Discover tours, attractions and activities for your next adventure
Santiago Metropolitan Park
Spread across an area of 722 hectares, the Santiago Metropolitan Park is located amidst four communes of Santiago. This is one of the largest urban parks in the world. The main attractions of the park are its two open air pools- the Tupahue and Antilen pool, the Santiago Cable Car, the funicular, the national zoo housing thousands of animals, a botanical garden, a sanctuary stop San Cristóbal Hill and a bicentenary children's park.
Plaza de Armas
Since the time the Santiago city came into existence, Plaza de Armas has been the heart of the city. It is surrounded by a beautiful modern architecture such as the Central Post office and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago. Apart from these, The Royal Palace or the Palacio de la Real Audiencia is another noticeable structure around the Plaza. If you are looking for some fun, you can visit the indoor malls in the Plaza de Armas. Here you can find various practical as well as artisanal products and some excellent cafes as well.
Fantasilandia
Fantasilandia is an amusement park located in the heart of Santiago. It has a large number of rides, attractions and games one would find in any regular amusement park. The rides are divided into five groups: kids' zone, family rides, paid rides, adrenaline rides and competition games. Taking your age and comfort into consideration, you can choose the appropriate rides for yourself. Adrenaline rides include modern and large roller coasters. You can also win some interesting stuff in competition games but these games have a fee attached.
Mirador Interactive Museum
This museum is one of the favorites among parents as its activities are entertaining as well as educating for the young ones. The museum takes up current science topics and presents them in the form of games, presentations and activities. The most popular of all are the Tsunami and Earthquake simulations. To get the full benefit of the activities, you need to invest at least three hours in the museum.
Valle Nevado
Velle Nevado is a popular ski resort situated at a height of 9839 feet in the Andes Mountains. It has housing facilities with nearly 800 hectares of skiing area. The resort has excellent facilities for snowboarders and skiers. The buildings next to the hotel have many facilities like lockers, ski school, cafeteria, ski and snowboard rentals, and a workshop for ski repair etc. Some facilities are also available at the base of the resort near the parking area. These include lift tickets, ski schools and equipment rentals.
Chilean National Zoo
Spread across an area of 4.8 hectares, this zoo is located in the Santiago Metropolitan Park. It houses nearly 158 species including Chilean native birds and animals and several endangered species. It aims at educating the general masses about wildlife and also conserves and researches species present in the zoo.
Santiago is the largest and the capital city of Chile. The city is located on the banks of the Mapocho River and a number of standalone hills shape its landscape. The Andes Mountains can be seen from nearly all across the city. The city is meant for leisurely strolls, with every unique and charismatic neighborhood . Travelers have ample activities to indulge in. You can visit museums, pedestrian malls, get amazed by the grand architecture and enjoy a picnic by the alluring hillside parks. The nightlife of Santiago is another story altogether. Sidewalk cafes, eateries and beer halls of Lastarria and Barrios light up the nights in the city. If you are looking for something more refined, you have several upscale hotels and restaurants in Las Condes and Providencia.
How to Get Tickets?
You can approach any travel agent for this or you can also use the regular route i.e. purchasing your plane tickets on your own. Tickets can also be booked online through this website to save time and money.
How To Get Around?
You can travel around Santiago through Transantiago, car and bike. Transantiago is the public transport system of Santiago. This includes buses and metro and is the cheapest, quickest and provides the most efficient service. The Transantiago website provides a route map that can help you float around the city easily.
What Should I Wear?
Pack regular, casual clothes for daytime. It is fairly warm in summers and so you need to pack a few pairs of shorts, summer dresses and tank tops or light and breathable t-shirts. If you are travelling in winters a pair of dark denim is a must along with full sleeved t-shirts and a jacket or cardigan to layer the outfit. You must essentially have a pair of walking shoes as you will be walking a lot in Santiago. Also, carry good sturdy sunglasses and sunscreen lotion as it is mostly sunny out here.
Best Time to Visit
Best time to visit Santiago is spring and fall i.e. from March to May and end September to November. Fall is ideal for sightseeing as Fiestas Patrias celebrations enliven the atmosphere. Nearby ski areas witness snow in June. If you love skiing that is the appropriate time to visit.
Currency
Chilean Peso
Will I Need a Guide?
If you are visiting Santiago for the first time it is recommended to take a tour. This way you can cover all the important sites without the fear of getting lost or missing out something.
How To Get There?
Santiago can be reached by airplane, train and bus. The Aeropuerto Internacional Arturo Merino Benítez is the main air hub of Chile carrying passengers from a number of international as well as domestic destinations. A number of trains and buses also connect Santiago with all the major cities of Chile.
Additional Info
Do not carry any valuables. The ones you have must be kept in safe deposits boxes in your hotels. In order to avoid getting robbed by pickpockets keep all your cash and cellphones in an inside pocket of your bag.