel Prize-winning poet, needed a secret hideaway in Santiago for his then-clandestine relationship with Matilde Urrutia — the woman who would eventually become his third wife — he began building her a house in Bellavista in 1953. He named it La Chascona, a reference to Matilde’s abundant red hair, and commissioned Catalan architect Germán Rodríguez Arias to design it, though Neruda’s own involvement in every detail of the building was so extensive that Rodríguez Arias later admitted it was more Neruda’s creation than his own. The result is a wonderfully eccentric multi-level house built into the slope of Cerro San Cristóbal, with rooms that follow Neruda’s abiding love for the sea — a dining room modelled on a ship’s cabin, a living room resembling a lighthouse interior, narrow passageways and unexpected levels that only begin to make architectural sense as you move through them. Inside is an extraordinary collection of Neruda’s personal possessions: African carvings, music boxes, exotic artefacts, vintage toys, antiques, a library with thousands of books, a replica of his 1971 Nobel Prize for Literature, and a portrait of Matilde painted by Diego Rivera. After Neruda’s death in 1973 — just twelve days after the coup that overthrew Allende — the house was ransacked by Pinochet’s forces. It was meticulously restored and opened as a museum, and today it is managed by the Fundación Neruda. Audio guides are included in the admission fee and are available in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Arrive before 11:00 to avoid the groups.
- Location: Fernando Márquez de la Plata 0192, Barrio Bellavista, Santiago (nearest metro: Baquedano, Lines 1 and 5)
- Website: www.fundacionneruda.org
- Telephone: +56 2 2777 8741
- Email: lachascona@fundacionneruda.org
- Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00 (until 19:00 in January and February). Closed Mondays
- Fees: Approx. CLP 8,000 adults; CLP 4,000 students and seniors. Audio guide included
🎨 Explore the MAC at Quinta Normal
The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo — known to everyone as the MAC — is the University of Chile’s contemporary art museum and has been promoting modern and experimental Chilean art since its foundation in 1947, making it one of the longer-established contemporary art institutions in Latin America. It operates across two sites in Santiago, but the branch that tends to surprise visitors most is the one at Quinta Normal, which opened in 2005 in the Palacio Versailles — a handsome neoclassical building within the park whose rather grand name turns out to be entirely appropriate for its setting. The MAC Quinta Normal specialises in offbeat, experimental, and frequently challenging exhibitions that rotate throughout the year, and the combination of unconventional contemporary work against the stately 19th-century interior creates an effect that is frequently striking and occasionally baffling, which I mean entirely as a compliment. The collection across both venues extends to over 3,000 works, covering painting, sculpture, prints, drawings, ceramics, and tapestries, with a concentration of mid-20th-century Chilean work alongside international pieces. Entry is free, which, given the quality of what’s on display, feels like something of a gift. The Quinta Normal branch sits conveniently close to both the Museum of Memory and the Natural History Museum, making a half-day of consecutive visits entirely manageable — and if you time things right and bring a sandwich, Parque Quinta Normal itself is a perfectly decent place to sit in between.
- Location: Avenida Matucana 464, Parque Quinta Normal, Santiago (nearest metro: Quinta Normal, Line 5)
- Website: www.mac.uchile.cl
- Telephone: +56 2 2977 1755
- Email: mac@uchile.cl
- Opening Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 11:00–17:20. Closed Sundays and Mondays
- Fees: Free entry
🏺 Explore the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
This is one of those museums that you might walk past without a second glance — the building, a restored 18th-century colonial customs house on Bandera Street, is handsome enough but gives little away from the outside. Inside, however, is one of the finest collections of pre-Columbian art in Latin America, and it is very much worth your time. The museum was established in December 1981 through the efforts of Sergio Larraín García-Moreno and the Municipality of Santiago, and what sets it apart from many archaeological museums is that the collection was assembled primarily on aesthetic rather than purely scientific criteria, which means the 3,110-piece permanent collection has a coherence and visual quality that makes it compelling even for those who couldn’t tell a Mapuche artefact from a ceramic lunchbox. The galleries are arranged by geographical region and include pottery, textiles, jewellery, and sculptures from Mesoamerica, the Amazon, the Caribbean, and the Andes, covering roughly 10,000 years of human history on this continent. Highlights include Chinchorro mummies — created by a funerary method some 2,000 years older than the Egyptian equivalent, which puts things in rather useful perspective — as well as extraordinary pieces from the Inca and Aztec empires, and a remarkable collection of Rapa Nui material from Easter Island. English audio guides are available. Allow two hours at least; we allowed one and felt slightly ashamed of ourselves afterwards.
