Santiago, Chile - among world’s great cities

SANTIAGO, CHILE
One Of The World’s
Great Cities

By Ray Chatelin
Photos By Toshi

When you think about the great cities of the world, it’s doubtful that you’d mention this place of almost six million people that rests at the foot of the Andes. Yet, Santiago is not just Chile’s capital and financial center, it is also symbolic of the resiliency of the nation’s people. And if cities are defined by how populations adjust to adversity, and how its unique cultural institutions survive under stress, then Santiago has earned its place among the world’s great cities.

For in a period of just 35 years, Chile’s political system has gone from the leadership of socialist Salvatore Allende, to the rightist General Augusto Pinochet, to South America’s only female president, Michelle Bachelet. And in between it has undergone a military coup d’etat, two decades of military oppression, and social and political cultural soul-searching.

Yet, today’s Chile has one of the continent’s most stable democratic governments, is arguably South America’s most powerful economy, and Santiago is one of the continent’s most exciting cities. It has two symphony orchestras, one of South America’s finest opera companies, contemporary and traditional art galleries, 16 major museums, and 33 public and private universities. And it’s a city that can easily be defined by the vibrant and colorful art you find in even the most humble of places.

Regardless of which section of the city you stay, Santiago offers a wide-range of cultural attractions and neighbourhoods that will keep you busy for days. Like New York City or Paris, covering the entire metropolitan area in a few days is impossible. Eventually, however, you have to come to grips with specific areas if you want to understand what makes the city tick.

I have a rule that I never break. Whenever travel to a city, the first thing I do is take a guided tour. It’s essential no matter how prepared you are for any destination, because no one knows a city better than those who live there. Afterward, after a general tour, you can then go to the places you found intriguing. And in Santiago, it’s imperative you have a general idea of how the city works.

Santiago is split into barrios, or neighbourhoods, each with a distinct style and character. Find your way to Barrio Bellavista, the bohemian neighborhood near the Santiago Sheraton Hotel and an area known for the French influences in architecture, culture and feel. Its streets are lined with trees and a variety of colorful old homes, many of which have been converted into restaurants and studios for artists and musicians. It’s a romantic area and while it's a pleasant enough place for an afternoon stroll and shopping. It’s where you want to be in the evening and long into the night as Bellavista pulses to the beat of music pouring from its many discos and bars to explore. And like most of the city, it is safe to walk at night.

Night time fun begins sometime around 10 pm and lasts well into the early mornings as pubs and nightclubs close around 4 am. Usually the only people dining between 6-9 pm are North American and European tourists. When you’ve tired of eating and shopping, be sure to explore Bellavista's prime attraction, La Chascona, one of three homes once owned by Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. The home was built to resemble a ship and its unusually shaped rooms wind around a compact courtyard. The home is headquarters for the Fundación Pablo Neruda, which provides guided tours.

At the eastern end of downtown Santiago is Cerro Santa Lucia, a small hill adorned with wonderful facades, fountains and stairways, and a wonderful place to get an overall view of the city. There’s even a castle on it. It was here, at the foot of this hill that the city of Santiago was founded on February 12th, 1541. Cerro Santa Lucia is on the city’s main road, Alameda, and a subway station is beneath it. There are a variety of entry points including an elevator on the western side though it is recommended to start at the main entrance on Alameda.

Almost directly across from the hill is the Cerro Santa Lucia handicraft market, likely the most traditional place in which to buy handicrafts and small art objects. The selection isn’t limited to Chilean art. Here you’ll find a variety of Chilean, Peruvian and Bolivian handicrafts.

Of course, you have to start any Santiago tour at the downtown square, the Plaza de Armas. During the day Plaza de Armas is a heart of the city. This is where local artists sell there paintings and where you’ll find some of majors attractions of Santiago. Palacio de la Real Audiencia is a beautifully preserved colonial building that houses the Museo Historico Nacional, the nation’s major depository of history and a must-see attraction.

The Metropolitan Cathedral, on the western side of the plaza, stands where the first church in Santiago was once built and two other important buildings - the Post Office and the Town Hall of Santiago - are typical old colonial Spanish buildings.

A few blocks south of the plaza is Barrio Paris-Londres, an intimate atmospheric neighbourhood that captures the spirit of Left Bank Paris with its narrow, cobblestone streets and offbeat galleries and shops. Most of the houses were built in the 1920’s and the streets are now vehicle restricted areas with artist studios, hotels and restaurants.

There is no end to the possibilities in exploring Santiago. The shopping is superb with major malls scattered throughout the city such as the Mall Alto las Condes, arguably the most modern shopping center in South America and close to the Grand Hyatt Santiago. The Pueblo Los Dominicos, at the end of Avenue Apoquindo with its 180 handicraft shops, is worth the cab ride.

If you are an English-speaker, don’t worry about getting around the city. Most of the taxi drivers, hotel and restaurant employees will speak and understand English.