One Day in Santiago, Chile: A Whirlwind Itinerary for a Quick Stopover

Santiago, Chile has a huge international airport, (the third busiest in South America), and is often a jumping off point for other adventures in Chile and beyond. We spent a leisurely five days here but it is possible to see quite a bit of the city in just a day or two. So if you’re touching down in Santiago and short on time, here is a great itinerary to make one full day here really count.

One Day in Santiago

Start your day in Providencia and work your way across the city to the downtown area. Come back to Providencia to finish your evening, or head straight back to the airport if that’s how you roll.

Providencia

Santiago Cable Car – Oasis Station

Start your day in the Providencia neighborhood at the Oasis cable car station. Take the cable car up to the top of San Cristobal Hill. The ride is about 15 minutes and offers some of the best views over the city.

You’ll stop at an intermediate station called Tupahue, but this is not the summit. There are playgrounds, trails, and a swimming pool at Tupahue but I’d recommend just heading right to the top.

San Cristobal Hill

The top of San Cristobal Hill will show you even more sweeping views of Santiago. On a clear day you can see really far. Unfortunately clear days are rare. Since the city sits in a bowl-like depression, partially hemmed in by the Andes mountains, smog tends to settle instead of dissipating.

Aside from city views, the main attraction atop the hill is the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception. This Catholic sanctuary, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, includes a 14 meter tall statue of Mary, beneath which is a small chapel that holds just a handful of people.

Several visitors were praying in the chapel while others stood just outside it, taking photos. There is also a larger chapel and an amphitheater for holding outdoor Mass.

When we were there, a sound system was broadcasting hymns and prayers. It struck me as distinctly different from the US, where it’s virtually unheard of that a religious site including its rituals and traditions would feature so prominently in a public attraction. After traveling across the world and back, it makes me happy to still uncover simple (yet remarkable) cultural differences.

Bellavista

When you’re ready to leave San Cristobal Hill, take the funicular down to the Pío Nono station in Bellavista. (It’s the only direction you can go on the funicular, you can’t get lost!) Pío Nono is a lively area with vendors selling snacks and trinkets.

From here, it’s a 5 minute walk to La Chascona, one of the houses of the famous Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda.

La Chascona

La Chascona is one of three homes that Pablo Neruda owned. (The others are in Valparaiso and Isla Negra.) Neruda built La Chascona in the 1950s as a secret hideaway for himself and his then-mistress (later his wife), Matilde Urrutia. It’s name is a Quechua word meaning “wild mane of hair” and was Neruda’s pet moniker for Urrutia, who had curly red locks.

The home was partially destroyed in the early 70’s during Pinochet’s military coup. (Neruda was a known communist so was persona non grata with the new government.) Urrutia worked to restore the home and lived there until she died in 1985. It opened as a museum in the early 1990’s.

Note that this museum (like a lot of others) is closed on Mondays.

Patio Bellavista

After visiting the museum, take a stroll around the neighborhood, making your way to Patio Bellavista. There is something a bit touristy about this tucked away outdoor food court, but it is nice to peruse the various bars and restaurants. The shops in here definitely seemed to be on the expensive side, but we enjoyed the chill ambiance.

Brian discovered that Chileans make a killer red beer, so of course we had to stop for a quick refreshment. It was only fair, as I made us stop at Montana Gelato for an ice cream that was out of this world good.

There are plenty of other restaurants to try in Bellavista besides those found in Patio Bellavista. So if a compact restaurant “mall” (for lack of a better word) isn’t your speed, you definitely have other options.

Bellavista is also known for it’s nightlife. If you’re in town for longer than a day and nightlife is your jam, this neighborhood is a good place to start.

Lastarria

On foot from Bellavista, head south on Purisima street, across the Mapocho River and through Park Forestal towards Lastarria. This is another fun and vibrant neighborhood where you’ll find lots of dining options. To us, Lastarria felt less “Bohemian” than Bellavista, and more commercial. It was like a cross between the downtown area and Bellavista neighborhood, which adds up since it sits in between the two.

Santa Lucia Hill

Walk through Lastarria, making your way to Santa Lucia Hill. This hill is much smaller than San Cristobal, and it is easy to walk up on your own. There is a pathway that will take you to Castillo Hidalgo, and you can continue to a lookout point that gives you views over the city. You’ll have already gotten some great views from the cable car and the top of San Cristobal Hill but this lower vantage gives you a closer view over Lastarria and the downtown area.

Santa Lucia Hill is also a quiet place for a rest and a snack. We perched on a stone bench and ate our sack lunch of cheese sandwiches and apple slices, enjoying the serenity in this beautiful little slice of nature inside the neighborhood.

The wide pathway that goes most of the way up the hill is suitable for everyone. However, there are a couple of sets of steep, rough-cut stone stairs that lead to the very top. These stairs could be impossible or very challenging to folks with physical limitations. Never fear though, Santa Lucia Hill is a nice place to visit even if you can’t reach the tippity top.

