First time · Santiago
First time in SantiagoSantiago
Santiago is a metro-and-hills city: do the centre and the two hills in the morning, eat a long lunch, and keep evenings to Lastarria and Bellavista, where you can walk back to a lit street.
The honest verdict
Santiago's sights are close together along the Metro, with the Andes behind. The trips that go wrong are about timing and air: smog in winter, summer afternoon heat, and the hill funicular closing in high wind. Four clusters cover a first visit; Valparaíso and the wine valleys are day trips from one kept bed.
You will like
- Views of the Andes
- Wine and food
- A good Metro
What wears you down
- Winter smog
- Pickpockets
- Summer heat
Five things not to miss
- 1Cerro San Cristóbal funicularThe best view of the valley and the Andes on a clear morning.Best Weekday morning · CLP 3,000–5,000
- 2Cerro Santa LucíaThe hill where the city started; stairs, fountains and a short view.Best Mid-morning · Free
- 3Museo Chileno de Arte PrecolombinoThe best museum in the centre, calm and air-conditioned.Best Opening time · About CLP 10,000
- 4Mercado Central seafood lunchConger-eel soup and razor clams under an iron roof.Best 12:30–14:00 · CLP 15,000–30,000
- 5Sky Costanera at sunsetThe tallest viewing deck in South America; the Andes turn pink.Best One hour before sunset · CLP 15,000–20,000
Where to stay on a first visit
- LastarriaFor: First visit, want to walk to cafés and the hillFive minutes to the hill and the Metro.
From the airport
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL)
- Fastest
- Official taxi or pre-booked transfer to the door · about 45 min · about CLP 25,000
- Cheapest
- Airport bus (Centropuerto or Turbus) to a Metro or terminal stop · about 45 min · about CLP 3,500
Typical ride times and fares, 2026 desk estimates (check). Last services and night options are on the gateway page.
How long to stay
- 1 day
- A stopover between flights
- 3 days
- The standard Santiago stay
- 5 days
- A slower stay with a trip
Show 5 more blocksHideThree mistakes to avoid, Money and SIM, Etiquette, The best time to go, A first day
Three mistakes to avoid
- Distraction theft: a stranger spills something on you and offers to help while a partner takes your bag or phone. Decline, step away and check your pockets.(Scams)
- Do not photograph police or military sites.(Survive · red lines)
- Pickpocketing is the main risk in the Metro, at markets and on the funicular: keep your phone and wallet in front pockets.(Survive · safety)
Money and SIM
- Budget day
- CLP 30,000–50,000 excl. bed
- Paying
- Cards (Visa, Mastercard) work in most restaurants, hotels, malls and Metro-area shops; cash for markets, small counters, taxis and tips. Many ATMs charge a flat fee of around CLP 5,000–9,000 per foreign-card withdrawal and cap each one, so take the maximum less often.
- Cash
- Cards work in most restaurants and shops; keep CLP 20,000 in small notes for markets and taxis, and use ATMs inside banks or malls.
- SIM
- Entel, Movistar, Claro or WOM shop (airport or mall): Passport needed; prepaid data bundles of about CLP 5,000–15,000.
Etiquette: the top three
- Greetings
- A handshake or a single cheek kiss (between women, and man and woman) is common; say 'buenos días' or 'buenas tardes' when entering a shop.
- Tipping
- About 10% is customary and usually suggested on the bill; you can decline politely.
- Metro
- Let people off before boarding, keep bags in front, and stand to the right on escalators.
The best time to go
Mar: Warm and clear; grape harvest.
Autumn (Mar–May): Warm days, harvest in the wine valleys and clear Andes views.
A first day
Day 1 — Cerro Santa Lucía, the museum and a market lunch
Start about 09:00
Hotel or café 15:00–17:00; dinner in Lastarria.Hotel or café 3:00 PM–5:00 PM; dinner in Lastarria.
Timed version: Santiago in 3 daysYour Santiago checklist
The money points and the first-timer mistakes from this page in one list. Tick each one when you have handled it.
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