Accomodations

Although Santiago is not particularly famous for its nightlife (in comparison to Rio or Buenos Aires), there is plenty of activities and events, as well as sophisticated restaurants and top-quality hotels.

For starters, it is useful to understand how Santiago is divided, to understand which are the safest and most attractive areas.

The typical Santiaguino (demonym of the inhabitants of Chile’s capital city) knows that Santiago is divided into “up from Plaza Italia” and “down from Plaza Italia”. This means that the iconic Italy Square is the beginning of uptown or the end of it, depending on the direction you are heading.

Despite uptown being the more common destination for business people, there is plenty to see in the historic area of the city. Santiago de Chile was founded in the XVI century, following a colonial pattern, meaning that it began with a central square, which held the main buildings (Post office, church, city hall) and grew outwards. Therefore, you can visit kilometer zero, which is the Plaza de Armas, and where you can visit the National Historical Museum, and walk your way to the Casa de La Moneda, the National Museum of Fine Arts, and the National Library. If you get hungry, you can visit classical restaurants in the oldest part of town or stroll to the beautiful, bohemian neighborhood of Lastarria, which exhibits enchanting architecture and some of the best restaurants. There are also classical hotels, such as the San Francisco Hotel, or lovely little boutique ones, like The Singular, which surprises with its sophistication and attention to detail.

If you decide to go uptown, you will never run out of options. You can do a little shopping in several malls, visit museums, eat in world-renown restaurants, and stay at luxurious hotels. When it comes to accommodations, you can choose between chain-brand hotels (W, Marriot, Sheraton, and many more) or go for more exclusive options, some of them looking into the Cordillera de Los Andes). In addition, there is a wide offer of international cuisine, especially Peruvian.

Whatever you decide, you will not regret letting Santiago into your heart. It is an elegant city, embellished by the eternal presence of the mountains, lovely weather, and kind people.