10 FUN & EXCITING Things to do in Santiago, Chile

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Looking for the top things to do on your next visit to Santiago, Chile? You’re in luck, I have them right here!

Whether you’re using Santiago as a launch point for further travel or are planning a few days here, Santiago is worth a visit. In fact – it’s one of my favorite cities in South America! You may be wondering why this city is so special and what exactly to do while you’re here. 

To make your planning easy, I picked out the top things to do in Santiago and a few of my favorite day trips. These are all easy to book and fit into a tight timeline, so read on to experience Santiago’s highlights!

Best Things to do in Santiago, Chile

1. Hop-on hop-off city tour of Santiago

By far the best way to get to know Santiago is just to get out and explore it! That’s why we love this bus, cable car, and funicular tour that takes you all over the city. Plus, with over 1,300 5-star reviews (see them here!) we aren’t the only ones who think this is a worthwhile experience.

Think of this tour as a hop-on hop-off bus, but it also includes riding the cable car and funicular. For those unfamiliar, a funicular is a funky outdoor elevator that helps locals get around the hilly city. They are actually pretty fun to ride and give fantastic views from up above. 

There are 10 stops along this route, and the buses come every hour. So you can get off the bus and explore to your heart’s content, then catch the next bus. Some of the big-ticket places you’ll explore include Patio Bellavista, Cerro San Cristobal, Plaza de Armas, Cerro Santa Lucía, and even more iconic Santiago sights.

We think this is an excellent way to explore all the corners of Santiago in one easy day. The pass allows you to get on and off as many times as you want, so you can use all day from 9:30 am to 6 pm.

Best of all, it won’t break the bank and will save you time! Weekday tickets are $56 USD and weekend tickets are $61 USD, and it runs every day except Monday.

This tour is popular – book your spot now and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go!

2. Day trip to Valparaiso

Valparaiso is easily one of Latin America’s trendiest cities. It is a vibrant coastal town known for its colorful cliff-top homes. However, it’s vibrant not just because of these brightly painted buildings, but the culture, nightlife, and overall vibe! This city has a huge art scene, drawing in art enthusiasts and creators alike. 

There are murals around every corner, plus vendors selling their locally made pieces, and music coming at you from all directions. Valparaiso (often called “Valpo” by locals) is known as the place where history meets art. A lot of the art on the streets or in museums has been there for hundreds of years or is created to depict the rich history of Valpo. It is a haven for backpackers looking for that Chilean flavor we hear so much about.

It is also a great place to check out the coast and visit the nearby city of Viña del Mar (which is next on our list). The two cities are only 10 minutes apart, so you can easily combine them in one day. 

Since Valparaiso is 1.5 hours from Santiago, the easiest way to get there is probably by taking a tour. This full-day tour truly hits the highlights of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, making stops to see its stunning street art, multiple art museums, and fantastic viewpoints of the city. It is led by a local guide who has a deep knowledge of the city’s history, which is incredibly old, so you truly learn a lot throughout this tour. A lot of the stops we walked by have a striking significance or representation that we wouldn’t have known without our guide!

You also get to ride in a funicular, as mentioned in Santiago! Since Valparaiso is so hilly, these funiculars help locals get around without having to trek up hills every day. Taking a ride in one of these is a classic Valpo activity.

One of my favorite stops was towards the end at Casablanca Valley for wine tasting! Obviously, Chile is world-famous for its wine, so this tour was truly made complete by stopping off for a glass to end the day. 

This tour includes roundtrip transportation from Santiago, riding the funicular, wine tasting, and your wonderful local guide! It doesn’t include lunch, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try some local cuisine in Valparaiso. This 10-hour experience is available daily for $99 USD and only accommodates up to 15 people, so be sure to reserve your spot before it fills up! 

Book this tour with 2,500 glowing reviews here, before it sells out!

3. Visit Viña del Mar

Just up the road from Valpo is the calmer, quieter, yet incredibly scenic town of Viña del Mar. The town’s name means “Vineyard of the Sea” and is often called “La Ciudad de Jardín” which is “the Garden City,” and it certainly looks that way! This city comes right to the water’s edge and has some of the best beaches in Chile, which is definitely more of its focus than in Valparaiso. 

