Other Practicalities

Kids. Chileans love children and are quite likely to stop and admire them. Children are welcome in restaurants, except the most expensive ones at night, where they'll be admitted but raise eyebrows.

Tipping. In restaurants and for tour guides, a 10% tip is usual unless service has been deficient. Taxi drivers don't expect to be tipped but do leave your small change. Visitors need to be wary of parking attendants. During the day, they should only charge what's on their portable meters when you collect the car but, at night, they will ask for money—usually 1,000 pesos—in advance. This is a racket but, for your car's safety, it's better to comply.

Drinking Water. Tap water in Santiago is perfectly safe to drink, but its high mineral content—it's born in the Andes—can disagree with some people. In any case, a wide selection of still and sparkling bottled waters is available.