Towering skyscrapers sit beside colonial architecture in the Chilean capital that’s home to avant-garde galleries and an acclaimed food scene
Santiago bursts into life every summer as festivals take over the streets of downtown, grapes bloom at nearby wineries, and residents hike into the Andes to escape the midday heat.
Day 1: Indulge in Wining and Dining
Morning:
The capital of Chile sits in the sun-baked Maipo Valley, which produces big, bold cabernet sauvignons. The most historic vineyard is Viña Cousiño Macul, which dates back 160 years. Take a tour to find out more.
Afternoon:
Head to the trendy Providencia neighborhood for lunch at Santiago’s new urban market, Mercado Urbano Tobalaba (MUT), comprising four towers housing office space, food stalls, and high-end restaurants. Most of the boutiques sell goods that were designed and made in Chile, including menswear brand SNOG and rainforest-inspired cosmetics by Mājen.
Evening:
Dine on creative Chilean fare at CORA Bistró, where Chef Manuel Balmaceda plates Pacific Coast seafoods, Chilean Lake District mushrooms, and Patagonian berries like ephemeral artwork (menus change daily). The wine list features natural and low-intervention options from emerging regions such as the southerly Itata Valley, where rugged reds like cinsault and carignan prevail.
Day 2: Discover the Centro Museums
Morning:
Take a stroll through Santiago’s historic center, traveling from the grand Spanish colonial architecture of Plaza de Armas to the cavernous halls of the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. There are artifacts from Chile’s 11 official Indigenous groups (including Rapa Nui wood carvings, known as mo‘ai kavakava) as well as ceramics, textiles, and metalworks from across the Americas.
Afternoon:
Go west to explore the mural-covered Barrio Yungay neighborhood, which had an image boost when current president Gabriel Boric moved into an old casona (house) here. Dig into tangy ceviche at the artsy restaurant and cultural space, Espacio Gárgola.
Evening:
End your day with a frothy pisco sour in the bohemian Lastarria neighborhood. Make a reservation at Chipe Libre, the city’s premier pisco bar, where you can compare bottles from Chile and Peru by ordering flights of the grape-based spirit or sours in a variety of flavors.
Day 3: Head to the Foot of the Andes
Morning:
Wake at sunrise for an early-morning hike into the Andes at Parque Natural Aguas de Ramón. Take either a 3.9-mile loop to the forested Los Peumos sector or a 10.1-mile round trip to the Salto de Apoquindo Waterfall. In the winter months, head deeper into the Andes to carve turns at one of the Tres Valles ski resorts, about 34 miles east of downtown.
Afternoon:
Stay close to the Andes in the upmarket Vitacura neighborhood, checking out the shiny skyscrapers of Santiago’s business district from the manicured gardens of Parque Bicentenario. Three blocks away, La Punta sells some of the city’s finest empanadas. Enjoy a gallery hop on Avenida Nueva Costanera, with a stop at Galería Patricia Ready to see the work of emerging artists.
Evening:
Finish your gallery tour at CV Galería, an upmarket art and entertainment complex. At 99 Restaurante, Chef Kurt Schmidt creates highly ethnographic tasting menus based on the foodways of a single Chilean wine valley, which changes twice a year. There is just one nightly seating for 14 guests, who sit alongside an open kitchen – reserve well in advance.