Santiago City (some things to do in)

Santiago of Chile is a stressing city, but not if you know how to treat it (and if you have enough time). Any foreigner who come to Santiago must know some things, obviously; but I don't like official holiday's packs nor guided tours: the best way to know a city is, I think, touring with a friend or some friendly people who knows it well.





So I think that the places and things a foreigner must visit and do in Santiago aren't necessarily those that appear in touristic guides. I'll write some points about some interesting places and activities in the city, just according to myself.


A nice green area in the center. Cerro Santa Lucía (Saint Lucy Hill) is one of the main places in the City. An historical one. There are trees, grass, fountains, and sculptures. You be careful: sometimes there are thieves.

Rest in peace. I like cementeries. What can I do? Well, you must know the main one in the city (Cementerio General), or you'll never know Santiago. It's very old and large, like a little city. You must know the historical part, with its wonderful graves and mausoleum.

Churchs. I'm atheist, but I like old churchs more than museums. It's culture in context. So you gotta visit the city's Cathedral (at Plaza de Armas), the San Francisco church (the oldest one in the city), the San Agustín Temple, the basilicas of La Merced, Los Sacramentinos and El Salvador, among others.


Where to eat/drink/lunch/ have a dinner. I don't know what kind of meal do you like, so I just can talk about my own taste. I don't like luxury restaurants. So if you want to know the local food and drinks you can go to some typical restaurant or tavern, such as El Hoyo, Monte Rosa or La Tinaja, where you can ask for a "terremoto" (earthquake, a drink made of cheap wine, pineapple ice cream and some liqueur) or a pork sandwich. If you like loin sandwiches, you go to Fuente Alemana in Alameda, it's amazing. For chinese food, Los Chinos Pobres in Plaza Brasil.

Some Fun. I don't know. If you like chic gigs I'm afraid I can't help you. But anyway, I like Bellavista, a kind of bohemian district with a lot of pubs, bars and restaurant. You can also go to Lastarria.

A nice holiday

I'll tell you about the city of Valdivia, which I visited twice in my life. Then it was placed in the 10th region of Chile, known as "Región de los Lagos" (Region of Lakes), but nowadays it's placed in a recently created region: the 15th, called "Región de los Ríos" (Region of Rivers), because Valdivia's population wanted to have their own regional district, and the name's because there are many big rivers. Valdivia itself is a city built around the river Calle-Calle, a very beautiful one.

I went there with my father the two times, and the last one (about six years ago) just before a great trip to Chiloe. Then we did many things: first, we spend a lot of time trying to find a place to stay in. Later, we ate in different places, drank Valdivian beer, walked around the river, bought some things, visited some interesting buildings and, of course, talked a lot about almost everything. By example: we talked about the 1960 earthquake, one of the most severe ever registered, and its consecquences to the city: almost every old building has been destroyed. Anyway, Valdivia is one of the most beautiful places I ever visited. The landscape the river brings is wonderful. I recommend you to go there someday.