Due to frequent business trips and many local colleagues personally serving as tour guides, I’m sharing my experiences with everyone [side-eye R] This is definitely the most comprehensive and in-depth guide to Santiago on Xiaohongshu (because it’s too far, usually no one comes or writes about it, hahahahaha).
✈️【Flights】
The fastest way from China is via a transfer in Auckland (11h flight + 3h layover + 11h flight = 25h total).
However, the transit visa for New Zealand is extremely difficult to obtain, so choose carefully. If you transfer through Europe, it takes around 35h.
🏨【Hotels】
Make sure to choose a safe area. Every time I come, I stay at Noi in the Victura district, which is a wealthy area, very safe and quiet. There are many popular restaurants in Santiago nearby, and there’s an Hermès store just 50 meters from the hotel entrance.
🚖【Ride-hailing】
You can use Uber by binding a Visa card.
🗿【Sights】
1. Plaza de Armas
The heart of Santiago, similar to People’s Square in Shanghai [watching secretly R]. Be careful with your bags and phones here. The following attractions 2, 3, and 4 are all within walking distance from Plaza de Armas.
2. 🌟 Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago
A must-visit!
It’s very impressive!
3. National History Museum of Chile
Free admission, also located at Plaza de Armas, worth a visit if you’re there.
4. 🌟 Santa Lucia Hill
More like an urban park ⛲️, not very high, it takes about 15 minutes to reach the top where there’s a viewpoint. At the foot of the hill, there’s a palace and a fountain.
5. 🌟 San Cristobal Hill
Highly recommended, suitable for weekend hiking, or you can take the cable car 🚡. At the top, there’s a statue of the Virgin Mary, and you can see the Andes and the entire city of Santiago. See my other post for more details.
🛍️【Shopping】
There’s a shopping mall at the base of the tallest building in Chile, Torre Costanera, with many brand stores. Kiehl’s is very cheap here! There are also handicraft stalls on the B1 floor.
🍱【Restaurants】
– Chinese Restaurants:
For stir-fried dishes, I recommend Tang Ren Wu Restaurant.
For hot pot, I recommend Shuxiang.
– Local Cuisine:
Los Adobes de Agromedo is housed in a 400-year-old building, which was also the residence of the first president after Chile’s independence. The interior is decorated like a wooden castle, and you can order grilled meat.
Most tourists don’t know about this place.
– Fusion Cuisine:
In the Victura district, Osaka and Don Doh offer a fusion of Japanese and South American cuisine, very suitable for Asian tastes, and they are also very popular among locals.
⛷️【Skiing】
June to August is winter in Chile, and the ski resorts in the Andes near Santiago are about a 1-hour drive away. There are three major ski resorts, and for beginners, I recommend Colorado. See my other post for a detailed skiing guide.
