Santiago – January 2025
Hotel: InterContinental Santiago
The final destination for our South America holiday was Santiago, Chile. We had heard such amazing things about Chile, so we were excited to explore this gem.
Day 1: Hop-on Hop-off Bus
You know, I use to hate on these things, but after having Lionel, they just make perfect sense to get around now.
Our hotel was closest to stop number 9, Costanera Center, where you’ll find a large shopping mall and Sky Costanera, the largest building in South America with a panoramic view of the city up top. It’s worth walking around the mall while you’re here, and definitely head to the top for the city view too. The mall has lots of restaurants located on the 5th floor, accompanied by live music. On the main floor, you’ll find the Turistik desk to purchase your tickets for the bus.
We had already planned which stops to get off on since we didn’t have all day due to working around nap time, but if you have the time, stop 1 was located at another large shopping center that looked lively, and stop 2 was at a beautiful park to explore. Mestizo, a fine dining restaurant we were recommended, is also located at this park.
The first stop we got off at was stop 3 for the cable car. You can purchase tickets at the park or you have the option of including the cable car in your bus ticket. The bus stop is a few blocks from where you’ll be able to catch the cable car. There were also a variety of activities and food to do before heading up.
At the top, there’s a lot to explore. We stopped and grabbed a mote con huesillo, a sweet Chilean summer drink of peaches and husked wheat. It was very unique drink, but surprisingly refreshing on such a hot day. There was a set of stairs leading up to a statue of the Virgin Mary, and highest point of Santiago, but there was no way I’d make it with my 30lb weighted vest, — a.k.a. Lionel — so we admired from the bottom of the steps instead.
Stop 4 was originally on our list, but with limited time left, we decided to skip for the day. Here you’ll find the Funicular Santiago that can take you up to the top of the summit. The street outside the park was also incredibly busy and lined with amazing looking restaurants.
Our final stop for the day was stop 5, Plaza de Armas, the city center. The plaza was gorgeous, with the cathedral located right outside. We had been warned this wasn’t the safest area at night, and as it was approaching the evening, we did get the feeling we shouldn’t hang around too long. We admired the statues and all the street performers before continuing our exploring elsewhere.
Around the corner you’ll find stop 6. Being only a couple blocks, we opted to walk to La Moneda Palace instead. This grand building is where the president lives and is surrounded by a few other grand buildings worth exploring.
The final stop that we skipped because of it getting late was number 7, Saint Lucia Hill. This is a gorgeous park with a short climb up to more panoramic city views.
Day 2: Wineries
We love exploring cities, but for the final day of our long vacation, we were looking forward to doing something a little different.
We took an Uber about 20 minutes outside the city to Cousiño Macul, a small family owned winery. Unfortunately when we arrived, although the winery was technically open, they don’t do any tours on Mondays, so we were only able to visit the gift shop. Fortunately, the lady working was incredible and took us on a private tour around the vineyard anyway. The grounds were beautiful, along with all the old barrel rooms.
After talking for a bit, she let us know of another winery around the corner that was open and had availability for a tour, Viña Aquitania. This winery is set in the foothills of the Andes with incredible views and tasty wines. The tour included 4-5 wine tastings and a small plate of cheese and nuts. They even served Lionel some juice and chips. Our guide was super knowledgeable, and we had a great time chatting with the other members of our tour while enjoying the scenery around us.
Food Recommendations:
Confitería Torres – We stumbled upon this place our first night, only a few blocks from our hotel. We chose here because of their typical Chilean dishes — that were fantastic — and learned it’s the oldest restaurant in Chile… And second oldest in all of Latin America.
Margó Gourmet – Tasty dishes at an upscale restaurant offering a variety of unique flavors. Great prices for the delicious meals we enjoyed here.
Our time in Santiago was incredible. The city has so much to offer from parks, shopping, and modern restaurants. We loved our short visit, but easily could have spent more time here seeing all it has to offer.
• Everyday Davis • 