The town is full of cute shops, you can spend hours just walking around, admiring the architecture, art, and local scene. Similar to Valpo, there is a huge emphasis on art, so you’ll never be bored as there are beautiful murals everywhere you turn. I highly suggest spending some time in the museums to learn more about the area. Finally, while you’re here you have to try a few different types of empanadas, as this is a Chilean staple! 

Viña del Mar is about 1.5 hours from Santiago and this full-day tour is your best bet. This tour is the same one we mentioned for Valparaiso and it does such a great job of giving you a taste of both cities! You’ll be picked up from your Santiago hotel and whisked toward the coast!

You’ll get to check out both Viña del Mar and Valparaiso, starting with a stop at the Francisco Fonck History Museum. This museum is fascinating because it contains artifacts from the elusive Easter Island and it’s a great way to learn about the history of the area as a whole! You’ll walk down Avenida Peru which follows the coastline and see the famous Wulff Castle, a gorgeous castle right on the edge of the ocean. The tour continues to Valpo, where you’ll follow the art mural trail, take a ride in the funicular, and finish off with wine tasting before heading back to Santiago after a long, but awesome day of exploring.  

This full-day experience can be reserved for $99 USD and includes roundtrip transportation from Santiago, wine tasting, and entrance fees. It doesn’t include lunch, so bring cash and I highly recommend trying as many empanadas as you can! 

Reserve this tour now and access FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go!

4. Private city sightseeing tour

If you really want to dive into Santiago’s history and culture, then this private sightseeing tour is the way to go. We personally love taking private tours on our first visit to a city because you truly get to what makes this place special. My tip is to do this on your first day, then you’ll know what areas to return to during the rest of your trip!

This private tour really covers a lot of ground – literally! You’ll be zig-zagging around the city as you explore the iconic Plaza de Armas, the stunning Metropolitan Cathedral, the central market, the Bellavista neighborhood, and beyond. But since this is a private tour, you have more flexibility regarding what you see, so you can tailor it to fit your preferences!

I recommend wearing good walking shoes because you’ll cover anywhere from 1 to 3 kilometers (0.62 to 1.86 miles). Don’t worry, they also have spots to drive from and you’ll take the cable car to San Cristobal Hill – how fun!

This 5-hour tour is $150 USD, and they offer pick-up from the airport, the cruise port, or your hotel. This is one of the highest-rated sightseeing tours in Santiago, so we think it’s a true winner and a fantastic way to dive into the city.

Check availability and book this tour here to access flexible payment and cancellation options!

5. Casablanca Valley wine tasting

Chile is one of the top wine-producing countries in the world. It accounts for over 4% of the worldwide wine production with its most popular being bold reds, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. While the Maipo region is home to reds, you can also find a huge variety of white wines in the Casablanca Wine Valley, which sits right between the coastline and the Andes Mountains.

The Casablanca Valley has tons of vineyards, so many that you certainly won’t be able to hit them all (unless you’re up for a challenge)! While many of the day trips we’ve mentioned include a stop in Casablanca Valley, I’d say it’s worth making a trip all for itself!

I always prefer to book tours when I’m visiting wineries so I can enjoy the wine as much as I want and not have to worry about driving. This full-day tour will take you to four of Casablanca Valley’s best wineries to give you a taste of the region.

What I really love about this tour is that it takes you to wineries that are all so different. We visited a winery that specializes in sparkling wines and I loved Bodegas RE which is a boutique vineyard that walked us through the whole winemaking process!

Having a guide was essential in my book because I really enjoy learning about the vineyards, wines, and work that goes into this huge industry. The day finishes with a lunch stop at Tanino Restaurant which has vineyard views and delicious food made with local ingredients. It’s even been named among the top vineyard restaurants in the world!

Casablanca Valley is about an hour from Santiago, so having roundtrip transportation from your hotel is a huge perk. This tour includes 3 tastings, but you’ll be visiting 4 wineries so you can pay for the last one on your own. Lunch isn’t included, but you’ll have an opportunity to purchase that as well! You can reserve this wine tour for $149 USD per person.

Check out the 350+ 5-star reviews and book this wine tour here.

