Travel Guide to Santiago, Chile

The modern South American city Santiago is located near the Santa Lucia hill on the shore of the Mapocho River. Santiago is a truly stylish city built in the colonial style in the square manner that is usual for Spanish cities. Here tall skyscrapers peacefully coexist with old houses.

In this city are well-developed such industries as machine building, light industry, metal processing, food processing, printing and chemical industries. The city’s suburbs are full of fertile lands occupied by vineyards and fruit plantations. The valley, in which Santiago is located in, is not far away from the Andes, so one can easily reach several ski areas from the city.

The main place in Santiago is its main square named Plaza de Armas, in the middle of which is located the monument dedicated to the founder of the city Pedro de Valdivia. All main and most famous buildings of Santiago are located on the perimeter of the square. These are the City Hall, the largest Cathedral in Chile, the Governor's House, La Moneda Palace - the current government residence that has been used as a mint in the past, and the building of the royal audience that now stores the exhibition of the Historical Museum devoted to the history of Chilean art and applied art.

There are also the Municipal Theatre of Opera and Ballet Theatre in the city. Don’t forget to get to the San Cristobal Mountain (you can reach it by the cable car), where you will see the statue of the Virgin Mary and enjoy rest in swimming pools and restaurants, visit a botanical garden, a zoo, wine museum, or simply rest in walking areas.