The Best Things to do in Santiago:
March 6th to 9th 2015
1. See a Futbol game and Experience the True Religion of South America
Go see a Futbol (soccer) game, ideally at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos after reading up on some of the truly amazing history (soccer and otherwise) that occurred there. Here’s a link to get you started. Universidad de Chile play there as well as the Chilean National team on occasion and you can buy tickets online right here. The sites a little confusing but you register for an account and your off. I was lucky enough to be in town for El clasico where Universidad de Chile face off against their cross town rivals Colo Colo. The atmosphere was electric even if the 40000 plus seat stadium wasn’t closed to sold out. The fans were jumping around the majority of the game and even though the home team lost it was a great experience. Ticket prices range from ten to sixty thousand Chilean Pesos. (20 to 120 dollars). Sadly I forgot my camera so it’s just Ipod recordings here, low quality and poor lighting. Oh and bring sunscreen and a hat, the sun can be oppressive.
The Estadio Nacional is easily accessible by Metro at the Nuble stop. Take a right out of the station and walk about ten minutes, look for floodlights and you’ll find it.
2. Take the Funicular Up to Cerro San Cristobal
The base of this massive hilltop lookout is just a few minutes stroll from Santiago’s tourist district of Bella Vista. You can ride straight up to the viewpoint, or stop halfway and get off at the zoo (I had to skip it). The ride straight to the top costs 1800 CLP return and once at the top you will find stunning panoramic views of Chile’s sprawling and modern capital below, not to mention a very impressive statue of the Virgin Mary to walk up to. But be careful, the last ride down is at 7:45 and the sun sets after that. We ended up being forced to walk all the way down which is more than you want to do after a full day spent walking around Santiago, even Santiago at night glimmers like a galaxy of stars.
3. Visit the Cementario General and pay respect to Allende and many other Chilean presidents.
The cemetery can be accessed with a long but enjoyable walk up from the plaza de Armas or by subway on the yellow line at the stop Cementarios. It is a sprawling and very beautiful collection of graves, tombs, and mausoleums holding all but two of Chile’s presidents throughout history. The most important grave (If you can qualify such things) would probably be the monument to Salvador Allende (Tours go here but just go to the museum and ask for directions from staff if you’re on a budget). You could spend hours walking through the maze of monuments to Santiago’s fallen and it’s certainly worth a visit, especially considering the fascinating Tragedy of Salvador Allende’s life. I did not bring my camera on my visit but google images reveals some of the beauty to be found in this city centre labyrinth.
4. Have a museum day!
Santiago is full of impressive museums, and I only scratched the surface in this regard. I can say that by far the most impressive museum I visited was the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino museum. The very well curated space is full of ancient treasures from across south America. It is full of easy and interesting info and even has an interactive space for kids. Beyond that we checked out the Museo Historico Nacional which was not so great but worth the free Sunday admittance, before ending our day at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Right on the metro stop Bellas Artes) which is also free on Sunday and full of lots of paintings and sculptures, some much more interesting than others but certainly worth an hour or two. Like I said I barely saw any of what Santiago has to offer there’s a lot more to find. Oh and don’t forget to appreciate the impressive collection of Graffiti around almost every corner.
5. Visit Plaza de Armas and It’s Cathedral before walking up to Santiago’s many markets!
Plaza de Armas is a beautiful place, and not just because of the many porno theatres within a few block radius. The square is full of people from all walks of life doing all sorts of things, including washing clothes in the fountain. Framed by beautiful and ancient buildings, not least of which the cathedral, Plaza de Armas is a great place to sit and watch life go by. The Cathedral is shadowy and quite beautiful to take a walk through and then you can head up through the pedestrian walking street called Puente towards the central seafood market or further to the flower market- or the fruits and vegetable market. You can buy Raspberries at good value here, and both the Seafood and Fruit market’s offer plenty of great places to eat lunch.
The Best Places to Eat in Santiago:
1. Luck Thai
This small thai place is tucked away in the second floor of the fruits and vegetables market stall number 199 which you’ll find just across the street from the main fish market. The chef comes from Kho Phi Phi and is proud of his food. I can vouch for the Pad thai which at around 4000 CLP is fairly cheap for international fare and more than delicious.
2. Anywhere along the edge of the fish market.
This place is full of good seafood and while it’s not exactly cheap (seafood never seems to be) it’s certainly cheaper than the tourist designed restaurants in the centre of the market, and I’d be willing to bet it’s just as delicious. Don’t just come for a meal though, be sure to walk around the fish market and take in the chaotic commercial place.
3. Galindo
Found on the corner of a street in Bella vista this place serves up good meat dishes for relatively cheap. It has great relaxed vibe, porcion’s are heaping and it’s definitely one of the best places to eat in Bella vista.
4. La Piccola Italiana Bellavista
These guys have a great happy hour menu and the food for the most part is tasty. Cheap drinks and Iced coffee’s too during happy hour. Just be careful that you’re very clear on what you order and what you’re getting as there were a few mix ups with ours.
The Best Budget Places to Stay in Santiago:
Found in the Providencia Neighbourhood and well connected to several metro lines this charming small hostel is run by a Californian man and an army of volunteers plus Duke the skateboarding Dog. It’s a very social place and probably the best place to stay. But book online, we booked in person there and had our reservation cancelled in an email a few days later saying it was full when we booked. They offer both private rooms and comfortable dorms with fast wifi, a computer for guest use, a kitchen, and free breakfast. It books up easily, so book ahead if you can.
While the beds weren’t as comfortable as Castillo Surfista hostel and the place was a little bigger than I like, it’s well located close to Plaza de Armas and several metro lines, and everything seems to work well enough. There’s a nice T.V. and game room downstairs and most of the staff is friendly. The place is decently clean and is certainly an okay option for a few days in Chile’s capital. Privates and Dorms are available with included breakfast, wifi and guest computers.
Things to be careful of:
Watch your belongings, especially in Bellavista!
Bellavista is where the tourists flock to, so it’s also where the petty criminals hang out. While there are cops and security guards around they can only do so much, and your belongings are at constant risk here, and not just at night. We were watching a soccer game in the very centre of a prominent Bellavista pub not near an exit or entrance and my brother had his bag expertly swiped from beneath his feet. When we reported it to the police and the security force there didn’t seem to be a great sense of surprise. So don’t bring valuables unless you have to and always be aware of your belongings.
Don’t get too rowdy on the metro:
We were on our way to el clasico and walked into a subway car where a group of young Universidad de Chile supporters were chanting and jumping and drinking too. It was all in good fun and most of us were smiling but at the next stop transit police boarded, pulled those they could catch out and lined them up against the wall. It seemed needless to me but certainly is a good warning that you should always behave properly on the metro, especially when you’re not in your own country.
Final Thoughts:
Santiago is a big city with a lot to offer, and I didn’t even begin to explore possible day trips from the city, though I’m sure there are many, some of which you can read about here. Still, there is plenty to keep you entertained with a great mix of history, culture and a ton of beautiful people. Santiago is undoubtedly the most attractive city I’ve been in since Colombia. It’s population (both men and women) are young and friendly and always happy to help.
