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.
60 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Cerro Santa Lucía
Santa Lucia Hill, known locally as Cerro Santa Lucía, is a landscaped historic hill situated at the edge of Santiago's city centre. The site combines military fortifications, garden terraces, and a compact viewpoint overlooking the urban area.
Casa Museo La Chascona
La Chascona House Museum, locally Casa Museo La Chascona, stands as Pablo Neruda's distinctive Santiago residence in the Bellavista quarter.
Mercado Central
The Mercado Central de Santiago is a historic iron market building and Santiago's best-known seafood and food-market landmark. The structure features distinctive cast-iron architecture imported from Britain in the 19th century, with a prominent central nave and skylight.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is Chile's principal fine-arts institution, anchoring the Parque Forestal and the Lastarria museum circuit in Santiago.
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.
Museo Histórico Nacional
The National Historical Museum, locally Museo Histórico Nacional, stands as Chile's central national-history collection. It occupies the former Royal Audience building on Plaza de Armas in Santiago.
The Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre, known locally as Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, is Santiago's major multidisciplinary performing-arts and exhibition complex. It serves as the cultural anchor of the Lastarria neighbourhood, one of the city's most distinctive quarters.
Barrio Lastarria is a compact neighbourhood in central Santiago known for its concentration of cultural venues, dining, and pedestrian-friendly streets.
Barrio Bellavista is a bohemian neighbourhood in Santiago, Chile, situated on the northern bank of the Mapocho River at the foot of San Cristóbal Hill.
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.
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural
The National Museum of Natural History, known locally as Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, stands as Chile's principal natural-history museum. It serves as the flagship institution within Quinta Normal, a significant public park in 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.
Museo de Santiago - Casa Colorada
Casa Colorada is a colonial-era house in central Santiago, Chile. Built in 1769, it is one of the oldest surviving structures in the city and serves as the Museo de Santiago Casa Colorada.
Museo de Arte Colonial de San Francisco
San Francisco Museum of Colonial Art, or Museo de Arte Colonial de San Francisco, is a specialized museum within Santiago’s historic San Francisco religious complex.
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 Salvador Allende Solidarity Museum, or Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende, is a Santiago cultural institution built around an international modern-art collection.
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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