6. Tour to Cajón del Maipo

If you’ve ever seen Lake Tahoe in the United States, this is like the Chilean version! Cajón del Maipo is an incredible area, and the moment you get there, you’ll understand why people rave about this one.

There are so many cool hikes, a lake with insanely blue water, and often snow-capped mountains surrounding the whole thing. The lake is located an hour from Santiago, at a distance of only 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the center of Santiago.

We went on this full-day tour to Cajón del Maipo and had an awesome experience. It was SO worth it to escape the city, enjoy the scenery, and feel like we got the most out of our visit. We got picked up from our hotel in an air-conditioned van by a professional guide and driver. This was a nice contrast to taking a local bus, which can get quite hot in the warmer months.  

The trip is made so much more memorable still by the picnic you get to have at El Yeso Dam, which includes Chilean wine and homemade empanadas with an incredible view of the mountains. The tour is $99 USD a person and allows you to experience all the best parts of this beautifully scenic location without having to worry about driving or planning the day. We thought the tour was well worth the price – it was all-around fantastic!

Book this tour with more than 500 5-star reviews here to see for yourself!

7. Viña Concha y Toro tour from Santiago

Chile is ideal for wine-o’s like us! There is truly no shortage of amazing wineries to visit, and while we love full-day adventures to the famous wine regions, we were happy to find one of Chile’s top wineries just outside of Santiago. Viña Concha y Toro

But, like any good winery visit – I prefer not to drive myself so I can enjoy all the yummy wine! So this half-day tour to Viña Concha y Toro was high on my list, and it certainly was a memorable experience. 

The tour guides picked us up from a convenient meeting point and then drove about an hour to the winery. This winery was stunning, so we loved getting a chance to tour the grounds. There are lush gardens and an impressive mansion, where we learned the legend of Casillero del Diablo. Rumor has it that the devil himself lives in the cellar of Concha y Toro, but you’ll just have to visit for yourself to decide!

We tried 7 different wines during this tasting, guided by a sommelier to learn all about each one. We’ve tried a lot of wine during our travels, but something about tasting Chilean wine from the source hits us differently!

This tour was an absolute gem, and I’d highly recommend it for your Santiago itinerary. It is $100 USD, which we thought was a good price for how much we drank and how convenient the transportation was. We also loved our tour guides! 

Check out the 600+ 5-star reviews and book your wine tour here. 

8. Go skiing in the Valle Nevado

Santiago is a haven for skiers since it’s surrounded by the Andes! The best way to experience epic skiing in the Andes Mountains is by taking a trip to Valle Nevado – a ski resort in the heart of the mountain range.

The road conditions to get to Valle Nevado can be slippery and are full of sharp turns. I recommend taking this small group tour instead! Its really just round-trip transportation from Santiago to Valle Nevado for about $30 USD so you don’t have to navigate the roads yourself.

For skiing, you can either purchase a day pass ahead of time online or you can show up and buy a day lift ticket at a ticket office when you arrive. You can expect to pay around $70 USD for the day, along with a $5 USD charge for the electronic card you’ll need for the lift system, and any rentals are extra.

Skiing season here starts in June and goes until September and sometimes into October if there’s enough snow. The weekends are busy, as well as the “winter break” in mid-July and the Independence Day holiday in September. If you can, try to avoid the busy times so you’ll have more room and less of a wait for the lifts.

If you’re here in the summer, don’t worry, there are still activities to do here once the snow melts. There’s horseback riding, rock climbing, or you can ride the chairlift to enjoy the view! Plus, stay for lunch and a pisco sour at the restaurant here.

Secure your spot now and get FREE cancellation options 24 hours before you depart.

9. Portillo Inca Lagoon

Chile is not short on natural beauty, and the Inca Lagoon in Portillo is high on the list of scenic day trips! This lake is fascinating because the color changes from an emerald green to deep blue as the seasons change, it’s stunning no matter when you visit. 

Visiting the lake is obviously incredible, but the drive there is full of surprises too. The road here is famously known as Los Caracoles (the snails) and has 29 hairpin sharp curves! It made my stomach drop when I saw them all lined up next to each other, and I recommend skipping this day trip if you’re prone to motion sickness. Along this drive, you’ll also spot the highest mountain in the Americas, Aconcagua, and stop to take in the views and snap a photo.

