48 Hours in Santiago, Chile Itinerary
Since Lauren is heading back to work soon as a teacher, we decided to take one more “end of summer” trip. Neither of us had been to South America before, so we chose to spend 48 hours in Santiago, Chile!
We chose this destination for two reasons:
1) Chile is in the same time zone as the eastern United States, which meant our sleep schedules wouldn’t be interrupted.
2. It is in the Southern Hemisphere. This means it is currently winter there, which is a very nice break from the sweltering Georgia heat.
Now let us tell you how to spend 48 hours in Santiago, Chile:
Visit the Sky Constanera
This is the tallest building in Latin America. On a clear day, you can see the Andes Mountains and most of the city. The weather was cloudy when we were there, but we still made the trip up. We could see most of the city. The guide at the top told us the best views come the day after it rains because all the clouds and smog are cleared away.
Go to the top of Cerro San Cristobal 
This hill in the center of the city is beautiful. There are parks throughout, food and clothing vendors, and beautiful views of the Andes Mountains &a the city. You can either hike to the top of the hill along a paved road, or take a cable car. We opted for the cable cars. It was a lot of fun. At the top of Cerro San Cristobal, there is a statue of Mary, the mother of God, and an active church. We noticed a live mass was occurring in the church. I think it would’ve been a neat experience to attend mass there.
Visit Plaza de Armas and the National Museum
The National Museum is located in the Plaza de Armas which is the main square of Santiago. This is a great place to visit to see old, historical buildings, and learn more about Santiago’s history.
Eat Authentic Chilean Seafood
Chile is known for their great seafood! There are many seafood places to choose from. We split a platter of mussels, seafood soup, and seafood rice. By the end of the night we were stuffed!
Drink a Pisco Sour
The famous Chilean drink is something unlike anything we’ve drank before. It’s made with Pisco, an egg white, simple syrup, and a hint of bitters. The drink is very tasty! We received a complimentary one at the DoubleTree hotel where we were staying!
Visit a winery
Unfortunately, the winery we intended to visit was closed on the weekends. Chilean wine is very good (we had some at dinner & at the hotel). It’s something we’d like to do when we visit.
Transportation Guide
Metro
The Chilean metro was amazing! So clean & efficient. All you need is a Bip Card &a you’re good to go!
Uber
Uber is another option & is much cheaper than taking the taxis. We noticed that each of our Uber drivers requested one of us sit in the front seat, so keep that in mind.
Where to stay
We loved our stay at the DoubleTree near the Sky Constenera. Everyone spoke good English, and we were offered complimentary cookies & drinks.
Other helpful tips:
We recommend that you know some basic Spanish. Everyone we met loved to small-talk, so we were happy to know a little. If you don’t speak Spanish, memorize some basic phrases such as “Good morning/afternoon/evening,” “Where is…?” “Thank you.”
If you have tips to share, comment below! We’d love recommendations on wineries to visit, skiing resorts to visit, & any road trip advice. We plan on going back for much longer next time!
