Strolling "El Centro" > (M:Universidad de Chile or La Moneda) Walk the downtown on the pedestrian streets of Ahumada, Huerfanos, Estado and Puente. Also check out Palacio de la Moneda (open daily moorning, entrance by Moneda Street , Changing of the Guard every odd day at 10 am, at Plaza de la Constitucion). Other sigths: Plaza de Armas, Casa Colorada, Iglesia de San Francisco, Cerro Santa Lucia (where Santiago was founded in 1872). Ah !! Donīt miss drinking a coffe espresso "with legs"at Cafe Haiti (Ahumada 140) or at the counterpart Cafe Caribe (Ahumada 120). For lunch, head to Mercado Municipal, Bar Nacional, El Rapido or Domino (See "where to eat").
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Cerro San Cristobal > (M: Pedro de Valdivia) For a (...smogy) view of the city, take the funicular or walk from the north end of Pedro de Valdivia Street to the top (1 hour walking). Mostly people goes Sunday moornings. For a different returning way catch the funicular (US$1,5) on the top toward Barrio Bellavista.
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Visiting Museums > (M: Universidad de Chile) Museo Precolombino* on Bandera 361 (Mondays closed, Tu-Fr: 10-18hrs; Su: 10-14hrs., comprehensive collection of arts and crafts from America before Columbus). Museo de Santiago is on Merced . Pablo Nerudaīs House (M: Baquedano, Fernando Marquez de la Plata 0192, Mon closed, Tue-Fri 10-13, 15-18hrs) named "La Chascona" at Barrio Bellavista. Palacio Matias Cousiņo belonged to one of the richest families (M: Toesca. Dieciocho 438. US$1.5, Tue-Fri: 9:30-13, 14:30-17hrs, Sat-Sun: 9:30-13hrs)
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A Day Trip To Viņa del Mar > (M: Universidad de Santiago) Buy a ticket to Viņa for breathing a bit of fresh air (US$5 one way, 2 hours). For a better visiting, stay one night over there and go to the nearby Isla Negra where is one of best Neruda`s house. The port of Valparaiso is just 5 min. to the south. Reņaca Beach is only 15 min to the north.
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Nightlife > Suecia Street (M: Los Leones) Check pubs (as Boomerang) and discos on Suecia, Holley and Bucarest Streets. Barrio Bellavista > (M: Baquedano) Along Pio Nono at foot of Cerro San Cristobal is cheaper and more popular bohemian quarter, plenty of cafes, bars, reataurants and galleries. Pricey restaurants in the same area lines Dardignac, Constitución and Mallinkrodt streets. It becomes crowded from 22:00 hours, specially weekends.
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Skying > If itīs winter, try some of the nearby ski centers in Santiago: La Parva, El Colorado-Farellones or Valle Nevado (www.vallenevado.cl). Check out www.skitotal.cl for transportation,
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Shopping > Handicraft could be found at Pueblito Graneros del Alba (aka De Los Dominicos, east end of Apoquindo Ave., beside the church). Mall Los Artesanos* (Manquehue Norte, beside Apumanque Shopping Center) or Aldea de Vitacura (Vitacura and Lo Beltran). Lapizlazulis shops can be found on Bellavista and some malls. Wine is available in every supermarket. Upscale Malls are Alto Las Condes Mall (Av. Kennedy 901) and Parque Arauco Mall (Av. Kennedy 5413). The mall of the downtown is Mall del Centro (on Puentes and Rosas). Other shopping centers are: Panoramico (M:Los Leones) and Apumanque (Apoquindo and Manquehue). Some commercial/market streets could be interesting to visit: Patronato Street (M: Cal y Canto. cheap clothing), Meiggs Street (M: Estacion Central), San Diego (M: Univ.de Chile. 2nd hand books), Black Market of Persa-BioBio (M: Franklin, pirated CDīs & software, stolen electronics)
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Winery Tours > Many winemakers around Santiago, such as: Concha y Toro (info: 8217000 code:7089), Cousiņo-Macul and others, have guided tours to visit their wineries in a day. These could be quite expensive and need a minimum of people. But you can do a visit on your own (free), but the problem is they are usually many kilometres from downtown. www.winesofchile.com,www.chilevinos.cl/rutadelvino
Turismo Ackon-Cahuac organizes winery tours (34-914747, US$60, breakfast and lunch included).
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Outdoors > Cerro Pochoco, National Park Yerba Loca, National Park Rio Clarillo, La Campana. www.cascada-expediciones.com, www.alerceandino.cl