- Location: Bandera 361, Santiago Centro (nearest metro: Plaza de Armas, Line 5)
- Website: www.precolombino.cl
- Telephone: +56 2 2928 1500
- Email: reservas@museoprecolombino.cl (for guided tour bookings)
- Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00. Closed Mondays
- Fees: Foreign visitors: approx. CLP 12,000. Foreign students: approx. CLP 5,000. Free for Chilean residents on the first Sunday of each month
🖌️ Discover Santiago’s Street Art
Santiago has one of the most vibrant and politically charged street art scenes in South America, and exploring it properly rewards a certain amount of purposeful wandering combined with a willingness to follow alleyways and look up at things. The tradition has deep roots: Chilean street art emerged in the late 1960s as a form of political expression, and the murals of the Ramona Parra Brigade — the visual arm of the Communist Party, instantly recognisable for their bold colours, Chilean themes, and distinctive thick black outlines applied with a paintbrush rather than spray paint — can still be seen across the city. The military coup of 1973 silenced much of this, but the tradition was never fully suppressed, and after the return of democracy it exploded back to life with a ferocity that shows no sign of diminishing. Today the best areas to explore on foot are in Barrio Bellavista, where streets including Pío Nono, Dardignac, Loreto, Constitución, Antonia López de Bello, Bombero Núñez, and Santa Filomena are covered in murals ranging from large-scale commissioned works by established artists to anarchic individual pieces and everything in between. Many local business owners actively pay artists to decorate their facades, working on the entirely sound theory that a striking mural draws people in. Bandera Street in the city centre is another good hunting ground. For those who want context as well as colour, guided street art tours run by local artists and specialists are excellent — knowledgeable guides explain the political history embedded in the work, identify individual artists and movements, and take you down passages you would never have found alone. We did one and came away understanding Santiago considerably better than before.
- Location: Primarily Barrio Bellavista — streets Pío Nono, Dardignac, Loreto, Antonia López de Bello; also Bandera Street, Santiago Centro
- Guided Tours: Santiago Street Art Tours: www.stgostreetart.com
- Telephone: Contact via website
- Email: info@stgostreetart.com
- Self-guided: Free at all hours; best explored in daylight
- Guided tour fees: From approx. USD 20–35 per person depending on tour length and group size
🌊 Take a Day Trip to Valparaíso
Santiago is a fine city, but it would be a genuine shame not to spend at least one day in Valparaíso, which is about 90 minutes by bus or car to the northwest along a very decent motorway. Valparaíso is a UNESCO World Heritage port city that was, throughout the 19th century, one of the most important harbours on the Pacific coast of South America — the gateway for ships travelling the Straits of Magellan and a place of cosmopolitan energy and considerable wealth. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, the traffic drained away almost overnight, and the city has had a rather ramshackle, peeling glamour ever since, which is a large part of its considerable charm. The city is built across dozens of steep hills, or cerros, connected to the flat port district below by historic funiculars called ascensores, many dating from the late 19th century and creaking convincingly under the weight of age. The hills of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción are the most visited, and with very good reason — the streets are steep, the views across the Pacific are spectacular, and the murals covering virtually every available surface are extraordinary, making the whole neighbourhood function as an enormous open-air art museum. Down on the flat, the Plaza Sotomayor and the working port give a vivid sense of Valparaíso’s maritime history. Chilean artists, writers, and musicians have been drawing inspiration from this city for well over a century, and standing on one of the hills looking out at the ocean, it is not difficult to see why. We arrived on the bus, walked until our legs protested, and came back on the bus with that very satisfying feeling of having genuinely earned something.
