Top 20 Things To Do In Santiago Chile

All products and services featured on Be Free and Travel are independently selected by Anna Freitag. However, when you buy something through one of the featured  links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.

Santiago makes a great base for exploring

I have a confession to make.  For all the years that Chile was on my bucket list, the only thing I actually knew about Santiago before my trip was that you could take a cable car up over the hills.  

If this is you too, you may be wondering, “Is Santiago worth visiting?”  My opinion is 100% hell yeah!  Absolutely DO plan to stay a few days in the capital before moving on to the rest of your itinerary.  Santiago is definitely worth visiting, and personally I could easily spend weeks exploring it.

The city sits basically in a bowl surrounded by mountains. This makes it a great base for some amazing outdoor adventures as well as day trips throughout central Chile.

Read more: 9 Best Day Trips From Santiago Chile

I also found the city itself to have an amazing art vibe! There are far too many great restaurants and cafes to explore in just one trip.  With so many things to do in Santiago I will most definitely be making a return trip!

So without further ado…

Here are Santiago’s best things to do

1. Santa Lucía Hill

Climbing Santa Lucía Hill was one of my very favorite things to do in Santiago.  The grand staircase and fountain at the bottom of the hill invite you to climb as soon as you arrive.  On the way up you can enjoy the beautiful park, a tiny, old church, and cannons.

Continue all the way to the top you will be rewarded with pretty spectacular views of the city and mountains.  I recommend starting here in the morning before it gets too hot.  It’s free to explore.

Click here for the location on Google Maps.

2. Tea Party at Wonderland Café

Have a very merry un-birthday at Wonderland Café.  This is the perfect spot to refresh yourself and enjoy a little tea party. Have some coffee or tea after a morning of exploring Santa Lucía Hill.  You can walk there from the park as it’s located in the Lastarria neighborhood immediately next to it.  Click here for the location on Google Maps.

Do make a reservation or be prepared for a wait to get a table inside as it’s very popular…and for good reason!  Once you’ve finished your lunch make sure to head upstairs where you feel even more like you’ve actually entered Wonderland.  It’s a great spot to take some fun photos and videos! 

If you have a group you’re traveling with, consider booking a private buffet in The Secret Room.

3. Plaza de Armas

Less than a 15 minute walk from Wonderland Café and Santa Lucía Hill is Plaza de Armas.  It’s the main square of the city where you can take in local life. Enjoy a walk under the palm trees while people watching. From there you can choose to explore any number of sites nearby. There’s beautiful cathedral just off the square and a museum.  Save the location on Google Maps.

4. Join a Walking Tour

While I love exploring cities at my own pace, joining a walking tour is a great way to see some of the main sites in one shot.  They also have the benefit of learning interesting facts you might not otherwise learn. Hear stories from the guide and learn about the culture too.

This free walking tour runs daily at 10am and 3pm. Don’t forget to bring a cash tip for the guide! Or, if you’d prefer not taking photos over the heads of your group and competing for a good spot to hear the guide speak, book this private walking tour.

5. Drink Pisco and Dance with the Locals

What exactly is pisco?  It’s a spirit made by distilling fermented grape juice in the wine making regions of Peru and Chile.  Drinking it in the cocktail Pisco Sour is probably the most popular and well known way to drink it.  I highly recommend you try one on your trip as it’s one of the best things to do in Santiago. 

Feeling ready for some heat? Join in on the ongoing debate on whether Peru or Chile has the best Pisco.  The best place to do this in Santiago is Chipe Libre – Républica Independiente del Pisco. The name basically means “Independent Republic of Pisco.  The “Chipe” part they got by combining Chile and Peru into one word.  Save the location on Google Maps here.

Personally, I think I will need to take trips back to both countries (for serious research purposes of course) so I can really study both before taking a side.

check out multiple spots

Later in the evening head to the popular Candelaria Bar and dance into the night with the locals.  Click here for the location. Candelaria Bar was suggested to me by several local friends, and it did not disappoint. 

I loved the “no pisco, no disco” sign on the wall and was impressed by their measures for drink safety.  It’s the only place I’ve ever been to in the world that served my drink to me in a plastic cup with a lid. It looked more like a coffee cup than a cocktail.  Especially since I tried a Piscola (pisco and coke).  I generally prefer craft cocktails but I’m also a “when in Rome” kind of girl, or in this case “when in a Chilean nightclub”.

**No pisco no disco picture and picture of pisco in safety coffee cup

6. Take a Wine Tour

A trip to Santiago wouldn’t be complete without sampling some delicious Chilean wine at a winery.  There are many great options for wineries to visit. While it’s possible to drive yourself around to the wineries, however this does put you at risk of severe penalty.  Chile has a zero tolerance policy for drinking and driving. Even a single glass can put you over the legal limit.

