Location: Santiago
Top Things to do in Santiago
The 10 Best Free Things to do in Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago is one of those metropolitan joys where the more you look, the more you find. Funky cafes and dance clubs dot Bellavista, Forest Park art collections range from pre-Columbian to contemporary, and architecture runs the gamut from the 16th-century San Francisco Church to mirrored office towers. Shop with the locals at Mall Panora¡mico and give your palate meals to remember with hearty Chilean fare.
Restaurants in Santiago
1. Cementerio General (General Cemetery)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 335 reviews
This well-groomed cemetery is the final resting spot for some of Chile's most honored figures, including former President Salvador Allende.
2. Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,321 reviews
Reviewed By nickd18 - Calgary, Canada
when we visit the main church in a capital city we expect it to have great art, wonderful sightlines, an altar complete with paintings and sculptures, large yet intricate stained glass pieces, murals and frescos on the interior ceiling or dome and a massive pipe organ. We expect this but some churches are just more awe -inspring than others. This cathedral has everything and more. Beautiful side chapels, carved pulpit and an open an airy feeling because of the interior height. Well worth the visit
3. Cerro Santa Lucia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19,554 reviews
The climb up this natural 230 foot hill offers a worthy reward: breathtaking panoramic views of the city.
Reviewed By Finewinery2019
We had the benefit of a very good personal guide who provided in depth knowledge of the beautiful park. This made our visit much more interesting.
4. Barrio Bellavista
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,017 reviews
This cultural city neighborhood is rich with artists, entertainers and some of chile's best ethnic and local cuisine.
Reviewed By VernonW143 - Cape Town, South Africa
……A true-lii intriguing barrio to find yourself in just to wonder about casual-lii and explore and discover whatever there is to be found in this area. Besides the trend-ii ‘PATIO BELLAVISTA” centre with all its fascinating shops and restaurants it’s just amazing to see even so much more bars, cafes, restaurants of different proportions all around the streets of this barrio. We would just like to make mention in this review of all the places that we came across in this vicinity so that others may know it is here. The trend-ii “ZONA 3” that looks like a nice beer-garden where lots of young people hang out. “VENEZIA” Restaurant a renowned Chilean gastronomia. The big park-entrance to Cerro San Cristobal with food-vendors all around and also known as “the meeting place in the city”. The “DINING ROOM” Restaurant & Piano Lounge housed in a palatial double storey house with secured parking, La bodeguita de JULIO (the wine-cellar JULIO for Flavour & culture, the nice corner cafe Gracia Heladia which offers ice cream and breakfast. We also came across an outdoor amphitheater with lots of Graffiti on its walls. There was also CAVALERA Art & Tattoo shop, TEATRO SAN GINES a small but nice looking performing arts theater and very close-by was this impressive school building COLEGIO MARIA IMMACULATE the surroundings was very neat & clean, The VIVA LA VIDA restaurant very beautiful-lii decorated walls with bright-lii coloured flowers painted outside. There was a MINI MARKET shop where you could buy all kinds of liquors, a FLORISTERIA with very trend-ii and innovative floral decorations and also “LAPISLAZULI” Factory Shop the Blue Semi Precious Stone which is very popular here in Chile, they had some nice jewelry and fancy stuff created out of this Blue Stones. A nice church building which looks like it’s been here since 1891 and in 1997 the people requested that this be declared a Heritage Site and a Historic Monument. Even on the border of this Barrio there is a love-lii big STAR-BUCK……This is an area that needs lots of time to explore so it’s a must visit when in Santiago de Chile…………………..NB! Don’t forget to take time to study all the expressionism told by the multitude of GRAFFITI all over the area!......
5. San Francisco Church
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 991 reviews
The immense red walls and vast great room leave visitors in awe as this 16th centruy structure is Santiago's oldest building.
Reviewed By WImom - Fond du Lac, United States
Spent about 20 minutes here. Took the metro University of Chile to here and walked a short distance. Free entry. The first stone was laid here in 1586 making it Santiago's oldest surviving colonial building. There is an attached colonial-art museum for a fee.
6. Parque Forestal
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,439 reviews
Perfect for strolling or biking, this park has a huge playground and is close to all of the main attractions in Santiago.
Reviewed By hawkes2an - Cranbrook, United Kingdom
Stretching from Plaza Baquedano (also known as Plaza Italia) all the way to the historic building Estancia Mapocho, near the Puente Cal y Cante metro station, this urban park in downtown Santiago is a tranquil place (even though Santiago's traffic is not that far away) with lots of winding paths providing endless options for walkers, joggers and cyclists. Its stretches of grass provide table-cloths for picnicking families. One of the distinctive landmarks in the park is the Fuente Alemana (German Fountain). This elaborate work of art is a good example of the sculptures and metalwork found throughout the park.
7. La Moneda
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,781 reviews
The center of Chile's history, this presidential palace is a beautiful building that occupies an entire city block on downtown Santiago.
Reviewed By deborahk3 - Maidstone, United Kingdom
La Moneda is the seat of the president of Chile. It also houses the offices of three cabinet ministers. It occupies most of a large block in the Civic District of downtown Santiago. It looks much like other parliamentary buildings around the world, but well worth seeing. La Monda, is of neoclassical design by an Italian architect and was originally built as a Mint . In 1973, during the military coup, the building was bombed by the Chilean air force. The building was rebuilt some years later although some bullet marks remain and have been preserved. Well worth a visit.
8. Isidora Goyenechea
9. Barrio Lastarria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8,125 reviews
This bohemian neighborhood has plenty of shops, bookshops, design shops, museums, cinemas, theater, restaurants and bars, hotels and tourist appartments, and more.
Reviewed By melodyk1000 - Carmel, United States
The streets are busy with sellers of books and maps and antiques and lots of other items and there are wonderful restaurants and bars as well. We stayed in this area 2 years ago and loved it - a happening place a night, and frankly during the day as well. We have been going back each day to try a new restaurant. It backs up to the GAM museum and is a fun place to wander. Check out Jose Ramon for artisenal Evers and good burgers, Bocanariz for 250 different option of Chilean wines and wonderful food, or a number of other street side restaurants offering food, beer or ice cream. You will keep going back!
10. Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,112 reviews
The Museum of Memory and Human Rights seeks to draw attention to human rights violations committed by the Chilean state between 1973 and 1990. Its mission is to allow dignity for victims and their families, stimulate reflection and debate and to promote respect and tolerance in order that these events never happen again. It is a Bicentennial project, inaugurated on January 2010, by then President Bachelet. Its purpose is to promote educational initiatives that enhance knowledge and consideration. Its location, on Matucana Street, is also part of an ongoing effort to promote the cultural circuit of Santiago's West Side. Through objects, documents and archives presented in different settings and formats, as well as a innovative sight and sound presentation, it is possible to learn part of this history: the military coup, the repression that took place in the following years, the resistance movement, exile, international solidarity, reparation policies.
Reviewed By yheisler - Toronto, Canada
This is a sobering look at the atrocities committed in Chile under the Pinochet Regime, and a must-see for visitors to Santiago. The museum itself is beautiful and well laid-out, and the exhibits inside are easy to follow and really reveal a lot of details about the darker history of Chile.