- Location: Valparaíso, approx. 120 km northwest of Santiago
- Website: www.ciudaddevalparaiso.cl
- Telephone: Valparaíso Tourist Office: +56 32 293 9262
- Email: turismo@municipalidadvalparaiso.cl
- Getting There: Turbus and Pullman buses run frequently from Alameda Terminal, Santiago; approx. 90 minutes. Fares from approx. CLP 5,000 one-way
- Fees: Free to explore; ascensor rides charge small individual fares
Getting Around Santiago
🌍 Getting to Santiago, Chile
Santiago is well connected internationally, with most visitors arriving by air. Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) is the main gateway, located around 15 kilometres west of the city centre.
✈️ From the Airport to the City
🚌 Centropuerto Bus
One of the most affordable ways into the city, Centropuerto operates frequent express buses from the airport to various stops along Alameda, the city’s main artery, including Pajaritos, Universidad de Santiago, and Baquedano metro stations. Buses run around the clock and the journey takes approximately 45–60 minutes depending on traffic. Tickets are purchased on board.
🚌 Turbus
Turbus also runs airport-to-city shuttle services, dropping passengers at key points including Pajaritos metro station. A reliable and budget-friendly option.
🚖 Transvip Shared Transfer
Transvip offers shared minivan transfers directly to your hotel or address. You share the vehicle with other passengers heading in a similar direction, making it cheaper than a private taxi whilst remaining more convenient than a bus.
🚕 Taxi & Rideshare
Official airport taxis are available from the designated rank outside arrivals. Agree on a fare before departing, or use a metered cab. Uber and Cabify both operate from the airport and are widely used — you can book via their apps before you land. Rideshare services tend to be cheaper than traditional taxis.
🚇 Metro de Santiago
Santiago’s metro is one of the best in Latin America — clean, safe, efficient, and excellent value. The network covers six lines (with further extensions underway) and connects most of the areas visitors are likely to explore, including the city centre, Barrio Italia, Providencia, Las Condes, Bellavista, and the financial district.
Trains run from around 6:00am to 11:00pm on weekdays, with slightly reduced hours at weekends.
💳 Bip! Card
To use the metro (and buses — see below), you’ll need a Bip! card, Santiago’s rechargeable contactless travel card. These are available from metro station customer service windows and from Bip! top-up machines inside stations. You can load credit at machines, Bip! service centres, and many convenience stores. Using a Bip! card is significantly cheaper than paying cash on buses, and it’s the only way to pay on the metro.
Keep your card topped up — you cannot pay cash on the metro at all.
🚌 Buses (Transantiago / Red Metropolitana de Movilidad)
The city’s public bus network, now branded as Red Metropolitana de Movilidad (formerly Transantiago), covers areas that the metro doesn’t reach. Buses are colour-coded by route type and connect seamlessly with metro stations. Payment is by Bip! card only — cash is not accepted on board.
A transfer between a bus and the metro within a set time window costs less than paying for two separate journeys, making it easy and economical to combine both modes of transport.
🚕 Taxis
Traditional yellow taxis are metered and widely available on the street throughout the city. Always ensure the meter is running when you get in. Taxis are a convenient option late at night or for destinations not easily reached by metro. Negotiate fares for longer journeys outside the city.
📱 Rideshare Apps
Uber, Cabify, and inDriver are all popular in Santiago and generally offer a reliable, transparent pricing alternative to street taxis. Download and set up your preferred app before you travel. Cabify in particular has a strong local following and tends to be popular for its fixed-price model.
🌐 www.uber.com | www.cabify.com | www.indriver.com
🚲 Cycling & Bike Share
Santiago has invested in an expanding network of dedicated cycle lanes (ciclovías), particularly in the more central and eastern neighbourhoods. Bikesantiago is the city’s public bike-share scheme, with docking stations across many districts. Membership can be obtained online or at kiosks and allows short-duration rentals.
🚗 Car Hire
Hiring a car in Santiago itself is rarely necessary given the quality of public transport, but it becomes very useful for day trips — to the wine valleys of Maipo or Casablanca, the Andes foothills, or the coast at Valparaíso. All major international car hire companies operate from the airport, including Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Europcar. A full driving licence from your home country is generally accepted, though an International Driving Permit is advisable.
Be aware that driving in central Santiago can be stressful due to traffic, and a vehicle restriction scheme (restricción vehicular) operates on weekdays based on number plates.