The better option is having someone do all the driving while visiting 4 amazing wineries in the Casablanca Valley.  You can also enjoy lunch at Tarino on the tour, which is one of the very best restaurants in Chile.

7. Dinner at Mestizo

I don’t know what’s more perfect about Mestizo, the food or the atmosphere.  Both are works of art!  The huge stones used in the architecture and the glass siding that completely opens up in the warm months. It makes it feel like you’re dining in an open air museum.  Click here for the Google Maps location.

Mestizo is my absolute favorite restaurant I ate at during my whole 3 week trip to Chile!

Located on the edge of Región Metropolitana park in the upscale Vitacura neighborhood, you can be one with nature while enjoying a bottle of wine and watching sunset.  For entrées I recommend the octopus.

Make a reservation here so you’re sure to get a table at this popular, upscale restaurant. I had an early reservation before most Chileans came for dinner. This gave me the advantage of truly being able to take in the unique design of the restaurant in the warm evening light without any crowds.

The setting sun made for the perfect ambiance. The later it got the more the restaurant filled up, providing a lively atmosphere.

8. Try a Completo

A must on a trip to Chile is trying the popular completo.  It’s a hot dog served a particular way including mashed avocado, tomatoes, sauerkraut, and mayonnaise.  They make for a delicious and filling meal on the go, and you can find them all over the city.  I tried my first one at the bus station before I departed. However, I was in a hurry and forgot to take a photo.

9. Explore the Mountains

It would almost be a crime to visit Santiago without getting out into the mountains.  The Andes mountains start right at the edge of the city and have an omnipresence there. They can (almost) always be seen throughout Santiago.

There are tons of options, and one of the best options is to go horseback riding. Click here to book your horseback riding adventure.

10. Cable Car at San Cristóbal Hill

Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the only thing I knew about Santiago before actually traveling here was the fact that you could take a cable car over the hills.  That one point stood out in my memory for all the years I wanted to go to Chile. The view from the cable car at San Cristóbal Hill did not disappoint! 

Find the location of San Cristóbal Hill on Google Maps here.

The park itself is quite expansive, great for enjoying a walk or a bike ride.  There’s lots to discover there including a large Virgin Mary statue at one end of it.  I also recommend taking the funicular for another way to take in the view from the hill, while saving your legs.

I took the funicular up the hill to reach the Virgin Mary statue and the cable car on the way down. You could do it in reverse as well.  You can buy a one-way, a return, or a combination funicular and cable car ticket for between approximately $2-8.  Tickets are cheaper during the week and a bit more expensive on the weekends and can be bought right at the entrances.

If you want to skip the line I recommend getting tickets in advance.

You can easily book the funicular, cable car, and a day pass on the double decker bus. It transports you to most of the major tourist sites and popular neighborhoods. If you want more time to explore you can get a 2 day pass.

Book a 2 Day Pass Here

11. Try a Mote con Huesillo

What the heck is that? A valid question you may find yourself. I did too when it was first mentioned to me by a Chilean friend as something I should try.  Seeing it for the first time I still found myself asking that question.

Mote con huesillo can be found in the summer made of peaches, a sweet juice, and mixed with husked wheat berries.  Even though they’re called wheat berries, that part doesn’t taste like fruit.  I don’t know whether to call this a beverage or a snack. Whatever you decide to call it it’s truly Chilean. A must try in Santiago.  

They can be found at cart vendors and little shops throughout Santiago.  I had my first one at the top of San Cristóbal Hill.

12. Stroll Through Providencia

Just beneath San Cristóbal Hill is the area known as Providencia.  After a morning spent enjoying the hill, head down into the neighborhood to explore and get some lunch.  There are so many aesthetic options and street art to be found just exploring the little hidden streets and pathways.

I loved all the colorful restaurants and street art in the area surrounding Restaurante Tsukimi Sushi Nikkei & Ramen Resto-bar (quite the mouthful, I know!) This is where I had some ceviche while enjoying the vibe of the neighborhood.

You could spend weeks exploring all the cafes and restaurants here and I most certainly wished I could do just that!  This is also a fantastic part of the city to base yourself. It’s one of the safest, prettiest and most convenient neighborhoods for exploring all the sites. 

Read more: 5 Best Boutique Hotels in Santiago chile

Nearby you can also check out the view from the top of Sky Costanera nearby. What a great to take in the sunset with a drink and a snack. The ticket to the top costs about $20 USD, but cost may vary by day of the week. Buy them in advance here to skip the line.

