Showing 1-22 of 22 results
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Basílica del Salvador
A landmark in Barrio Brasil is the quake-damaged, neo-Gothic Basílica del Salvador dating from 1892. It is often closed, except on special occasions. West of the Vía Norte Sur, the previously neglected Barrio Brasil is enjoying a surge in popularity. Deserted decades ago by the well-heeled for supposedly more desirable residences in the east, many of the younger well-to-do are returning to enjoy the area's lively bohemian buzz.
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Catedral Metropolitana
Overseen by the same architect who designed Santiago's La Moneda, this neoclassical cathedral has stood firm where other structures have crumbled. The lavishly decorated altar is particularly striking.
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Cementerio General
The Cementerio General is one of Santiago's most under-discovered and interesting sights. This little city of tombs - some incredibly ornate, some palatial, some sublime, others ridiculous - is a history lesson in itself. The final resting places of political figures such as Salvador Allende, diplomat Orlando Letelier and José Manuel Balmaceda are reminders of political turmoil from the 19th century to the recent past.
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Cerro Santa Lucía
Nineteenth-century city mayor Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna orchestrated the transformation of Santa Lucía from rocky hill into beautifully landscaped park. Its footpaths and fountains still make it a delightful retreat today. Pick your way through the amorous couples and you will rave about the vista from the top if it is clear, just as Charles Darwin once did.
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Jardín Zoológico
The Jardín Zoológico houses an aging bunch of neglected exotic animals, however, it is probably the only place in Chile where you are assured a glimpse of the elusive pudu deer.
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La Chascona house
Named after the unruly hair of the poet's widow, Matilde Urrutia, Pablo Neruda's shiplike La Chascona house sits on a shady cul-de-sac at the foot of Cerro San Cristóbal. Neruda was an obsessive collector and the contents of his house include a beautiful bar from Marseille, Bauhaus furniture and the poet's extraordinary library of books.
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Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
The beautifully arranged Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino chronicles 4500 years of pre-Colombian civilization. There are separate exhibits for different indigenous cultures, each including breathtaking figurative ceramics and sumptuously intricate textiles and jewelry. Make sure you see the Chinchorro mummies, a product of Chile's indigenous culture, which are thousands of years older than the Egyptian equivalent.
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Museo Colonial
Despite its name, Museo Colonial is more of an ecclesiastic art display than anything else. The displays can be heavy going if you don't happen to be a colonial religious painting expert, but you can see a replica of Gabriela Mistral's Nobel Literature medal here.
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Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
Run by the Universidad de Chile's art faculty, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo was hosts modern photography, design, sculpture and web art displays. Check the website for the latest on the building work.
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Museo de Artes Visuales
The Museo de Artes Visuales displays fine modern Chilean engravings, sculptures, paintings and photography. Renowned contemporary Chilean artists such as Roberto Matta are showcased and exhibits rotate regularly.
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Museo de Bellas Artes
Museo de Bellas Artes has permanent collections of European art and an evocative section documenting Chile's development. There are regular exhibitions of contemporary international artists but they do tend to be small.
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Museo de Ciencia y Tecnología
In the middle of Parque Quinta Normal there's an artificial lagoon where you can rent rowboats. Beyond the lagoon is the Museo de Ciencia y Tecnología, which has interactive exhibits on astronomy, geology and other aspects of science and technology.
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Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende
This museum is a 1970s art time capsule featuring gifts from artists who supported the socialist Allende government. The main attractions include works by Matta, Miró, Tapies, Calder and Yoko Ono, and geometric art by lesser known, but still wacky, 70s artists.
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Museo De Santiago
Within the the ochre-colored colonial Casa Colorada this amateurish but engaging museum charts the capital's growth from its modest beginnings. Exhibits include maps, paintings, colonial clothing, and dioramas, which give a real flavor of how the vast Santiago sprawl grew. Tours are available in Spanish.
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Museo Histórico Nacional
The absorbing Museo Histórico Nacional documents colonial and republican history. The displays include ornate ecclesiastic objects, early colonial furniture and the weapons and personal effects of Chilean liberation heroes. The museum is also strong on the country's industrial history but skirts around the 1973 military coup. There's also a small room with Mapuche jewelry and artifacts.
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Museo La Merced
The Museo La Merced is immaculately presented. Its subject matter is of limited appeal (the history of the Merced religious order in Chile), but the displays are so lovingly restored and it is such an unexpected sanctuary of calm in the middle of the city that it is well worth a visit. There is also a very pretty inner courtyard and café.
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Museo Nacional de Historia Natural
The dusty and dated Museo Nacional de Historia Natural has extensive butterfly and fossil collections, including bone fragments of the giant Pleistocene ground sloth, known as the 'milodon', from the famous cave near Puerto Natales in southern Chile. It is part of a 40-hectare park that attracts strollers, picnickers, soccer kickabouts and preachers.
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Palacio Cousiño
Originally of Portuguese descent, the prominent Cousiño-Goyenechea family amassed a huge fortune from wine-making, and coal and silver mining, enabling them to build this spectacular palace. Santiago's most glorious mansion, it dates from 1871 and is embellished with French-style artwork and features one of Chile's first elevators. Admission includes excellent guided tours in English.
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Palacio de la Moneda
Chile's presidential palace, Palacio De La Moneda (La Moneda literally means 'the coin'), was designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca as the official mint at the end of the 18th century. It became the presidential residence in 1846. Badly damaged by air force attacks during the 1973 military coup, it was restored before the return to democracy and now houses the presidential offices. The head of state does not reside here now.
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Parque de Las Esculturas exhibition hall
The Parque de Las Esculturas exhibition hall houses intriguing sculptures by noted national artists, however, the displays can be sporadic and the opening hours vary depending on the exhibition. The surrounding Parque de Las Esculturas, a beautiful green belt by the river Mapocho, is a rare Santiago triumph in city landscaping. A perfect place to walk along the river.
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Parque Metropolitano
Parque Metropolitano is central Santiago's largest open space and a magnet for cyclists, joggers and walkers. It's dominated by the iconic 14m-high statue of the Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción, which towers the top of Cerro San Cristóbal. Reached by funicular railway, teleférico (aerial tramway), bus, car or foot, there are breathtaking views, lovely gardens, nearby swimming pools, a zoo and a teleférico ride that's 2km (1.2mi) long.
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Piscina Tupahue
The beautiful Piscina Tupahue has arguably one of the greatest swimming pool settings anywhere. Set on San Cristóbal hill in the Parque Metropolitano it offers a breathtaking vista across Santiago.
Showing 1-22 of 22 results
