Santiago

Organiko

Club de Jazz de Santiago

This is obviously the place for music lovers and a very agreeable spot as well. With a tradition stretching back 65 years, this Jazz club has gradually built a reputation for the quality of the artists who grace its stage.

José Pedro Alessandri 85, Ñuñoa. Tel: 326 50 65. www.clubdejazz.cl

Restaurante Bristol del Hotel Plaza San Francisco

If your palate has high culinary expectations, then this is the place to try authentic Chilean food –a cuisine characterized by its simplicity and limited use of condiments¬– but in a modern and renovated style. This restaurant is known for its excellent service and the quality provided by its award winning chefs, headed by Guillermo Rodríguez (the restaurant has been awarded three gold medals from the Chilean Gastronomic Association, the Best Traditional Restaurant Prize, recognition from Wiken magazine for offering the best wine list and best service, among other prizes). The only problem you might face is deciding what to choose from the wide range on offer, a range including classic Chilean dishes and the most exotic dishes imaginable, such as wild boar or ostrich. But be assured that any one of these is a good choice as long as it is accompanied by a fine Chilean wine.

Hotel Plaza San Francisco / Alameda 816, Santiago, Chile / Tel: (56-2) 639 3832. www.plazasanfrancisco.cl/espanol/bristol.htm

Restaurante Gatopardo

If you walk through the center of Santiago, with a healthy appetite and a desire for famous Mediterranean cooking (principally Italian and the occasional Greek recipe), this restaurant offers an extensive menu specializing in pastas, seafood and poultry dishes that will make your mouth water. The restaurant itself has a comfortable rustic atmosphere and don’t forget the desserts and “tragos”, the term used by Chileans for drinks, to extend your stay just a little longer.

José Victorino Lastarria No 192, Santiago Centro. Tel. 633 64 20. www.restaurantgatopardo.cl

Restaurante Bali Hai

If you are in a more festive mood you should visit somewhere offering music. If this is the case, then the Bali Hai is a must for tourists in search of traditional dance and exotic Polynesian food. The show (starting at 20:30, Monday to Saturday) has been brought straight from the Pacific islands along with original costumes and all, and the music has been arranged for dancing.

Av. Cristóbal Colón, Las Condes. Tel (56-2) 228 82 73. www.balihai.cl

Hotel Orly

If you want to avoid big buildings and be located in the financial and cultural district, then the Hotel Orly is a good option. This mansion of 28 comfortably furnished rooms is a form of Hacienda in the heart of the city and offers guests the advantage of being very close to stores and restaurants. You can also take a walk through the Providencia neighborhood if you wake up one day with time to spare. Prices are fairly reasonable and the hotel offers excellent service and includes a cafeteria and a restaurant.

Av. Pedro de Valdivia 027, Providencia, Tel: (56-2)  2318947. www.orlyhotel.com/home.html

Hotel Plaza San Francisco

This is a luxurious spot for vacationers or business travelers looking for all the benefits offered by a five star hotel. The 148 spacious rooms include the latest in technology and the restaurant offers special menus. You will feel liberated as you take a walk through the peaceful gardens that help you to leave trivial concerns far behind.

Alameda 816. Tel. (56-2)360 4444/45 www.plazasanfrancisco.cl/espanol/home_esp.htm

Hotelera Neruda

No matter what your reasons are for traveling to Santiago, the Neruda hotel chain offers different forms of accommodation for all types of stay, from hotel rooms to all-inclusive apartments. For those visiting on business, the best option may be the Hotel Neruda Express which offers all the comforts you need and the latest in technology, including a salon for events and gastronomic services. For couples seeking a cozy, fully furnished and equipped apartment, at the Apart Hotel Neruda you will have the chance to refresh yourselves in the pool or even prepare supper, or anything else your imagination can conceive.

Av. Pedro de Valdivia 164, Providencia. Tel: (56 2) 679 07 00. www.hotelneruda.cl

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

The National Fine Arts Museum is built in the neoclassical style with an Art Nouveau influence and was designed at the end of the 19th century by the architect Jéquier. It is one of the principal institutions for the exhibition of visual arts in South America and is located in the Parque Forestal (behind the museum you will find the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo- Contemporary Art Museum- of the University of Chile). In 1976 it was declared a National Monument and its collection is mostly comprised of works by Chilean artists, although it does display some works by foreign artists.

Parque Forestal S/N. - Casilla 3209 Santiago, Chile. http://www.dibam.cl/bellas_artes2/pre_home.htm

Cerro de Santa Lucía

Just like the Cerro San Cristóbal, this hill is one of the most visited sights in Santiago and offers a panoramic view of the city fully justifying the hard climb. Here you will find a number of interesting things to see such as the old railway, patios, fountains, observation points, monuments (including a statue of Pedro de Valdivia, who founded Santiago precisely at this spot in 1541) and a canon that is fired everyday at noon: so if you happen to be passing at that time of day be sure to duck!

Palacio de la Moneda

There are two reasons why you should visit the Palacio de la Moneda. The first is that it is an interesting work of architecture in a pure Italian neoclassical style –unique in the Americas–, the building of which was begun at the end of the 18th century by the architect Toesca. Slowly but surely this building ceased to function as the mint and became the home of the Chilean president; and this is the second reason why you should visit –if you are interested in history and politics that is– since this palace was the target during the military takeover of 1973 and is where president Salvador Allende committed suicide at the precise moment the armed forces attempted to destroy the building.

Plaza de Armas

If you are planning to take a walk through the Plaza de Armas, the main square in the very heart of the city’s historical center, you should also visit the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago (which dates from the 18th century), the National History Museum and other legendary buildings from Colonial times, such as the house of Pedro de Valdivia (today the Correo Central – Central Post Office). In the past there was a gallows erected in the middle of the square to demonstrate the power of the Royal Court to the public. Today the square is less exciting –tourists can join pensioners seated on the benches– but more aesthetically pleasing and enjoyable as it has been redesigned with beautiful gardens.

Pueblito de los Dominicos

If you want to see or buy traditional regional handicrafts this is the place to visit as you will find authentic artisans producing a variety of crafts –paintings, retablos, textiles, sculptures, antiques– using a variety of materials. This small town is located at the foot of the Andes.

Av. Apoquindo 9085. Tel (56-2) 220 0180

Parque Forestal

In this park, inspired by the style of European parks, you can take a peaceful and relaxing walk and lose yourself along the maze of paths engulfed by lush and diverse vegetation. The park, which serves as the lungs of the city, is located in the heart of Santiago and forms an important part of the daily lives of many locals.

Subway Station Bellas Artes and Subway Station Baquedano

La Chascona

The word “chascona”, which has its origins in the Quechua language, means “unkempt” or “dishevelled” and is commonly used in Chile. In this particular case it refers to one of the homes kept by famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda on his return to Chile in 1952 after a period of exile resulting from his persecution by the government. In this house at the foot of the San Cristóbal hill you will find a diverse collection of objects he acquired to decorate the house. He lived her clandestinely with his third wife, Matilde Urrutia, who he referred to with the name by which the house is now known.

Fernando Márquez de la Plata 0192, Providencia, Tel: (56 2) 777 8741 - 737 8712. www.fundacionneruda.org/imagenes_chascona.htm