Marco's Travel Tips: Santiago

Lodging

Like many large South American cities, there are plenty of accommodation options to suit most budgets. Many of the upmarket hotels are located in the Providencia and Vitacura districts, which is a short taxi ride (or subway ride) to the main tourist sites.

Hotel Director


We opted to stay at the Hotel Director, which is located in the heart of the residential area of Vitacura, within a few blocks of one of Santiago's upscale business districts, complete with high end shops and restaurants. The Hotel Director's target clientele are international business men and women. The hotel's rooms are large with decor that is somewhat tired looking. There is a nice pool out back. A rather ordinary buffet breakfast is served each morning in the dining room, with many business men and women getting ready to head upstairs to the hotel's conference center. Two pleasant things about our stay at the Hotel Director: the view of the Andes from our room, and the complimentary welcome drink---a Pisco Sour, which is the national cocktail of Chile.

The Pool at the Hotel Director

Having a Pisco Sour (and a Good Time)

Sunset View of the Andes from Our Hotel Room


Dining

Barrio Bellavista is the epicenter of Santiago's eating-out scene, with a wide variety of excellent and innovative restaurants. We ended up eating in this area on two separate evenings. Our first night's meal was at the excellent Azul Profundo, which is a mecca for seafood lovers. The restaurant is a cozy, nautical-themed dining experience, complete with fish nets, a wooden siren hanging from a mock ship's bow, and bathroom doors that look like they lead to a sailor's bunk.

Everything on the menu looked fresh and appealing; therefore, deciding what to eat wasn't an easy exercise. My dad had the octopus and my mom and I shared a mixed, grilled seafood platter which was simple and delicious.

Mixed Grilled Seafood Platter at Azul Profundo


We decided to skip dessert at Azul Profundo; instead, we walked over to Patio Bellavista for a gelato at Il Maestrale, which is one of the top gelaterias in Santiago. Our second meal in Bellavista was a late afternoon/early evening dinner at De Tomo y Lomo, which is also located in Patio Bellavista. The speciality here is meat. The three of us shared a mixed grill platter which included steak (which was not quite as good as the steak we ate in Argentina), chicken, pork sausage and blood sausage, along with a salad, roasted potatoes and a bottle of red wine. The meal was quite tasty.

De Tomo y Lomo

Al Fresco Dining

Enough Meat for Three (and Then Some!)

Things to Do

In addition to the tourist highlights within the downtown area of Santiago, a visit to the Chilean capital also offers a number of good day excursions. We opted to take a side trip to the coastal cities of Isla Negra, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar. If you visit during their winter, some of the best skiing in South America is just 90 minutes away in the Andes at Portillo.

Visitors can also take half-day, full-day, and multiple-day excursions from Santiago to some of the wineries in Chile. A couple hours south of the capital is the Central Valley, home to the "Ruta del Vino" and classic Chilean haciendas. On our day trip to the coast, we drove through the fertile Casablanca Valley, which is one of Chile's up and coming wine regions. Perhaps on my next visit to Chile, I will have time to visit some of the bodegas.

The Casablanca Valley


Viña Indomita in the Casablanca Valley


Shopping

From the upscale designer boutiques in Vitacura, to the fish stalls of Mercardo Central, and the artisan studios in Bellavista, the variety of shopping in Santiago is sure to please all visitors. At Patio Bellavista, I was able to find a good number of souvenirs to bring back home, as well as jewelry made from lapis lazuli. One final note: the duty free shop at the Santiago airport is a great place to buy those last minute gifts you forgot to purchase. You can't miss it; you have to walk through it to get to the international departure gates.

Shopping for Gifts at Patio Bellavista

The Fish Stalls at Mercardo Central

The Santiago International Airport

A Stroll Through Santiago

The final day of my fortnight vacation to South America was spent seeing some of the sights in Santiago, the capital of Chile. Santiago is one of Latin America's most modern cities and with a population exceeding the 7.2 million, it is the the largest city in Chile.

Santiago isn't a city that demands major sightseeing, and with most of its major tourist attractions located in the compact center, the city is best appreciated on foot. We began our day by visiting the Mercardo Central, which is located on the southern bank of the Rio Mapocho.

Mercardo Central


Built in 1872, the market's pale yellow exterior is a graceful example of neoclassical colonial architecture. However, once you go inside the market, the style changes to cast-iron Art Nouveau. The interior of the market looks more like a train station than a covered market.