National Museum of Fine Art

If you have extra time and interest, check out the National Museum of Fine Art (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes) on your way to Santa Lucia Hill. The museum is located in Forestal Park and houses one of the largest collections of Chilean and other South American art. Phase one of a huge renovation (which included new glass in the central dome) was just completed in January 2025. The gorgeous beaux-arts style building dates from 1910 and is worth it to pass by and ogle even if you don’t have time to go inside.

Downtown / Plaza de Armas

The downtown area of Santiago is the business and commercial center and where most of the historic buildings are. The Plaza de Armas was the original site of the city when it was founded by Pedro de Valdivia and is considered the actual center of Santiago. (For an interesting read on the background of Santiago, I recommend Isabel Allende’s novel, The Long Petal of the Sea.)

Because Chile is prone to earthquakes (understatement of the year), not many of the buildings are fully original from this time period. However, many of them have been lovingly restored and maintained, although their original uses may have changed over the years.

Once you head down Santa Lucia Hill, make your way west, along Avenue Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins, which borders the south side of the hill. A five minute walk will take you to the oldest structure in Santiago, the Church of San Francisco.

Church of San Francisco

The Iglesia de San Francisco is the oldest structure in Santiago, although even this building is not totally original. It was the first Catholic Church, built here in the mid 16th century, but was partially destroyed and subsequently restored following several large earthquakes. It is not as grandiose as the Cathedral in Plaza de Armas, but is interesting for its historical significance. This church still holds Mass and also houses a collection of Chilean colonial era art.

Palacio de la Moneda

From the Church of San Francisco, walk west along Moneda Street until you reach Plaza de la Constitución. At the south edge of this expansive concrete block is the Palacio de la Moneda. It was originally Chile’s mint, hence the name, but eventually became the seat of government and presidential residence. It was here that then-president Salvadore Allende killed himself during the military coup of 1973. You can tour the palace or just snap some photos of the exterior, like we did. 🙂 They also have a changing of the guard ceremony at 10am every other day which is supposed to be fun to watch.

When you’ve had your fill of this square, head northeast to the Plaza de Armas. Here you’ll find more activity than at Plaza de la Constitución, including of the pickpocketing kind. We were warned by a local guide to stay south of Catedral Street, which borders the north part of the plaza. We took that advice to heart so can’t tell you what is north of there – probably something super scary! (j/k but hey, why take chances…)

Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral

Despite its decidedly utilitarian name, the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral is the city’s main Catholic Church and the permanent seat of the Archbishop of Santiago. The interior also belies the bland moniker. Its soaring ceilings, ornate carvings, and elaborate frescoes are everything you’d expect from a Catholic Cathedral. It was refreshingly cool, quiet, and reverent inside.

Even if you’re not religious, it’s totally worth strolling through to appreciate the details and craftsmanship. The cavernous interior really beckons you to sit for a while in a pew, to pray if you want, or just to enjoy the serenity.

Unfortunately, the serenity stops at the exit, where there were guys dressed like monks asking for money. I’m preeeeetty sure they weren’t real monks. Jus’ fyi.

Central Post Office

At the northern side of the square you’ll find the Central Post Office. This was the original home site of Santiago’s founder, Pedro de Valdivia. Later, it was the governor’s seat and then the presidential palace (before it moved to the Palacio de la Moneda.)

Over the course of the centuries the actual building on this site has been rebuilt and modified many times. The current building is a grandiose neoclassical structure that was completed in 1908. There is a little stand near the post office where you can buy a postcard. That’ll give you an excuse to check out the interior while you buy a stamp!

STGO Sign

The giant STGO sign is here in the Plaza de Armas. You may need to wait a bit for a picture with the sign, but it’s a fun shot to have. Brian snapped mine as fast as he could because we’d just seen pickpockets out and about so he was feeling less like STGO and more like GTFO.

Back to Providencia…

There is a subway station in the Plaza de Armas so it’s easy to get to wherever you’re staying. (If you’re headed to the airport, grab an Uber or Cabify; the subway doesn’t go all the way there.)

Sky Costanera

If you’re staying in Providencia (which I highly recommend), get off at the Los Leones station and meander over to Sky Costanera. It’s the tallest building in South America so once you exit the station, you can’t really miss it.

There’s a huge mall inside where you can indulge in some retail therapy, grab ingredients for dinner from the aptly named Jumbo grocery store, or buy a ticket to the top of the tower if you really need one more view of the city.

When you’re done exploring Sky Costanera, have a drink or dinner out at one of the many restaurants in the surrounding area. For dessert, treat yourself to artisanal ice cream at Dai! Heladería on Suecia Street.

There you have it, folks! This itinerary will give you enough for a whirlwind one day tour of Santiago, or you can expand it to fill a couple of days if you want to spend more time visiting museums or catching special events like the changing of the guard at the Palacio de la Moneda.