Santiago, Chile

Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city, sits in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range. Plaza de Armas, the grand heart of the city’s old colonial core, is home to 2 neoclassical landmarks: the 1808 Palacio de la Real Audiencia, housing the National History Museum, and the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral.

Time in Santiago:
Santiago
25°
Fair
Feels like: 25°C
Wind: 14km/h SSW
Humidity: 39%
Pressure: 1017.95mbar
UV index: 7
TueWedThu
32/16°C
31/14°C
29/15°C
Weather forecast Santiago, Chile ▸
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Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city, sits in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range. Plaza de Armas, the grand heart of the city’s old colonial core, is home to 2 neoclassical landmarks: the 1808 Palacio de la Real Audiencia, housing the National History Museum, and the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral. La Chascona is the home-turned-museum of poet Pablo Neruda.

Nearby is San Cristóbal Hill, hosting the massive Parque Metropolitano, with swimming pools, trails, a botanical garden, a zoo and a funicular to its summit. A smaller hill, Santa Lucía, features extravagant landscaping, fountains and promenades. The luxury boutiques of Avenida Alonso de Córdova and the Museo de La Moda fashion museum are highlights of the upscale Vitacura neighborhood.

 

Mock colonial village Pueblito Los Dominicos specializes in crafts. Bustling Mercado Central sells seafood, fruits and vegetables. The Barrio Brasil and bohemian Barrio Bellavista neighborhoods offer lively nightlife.

 
When to visit
Peak season is summer (Nov–Apr). Temperatures are mild year-round, but winter (May–Sep) sees frequent rain (snow in the Andes).
 
  • The Santiago a Mil international theater festival takes place in Jan, as well as the Festival Nacional del Folklore, a days-long festival of traditional Chilean music and dance in the suburb of San Bernardo.
  • The Fiesta del Vino (Apr) celebrates the fall grape harvest in the nearby wine capital of Pirque.
  • The Fiestas Patrias (Sep) mark Chile’s freedom from Spanish rule.