I've Lived in Santiago, Chile, for Over a Decade—Here's Where I Would Take You

This Andean destination has sun-kissed outdoor spaces, great seafood paired with local wine, and bohemian barrios worth sticking around for.GettyFew capitals boast as dramatic a setting as Santiago, Chile, which is squished between the Chilean Coast Range and some of the highest mountains in the Andes. Frequently overlooked by travelers headed onward to Chile’s wild extremes—like Patagonia and the Atacama Desert—this city of 7 million people really does deserve a few days of your time. (There's a good reason we named it one of our Best Places to Go in 2026.)Mark JohansonMark Johanson is a journalist who has lived in Santiago, Chile, for over a decade.Day-trippers can swirl a glass of peppery Carménère at a Spanish-colonial Maipo Valley winery, soak in milky-green hot springs at Colina Valley, or hike to the Condor Lookout to photograph the largest raptors on earth. In winter, you can even race down the Andes at one of four ski resorts. And within two hours, you can survey the vast Pacific from a tony beach town like Zapallar or the art-filled streets of Valparaíso.Of course, be sure to spend time downtown, too. Santiago has world-class museums, vibrant parks and plazas, bohemian barrios, buzzing nightlife, and a growing food scene to match those globe-conquering wines. This is everything you need to know to plan a trip to Santiago, Chile.Read our full list of the Best Places to Go in Central and South America in 2026.When to visit SantiagoVisit during the spring months of September through November, when daytime temperatures in the mid-70s are just right for exploring, and the Andes are green following winter rains. In September, seek out Independence Day traditions like cueca (a folk dance with handkerchiefs) on street corners and at week-long fondas (pop-up fairs).The weather starts to warm in December, but it rarely gets steamy in this arid climate. Nighttime temperatures drop even at the height of summer, so it’s best to pack a layer no matter when you visit. City traffic is especially light in balmy late January and February, when most Santiaguinos take their summer holidays, but you’ll want to avoid the beaches then, as they’ll be crowded with fellow vacationers. And if you’re going skiing, book your Chilean getaway between mid-June and August.The city of Santiago sits between dramatic mountain ranges, and snow-capped peaks. GettyGetting to and around SantiagoSantiago-based LATAM Airlines is the largest in Latin America, ensuring a wide array of direct flights to Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. LATAM codeshares with Delta, and there are nonstop flights to major US cities, including New York, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. From the airport, you can take a taxi or a car service like Transvip to your accommodations.Once you’re settled, Santiago’s extensive metro system is a safe and efficient way to get around. Buses and taxis are readily available and generally secure, but ride-share services like Uber and Cabify are a better bet. Metro and bus fares are paid through Bip! cards, which you can purchase at any underground station.Chilean seafood is married with Japanese flavors at AMA Nikkei. AMA NikkeiAMA, led by Jose Matamala, uses fish caught 90 minutes away. AMA NikkeiWhere to eatWhether you’re in the mood for an empanada from a street vendor or a juicy lomo liso steak, Santiago has options for every palate and price tag. Note that many places don’t open until 1:00 p.m. for lunch, then close at 4:00 p.m. and reopen starting at 7:00 p.m. for dinner. When in doubt, opt for seafood options like ostiones a la Parmesana (Parmesan-baked scallops) as Chile has more than 4,000 miles of coastal real estate.Nikkei (Japanese fusion food) is a big trend here. Head to the leafy Providencia neighborhood and grab a seat at the izakaya bar of AMA Nikkei to watch as chef Jose Matamala prepares makis and usuzukuris with Chilean seafood caught 90 minutes away. Or, try the veggie-forward CORA bistro, where chef Manuel Balmaceda plates seasonal tapas with a painterly eye, and the queer, vegan, fuente de soda (diner) Rica Rica, a beloved dive on Plaza Ñuñoa. Whatever you do, don’t miss Mercado Urbano Tobalaba, or MUT, a striking 7-floor urban market featuring art displays, landscaped gardens, and lofty city views. There are dozens of closet-sized restaurants here, including Mirai Food Lab (all things fermented), La Flaca (homestyle Chilean food), and La Vermuteria, whose vermouths are made with endemic botanicals.When it comes to more upscale dining, whet your appetite at Bocanáriz, a wine bar in the historic downtown neighborhood of Lastarria offering elegant small plates like Chilean oysters and sea bass ceviche. Also not to be missed is Boragó in the ritzy Vitacura area on the eastern end of the city. Here, Chile’s most