🚌 Intercity Buses
For travelling beyond Santiago to other parts of Chile, the Terminal Alameda and Terminal San Borja (both near the Estación Central metro stop) are the main long-distance bus hubs. Services to Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, the Lake District, and beyond are frequent, comfortable, and very competitively priced. Companies such as Turbus, Pullman Bus, and Tur-Bus offer various comfort classes including cama (fully flat beds) for overnight journeys.
🌐 www.turbus.cl | www.pullman.cl
🚂 Train
Chile’s rail network is limited compared to buses, but Trenes Metropolitanos operates commuter rail services south of Santiago towards Rancagua, useful if you’re heading into the Maipo Valley wine region. Services depart from Estación Central.
Eating Out for Vegans in Santiago
🌿 El Huerto
One of Santiago’s most enduring and celebrated vegetarian and vegan restaurants, El Huerto — meaning “The Vegetable Garden” — has been a cornerstone of the city’s plant-based dining scene for nearly four decades. Originally vegetarian, the menu has evolved to feature an extensive range of clearly labelled vegan options alongside international influences drawn from India, Thailand, Mexico, and Tuscany. Expect hearty soups, fresh-squeezed juices, quinoa salads, vegan burgers, and a changing daily set menu. The setting is warm and welcoming, with beautiful outdoor terrace seating on a pedestrianised street in Providencia. The upper floor hosts vegan cookery classes and yoga sessions, making it as much a community hub as a restaurant.
- Location: Orrego Luco 054, Providencia, Santiago
- Website: elhuerto.cl
- Phone: +56 9 7381 0442
- Opening hours:
- Monday–Saturday: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
- Sunday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
🐾 Vegan Bunker
Tucked down a residential street in the colourful Barrio Italia neighbourhood, Vegan Bunker is widely regarded as one of Santiago’s pioneer fully vegan eateries and a firm favourite with locals. Despite its name, the space is bright and welcoming with a strong community feel. The menu is extensive, featuring over fifteen varieties of house-made sandwiches crafted from seitan, tofu, and legumes, as well as hot dogs, chorrillanas, fries, empanadas, and an impressive selection of cakes, cupcakes, pies, and vegan ice cream. Prices are very accessible, and the kitchen makes nearly everything from scratch. Cash only.
- Location: Fresia 529, Providencia, Santiago
- Website: veganbunker.cl
- Phone: +56 9 8584 6257
- Opening hours:
- Monday–Saturday: 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
- Sunday: Closed
🍞 TierraLibre
TierraLibre is an airy, relaxed vegan bakery and café in the Ñuñoa district, consistently praised for its cheerful atmosphere and extraordinary value. One of the few vegan spots in Santiago open from early morning, it is a go-to for breakfast and brunch, as well as lunch and light dinners. The menu spans house-baked bread, croissants, medialunas, quiches, muffins, empanadas, sandwiches, soups, and daily hot lunch dishes, all made in-house and 100% plant-based. There is also a small shop stocking vegan pantry essentials, cheeses, and mock meats. It has two locations in the Ñuñoa area.
- Location: Miguel Claro 2220, Ñuñoa, Santiago (main location; second branch at Av. Irarrázabal 2169)
- Website: pantierralibre.cl
- Phone: +56 9 9309 4223
- Opening hours:
- Monday–Sunday: 8:00 am – 8:30 pm (hours may vary slightly by branch)
🌱 Arte Vegetal
A Santiago institution since 2005, Arte Vegetal is a compact vegan food shop and deli conveniently located in the city centre near the Torre Entel and Metro Moneda. It stocks a wide range of 100% plant-based products for both eating in and taking away, including vegan sandwiches, empanadas, salads, noodles, cakes, soy milk, vegan burgers, gluten-free bread, and various house-made vegan deli items such as salami and vienesas (vegan sausages). It is one of the longest-established vegan food businesses in Chile and a practical choice for those exploring downtown Santiago.
