Santiago: Places to Explore

If you happen to be in Santiago on one of those lovely winter days when the sun comes out after rain has cleared the air, head straight for Parque Metropolitano. In the center is Cerro San Cristóbal... Read more

The Cajón del Maipo, deep in the Andes, is irresistible for those who want to soak in a natural hot spring, stroll through picturesque mountain villages where low adobe houses line the roads, or... Read more

Three world-class ski resorts (El Colorado, La Parva, and Valle Nevado) lie just outside Santiago near the village of Farellones. They have a total of 48 lifts that can carry you to the top of the 1,260... Read more

Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins, more frequently called La Alameda, is the city's principal thoroughfare. Along with the Avenida Norte Sur and the Río Mapocho, it forms the wedge that defines... Read more

After building a canal in 1891 to tame the unpredictable Río Mapocho, Santiago found itself with a thin strip of land that it didn't quite know what to do with. The area quickly filled with the... Read more

Just west of downtown is shady Parque Quinta Normal, a 75-acre park with three museums within its borders and another just across the street. This is an especially good place to take the kids. The park... Read more

You can easily spend a morning or afternoon wandering around the quaint village of Pomaire, a former settlement of indigenous people comprising nothing more than a few streets of single-story adobe dwellings... Read more

Numerous world speed records have been broken on the renowned slopes of Portillo, close to the Argentine border. It also has the best views of any of the area's ski resorts. It's a three-hour drive from... Read more

Shiny new skyscrapers may be sprouting up in neighborhoods to the east, but Santiago Centro is the place to start if you really want to take the pulse of the city. After all, this is the historic heart... Read more

Vitacura is not only Santiago's top shopping spot, it is also—with its tree-shaded streets, gardens, and wide sidewalks—a great place for a stroll, especially on a Saturday morning when you'll... Read more