Must see attractions in Santiago

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Centro Gabriela Mistral
This striking cultural and performing-arts center – named for Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American woman to win the Nobel Prize in…
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Cerro San Cristóbal
The best views over Santiago are from the peaks and viewpoints of the Parque Metropolitano, better known as Cerro San Cristóbal. At 722 hectares, the park…
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La Chascona
When poet Pablo Neruda needed a secret hideaway to spend time with his mistress Matilde Urrutia, he built La Chascona (loosely translated as 'Messy Hair')…
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Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos
Opened in 2010, this striking museum isn't for the faint of heart: the exhibits expose the terrifying human rights violations and large-scale …
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Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
Exquisite pottery from most major pre-Columbian cultures is the backbone of Santiago's best museum, the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino. As well as…
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Museo Ralli
This little-visited museum on a quiet residential street in Vitacura boasts a stunning collection of contemporary Latin American art mixed in with…
Palacio de la Moneda
Chile's presidential offices are in the Palacio de la Moneda. The ornate neoclassical building was designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca in the…
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Cementerio General
More than just a graveyard, Santiago’s Cementerio General is a veritable city of tombs, many adorned with works by famous local sculptors. The names…
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Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda
Underground art takes on a new meaning in one of Santiago's newer cultural spaces: the Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda beneath Plaza de la Ciudadanía. A…
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Templo Baha'i
This striking shell-shaped temple in the Andean foothills is a tranquil spot to relax – even for those who don't ascribe to the Baha'í faith – with an…
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La Vega Central
Raspberries, quinces, figs, peaches, persimmons, custard apples…if it grows in Chile you’ll find it at La Vega Central, which is bordered by Dávila Baeza…
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Museo Interactivo Mirador
The stimulus is intellectual – but so much fun – at the Museo Interactivo Mirador, one of Santiago's best museums. Forget ‘do not touch’: you can handle,…
Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende
Picasso, Miró, Tápies and Matta are some of the artistic heavyweights who gave works to the Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende. Begun as a populist…
Mercado Central
Gleaming piles of fresh fish and crustaceans atop mounds of sparkling ice thrill foodies and photographers alike at the Mercado Central. Look for congrio …
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Museo de la Moda
This slick, privately operated fashion museum comprises a vast and exquisite permanent collection of Western clothing – 20th-century designers are…
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Parque por la Paz
During Chile’s last dictatorship some 4500 political prisoners were tortured and 241 were executed at Villa Grimaldi by the now-disbanded National…
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Museo de Artes Visuales
Exposed concrete, stripped wood and glass are the materials local architect Cristián Undurraga chose for the stunningly simple Museo de Artes Visuales…
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Plaza de Armas
Since the city's founding in 1541, the Plaza de Armas has been its symbolic heart. In colonial times a gallows was the square's grisly centerpiece; today…
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Cerro Santa Lucía
Take a break from the chaos of the Centro with an afternoon stroll through this lovingly manicured park. It was just a rocky hill until 19th-century mayor…
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Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
This fine art museum is housed in the stately neoclassical Palacio de Bellas Artes, built as part of Chile's centenary celebrations in 1910. The museum…