Cerro Santa Lucía

Lonely Planet review

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.

The ornate Terraza Neptuno fountain is on the Alameda side of Cerro Santa Lucía, flanked by curving staircases, while Mackenna's tomb lies in a small chapel-like building below the summit. Ask in the municipal tourist office behind the fountain about guided tours. You'll need to sign in with your passport details when you enter.