- Location: Nueva Amunátegui 1415, Santiago Centro (near Metro Moneda, behind Torre Entel)
- Website: artevegetal.cl
- Phone: +56 9 7542 4054
- Opening hours:
- Monday–Friday: 8:30 am – 7:30 pm
- Saturday–Sunday: Closed
☕ La Conversería
A small, family-run fully vegan café in the Ñuñoa district, just a short stroll from Barrio Italia, La Conversería is an inviting spot with a handful of outdoor tables and a genuinely warm, animal-friendly ethos — four-legged companions are welcome. The menu includes coffee, vegan pastries, sandwiches, empanadas, alfajores, vegan ice cream, and a selection of plant-based grocery products. Unpretentious and community-minded, it is the sort of neighbourhood café that regulars return to again and again. Their social media channels are the best source for current daily specials.
- Location: Irarrázaval 660, Ñuñoa, Santiago
- Website: laconverseria.cl
- Phone: Not publicly listed — contact via website or Instagram (@laconverseria)
- Opening hours:
- Monday–Sunday: 9:30 am – 9:00 pm
The Best Time to Visit Santiago
Santiago sits in a Mediterranean climate zone, with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Because Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed from those in the UK — so July is mid-winter and January is mid-summer. Each season offers a distinct experience, from vineyard harvests to Andean ski slopes.
🌸 Spring (September – November)
Spring is one of the most rewarding times to visit Santiago. Temperatures climb gradually from around 13 °C in September to a pleasant 22 °C by November, with long, sunny days and very little rainfall. The city feels energised after winter, parks bloom with blossom, and the surrounding countryside turns vivid green. The Maipo Valley vineyards are particularly beautiful at this time, and wine tours are excellent value before the summer rush begins. Crowds are noticeably thinner than in peak summer, making it easier to book restaurants and tours at short notice. It is an ideal time for day trips to the Andes foothills, where trails open up after the winter snowfall.
What to pack: Light layers — a mix of T-shirts and long-sleeved tops works well as mornings can be cool. A light waterproof jacket is worth having for the occasional spring shower. Comfortable walking shoes are essential. Sunscreen and sunglasses are a must even in September, as UV levels are high. A light jumper or fleece for evenings.
☀️ Summer (December – February)
Summer is the busiest and hottest season in Santiago. Daytime temperatures regularly exceed 30 °C and can spike above 35 °C in January. The city centre can feel relentlessly hot and dusty, with smog levels rising due to the geography of the valley. However, summer is peak season for good reason — the ski resorts of Valle Nevado and El Colorado are replaced by hiking and cycling, the social scene is lively, and the city’s rooftop bars and outdoor restaurants come into their own. Accommodation prices are at their highest, particularly in January, and popular tourist sites can be crowded. Coastal escapes to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar are extremely popular, and booking ahead is essential. If you are visiting for outdoor adventure or nightlife, summer delivers in abundance.
What to pack: Lightweight, breathable clothing — linen and cotton are ideal. High-factor sunscreen (SPF 50+) and a wide-brimmed hat are non-negotiable. Sunglasses, a refillable water bottle, and lip balm are daily essentials. A light layer for air-conditioned restaurants and shops. Comfortable sandals alongside a pair of trainers for sightseeing.
🍂 Autumn (March – May)
Autumn is widely regarded as the finest season to visit Santiago, and with good reason. The heat of summer eases to comfortable temperatures between 15 °C and 24 °C, the skies remain largely clear, and the Maipo and Casablanca valleys are alive with the grape harvest — one of South America’s most celebrated wine events. Crowds thin considerably after the Easter holiday period, prices drop, and the golden-brown Andean foothills make for spectacular scenery. Cultural events and food festivals are plentiful in March and April. Rainfall is minimal until late May, when the first winter rains begin to arrive. Autumn strikes an excellent balance between good weather, fair prices, and rich local experiences.
What to pack: A versatile wardrobe of layers — T-shirts and light trousers during the day, a medium-weight jacket for the evenings. A scarf is useful from April onwards. Comfortable walking shoes and a compact umbrella or packable rain jacket for late May. Sunscreen remains important through March and April.
❄️ Winter (June – August)
Winter in Santiago is mild by European standards, with daytime temperatures typically between 8 °C and 14 °C, though the Andean peaks that ring the city are blanketed in snow from June onwards. Rain is concentrated in these months, with July being the wettest. The city itself can feel grey, and Santiago residents often escape to the coast or countryside at weekends. However, winter has a distinct appeal: the nearby ski resorts of Valle Nevado, Portillo, and La Parva are world-class and attract skiers and snowboarders from across South America and beyond. Accommodation is cheaper, museums and galleries are uncrowded, and the culinary and arts scenes continue without pause. The snow-capped Andes visible from the city on clear winter days are genuinely breathtaking.
