This sprawling metropolis, right at the foot of the Andes, is 6th biggest in South America (about 7 million) and accounts for over 40% of Chile’s population. It’s huge, blending both classical/colonial architecture (city was founded in the early 1,500’s) as well as modern (Costanera area is known as the Wall Street of South America). As any big city, it has its fair share of “shady” areas and barrios where drug trafficking thrives, but overall, it is safe, and somewhat tourist friendly.
For convenience, we booked a two-day hop-on-hop-off tour, but taxis and Uber are plentiful. The latter is not (yet) legal, but omnipresent. Reminds me of the early days in NY, where Yellow Cab taxis were trying to stifle the inevitable proliferation of ride-share options. Can’t stop progress.
When pressed for time, I appreciate the “visitor” double decker buses, as they provide the narrative along the itinerary, and the convenience of stopping on the way. First halt, Cerro San Cristobal and the cable car ride for panoramic views of the city below. Unfortunately, summer days tend to be hot and hazy, which combined with pollution make the mountains in the distance barely visible. We passed through the park, although one can spend an entire day visiting the Japanese Gardens, Botanical Gardens, or the Zoo.
We took the funicular down, from the other end
of the hill, and walked through Patronato – a more “colorful” part of town, on
the way to the Central Market. Word to the wise: this is a part of town where
one shouldn’t venture alone, display opulence, and keep an eye on the purse or
the phone. We were even alerted to that by one of the locals, that clearly
recognized we were out of place, sticking out like sore thumbs. But we’re Romanians;
we’ve certainly been through worse…
The Central Market was a disappointment. I envisioned something similar to the markets in other bigger cities, but this one felt “tired”, dirty and unkept, with uninviting odors of dead fish and rotten fruits wafting from all corners. Sure, the fish stalls were well stocked, with a large variety of fish, but beyond that, there were maybe a couple fruit and vegetable stalls, and that’s it. The rest of the market… aggressive “hosts” inviting you to dine into their “restaurants” (quotes used on purpose). Couldn’t get out of there fast enough…
The remaining few blocks to Plaza de Armas and the
Metropolitan Cathedral are littered with all kinds of shops, most of them heavily
guarded. Makes tourists feel safe, but there must be a reason for their
presence (there have been increasing reports about safety, crime, and civil
unrest, both here and especially in Valparaiso). The Cathedral – over 200 years old – is an
imposing edifice and worth a quick visit. Get up to the bell towers if you have
time.
We strolled through the area and eventually got out of the heat to enjoy some pisco sours at Chipe Libre. Other notable watering holes or lunch options in the area: Liguria (especially for the 3-story tall bar and the old-school service!), Bocanariz, Salvador Cocina y Café, or, near Costanera, Ambrosia Bistro, Fuente Alemana, or Tacu Tacu (this last one, an amazing ceviche place we gorged the night before; the Nikkei ceviche, a huge hit!).
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| "Blessed pisco Sweet torment Why are you outside? Come on in!" |
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| ...small world (found Bucharest street in Santiago) |
Since we’re talking food, there are so, so many good options in Santiago (https://www.theworlds50best.com/discovery/sitemap/chile/santiago). The Pacific is an hour away, meaning seafood is top notch. Borago has been one of the best in the world for years; a pioneer in sustainability (reservations are tough to get). Ambrosia is an up and comer (the Bistro is their more affordable option). We opted for Peumayén Ancestral Food, mostly because it advertised “traditional Chilean food using indigenous ingredients and techniques. It was hit and miss. Appetizers and small bites were good, some quite interesting, but the main dishes fell a bit short. Interesting, overall, but if you only have a day or two in the city, there are better options.
One of those is La Mar. Another “cebiceria” where ingredients are so fresh, and the “leche de tigre” so delicious, that my mouth is watering as I write this. It was – by far – the best ceviche I ever had in my life. If you can’t make it to Santiago, they have locations in Miami and San Francisco as well.
Day two, we took the double-decker to Plaza de La Constitución and Palacio de la Moneda (Presidential offices). Imposing Christmas tree right up front. Twenty-foot Nutcrackers. But not easy to get into the holiday spirit when it’s 90 degrees outside…
From there, off to Santa Lucía park – a smaller hill with a picturesque, manicured park featuring terraces, fountains, and old castle, and a summit viewpoint.
There is a Craft Fair across the street, but we preferred the shaded option of the aforementioned Liguria bar, cooling off with another round of pisco sours (so refreshing on a hot summer day). Behind an unassuming entrance, the bar/restaurant it’s an absolute delight on 3 levels, each with a very unique character. Worth a stop, for the ambiance and service alone!
Before dinner, and for last minute souvenirs, we stopped at Costanera Mall. A behemoth on 6 levels (at least) so busy, in contrast to most malls in the States. Clearly Amazon, and online shopping in general are still to make an impact in Santiago… For kids, active adults, or just another reprieve from the sun, Mall Sport is a huge venue with every imaginable activity, from wall climbing, to indoor surfing, to bumper cars and everything in between. Worth a detour if travelling with teens.
Later on, last packing of the trip and off to the airport
for a late (12:05 am late) flight to Bogotá.
Kudos to the nice folks at AC Marriott for outstanding service and going
the extra mile to accommodate us in every way! The outdoor bar, with a
fantastic panorama of the city, is not too shabby either. And if you’re into
all that, the Sky Costanera next door is the highest viewpoint in South America
(300 meters); for about $18 it might be worth it, but only if the visibility is
good. In our case, the hotel room offered just as much…
Next: a quick layover in Bogotá, before heading home: https://disdatdudder.blogspot.com/2024/02/patagonia-beyond-9-of-9-half-day-in.html
Quick jumps to all the other legs of this trip:
- Two days in Iguazu Falls
- Two days in Buenos Aires
- Three days in Torres del Paine
- Three days in El Calafate/Perito Moreno
- Two days in El Chalten
- Two days in Bariloche
- Two days in Mendoza
- A half-day layover in Bogota
He he he. Happy it's such a "page-turner" for you. I do this because I love to write, I'm not good enough to make a living at it, I hope it helps others plan similar trips, and hopefully, years from now the offspring of my offspring will find some connection to a long-gone grand-grandpa ;-). Check out some of my older "classics" while you're at it!
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