Santiago de Chile

Santiago de Chile is usually a one or two days stop before heading to another destination. It is not a city that I love very much to be honest…

Santiago de Chile and its many valleys

Among all capital cities in South America, Santiago is the less attractive. However, if you stop here, a lot of museums can be visited or you can just walk inside the city. With a clear sky, the top of the Andes Mountains can be seen. It is the perfect time to go to the Belvedere of Cerro San Cristobal “Cerro San Cristóbal”, a forest hill in the city center which offers a great view.

Modern and fully equipped ski resorts are one hour drive from the city. They attract a lot of pro ski athlete who can train from June to October. Several vineyards surrounding the city will propose a free visit and wine tasting.

Near Santiago, you will visit the mythical port of Valparaiso. The charm of Valparaiso is not in its buildings or its typical taverns; it is in the hills surrounding the city. On these hills, thousands of lively colored small houses are hung up like birds nest.

In this steep labyrinth, you will wander through small twisting streets or take the old backfiring funicular to go up the hills. These monstrous old machines, yet reliable, take visitors to the “Miradores” of the hills. Valparaiso city center was declared UNESCO World Heritage in July 2003.