The vibrant capital city of Chile lies perched beneath the Andes. Although at times smog covered this charming and expansive city offers wonderful sites, sounds and especially food.
We spent two full days in Santiago, but honestly, I wish we had at least three. We managed to make the most of our stay but there were definitely a few areas I wish we would’ve explored more of. The people were warm and the food delicious. Not only that, most areas of the city offer stunning views of the Andes. At times we would be walking in the park and all of a sudden there they were. Big and beautiful! Below you can find our favorite places to eat, drink and visit in Santiago.
WHERE TO STAY
We settled on Barrio Lastarria after speaking to our friend Yaisa, who lived in Chile for three years. It’s an incredibly vibrant and artistic neighborhood that offers amazing museums, restaurants, live performances and bars. Every few steps we took we ran into a street market, cute cafe or record store.
ACCOMODATIONS
Airbnb $ – of course usually the least expensive option. Here, here & here you can find a few good ones in Lastarria!
Hotel Cumbres Lastarria $$ – we stayed at a Cumbres hotel later on our trip but we walked by this location multiple times a day and admired the facade. It’s located steps from our favorite restaurant, Bocanariz, and Cerro Santa Lucia.
The Singular Santiago $$$ – The Singular is a family owned hotel that has facilities in both Santiago and Patagonia. Their hotels are absolutely stunning!
EATING/DRINKING
Bocanariz – José Victorino Lastarria 276, Santiago, Chile – our favorite restaurant in Santiago – we ate there two nights during out stay. Has an extensive wine list and delicious food. Best of all, it was located in the Lastarria neighborhood right around the corner from where we stayed.
La Fuente Alemana – multiple locations – Chile’s German heritage is noticeable all over the country, and this Santiago institution is a prime example. Named after a German Fountain around the corner from this location, LFA serves “lomito”. A pork shoulder sandwich that can be served in multiple ways. We shared an Italiano which is named after the Italian flag colors: tomato (red), mayo (white), avocado (green). I wondered why it’s not named the Mexicano…wouldn’t it make more sense as we Mexicans eat so much avocado…?
Donde Augusto – Mercado Central | San Pablo 967, Santiago, Chile – we really stumbled upon this place on accident right after I just devoured my first completo. Spencer wasn’t too fond of the mayo and avocado slathered dog so we had to find him something to eat. That’s how we found Donde Augusto. This massive place is located in the cavernous Mercado Central and serves a long list of freshly caught seafood dishes.
Restaurante 040 – Calle Antonia López de Bello 040, Santiago, Chile – Truly a treat for all the senses. We had read was one of the top 50 restaurants in the world, we’d agree. They offer a prefix menu that was amazing.
La Bifería – Av Pedro de Valdivia 065, Santiago, Chile – having a few hours to kill before our reservation to Restaurante 040 we found this place close to the base of San Cristóbal mountain. We only had a bottle of wine and a charcuterie and cheese plate, however both were great.
COFFEE SHOPS
Bloom Café (@bloomcafechile) – Merced 307, Santiago, Chile – while walking around I needed a little pick me up and I came across this spot. Complete with a friendly staff, this small yet adorable place made me the most delicious mocha.
Wonderland Café (@wonderlandlastarria) – Rosal 361, Santiago, Chile – this cafe was located literally right below where we were staying. We didn’t have time to eat there, but did get coffee a few times. Great service and cute spot but beware – iced coffee in Chile does not mean the same thing as in the US!
SIGHTSEEING
When traveling, we usually don’t focus a ton on sightseeing unless it’s something we specifically visit the city for. Instead, we tend to stick with walking around, exploring neighborhoods and eating the local cuisine. However, we did see a few things in Santiago we found worth recommending:
Cerro Santa Lucia – this park is on hill which was located very close to where we stayed in Lastarria. We decided to go our last day in Santiago and it was such a nice way to spend a relaxing Sunday. The fountain area unfortunately was closed but the whole park is beautiful and offers great views of the city!
Mercado Central – locals buy fresh seafood in this market but there are many seafood restaurants. This is where we ate at Donde Augusto!
Estación Funicular Pío Nono – this cable car is located at the base of San Cristobal Hill. The cable car runs up and down the hill. Once at the top you can enjoy panoramic view of the city and the Andes.
Plaza de Armas – this is the main historic square in Santiago. It offers views of beautiful buildings and gorgeous architecture dating back to Santiago’s earliest days as the city was built around this square.
All in all we loved Santiago SO much. I honestly would love to visit again.
xoxop