Santiago, Chile: what to see in 1 day

Santiago stretches in a valley enclosed by the Andes chain, visible snow-capped across much of the city on clear days, a constant reminder of being at the foot of the world's longest mountain range.

Capital of Chile grown rapidly in recent decades, it blends a Spanish colonial centre with contemporary skyscrapers, with bohemian neighbourhoods that preserve the city's artistic spirit.

The Plaza de Armas opens the day: the square founded together with the city in 1541, surrounded by the Metropolitan Cathedral and the buildings of the Town Hall and Post Office, remains the symbolic heart of Santiago.

A few steps away is the La Moneda Palace, seat of the Chilean government, with its changing of the guard and the square in front dedicated to the Constitution.

Continuing toward the center you reach the Central Market, the nineteenth-century wrought-iron covered market where you can sample fresh Pacific seafood in one of the restaurants among the stalls.

For lunch, one of the restaurants in the market remains the choice most consistent with the gastronomic tradition of the Chilean coast.

A funicular climbs to San Cristóbal Hill, the hill crowned by a statue of the Virgin Mary over twenty-two meters tall, from which you observe the entire city with the Andes in the background.

Bellavista, the bohemian district of the city, has colorful houses and La Chascona, one of the residences of poet Pablo Neruda, today a museum dedicated to his work.

As evening falls, heading back to Bellavista, the restaurants of the district are the most natural choice for dinner, among murals and live music.

Plaza de Armas, the Moneda Palace, and Central Market successfully reveal Santiago's historical soul, while an afternoon choice between Cerro San Cristóbal and Bellavista adds the panoramic or artistic side.

The Lastarria neighborhood and a trip to the Moon Valley, among the vineyards of the outskirts, remain chapters for a second journey. Seeing the snow-capped Andes close the horizon behind Santiago's skyscrapers is the most direct image of the city.