The best things to do in Santiago

We spent five days in Santiago in early March 2026. I loved this city, and it had a very different vibe to the other Latin American cities we’ve been to. In Santiago, the style felt more diverse and alternative and in the areas we explored (mainly Lastarria, Providencia, and Bellavista) there was a very young and vibrant vibe. The people were friendly. The food and drinks were great. And there was so much to do that we could have stayed longer. Here are some of our highlights. 

The best things to do in Santiago, Chile

Barrio Bellavista

We arrived in Santiago at about 4pm and the first thing we did was head to Barrio Bellavista for food and drinks. This beautiful neighbourhood is lined with trees and old buildings, and is popular with both tourists and locals. There are so many choices for food and drink, including traditional Chilean restaurants, Mexican and Peruvian cuisine, as well as other global choices like Japanese and Korean. 

Find out more about our favourite places to eat and drink in Santiago here. 

Cerro San Cristobal

One of the most popular tourist spots in Santiago is Cerro San a Cristóbal – but don’t let that put you off. This park at the top of a hill overlooking the city is huge, so even on a busy Sunday lunchtime it didn’t feel overcrowded. It’s a popular hiking, running, and cycling spot for locals and it doesn’t feel like a tourist trap. The views across the city are incredible and you can choose to make your own way up, or catch the funicular or cable cars. 

We took the funicular up and the cable cars down which cost about £13 each. At the top, try a refreshing mote con huesillos from one of the cafes, walk up to the statue of the Virgin Mary, and on your way back down explore the Japanese garden. 

Parque de las Esculturas 

This free park was close to our hotel and we made it part of our running route. It follows the path of the river and is a relaxing place to walk or sit in the sun. On Sundays the roads around the park close to cars so you can exercise in the street. 

Barrio Lastarria 

This neighbourhood near Bellavista and Providencia has leafy streets lined with trees, cafes and bars, and street sellers. The area has a young, studenty vibe that’s reflected in the bohemian feel of many of the restaurants and bars. Santa Lucia Park, with its hill fort with views over the city, is in the middle of this area and we loved wandering between bars and exploring the streets on a warm afternoon. 

Valparaíso 

The town of Valparaíso is a UNESCO world heritage site known for its steep streets, old buildings covered in colourful street art, and Victorian funicular lines. 

We caught the 10:05am Turbus from Pajaritos which cost 5,000 CLP (£4) for a single ticket and took about 1.5 hours. You can book tours that collect you from your hotel, take you to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar and stop at a winery in the Casablanca valley. But we knew we were going to vineyard the following day and managed to do this trip for about 25% of the price. 

The downside was that we had to organise our own transport but that was actually super easy from Pajaritos. We also missed out on having a guide but were able to read up on the history of the town very easily. 

We wandered around Cerro Alegria and Concepción, ate a delicious lunch at Planta Baja, and then caught a taxi to Vila del Mar where we went to see the original Easter Island head at Museo Fonck and relaxed at the beach before getting a bus back to Santiago from the bus terminal there (5,500 CLP / £4.50, 1.5-2 hours). 

The town of Valparaiso in particular is beautiful and very interesting so it’s well worth the trip. But if you think you’re up for making the journey yourself, I think it’s worth it to save about £40 per person, see the area on your own time, and not have to sit on the bus doing hotel pick-ups and drop-offs!

Wine tours 

Santiago is surrounded by wine valleys. If you take an organised tour to Valparaiso the chances are you’ll stop at one of the viñas in the Casablanca valley. We decided to organise our own trip to a couple of wineries in the Maipu valley on a separate day so we had more time in Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. 

We had a premium tour with a tasting at Viña Cousiño Macul at 11:30am and then a tour at Viña Aquitania at 3pm which gave us time to eat in between. There are so many vineyards in this area but we chose these before they were so close to each other. 

Viña Cousiño-Macul is about 20-30 minutes from Santiago in a taxi and the premium wine tasting meant we got three glasses of wine during the tour, and then three glasses during the tasting, as well as a welcome drink. We were lucky to be the only people on our tour on a Tuesday morning in March, but the guide did tell us that in high season groups can be as large as 30 per guide. 

We were also the only people on our 3pm tour at Viña Aquitania, which is about 10 minutes in a taxi from Cousiño Macul. This lasted about an hour but as it was quiet we had longer to sit in the sun and enjoy the four glasses of wine we tasted in the garden. The setting here is stunning and there were a few visitors who had chosen just to buy wine and drink a bottle in the garden without taking a tour, which would be another great way to enjoy the valleys if you’re not so interested in the history of the viñas and the winemaking in the area.  

Other things to do in Santiago:

• Centro histórico 

• The museum of memory & human rights 

• Cementerio General de Santiago

• Ceroñro Santa Lucia

• Sky Costanera 

Find out more about how we spent five days in Santiago here.