This full day tour from Santiago will let you explore Portillo Inca Lagoon and surrounding areas, plus there’s a wine tasting included – what could be better? Over your 11-hour tour, you’ll stop at beautiful lookouts along the way, take on the curvy Los Caracoles, and explore Portillo Ski Resort.

From the ski resort, you can get incredible aerial views of the Inca Lagoon and enjoy their restaurant at the top. With an hour-and-a-half stop at San Esteban Vineyard to sample the best wine in Chile, plus incredible mountain views the entire day, this tour boasts all of Chile’s glory!

For $99 USD per person, this tour includes roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Santiago, wine tasting, and your guide, but doesn’t include lunch. I loved having a local guide on this tour because they were able to give such a detailed history and point out interesting viewpoints that made the tour even more enriching.

Don’t just take our word for it. This tour has over 800 raving reviews – see them all here!

Reserve your spot on this top rated tour here, before it sells out.

10. Bicycle tour through Santiago’s markets

If you like eating and cycling, I have the perfect activity for you! This bike tour through Santiago’s markets is the best way to experience the local side of the city. Cycling is actually a popular way to get around the city so do like the locals do and explore on two wheels!

But I always like a little reward for my cycle adventures, so going through the top markets in Santiago makes for a fun activity. There are quite a few markets in town, so visiting by bicycle makes it easy to see them all.

Your local guide will lead you on a 6.5-kilometer (4-mile) route, stopping at some of the city’s most popular markets, such as Central Seafood Market, La Vega Central, and the Tirso Molina Market. While the tour doesn’t include food, the guide knows the best vendors to take you to, so you can eat some traditional Chilean food in the market. This is also helpful if your Spanish is lacking, and they will make sure you get a fair price!

I love that this tour is only 3 hours, so it’s easy to fit into your busy schedule. It’s $43 USD including your bike, helmet, the guide, and they even throw in a snack! 

Book this tour with hundreds of 5-star reviews here, before spots fill up.

Where to Stay in Santiago, Chile

With all the amazing things to check out in Santiago, it’s worth booking a stay here while you’re in South America. Even if you’re just passing through the city and can only stay for a night or two, get out of the airport and explore. We have recommendations for all price points – whether you’re traveling on a budget or prefer a luxurious hotel. These are our top picks!

Luxury – $$$

Treat yourself to a stay at the Mandarin Oriental, Santiago! This elegant property is equipped with luxurious touches like marble bathrooms and suites that open up onto terraces overlooking the garden. There’s a stunning lagoon-style swimming pool to cool off in or just enjoy the incredible views of Santiago and the Andes Mountains from a room on the upper floors.

Accommodations here start around $200 USD per night and increase for the larger suites. You can book this stay on Booking.com.

Mid-range – $$

Novapark is located in the heart of historic Santiago, you’re within walking distance of many of the main attractions like La Moneda Palace and Cerro Santa Lucía. While you may not be spending a lot of time in the room, it does have air conditioning, free Wifi, and Netflix to relax with after a busy day walking around the city. Standard rooms are around $60 USD and you can book larger rooms with a balcony and king bed for around $90-100 USD.

Check availability and book this stay on Booking.com.

Budget – $

Lucia Agustina Hotel Boutique is a cute little hotel, tucked into the city center and looks out onto Cerro Santa Lucía – which is literally across the street! It’s only a few minutes from downtown or the trendy Bellavista area. It’s on a relatively quiet street and while the rooms aren’t big, they are still a good size. The staff is really helpful too and you can stay here for under $50 USD a night.

Check availability and book this stay on Hostelword!

Thanks for reading!

While you’re in South America, Santiago is a city that shouldn’t be overlooked. While you don’t need to spend a long time here to enjoy it, there’s plenty to do including some amazing day trips if you’d like to base yourself in the city for a while!

If you’re planning a larger trip around South America, make sure to check out our site including the blogs about Chile as you plan your itinerary. We’ve done a lot of traveling in this part of the world, so if you have any questions or need some advice, comment or send us a message!

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