Santiago is the port of entry and exit to many adventures in Chile. We flew into this major city and spent a night here before departing south to Punta Arenas to hike Patagonia. After our hike we had several more days in this major South American city and had a chance to check out quite a bit.

EXPERIENCE

Santiago is a very well established and modern city, thanks to the stable government and economy of Chile. During our stay here we squeezed quite a bit in. Major sites to check out while in town are the Central Market, which is bustling and fun but somewhat over run with tourists. This market reminded me of the central markets I visited in Sao Paulo, however felt a bit more fish centric. While here we tasted the ceviche and headed across the street to a little dive bar called La Piojera sample one of Chile’s signature drinks- the earthquake! Another popular attraction is a trip up to San Cristobal Hill to see a large statue of Mary and the surrounding gardens. The hill is park of Parque Metropolitano, which is large, highly utilized by the locals and a great overlook of the city. Terraza Bellavista is a great lookout point in the park to take it all in. We also checked out La Modeda, which is a presidential palace and home to important Chilean history. While in Santiago, we also had a chance to stroll the trendy, hipster neighborhood of Bellavista. We came upon lots of cute shops and bars while strolling this area.

Our other primary order of business while in Santiago was wine tasting! We spend two days vineyard hoping in one of the world’s most up and coming wine regions. Our first day was spent in the Maipo Valley learning all about the Carmenare grape and other grapes that thrive well in the Andes Piedmont region. Here we visited three wineries: Perez Cruz, Haras de Pirque and Concha Y Toro (the second biggest wine producer in the world, after Mondavi). Perez Cruz was a medium sized winery with beautiful architecture and a fantastic family story. Haras de Pirque had a beautiful property and also felt intimate. Concha Y Toro was humongous and felt more commercial that any other winery we visited. This was my least favorite of the stops but interesting to learn about. It’s hard not to fall in love with the more authentic, boutique establishments and recognize their frustration with companies like Concha Y Toro being the face of all Chilean wine exports.

Our second day of wine tasting took us to the Casablanca Valley in search of some whites. Here we also visited three wineries: Quintay, Loma Larga and Casa de Bosque. This region was especially lovely and much different than the day before in Maipo. This valley reminded me of California wine country. Quintay was charming and had lovely outdoor rooftop tasting area that allowed us to take in a great lay of the land. Loma Larga, was perhaps our favorite of all the wineries we visited. Here we had a great tour, lovely tasting and a delightful experience with the lady who showed us around. We felt a little rushed at Casa de Bosque and did not have the best experience here. I would skip this one if you are making a list. Both days of tasting we fun, educational and very diverse in our experiences. 

STAY

Providencia was our neighborhood of choice while in Santiago. We rented and apartment here through Agoda which worked out really well for our group of four. It was a nice neighborhood to stay in, very safe and convenient to walk around from. We used taxis to get to some of the further outlying neighborhoods.

EAT

While in Santiago we ate and drank well! Obviously there was plenty of drinking at all the aforementioned wineries and vineyards. Near the market be sure to check out La Piojera for Earthquakes after sampling ceviche inside, but be careful these things involve ice cream, lots of sugar and are easy to get very drunk on. As far as meals go, dinner at Liguria in Providencia was delightful! We also loved the atmosphere of The Clinic which pokes fun at Chilean political figures in it’s decor. The White Rabbit in Bellavista was straight out of Brooklyn, but also a treat for us after days on the trail. Be sure to sample lots of local Chilean pisco (different that Peruvian pisco). Overall you will not be disappointed with the cuisine in this wonderful city!