Governor Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago del Nuevo Extremo on February 14th, 1541, along the valley of the Mapocho River, at the foothills of Santa Lucia hill. The plan of the city, maintained up to nowadays, was outlined by the same conqueror.

Along its 469 years of existence, Santiago has been destroyed and rebuilt several times: six months after its foundation, it was devastated by the Araucanians, and two earthquakes, in 1647 and 1730, only left a couple of buildings standing.

These disastrous events, along with the consolidation of Santiago as the capital city of the country, contributed to remodeling the city. Since the colonial period, different governors tried to carry out important urban developments. The Casa Colorada (1769), Calicanto Bridge (1780), La Moneda Palace (1805), the Alameda de las Delicias (1820), the general cemetery, the transformation of Santa Lucía Hill in a promenade (1872), the National Congress Building (1875), and the channeling of the Mapocho river (early XX century), among other ones, have contributed to turn Santiago into a city with a rich past and a promising future.
Virgin of San Cristobal Hill

In the Center

Near the foothills of the Andean mountain range, just in the Central Valley, the city is located 543 meters above sea level, presenting a light slope from east to west. The overwhelming presence of the mountain range can be appreciated in the valley by San Cristobal and Santa Lucia hills.

The Mapocho River crosses the city from east to west; in old times, it had its overflow stream on what is now Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins Avenue, riverbed that was filled by the end of last century.

The weather of this area is mediterranean, warm, with regular temperature variations between summer and winter. Rains occur mainly between March and September (autumn and winter), and very scarcely in summer. The annual average temperature is 14º Celsius; in winter, the average is 9º Celsius, and in summer it is 22º Celsius, though sometimes it may be higher than 30º in this season.
Alemana Fountain

In relation to its area, Santiago covers 1.400 square kilometers: 35 kilometers from north to south and 40 kilometers from east to west. This is basically so due to the expansion of the different satellite districts which, in old times, were peripheral focal points of population or villas. When they met, gave birth to the Greater Santiago, the biggest city of the country, including a population of more than 5 million people.

Present Santiago

Important center of the country, historically most of the economic, administrative, cultural, commercial, industrial and political activities have always been carried out in Santiago.

To know the city, you must not only walk along the most traditional areas, but also stroll around the new places, art galleries, entertainment and natural parks, promenades and cultural centers.
Downtown sight

All this enables you to find all the necessary alternatives to provide a nice stay in Santiago. High category hotels, all kind of restaurants, guided tours in the city, shopping centers, facilities and governmental organizations, besides diplomatic representations of most countries.

But that’s not all, as any big city proud of itself, the entertainment possibilities are not restricted to daytime. At night, Santiago turns into a city where you can have a good time until late. The most traditional and fashionable areas to have a good time are Barrio Bellavista (downtown), Suecia Avenue (in Providencia), San Damián promenade (in Las Condes), and Plaza Ñuñoa (in Ñuñoa), there are pubs, restaurants and discos in all styles and for all kind of people.

 

Live the experience

  • The best of Santiago - Perfect

    The best of Santiago - Perfect4 Days

    Travel package 4 days to see the best of Santiago center and its surroundings. Visit the historical neighborhoods of the capital and…

    • FromCLP $293.500per person
    • FromUS$334per person
  • The best of Santiago - Full

    The best of Santiago - Full5 Days

    In this tourist package will know the best of Santiago and will visit his surroundings. We will travel to the coast of the peaceful…

    • FromCLP $370.050per person
    • FromUS$411per person
  • The best of Santiago - Express

    The best of Santiago - Express3 Days

    Travel package express to visit the best of Santiago and its surroundings in 3 days. We will do a city tour in the capital and will…

    • FromCLP $190.500per person
    • FromUS$238per person
  • The best of Santiago in winter

    The best of Santiago in winter7 Days

    If you want to get to know Santiago during the winter season and seize all the activities that the city and its surroundings have to…

    • On Request
    • On Request
  • City tour around Santiago

    City tour around Santiago4 Hours

    In this city tour you will know the most important of Santiago: the historic center of the capital and the most modern area that has…

    • FromCLP $28.000per person
    • FromUS$35per person
  • Farellones and Valle Nevado Tour

    Farellones and Valle Nevado TourFull day

    Come and visit the village of Farellones and the ski resort Valle Nevado, in the Andes mountain range, just 70 kilometers from Santiago.

    • FromCLP $40.000per person
    • FromUS$50per person