13. Quebrada de Macul

Just on the outskirts of the city lies a natural gem that most tourists miss.  Quebrada de Macul is a wonderful place for a hike and a refreshing dip in the cold mountain water. 

The Google Maps location is here.

Hike a little ways in and you will start to find Chilean families taking a refreshing dip in the rock pools all along the river.  If you hike far enough you will come to a series of waterfalls. You will likely be rewarded for your efforts by passing all of the crowds. Potentially, you may even have the falls all to yourself.

It’s a perfect adventure after a day of exploring the city.  I recommend going in the early evening so the sun is no longer directly overhead.  On the way back down I got lucky and caught the sun setting over a view of sprawling Santiago and the mountains on the other side of it all.  Check when sunset will be and plan your hike accordingly.

I went with a local friend who knew the way to the falls already, but basically if you keep following the river all the way up you will eventually come to the falls.  I recommend checking a trail map before you start. If you feel unsure, ask the park officials if they’re able to point you in the right direction.

14. Enjoy a Free Metro Concert

One of my very favorite things about Chile was how EVERY single metro train I took had someone on it performing.  This was true not just for Santiago, but also the trains I took in Viña del Mar and Valparaiso too.  The sheer variety of styles and acts was amazing!  I saw everything from a string quartet, to an older gentleman singing old ballads, to the most adorable mom singing popular latin songs with her precious baby strapped to her.

Most often I noticed the locals on the train with their heads down and headphones on not paying any attention to the random live concerts.  Personally I would LOVE a little concert to break up the monotony of a general 9-5 type day! Most people seemed to ignore them completely.  

At the very least I always made sure to make eye contact and share some good energy and a smile with the musicians and singers. When I had cash on me I would spread the love that way too.  Consider bringing some extra cash with you to tip the performers.  They will love you for it!

15. Catch a Street Corner Circus Show

Something that greatly surprised me about Chile was how into circus arts they are.  As an aerialist myself I will say I have a greater appreciation for circus than most.  So, when seeing how many random roadside acrobatic, juggling, and flow arts acts there were throughout Santiago (and the rest of the country) I was thrilled!

If you catch yourself enjoying a roadside act while waiting at a stoplight please remember to tip.  You’ll definitely make their day, and what they’re doing takes years of practice and skill!

16. Explore Barrio Italia

Another neighborhood I could personally spend weeks exploring is Barrio Italia.  It’s such a cool hipster area!  There’s so many cute restaurants and cafes and I want to try them all.  Great for a meal or some coffee any time of the day. 

Find the location here.

I spent an evening walking around and having dinner with friends, but completely forgot to take any photos that night.

17. watch sunrise and sunset from the rooftops

18. La Chascona – pablo neruda house

Visit the home of Pablo Neruda, the world famous Chilean poet. In 1971 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, he is arguably the most read poet from Latin America.

The house was built for his, at the time, mistress who later became his wife. Chascona is a Chilean Spanish word that roughly translates to “wild, messy hair” after her curly, red locks.

Visit the house as well as Palacio de la moneda and Plaza de Armas in one tour here.

19. Relax at your hotel’s rooftop pool

If you’re visiting Santiago in the summer I highly suggest booking a hotel with a rooftop pool. It can be quite hot out exploring the city. Cool down in the water after a morning of taking in the sights. The backdrop of mountains makes the ambiance perfect!

20.Cajon del Maipo

Last but certainly not least, taking a day trip to Cajon del Maipo should be high on your list of what to do in Santiago.  It’s a great way to experience some of the beauty of the mountains. 

You’ll also get to experience the hot springs, a waterfall, and a Chilean BBQ under the stars.

Are you ready to book your hotel in Santiago?

Read More: 5 Best Boutique Hotels In Santiago

I often think the most magic happens on a trip when we have the least expectation for it.  That was certainly true for me on this trip!  Before arriving I was familiar with some of the biggest attractions Chile has to offer, such as Attacama and Patagonia for example. (Although those are the places for the next trip for me)  

Being a spontaneous person I said “yes” to this trip just 2 weeks before I hopped on the plane. This meant I had little to no time to actually plan. I mostly relied on advice from local friends on what to do in Santiago. I let each day develop organically.  They’re suggestions were all perfect and now you have this amazing list including the best of it all!

If you’d like some more inspiration on how to fit everything you’d like to see and do on your trip, I have put together an epic itinerary for you – 4 Days in Santiago Chile.  It also covers how to spend your time if you only have a day or two to spend in the city.  If you’re still planning your route through Chile I have a 10 Day Off the Beaten Path Itinerary for you too.

Happy exploring, and remember to Be Free and Travel! 🌏✈️

Read More: How to Spend 4 Days in Santiago Chile

10 Day Off The Beaten Path Chile Itinerary