  Marcelo Sola
The City of Santiago is one of most modern and safest metropolis in Latin America. It is known worldwide due to its continuous development and the economic, political and social stability of its streets.
During the last few years, Chile’s capital city has been a witness to the booming of several areas that invite people to enjoyment. The numerous surrounding natural resources and its cultural, artistic and gastronomic activities make Santiago the city local tourists and foreigners prefer when they start a trip around the country.
A very good option to see the city is by going on the typical guided city tour which takes tourists around the great public infrastructure.
Generally, the tour begins in the hotels and goes towards the very heart of the city. In our case, we left from the Providencia residential neighborhood.
The first place we visited was Plaza de las Celebraciones, where local people gather to celebrate national victories, especially sports victories. |
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In the civic center of Santiago, there is the Nation’s great historical, architectural and cultural heritage. We saw distinguished museums, buildings, ancient churches, squares and parks. Among them, there are the metropolitan cathedral, the Precolumbian Art Museum, the Plaza de Armas (main square), the Palacio de la Moneda (the Mint Palace), the Stock Exchange, the Court House, the Forest Park, the ENTEL Tower, the Casa Colorada Museum and the Club Hipico (Riding Club).
Santiago is a city of science and studies, and has two worldwide distinguished level universities, namely: Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile. We also went past the Club Union, which is only for men. We stopped for a while at Maipú square, named after the battle where Chile won its independency. |
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In Constitución Square, our guide explained to us the meaning of the colors of the Chilean flag: red for the Araucanian blood shed, white for the snow in the Andes high peaks, blue for the endless sky and one star for one state.
We visited the Mint Palace and saw the changing of the guard and the cannon yard. This building was the protagonist of one of the darkest chapters in the constitutional history of Chile because it was there where president Salvador Allende died in November 11th, 1973, victim of an air bomb thrown through his office window. Outside the Mint Building, there is the Plaza de la Ciudadanía, and around it, every building was constructed in a similar style not to eclipse the Palace of Government. |
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Undoubtedly, the Plaza de Armas is the reflection of colonial life a century ago. On one of its sides, there is a big monument in honor of Pedro de Valdivia, the founder of Santiago. Opposite, there is the one-aisle cathedral, the Post Office building and other residences.
It is important to emphasize that fast and modern means of transportation go through town and have very accessible rates. An important subway network with endless combinations connects the entire city in a few minutes. Buses and trolley buses have a leading role in the city’s daily life.
Another important area is the Bellas Artes neighborhood. It is an active cultural and gastronomic unit where cafés and restaurants co-exist with theaters, museums and bookstores. As we moved forward, we observed ancient big houses and impressive buildings of important architectural value. On Ismael Valdés Vergara Street, stands Palacio de Bellas Artes, which houses the Museo Nacional de la especialidad. |
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Then we went to the Bohemian Bellavista neighborhood. This vast area combines the most varied costumes and handicraft trade with restaurants, art galleries, theaters and jewelry stores. Here, cultural and night life is very busy. The Cerro San Cristóbal Metropolitan Park offers one of the best panoramic views of the city. The place was chosen by poet Pablo Neruda to build one of his homes, today a museum.
After that, we went around the Pedro de Valdivia Norte neighborhood, and a huge column of modern buildings caught our attention. They were “Sanhattan” buildings, so-called as an allusion to the buildings located in Manhattan, in the United States. The economic and financial life of the country is outlined there. |
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Finally, we were gaining height as we visited the most exquisite neighborhoods of distinguished socio-economical level in Santiago, when we got to Las Condes, Vitacura and Santa María de Manquehue, on the Condor Road. We found exclusive decoration stores, as well as fine handicrafts. All this, together with many art galleries and important international restaurants, has turned Santiago’s eastern neighborhoods into a special spot for those who love good art, style, design and gourmet delicacies.
Here, we finished the typical Santiago city tour. A privileged metropolis that has all the qualities of a highly developed city in continuous growth. |
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Welcome Chile - Outings in Santiago
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Make an appointment with the tour operator. Generally, city tours leave in the morning and in the afternoon. It is advisable to take a morning tour in order to appreciate the busy life in front of the public buildings or to observe the changes of guard in the Mint Palace.
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