celebrated chef Rodolfo Guzman serves a seasonal tasting menu full of endemic ingredients like changle mushrooms dotted with murtilla berries, and sturgeon caviar with wild Patagonian apples. At nearby 99 Restaurante, Boragó alum Kurt Schmidt takes a similarly ethnographical approach to fine dining, focusing his deeply researched tasting menus on the foodways (and vinos) of a single Chilean wine valley, which changes every six months.For a nightcap, stop by the award-winning Siete Negronis in Bellavista, Santiago’s nightlife hub, to try one of the seven signature negronis, including one clarified with toasted pistachios. Or, head over to Bar Cerros de Chena, in low-rise Barrio Italia, where an artsy crowd gathers to hear live bands over natural wines and Hazy IPAs.Use the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art as a jumping off point for exploring Santiago's historic core. Museo Chileno de Arte PrecolombinoThe best things to do in Santiago, ChileHistory buffs won’t be the only ones impressed by the Indigenous ceramics and textiles on display at the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, just off the imposing Plaza de Armas in Santiago’s historic core. While in the area, stroll past the La Moneda presidential palace (an important site that was targeted in Chile’s watershed 1973 coup), or explore the cultural center and fine handicrafts shop from Artesanías de Chile located underneath.Walk a few blocks east, and you’ll see Santa Lucía Hill, which offers sweeping views of the city. From there, you can descend toward the neoclassical Municipal Theater (for ballet, opera, and classical music) or avant-garde GAM (for modern art, contemporary dance, and experimental theater). Keep walking east toward Providencia, and you’ll find young designers selling their wares at alternative shopping arcades like Drugstore.From downtown, ride the metro west to the museum district in Yungay—a historic barrio populated by artists and immigrants—and visit the harrowing Museum of Memory and Human Rights, which brings to life the difficult story of Chile’s dictatorship (1973-1990). Afterward, check out the classic barbershop Peluquería Francesa on Compañia de Jesus Avenue. It features an adjoining French restaurant decorated with a panoply of antiques.In the colorful Bellavista neighborhood, visit La Chascona, the Santiago digs of late Chilean poet (and Nobel Prize-winner) Pablo Neruda. You could also rent a share-bike to pedal along the Mapocho River, which runs the length of the city; ride the cable car up Metropolitan Park for a condor’s-eye view; or meander through Bicentenario Park in Vitacura to see sculptures and black-necked swans.If wine is your thing, you’ll also want to arrange a tour, tasting, and elegant lunch at a nearby Maipo Valley vineyard like Santa Rita or Concha y Toro, which specialize in bold Cab Sauvs and Carmeneres. In winter, carve turns at one of the four ski resorts above Santiago, including Valle Nevado, which is on the IKON Pass, Mountain Collective, and Power Pass. At other times, hikers headed to Patagonia can warm up their calves on one of the many trails in Cajón del Maipo.The playful Hotel Bidasoa is in the Vitacura neighborhood. Hotel BidasoaWithin Hotel Bidasoa, vegan restaurant Casa Sanz is the place to see and be seen. Hotel BidasoaWhere to stayMost travelers opt for hotels on Santiago’s more modern eastern end, including the Mandarin Oriental in Las Condes, which is housed in an iconic tube-shaped building and features an outdoor pool encased by gardens. A more playful option is Hotel Bidasoa, in Vitacura, whose vegan restaurant Casa Sanz has become a hotspot among Santiago’s upper crust.On nearby Isidora Goyenechea Avenue, you’ll find the high-rise W Hotel, whose rooftop bar is where many Santiaguinos want to be at sunset, pisco sour in hand. It’s across from Plaza Peru, where you can browse fine antiques every Sunday. There’s also a surfeit of restaurants in this part of town, known by locals as Sanhattan for its skyscrapers and dapper office workers.The clutch of classy options in and around Lastarria is better suited for those who want to be immersed in the downtown action. The gold standard here is The Singular, which has a sister property in Patagonia if you’re planning to travel there next. More affordable is the architecturally striking Debaines Hotel Santiago, with plush amenities and a prime spot next to the opera house.Additional reporting by Patricia Garip.We travel from New York to Chile to meet chef Sergio Barroso of Restaurante 040 in Santiago. Mark Johanson is an American journalist who has lived in Santiago, Chile, for more than a decade. His stories about travel, food, culture, and sustainability have appeared in publications such as Travel + Leisure, AFAR, Food & Wine, The Economist, Men’s Journal, Newsweek, Bloomberg, CNN, and the BBC, among others. ... Read More