Country guide
Chile is a narrow strip between the Andes and the Pacific, the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica. Its 756,102 km² are arranged alm...
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Chile is a narrow strip between the Andes and the Pacific, the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica. Its 756,102 km² are arranged almost entirely along one north–south line, with Peru and Bolivia at the top and the Drake Passage at the bottom, so nearly every journey here is a journey up or down.
The 2024 census counted 18.5 million people. Santiago is the capital and largest city. Chile also administers Pacific islands far offshore, among them Juan Fernández and Easter Island, which means two places under the same flag can sit an ocean apart.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Omnespsx (D•ES) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
38 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago de Chile
The Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral, known locally as Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago, stands as the principal Catholic cathedral of Chile's national capital. It occupies a commanding position on the west side of Plaza de Armas, the historic heart of Santiago.
Barrio Lastarria is a compact neighbourhood in central Santiago known for its concentration of cultural venues, dining, and pedestrian-friendly streets.
Barrio Yungay is a community-protected heritage district in Santiago, Chile. It is recognized for its distinctive low-rise architectural character, network of passages, and prominent large-scale street murals.
Parque Bicentenario
Parque Bicentenario de Vitacura is a major landscaped public park situated along the Mapocho River in the Vitacura commune of eastern Santiago, Chile.
Parque Quinta Normal
Parque Quinta Normal is a historic public park in Santiago, Chile. Established in the nineteenth century, it represents one of the city's oldest green spaces and has evolved into a significant cultural destination.
Parque Forestal
Forestal Park, or Parque Forestal, is a linear public park beside the Mapocho River in central Santiago.
Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda
La Moneda Cultural Centre, known locally as Centro Cultural La Moneda, is a subterranean exhibition centre located beneath the presidential palace in Santiago, Chile. The venue presents major Chilean and international shows.
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
The Museum of Contemporary Art, locally known as Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, is a cultural institution operated by the University of Chile. It shares the historic Bellas Artes palace in central Santiago.
Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco is a historic religious complex in central Santiago, comprising a church, convent, and museum under unified management. Founded by Franciscan missionaries, it stands among the oldest colonial-era structures in Chile's capital.
Teatro Municipal de Santiago
The Municipal Theatre of Santiago, known locally as Teatro Municipal de Santiago, stands as Chile's premier venue for opera, ballet, and classical music. This nineteenth-century architectural landmark occupies a central position in the capital.
Palacio del Ex-Congreso Nacional de Chile
Former National Congress Building, known locally as Ex Congreso Nacional de Chile, is a historic legislative palace in central Santiago. The republican ensemble includes the former palace and its surrounding gardens.
Palacio Cousiño is a nineteenth-century mansion in Santiago, Chile, built during the country's mining boom era. The palace was constructed for the Cousiño-Goyenechea family, whose wealth derived from silver, coal, and other mineral extraction.
Pereira Palace, or Palacio Pereira, is a restored mansion dating from 1874 in Santiago's historic centre. It functions as a national heritage centre and represents nineteenth-century elite residential architecture in Chile's capital.
Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia
Palace of the Courts of Justice, or Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia de Santiago, is a monumental neoclassical civic building in central Santiago.
The Museum of Visual Arts, known as Museo de Artes Visuales, is a focused contemporary art museum in Santiago’s Lastarria neighbourhood.
The Japanese Garden of Santiago, Jardín Japonés de Santiago, is a restored terraced garden within Metropolitan Park on Cerro San Cristóbal.
Santuario de la Inmaculada Concepción del Cerro San Cristóbal
Immaculate Conception Sanctuary, or Santuario de la Inmaculada Concepción del Cerro San Cristóbal, stands at the summit of Cerro San Cristóbal in Santiago. The sanctuary and its monumental Virgin statue create the hill’s defining destination.
Mapulemu Botanical Garden, known locally as Jardín Botánico Mapulemu, is a botanical garden within Santiago’s Metropolitan Park on Cerro San Cristóbal.
Araucano Park, or Parque Araucano, is a large urban green space in Las Condes, eastern Santiago. It gives visitors a broad recreational landscape within one of the capital’s most developed districts.
Inés de Suárez Park is a substantial neighbourhood park in Providencia, Santiago. Named after the Spanish conquistadora Inés de Suárez, it is primarily a local green space woven into the daily life of a densely populated district.
Patio Bellavista is a commercial and entertainment complex at the entrance to Santiago’s Bellavista neighbourhood. It works well as a lively urban stop between central Santiago and Cerro San Cristóbal.
Vega Central
La Vega Central Market is one of Santiago’s major working food markets, serving both wholesale and retail customers. It connects Chilean agricultural production with everyday city life, so the experience feels practical and energetic rather than staged for visitors.
Mercado de Abastos Tirso de Molina
Tirso de Molina Market, also known as Mercado de Abasto Tirso de Molina, is a market hall near Santiago’s larger La Vega market area.
Casa Central Universidad de Chile
University of Chile Central House, or Casa Central de la Universidad de Chile, is the historic headquarters of Chile’s oldest state university.
Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho
Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho is a monumental former railway terminus in Santiago, Chile, now reused as one of the city's principal exhibition and event spaces.
A 10–16 day visit should pair Santiago with one major region, such as the Atacama, the Lake District or a Patagonian gateway. Chile’s length makes combining north and far south in a short itinerary transfer-heavy.
Chile’s consular service publishes the visa rules used for entry. Nationality, travel purpose and length of stay determine the requirement, and any application should be made through the official consular channel.
Santiago is the central international and domestic hub. Flights connect the desert, lake and Patagonian gateways, while long-distance buses cover mainland corridors and remote parks require a confirmed final transfer.
October through April is the broad operating window for many central and southern journeys. Atacama conditions, central-valley heat and Patagonian wind are distinct, so the least flexible regional leg should set the calendar.
Chile uses the Chilean peso (CLP). Current withdrawal costs and merchant acceptance are Not recorded; review the amount in pesos and any conversion offered before completing payment.
Chile uses 133 for police, 131 for ambulance and 132 for fire. Power is 220 V with Type C and L plugs, while nationwide tap-water guidance remains Not recorded.
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