10 Best Things to Do and See in Santiago
Exploring Santiago on foot is one of the best ways to feel the city’s atmosphere, connect its landmark places and discover its neighbourhoods at a more natural pace.
In this guide, you will find the attractions not to miss when planning a walking route in Santiago, with simple reference points.
To go further, you can also enjoy a private guided tour in Santiago. It is a smoother way to connect places, understand details you might miss on your own and enjoy a more human, personal discovery adapted to your trip.
1. Plaza de Armas of Santiago
Plaza de Armas of Santiago is the central square and one of the most iconic public spaces in the Chilean capital. Surrounded by historic buildings, it offers a great glimpse into the city’s old heart, with a lively atmosphere blending passersby, street performers, and locals who gather here to rest or cross the downtown area. Visitors can also discover monuments, shaded walkways, and varied architecture around a pleasant green space. It is an ideal place to experience Santiago’s urban and heritage atmosphere.
2. Santiago Central Market
The Santiago Central Market, in the heart of Santiago, is an iconic covered market where visitors can experience the city’s lively atmosphere and a great variety of local products. Its stalls offer fish, seafood, fruit, vegetables and Chilean specialties, making it a popular stop to observe everyday life and sample local cuisine. Favored by both locals and visitors, it offers an authentic, colorful and vibrant experience, ideal for immersing yourself in the culinary atmosphere of Chile’s capital.
3. Santiago Metropolitan Park
Santiago Metropolitan Park is a vast natural and recreational area perched on the hills overlooking the Chilean capital. It features walking trails, picnic areas, sports tracks, and viewpoints offering beautiful panoramas of Santiago and the Andes Mountains. Popular with both locals and visitors, it brings together gardens, green spaces, and outdoor attractions in an ideal setting to relax, walk, or admire the city from above.
4. Quinta Normal Park
Quinta Normal Park in Santiago is a large green space appreciated for its shaded paths, lawns, and peaceful atmosphere in the heart of the city. It also offers several cultural and family-friendly attractions, with museums and walking areas that make for a varied outing. It is an ideal place to relax, observe local life, or take a break during a visit to the Chilean capital. Its spacious, accessible setting makes it one of the most pleasant urban parks in Santiago.
5. La Moneda Cultural Center
Located beneath Plaza de la Ciudadanía, in the heart of Santiago, the Centro Cultural La Moneda is a modern space dedicated to art, culture, and temporary exhibitions. Visitors often discover works by Chilean and international creators, as well as installations, screenings, and events that showcase the country’s cultural scene. Its contemporary architecture, connected to La Moneda Palace, also makes it an interesting stop for understanding the cultural life of the Chilean capital in a central, accessible, and lively setting.
6. Santa Lucía Hill
Santa Lucía Hill, in the heart of Santiago, is a much-loved urban park known for its shaded paths, stairways, terraces, and viewpoints with beautiful views over the city and the Andes. This green site invites visitors to enjoy a peaceful stroll among gardens, fountains, sculptures, and small lookout points, while discovering an iconic historic place in the Chilean capital. Easy to reach, it makes for a pleasant stop to see Santiago from a different angle and enjoy a relaxing break in the middle of the city.
7. Museum of Memory and Human Rights
The Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago offers a moving visit dedicated to Chile’s recent history and the defense of fundamental rights. Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, it displays documents, photographs, testimonies, and objects that help visitors understand political violence, attacks on freedom, and efforts toward reparations and remembrance. The tour, both educational and understated, invites reflection on human dignity, justice, and the importance of preserving collective memory.
8. National Museum of Natural History of Santiago
The National Museum of Natural History of Santiago is one of Chile’s major museums for discovering the country’s natural richness and, more broadly, that of South America. Visitors can explore collections devoted to biodiversity, geology, paleontology, and Indigenous peoples, with specimens, fossils, and artifacts that help deepen understanding of Chile’s natural environments. Set within a large museum complex, it offers an educational and accessible visit, ideal for anyone curious about the natural sciences as well as families.
9. La Chascona
La Chascona is an iconic house museum in Santiago, Chile, where visitors discover a world closely linked to Pablo Neruda. Located on the slopes of the Bellavista district, this site stands out for its original architecture and its spaces arranged like a collector’s home, with objects, decorations and keepsakes evoking the poet’s life. The visit lets travelers explore different rooms with a unique atmosphere and gain a deeper understanding of the creative spirit that once filled this residence, now open to the public as a must-see cultural attraction.
10. Artequin Museum
Museo Artequin, in Santiago, is an art museum designed to make discovering art accessible and fun. Visitors can explore reproductions of famous works, educational exhibitions, and interactive areas that invite you to observe styles, colors, and techniques in a simple way. It is a visit especially appreciated by families and curious travelers who want to get started with art history in a friendly setting. Located in the city of Santiago, it is an interesting cultural stop to add to a trip to Chile.
Antony M
During my travels, I looked for guides who spoke my language. This search turned out to be long and tedious. That is why I created MYTOGU (My Tourist Guide): a matching site between tourists and professional tourist guides.
