12 Best Sights in Santiago, Chile

The mazelike park of Santa Lucía is a hangout for park-bench smoochers and photo-snapping tourists. Walking uphill along the labyrinth of interconnected paths and plazas takes about 30 minutes, or you can take an elevator two blocks north of the park's main entrance (no fee). The uppermost lookout point affords an excellent 360-degree view of the entire city; two stairways lead up from the Plaza Caupolicán esplanade; those on the south side are newer and less slippery. Be careful near dusk as the park, although patrolled, attracts the occasional mugger. There is a tiny tourism office near the Alameda entrance, open weekdays, but closed for lunch from 2 until 3 pm, and a small indigenous crafts fair called the Centro de Exposición de Arte Indígena (or Gruta Welén) in a natural cavern carved out of the western flank of the hill.

Palacio de la Moneda and other government buildings line Constitution Square, the country's most formal plaza. The changing of the guard takes place every other day at 10 am within the triangle defined by 12 Chilean flags. Adorning the plaza are four monuments, each dedicated to a notable national figure: Diego Portales, founder of the Chilean republic; Jorge Alessandri, the country's leader from 1958 to 1964; Eduardo Frei Montalva, president from 1964 to 1970; and Salvador Allende (1970–73).

Many architects contributed to what is frequently referred to as Santiago's Little Europe, among them Alberto Cruz Montt, Jorge Elton Alamos, and Sergio Larraín. The string of small mansion houses lining the cobbled streets of Calles París and Londres sprang up in the mid-1920s on vegetable patches and gardens once belonging to the convent adjoining Iglesia San Francisco. The three- and four-story town houses are all unique; some have brick facades, while others are done in Palladian style.

Near the foot of Cerro Santa Lucía is the block-long classical facade of the National Library. Moved to its present premises in 1925, this library, founded in 1813, has one of the oldest and most extensive collections in South America. The second-floor Sala José Toribio Medina (closed Saturday), which holds the most important collection of early Latin American print work, is well worth a look. The three levels of books, reached by curved-wood balconies, are lighted by massive chandeliers. The café on the ground floor is a quiet place to linger over a coffee. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the building.

Chile's stock exchange is housed in a 1917 French neoclassical structure with an elegant clock tower surmounted by an arched slate cupola. Business is now done electronically, but you can visit the old trading floor with its buying and selling circle called rueda. You must leave your ID at the door.

Tucked away underneath the Plaza de la Ciudadanía is the Centro Cultural La Moneda, a fantastic arts center that puts on an array of interesting exhibitions and art workshops. It's also home to the national Cineteca, which regularly screens Chilean movies and documentaries (tickets cost 2,500 pesos). The Artesanías de Chile crafts shop there showcases top-quality work, and the Tienda Centro Cultural is a good place to buy unusual souvenirs and jewelry. There's also a restaurant, a café, and a bookshop. 

Santiago's oldest structure, greatest symbol, and principal landmark, the Church of San Francisco is the last trace of 16th-century colonial architecture in the city. Construction began in 1586, and although the church survived successive earthquakes, early tremors took their toll and portions had to be rebuilt several times. Today's neoclassical tower, which forms the city's most recognizable silhouette, was added in 1857 by architect Fermín Vivaceta. Inside are rough stone-and-brick walls and an ornate coffered wood ceiling. Visible on the main altar is the image of the Virgen del Socorro (Virgin of Perpetual Help) that conquistador Pedro de Valdivia carried for protection and guidance.

This monastery adjacent to Iglesia San Francisco houses the best collection of 17th-century colonial paintings on the continent. Contained in rooms that wrap around the courtyard are 54 large-scale canvases portraying the life of St. Francis, painted in Cusco, Peru, as well as a plethora of religious iconography and an impressive collection of silver artifacts. Most pieces are labeled in Spanish and English. Peacocks roam the central courtyard.

Dating from the early 1870s, this fabulous mansion was built by the wealthy Cousiño-Goyenechea family. All that mining money allowed them to build this palace with amenities such as one of the country's first elevators. The elegant furnishings were—of course—imported from France. Extensive refurbishments to all four salons were done in 2017. Email ahead for 45-minute tours in English that take place daily.

Originally the royal mint, this sober neoclassical edifice designed by Joaquín Toesca in the 1780s and completed in 1805 became the presidential palace in 1846, serving that purpose for more than a century. It was bombarded by the military in the 1973 coup, when Salvador Allende defended his presidency against the assault of General Augusto Pinochet before he committed suicide there. Free tours can be arranged by email with at least two days' notice---tell them you want to see the Salón Blanco if you'd like to go upstairs.

On the south side of the Palacio de la Moneda, this well-kept plaza was inaugurated in 2006 as part of a public works program in preparation for the celebration of the bicentenary of Chile's independence in 2010. There are attractive water fountains and a statue of former president Jorge Alessandri. The Centro Cultural La Moneda is located underneath the plaza. 

The opulent Municipal Theater is the city's cultural center, home to the opera as well as ballet and classical music performances. Designed by French architects, the theater opened in 1857, with major renovations in 1870 and 1906 following a fire and an earthquake. The Renaissance-style building is one of the city's most refined monuments with a lavish interior that deserves a visit. The cobblestoned walk around the building completes the picture. For greater insight, email ahead for a guided general tour in English.