Santiago de Chile
First published in 2019
When I wrote my last blog I realized that I published quite some pictures from Bellavista, but only a few others from Santiago, and skipped the rest of Chile completely.
So here are some more places to visit in Santiago.
The pictures are from 2012 but the places are looking still the same (except that I had much better weather than compared to what I had on my last visit).
Plaza de Armas
Likes most cities in Latin America the central place is called Plaza de Armas. It's a nice place to start your visit - quite big with a lot of trees and statues. There are quite some benches, but you still might struggle to find a seat.
Historical buildings are located around the plaza, but most of them are not accessible to the public. One exception is the Catedral Metropolitana. There is no entrance fee for the main building, so even the interior is not super impressive you might want to spend a few minutes there.
Palacio de la Moneda
Not far away from the Plaza de Armas is Palacio de la Moneda. Quite an impressive building that is the official seat of the Chilean president today. I think you can arrange a visit, but I never tried.
Below the place in front of the building, you can find an underground art museum (Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda). They frequently have interesting exhibitions, mostly modern art if I remember correctly. When we visited in 2012 they had a really upscale one. Still, no one was speaking English, so all discussions like "where to place our backpacks", "where is the entry door" etc. was based on gestures only 🌝.
Mercado Central
This is mainly a tourist place and it became worse over time. In 2012 there had been at least some dealers selling fish or vegetables in the main hall. By now they have disappeared completely. Luckily you can still find some in the hallways.
We ate there twice in 2012, both times the food was very good. The first time we've been in a small group sitting on the balcony, the second time on our own in one of the restaurants next to the hallways downstairs - guest which one was significantly cheaper ...
If you want to visit an authentic market, you have to cross the river and take a look at the market in La Recoleta. I have not seen any signs, but you can hardly miss it because when you cross the river, you just have to walk straight on.
Estacion Mapocho
We found this place just by chance. It's quite near to Mercado Central and you should see it to your left when you walk towards the river. It's a former train station, now used for cultural purposes. You might not be able to enter, but if you can: Do it!
Cerro San Cristobal
On the other side of the river, you have to pass Bellavista (you know what to do there, right?) to come to the other main tourist attraction in Santiago: Cerro San Cristobal.
The statue is on a hill above the city. You can walk up there or take a bus, but most people take the cable car. It can get pretty crowded up there, but at least you have a nice view of the city (if the weather is cooperating).
For me this is one of those places that you shouldn't miss, but that you don't visit twice.
If you start early, you can visit all those places in one day, but it will be a packed one. Of course you can split it and visit the places on each side of the river separately. In that case, you might want to add the Cementerio General to your agenda.
