New Year's Eve in Santiago
 

We'll be in downtown Santiago and looking for a nice restaurant to make a dininer reservation for New Year's Eve. Also, any outdoor celebrations in the city - such as a ball drop or other event?


Thank you

I just returned from a superb trip to Chile and Argentina. Our travel agent recommended Zanzibar and we loved it! It offers world cuisine at its best www.zanzibar.cl with splendid views over the river. In their website it says they are open for New Year's Eve.

There are several public fireworks displays in Santiago - we love a street party! The Hotel Galerias downtown has a very good restaurant, Vichuquen, and they are doing a special New Year's Eve dinner with a view of the downtown fireworks without having to get into the crowds on the street. Pricey as it probably includes more than just a meal, perhaps a show. Click on Promociones:
http://www.hotelgalerias.cl/1024_768/

I wouldn't choose the Zanzibar as it is miles from downtown and traffic is a major issue on NYE. People tend to see in the new year with their families and then head to parties, so to say it gets clogged is putting it mildly. Having said that, most of the decent restaurants downtown are in hotels. People don't tend to go downtown for dinner, so a lot of places are more lunch spots. Restaurants in Providencia would be easier to get to/from than Vitacura.

I'm excited about the fireworks - I tried the link to Hotel Galerias, but the english version of the site isn't working. I'm sending them an email, but have found the hotels don't seem to respond to email well.

We're staying at LeReve - will this be close to the fireworks? Thank you

But that isn't downtown, it is in Providencia! There are lots of restaurants around there. Why don't you email the hotel and see what they suggest. If you are still interested in going downtown, you could phone the Galerias hotel. There is bound to be someone who speaks English.

My mistake - I thought Providencia was "downtown" - I'll know better soon! Still hope to find the fireworks!

There are three places to see them on the eastern side of town: Cerro Calan in Las Condes (near Alto Las Condes shopping mall), the ones downtown set off from the Entel tower, and the ones in Ñuñoa which go off at 1 a.m.
Line 1 of the metro will take you to Los Dominicos where there is always live music and a good view of the fireworks but this is the first year that metro station will be open and I don't know what riding the metro to there will be like on NYE. Packed, I would think and the station usually closes about 11 pm. The downtown ones are visible from quite distance, best anyway because of the huge crowds.