What to pack: A warm, waterproof coat is essential. Pack jumpers, thermals for ski days, and waterproof trousers if you plan to visit the mountains. Waterproof boots or sturdy shoes for wet streets. An umbrella, gloves, and a hat for colder evenings. If skiing, hire equipment at the resort rather than bringing your own.
📊 Santiago by Season: At a Glance
| Season | Months | Avg Temp | Rainfall | Crowds | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Sep–Nov | 13–22 °C | Low | Moderate | Mid-range |
| Summer | Dec–Feb | 25–35 °C | Very Low | High | High |
| Autumn | Mar–May | 15–24 °C | Low–Moderate | Low–Moderate | Mid-range |
| Winter | Jun–Aug | 8–14 °C | Moderate–High | Low | Low |
🏆 Overall Best Time to Visit
For most travellers, autumn (March to May) is the outstanding choice. The combination of comfortable temperatures, clear skies, the grape harvest season, reduced crowds, and reasonable prices makes it the most well-rounded time of year to experience Santiago and the wider region. Spring (September to November) runs a very close second, offering similar advantages with the added beauty of blossom and freshly green countryside. Summer suits those who thrive in heat and want a lively, social atmosphere, but it demands patience with the crowds and the cost. Winter is a genuine alternative for skiers and those on a tighter budget, provided you are prepared for wet days and pack accordingly.
Where to Stay in Santiago
🌿 Providencia
Providencia is widely regarded as the best all-round base for first-time visitors to Santiago. It strikes an ideal balance between convenience, safety, and neighbourhood charm, with leafy tree-lined streets, excellent restaurants, boutique shops, and some of the city’s finest cafés. The area is served by no fewer than five metro stations, making it effortless to reach every corner of the city without relying on taxis or rideshares. It is one of the safest districts in Santiago, with a low crime rate that gives solo travellers and families alike genuine peace of mind. The neighbourhood sits close to the Costanera Center — one of Latin America’s largest shopping malls — as well as Parque de las Esculturas and the upscale dining strip of Avenida Providencia. Despite its polished, cosmopolitan feel, it retains an authentically Chilean residential character, with local markets and community squares tucked just off the main thoroughfares. Visitors who want proximity to Bellavista’s nightlife scene without actually sleeping amid the noise will find Providencia perfectly positioned for evening excursions.
- 🏨 Upscale — Sheraton Santiago Hotel & Convention Centre — A grand five-star resort with an outdoor pool, award-winning El Cid Restaurant, and stunning Andes views, ideal for those wanting classic luxury in the heart of the neighbourhood. Book on Booking.com
- 🏩 Mid-Range — Four Points by Sheraton Santiago — Reliable three-and-a-half-star comfort with a rooftop pool, Andes views, and a prime spot beside Parque de las Esculturas and Los Leones metro. Book on Booking.com
- 🛏️ Budget — Ibis Budget Santiago Providencia — A clean, no-frills budget option with free bikes, private parking, and a terrace, excellently situated for exploring the neighbourhood on a shoestring. Book on Booking.com
🏙️ Las Condes
Las Condes is Santiago’s gleaming financial and business district, often dubbed “Sanhattan” for its forest of glass towers and upscale amenities. Yet it is far more than a corporate enclave — the neighbourhood offers superb shopping at Parque Arauco and Alto Las Condes malls, excellent international dining, and easy access to the foothills of the Andes for hiking and, in winter, skiing. The area is consistently rated one of the safest districts in the capital, with well-maintained parks and wide pavements that make it particularly pleasant to walk. It is also home to some of Santiago’s finest five-star hotels, making it a natural choice for those seeking luxury or for business travellers who want proximity to the financial corridor. The Manquehue and El Golf metro stations provide solid connections to the rest of the city, though having an Uber or rideshare app handy is useful for exploring further afield. Parque Araucano, a large and beautifully landscaped green space, offers a welcome escape from the urban bustle, and the Ralli Museum — housing an outstanding collection of Latin American art — is a genuine hidden gem within easy walking distance.
