After our journey through Salar de Uyuni and a few days in the desert, we returned to civilization by taking a flight from Calama to Santiago.
SIDE NOTE- the flying experience here is incredible. The lines to check bags are extremely fast because they don’t mess around on the computer and try to charge you more at the desk. The security process is fast because you don’t need to remove all of your clothes and shoes, and the boarding process doesn’t mess around either.
When we got off the plane we had a nice man from Washington approach us (we must look American or something) and give us advice on transportation. He also said, “Santiago is great, it’s like NYC.” I had my doubts, especially after what we’ve seen the last month, but the dude was right! Santiago is a big city that has everything you can imagine, but most importantly it was our first subway system on this trip (game changer)! For any hard feelings I/we had about our accommodations in San Pedro, I totally redeemed myself in Santiago. We were right in the heart of the city and within a block of the nearest subway line.
View from AirBnb
Top Things to do in Santiago:
Cerro San Cristóbal - It takes about 30-45 minutes to hike up this hill in the middle of Santiago and it offers up some incredible views of the city and surrounding mountain ranges. Maybe consider taking the bus here, because we walked from the cemetery and it took a long time. It’s a massive hill so it looks kind of close to anywhere you’re at, but we were sadly mistaken. Also, if you have time try and get there around sunset because that is awesome.
View from San Cristobal
The Museo de la Memoria (The Museum of Memory and Human Rights) - This museum is located a little outside the city center but worth the subway ride (or long walk for us). The museum commemorates the victims of human rights violations during the 17 year dictatorship commencing in 1973. It is completely free but we would HIGHLY suggest getting the audio guide in English if you can’t read Spanish or else you will just be looking at pictures with no context.
Pictures of the lives lost during this horrific period.
La Chascona House - One of the houses of the famed poet, Pablo Neruda. Not only is it interesting learning about this very influential man but the architecture of the house itself is worthy of a visit. We also really enjoyed the surrounding neighborhood (a lot of graffiti), so get there a little early or stay a little after to explore.
They love Bob.
La Moneda - The presidential palace of Chile. We would suggest just visiting and walking around for a bit. We went, after we learned at the Human Rights Museum, that La Moneda was bombed in 1973 during the country’s takeover. The country’s Marxist leader, Salvador Allende, committed suicide on the same day of the bombings.
Climb Santa Lucia Hill - Another great lookout over the city and this time a much shorter walk up with a lot more history. This hill is supposedly a remnant of a 15 million year old volcano… awesome. It was also here that the Spanish conquistador, Pedro de Valdivia, founded the city of Santiago in 1541.
Cementerio General de Santiago- We highly recommend visiting this cemetery if you have a couple of hours and want to escape the city noise for a bit while still being in the city. This place is HUGE so you can easily get lost in it (supposedly over 2 million burials)!
Try the chorrillana - One of the things you have to try in Santiago is the chorrillana dish, which is french fries but covered with amazing stuff (ours was covered with cheese, bacon, and carnitas).
Movie - Alright this probably doesn’t belong in the list of things to do, BUT there are movie theaters everywhere in the city and they are in English (with Spanish subtitles) so why not take a break from everything and catch a flick?
Overall, we had a great time in Santiago and you can’t ask for a better backdrop. While it is very much a big city with all the modern amenities a big city has to offer, it also has so much history. The combination provides countless activities to keep you busy for days