The Ultimate Guide to Santiago – for Residents & Visitors
Most foreign visitors to Santiago choose to stay in three out of the city’s thirty-seven comunas, or legal divisions of communities. One of these is Santiago, or Santiago Centro, which occupies the central, downtown area. To the East of Santiago Centro is Providencia, a financial and residential district. To the East of Providencia, and occupying …
Continue reading “Staying in the Comunas Santiago Centro, Providencia, and Las Condes”
These days, when we go away, we’re generally still connected. Using our smartphones and laptops, we can post our travel pictures to Facebook and use GoogleMaps to locate the nearest coffee shop. Obviously, there are drawbacks to this continued connectivity—some might argue that this all detracts from the true experience of traveling. But the truth …
It’s often hard to find time to exercise when we travel. It could be that we’re on a business trip and we’ve hardly got a moment to ourselves. Or perhaps we’re traveling for pleasure and we’re too busy enjoying ourselves (and the food!) to make time for a workout. But if you’re a fitness enthusiast, …
Generally, when we travel abroad, it’s because we want to experience the culture, cuisine, and architecture of a foreign land. Perhaps that’s why you came to Santiago—you’d heard about the cosmopolitan city resting at the foot of the Andes and you wanted to explore it. But even the most seasoned traveler can grow weary of …
One truth about Santiago is this: every neighborhood has its distinctive, almost stereotypical character. Las Condes, Barrio Brasil, Vitacura—all of these areas have their widely known reputation. The same is true for Barrio Bellavista. Ask any local or expat living in the city, and they’ll tell you that this artsy, busy area has a charm …
Separated from the unfortunate and ever-growing epidemic of high-rise apartment buildings by the Norte-Sur highway, Barrio Brasil has managed to defend its magic and its architecture. Whether crossing into the barrio on foot or bike, or emerging from the metro to stations Republica or Cumming, you will know for certain you are in for a …
For many visitors to Santiago, this city may not appear to have grand distinctions between the seasons. There is no snow on the streets in the winter, and the dry summers make it comfortable for locals to continue going about their business. However, there are notable differences in the activities available in the summer months …
Lastarria is a historical neighborhood in Central Santiago, located North of Avenida Liberador Bernardo O’Higgins (the “Alameda”). It is adjacent to the neighborhood Bellas Artes, Cerro Santa Lucia, and can be easily reached via the Universidad Catolica metro station. If the old buildings and artist hideaways of large European cities charm you, Lastarria, is an …
Those who enjoy exploring cities by bicycle will be pleased to know that many of the municipalities of Santiago have effective programs in place to encourage biking, and keep the activity safe and accessible. The communities Providencia, Ñuñoa, Central Santiago, and Las Condes are at the heart of this movement. Best of all, tourists do …
Continue reading “How to Rent a Bike in Santiago and Tips for Riding”
Customer service in Chile is not very different from most other nations with well-established service industries, and neither are the tipping procedures. A standard tip in Chile is 10% of the bill, particularly when dining. Restaurants are increasingly adding the propina to the foot of the bill, and the customer still has the option to …
Continue reading “Customer Service and Gratuity in Santiago Chile”