The Fish Stalls


The highlight of the market is certainly visiting the many fish stalls. Bustling with activity, the stalls are packed with the bounty of the sea from the waters off the Chilean coast. You will certainly see fishmongers filleting their fish at lightning speed. The variety of fish is staggering: sea bass, eels, scallops, squid, salmon, king crabs, sea urchins, mussels, razor clams, octopus, oysters, and much, much more!

The Fruits of the Sea

Fishmongers with Big Fish

Scallops

Black and White and Fishy

Fish for Sale: A Scale of Scales

The Hustle and Bustle Video at Mercardo Central

Leaving the market, we made our way three blocks south to the Plaza de Armas, Santiago's lively central plaza which dates from the 1540's when Pedro de Valdivia founded the city. The Plaza de Armas is literally the center of Santiago and Chile: all distances to the rest of Chile are measured from here.

Plaza de Armas


Around the plaza are some of Santiago's greatest civic and religious buildings. The National History Museum is located within the splendid Palacio de la Real Audiencia, an immaculately preserved colonial building that was built between 1804 and 1807 to house the royal courts of justice. This building also served as the meeting place of Chile's first Congress, and it was the seat of government until 1846.

Palacio de la Real Audiencia

On the northwest corner of the Plaza de Armas is the Correo Central, which was built in 1882 on the foundations of what had been the governor's palace. While the elaborate facade is impressive, please be sure to go inside to see the tiered galleries crowned with an enormous glass roof. You can also mail your postcards from here, too. (After all, it is the central post office!)

Correo Central

Tiered Galleries Inside the Correo Central


The Beautiful Glass Roof


Santiago's Catedral Metropolitana dominates the west side of the square. The cathedral's style is a mix between Neoclassical and Baroque. Completed in 1780, this is actually the fifth church to be built on this site. The first church was burnt just months after being built, and the other three were destroyed in earthquakes in 1552, 1647 and 1730.

Catedral Metropolitana


The City's Protector

Inside the Cathedral


An Ornate Silver Altar

Nearby the Plaza de Armas is the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, which is located in the old royal customs house. Please be sure to read my separate blog entry for more information on this amazing museum. The streets around this part of town have a mixture of old buildings mixed in with new contemporary architecture.

Old Architecture

A Contemporary Bridge in the Sky

The Old Commercial Bank Building

Four blocks away, to the southwest, from the Plaza de Armas is the Palacio de la Moneda. Built between 1784 and 1805, its original purpose was to house the royal mint. Between 1848 and 1958, the Palacio de la Moneda served as the residential palace for the presidents of Chile. Today it continues to be the official seat of government.

Chilean Flag with Government Seal

Palacio de la Moneda

In 2010, the country of Chile will be celebrating its bicentennial. During our visit, the country was in the process of primary elections for its next president. I was especially fond of one of the candidates who shares a name with this blog!

Bicentennial Coming in 2010

Marco for President

From the Palacio de la Moneda, we headed to the Cerro Santa Lucía, strolling along the Alameda, a poplar-lined avenue. Two of the most notable structures along the Alameda are the Torre Entel and Iglesia San Francisco. The Torre Entel is a television and communications tower with an observation deck open to visitors. The Iglesia San Francisco is the oldest building (and one of the prettiest buildings) in Santiago. It was built between 1586 and 1628 and it has survived three great earthquakes.

Torre Entel

Iglesia San Francisco

The final stop on our stroll through Santiago was to visit Cerro Santa Lucía, the most imaginative and creative piece of landscaping in the city. At the foot of this hill, on February 12, 1541, Santiago was officially founded. It wasn't until 1872, that this barren, rocky outcrop got transformed into the grand public park it is today.

Cerro Santa Lucía

Steps Leading Up the Hill

Neptune at Cerro Santa Lucía

The Neptune Fountain

Lush Landscaping

A View From Above

Looking Down at Neptune's Fountain

Near the top (but not the tippy top) of the hill, is an outdoor plaza. Here you'll find a traditional cannon, which is fired daily from the hill to signal that it is noon.

Cannon at Cerro Santa Lucía

Views of the Contemporary City Skyline

For one of the most rewarding views of Santiago, make your way to the very top of Cerro Santa Lucía. For fans of the TV show "The Amazing Race", you may recognize this locale as the second pit stop from season 7. From here you get a great 360 degree panoramic view of the city and the Andes mountains. This is a perfect way to conclude a whirlwind visit to the city of the Santiago!

One Last Flight of Steps

City Views

Final View of Marco's Magnificent South American Adventure