Santiago has everything one needs. Numerous museums, theaters, beautiful architecture, typical food and all surrounded by the Andean Mountain range.
Not only did my journey begin in the capital of Chile, but also my 4-month stay as an exchange student in Chile. My first time in South America, my first time on another continent and my first long-term stay abroad.
Back then, I was still traveling with company. So I wasn’t sent completely alone into a foreign country on a foreign continent. My mom joined me on this 24-hour journey (with stopovers in Barcelona and Madrid) to explore Central Chile with me. After all, it’s better not to put my dearest mother on a plane to a foreign country alone. But she was also very interested in getting to know Chile. That’s why she accompanied me at the very beginning of my long journey.
We landed in the big city in the evening of the 25th of July 2024 and were immediately picked up by our friendly cab driver and taken to our accommodation, including a small city tour. My Spanish was put to the test right away. So, my first two impressions of Chile were: the people are extremely nice and open, and it’s cold. Yes, you really shouldn’t underestimate winter in Chile.
Good to Know
As the country is in the other hemisphere, it is of course winter there when it is summer in my home country. And although I knew that we would be skipping a season on our flight from Austria to Chile, I didn’t think it would be that cold. After all, it’s South America. It’s hot everywhere here, right?! At least that’s what I thought.
The temperatures in the Austrian winter months are much lower, but at least we can warm up indoors using the heaters. Most Chileans better save some money and simply use an extra layer of clothing and an extra blanket. And so, on our very first day, we equipped ourselves with a new scarf from a street vendor. Winter boots wouldn’t have hurt either. But luckily our accommodation had air conditioning that could be used as a heater. My mom got sick straight away anyway.
Unfortunately, we were not sufficiently informed about the location of our apartment neither.
Before you explore the Chilean capital yourself, you should know that the city can be divided into two parts. On the one side you have Santiago Centro with the old town and all the historic buildings and on the other the newer, more modern industrial district. At that time, I didn’t know that in most Latin American capitals, it is better to avoid the city center, especially in the evening and alone. Our accommodation was pretty much in the middle of the center, which of course made it a great starting point for exploring this area. However, it can be a bit dangerous in the center, especially at night. My mom and I, both in South America for the first time, were not quite prepared for this. I should have started reading the Chile travel guide a little earlier, rather than on the plane.
Therefore, my recommendation is to find accommodation near the Costanera Center. The area is not only nicer and more modern, but also a lot safer. The Costanera Center is also the tallest building in South America with a height of 300 meters and is definitely worth a visit if you want to enjoy a beautiful city view.
Day 1:
On our first day, we explored the entire city center on foot. Our starting point was the Plaza de Armas. Here you will find the Catedral Metopolitana de Santiago and the Historical Museum. There are also a few nice breakfast places where you can try a classic Chilean breakfast (article on Chilean gastronomy).
Nearby lies the Barrio Italia, which is reminiscent of the small colorful lanes in Italy with numerous Italian restaurants and bars. After that, we walked to the Palacio de la Moneda, where the seat of the Chilean president is located, and on to the Mercado Central, where you can sample typical Chilean dishes. If you decide to explore the city on foot, you will be rewarded with many colorful, impressive works of street art on your way.
We had two Chilean street food specialties: Empanadas de horno, which are stuffed dumplings from the oven, and mote con huesillo, a classic drink made from barley and a preserved dried peach. In general, you can find everything your heart desires in Santiago. International cuisine can also be found here, and vegetarians and vegans will definitely find plenty of options.
In the afternoon, we visited the Cementerio General de Chile, Santiago’s main cemetery. Here’s a little tip from me: take an Uber and avoid going through the surrounding areas on your own. My mom and I, adventurers and budget travelers, went on foot but didn’t feel quite safe in some areas. The cemetery, on the other hand, is extremely impressive and definitely worth a visit. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Not even my mom, who is a big fan of cemeteries (better don’t ask). Almost every grave has its own Mausuleum. One bigger than the other.
Day 2:
We escaped the hustle and bustle of the city a little on our second day and went on a hike up the Cerro San Cristóbal. The hill is pretty much in the middle of the city, which is why you have a great view from above. From the top, I could properly see the Andes Mountain range for the first time. You can easily spend a whole day on this hill. You’ll find cable cars and various parks and gardens here.
However, we kept our excursion rather short. Apparently the view over the city from above was so amazing that I had a huge emotional breakout. Day two of my year abroad and I was struggling with the worst possible homesickness. What a great year this was going to be!
That evening, my mom picked out a cute little café called Wonderland Cafe, whose design and menu is based on the story of Alice in Wonderland. A Chai Latte and a Bagel finally helped to get me back in a more positive mood.
Day 3:
On our third day, we left the city to go on a really cool day trip. Our destination was the El Yeso water reservoir in the mountains near Santiago de Chile. The trip included a few more stops. First of all, we were equipped with warm clothing and shoes in a kind of base camp. However, as it was quite sunny at the top, this was rather unnecessary. So better equip yourself with your own warm clothes to avoid the rental fees.
We then drove up until just before the viewpoint. We had to walk the last part. But contrary to our guide’s warnings that we had to be extremely careful on the trail, it was more of an easy walk.
Afterwards, we stopped for lunch. While the guides prepared our snack, we were able to explore the surrounding area. And let me tell you, one of my highlights of this trip was seeing South Americans playing in the snow. Just like little kids experiencing their first snow!
The cold snack consisted of a few crackers and potato chips served with cream cheese with soy sauce. I still don’t know exactly why, but Chileans LOVE soy sauce. They just put it on everything. But in fact it was really quite delicious. I also learned that Chileans like their wine sweet, in contrast to the typically dry wines of Austria. And so we had a glass of sweet red wine to accompany our meal.
On our way back, we were allowed to cross a mystical tunnel with lots of spiders and a tragic background story that I unfortunately can no longer remember exactly. And despite the cold weather, we finished off with a delicious ice cream at Casa Chocolate, a chocolate manufacturer. One thing I will always appreciate about Chile is that you can always get ice cream, no matter the temperature or weather.
My Conclusion?
Like any big city, Santiago de Chile naturally has its bright and dark sides. If I had visited the capital a little later during my stay in South America, I might have left with more positive memories. Starting your trip to South America in the center of a megacity like Santiago de Chile is perhaps not necessarily advisable. I was literally bombarded with all kinds of new impressions. It’s loud, chaotic and for the first time you see a kind of poverty that doesn’t exist in Europe.
During my time in Chile, I also got lots of useful tips on how to explore the city, which might have made my stay a little more pleasant.
In my opinion, you can simply skip visiting the Chilean capital. However, other travel enthusiasts swear that Santiago de Chile is one of the top destinations in South America. Convince yourself. 🙂
If you have already visited the city yourself and have any further tips or would like to share your experience, just leave a comment below. If I’ve caught your interest and you want to continue following my journey, then go straight to my next post on Viña del Mar.
Bussi Baba!
Also check out my Instagram post on the Embalse del Yeso:
Bussi Baba 
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