- 🏨 Upscale — Mandarin Oriental, Santiago — Set amid lagoon-style gardens, this sophisticated five-star retreat offers world-class dining, a full spa, and elegantly appointed rooms with Andes vistas. Book on Booking.com
- 🏩 Mid-Range — Hotel Pullman Santiago El Bosque — A stylish four-star option with a rooftop pool, panoramic city views, a well-equipped gym, and complimentary parking in a superb Las Condes location. Book on Booking.com
- 🛏️ Budget — Ibis Santiago Las Condes — A dependable, well-positioned budget hotel just minutes from Manquehue metro, Araucano Park, and excellent dining options, with clean rooms and friendly staff. Book on Booking.com
🎨 Barrio Lastarria
Barrio Lastarria is Santiago’s most enchanting neighbourhood for culturally curious travellers, declared a Historic District in 1997 and still beloved for its cobblestone streets, independent bookshops, antique dealers, and pavement cafés. The area clusters around Santa Lucía Hill — a stunning rocky oasis of gardens and lookouts in the heart of the city — and sits within easy walking distance of the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Visual Arts, and the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral. The bohemian atmosphere draws artists, intellectuals, and discerning tourists who appreciate aesthetics and authenticity in equal measure. Street performers and weekend markets add a lively buzz that never tips into rowdiness, and the quality of dining and drinking here is exceptional, with some of Chile’s best wine bars and restaurants concentrated within just a few blocks. Lastarria is one of the most walkable parts of Santiago, and its metro connections at Baquedano and Universidad Católica make wider exploration straightforward. It is the neighbourhood where staying in can be just as tempting as going out.
- 🏨 Upscale — The Singular Santiago — A magnificent five-star boutique hotel set in a renovated 1930s building, with a rooftop pool, spa, two acclaimed restaurants, and a bar with sweeping views of Cerro San Cristóbal. Book on Booking.com
- 🏩 Mid-Range — Hotel Cumbres Lastarria — An acclaimed four-star hotel with striking Chilean artist–designed interiors, a rooftop terrace overlooking Parque Forestal, free breakfast, and outstanding guest ratings. Book on Booking.com
- 🛏️ Budget — Hostal Forestal — A well-loved hostel steps from Bellas Artes museums and Parque Forestal, offering free breakfast, multilingual staff, communal kitchen, bike hire, and a welcoming social atmosphere. Book on Booking.com
🎸 Bellavista
Bellavista is Santiago’s most colourful and bohemian quarter, draped in vivid street art and buzzing with an energy that makes it unlike anywhere else in the city. Flanked by Cerro San Cristóbal hill to the north and the Río Mapocho to the south, it is home to La Chascona — one of poet Pablo Neruda’s three famous house museums — as well as the Patio Bellavista entertainment complex, which is packed with restaurants, craft shops, and bars. The neighbourhood comes particularly alive at night, drawing both locals and visitors to its thriving club and live-music scene, which makes it the natural choice for travellers who want Santiago’s social pulse on their doorstep. By day, the funicular up Cerro San Cristóbal offers extraordinary panoramic views of the city and the snow-capped Andes beyond. The area is best suited to younger or more adventurous travellers who relish atmosphere over serenity — those who want an early night should opt for a room a few streets back from the main strip. The Baquedano metro station provides convenient links to the wider city.
- 🏨 Upscale — The Aubrey Boutique Hotel — A beautifully restored Art Deco mansion with individually designed rooms, an outdoor pool, a poolside bar, free cooked-to-order breakfast, and an exceptionally warm and personal service. Book on Booking.com
- 🏩 Mid-Range — Hotel Boutique Castillo Rojo — An enchanting four-star property set in a century-old red mansion with a walled jasmine garden, free continental breakfast, and an exceptional 9.6 guest rating across hundreds of reviews. Book on Booking.com
- 🛏️ Budget — Hostal Boutique Casa La Barca — Hostal Boutique Casa La Barca is a charming boutique guesthouse located on a quiet street near Barrio Italia in Santiago. Set in a historic house with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Book on Booking.com
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