Best Things To See In Santiago

Santa Lucia Hill

Climb to the top of Santa Lucia Hill in the centre of Santiago and enjoy the stunning panoramic views of the city. On the way to the top, you will pass elegant gardens, castles, statues, stairways, and fountains. There are several different routes to take to the top. If you're not wanting to walk then there is an elevator at the hill’s western entrance. At midday on weekdays, a cannon shot is fired from the hill. There is no entrance fee.

Cerro San Cristobal & Parque de Metropolitano

Cerro San Cristobal and Parque de Metropolitano in Providencia. At the end of Pio Nono in the Barrio Bellavista area, there is a cable car/tram that takes you up the steep mountain to Cerro San Cristobal. I was there at around midday and had to wait in line for over an hour. Alternatively, there is also a track you can walk up which takes approximately 45 minutes up and 30 minutes down. The views from the top were spectacular, on a good day you can see the Andes rise above the city of Santiago. Also at the top is a Virgin Mary statue surrounded by beautiful gardens. Nearby the statue you can take a gondola over Parque de Metropolitano, the fourth largest park within a city. Instead of waiting in line to get the gondola and cable car back you can walk approximately 2km to Pedro de Valdivia train station.

Barrio Bellavista

Barrio Bellavista has an abundance of vibrant restaurants, bars, and clubs. Some of the nightclubs are very different from what I have experienced previously, with the dance floor packed with plastic chairs and tables. There are many good places to go along Pio Nono. A good way to start the night is with a meat stack from Don Simón while sitting outside people watching. Like most places in South America, it doesn’t get busy until late.