Santiago, Chile
Top places to visit in Santiago
6 places worth your time in Santiago, with what each is actually like and when to go.
Last updated 2026-08-11
1. Cerro San Cristóbal
Photo: rafa-alves · CC BY SA 2.0 · source
The hill above the city, reached by funicular, with the Andes behind it on a clear day.
- Where: Bellavista
- Map: Open in Maps
- Best time: Morning, before the smog builds
- Cost: Funicular around CLP 3,000
2. Plaza de Armas
Photo: krebsmaus07 · CC BY 2.0 · source
The colonial heart, with the cathedral, the post office and a permanent crowd of chess players.
Watch outDistraction theft is organised here — a spill, a dropped item or a helpful stranger, with a second person on the bag.
3. Barrio Lastarria
Photo: lamblukas · CC BY 2.0 · source
The cultural quarter of bookshops, cafés and the Museo de Artes Visuales.
4. Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos
Photo: transitpeople · CC BY 2.0 · source
On the 1973–1990 dictatorship, and one of the most serious museums of its kind anywhere.
5. Mercado Central
Photo: peregrine blue · CC BY 2.0 · source
The 1872 wrought-iron fish market, still the best seafood in the city.
Watch outTouts at the entrance steering visitors to the central restaurants at several times the price of the stalls around the edge.
6. Sky Costanera
Photo: mikel.santamaria · CC BY SA 2.0 · source
The tallest building in South America, with a 360-degree deck over the city and the cordillera.
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