Santiago is the bustling capital of the glorious country of Chile. While it is not the most popular place to visit in Chile, it is a great gateway into the country and offers many fun areas to explore. Two days in Santiago is the perfect amount of time to spend exploring the capital. Plan to spend a couple more days if you want to take any day trips from Santiago.
Want a guided tour to start out your trip and get acclimated to the city? Then check out Guru Walks for a free guided tour. You can book online to reserve your spot and pay what you wish when you get there. Check out the tours in Santiago here.
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History of Santiago
The Mapuche people lived in the region around Santiago long before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. They had a distinct culture and social structure and resisted the Inca who lived further north.
In the 1500s, the Spanish arrived and established the city of Santiago. Throughout the years, Santiago began to grow and served as a hub for trade and agriculture. Silver mining became prevalent in the area as well.
Chile became independent in the 1800s after many countries in South America fought for independence from the Spanish. After that time, Santiago experienced a lot of growth and became the political, cultural, and economic center of Chile.
Throughout the 1900s, Chile went through a lot of political turmoil and political instability. Eventually, the people overthrew the socialist president, and a new regime took over. Present-day, Santiago is an enlightening city to visit and has become a hub for business and innovation, as well as a fun wine destination.
When to Spend Two Days in Santiago
Almost every month is a great time to spend two days in Santiago. However, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind when planning your visit. Harvest season for wine is in March, so the area may be busier then.
Summer lasts from September to February, so the weather can get hot during peak summertime. We visited in January and a couple of the days got pretty warm. May to July is the rainy season so come prepared if you decide to visit during that time.
How to Get to Santiago
Santiago has one major airport: Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL). You can get many direct flights from across South America, the United States, and a few other countries. LATAM and Jet Smart are two of the main airlines that service SCL. We flew Sky Airlines from Buenos Aires.
Taxi from the Airport
To get from the airport to the main part of Santiago, I recommend taking a private transfer or taking an official taxi from the airport. If you opt to take a taxi, you will confirm the price and pay ahead of time.
Currency in Chile
The official currency in Chile is the Chilean Peso. As of right now, $794 pesos equals $1 USD. I found prices to be a bit more expensive than in other places across South America, similar to what you would find in Panama.
Language in Chile
The majority of the Chilean population speaks primarily in Spanish. Most of the signage and communication is done in Spanish, so make sure to brush up on your Spanish prior to visiting. While many tourist places may speak English, it is good practice to be familiar with Spanish just in case.
For those fluent in Spanish, you will notice a difference in accents! The Chilean Spanish accent was very strong for my Mexican Spanish familiarity, so I did have trouble sometimes if people spoke too fast.
Transportation in Santiago
It is very easy to get around Santiago by walking, using public transportation, or grabbing an Uber. If you stay downtown, you can walk to some of the main parks. For public transportation, make sure to get a Bip! Card. You can get these at any subway station, and each metro ride costs about $0.40.
Be warned that the metros in Chile are VERY entertaining. There are a lot of street performers who come inside the metro cars and entertain you during your ride. We saw everything from musicians to singers and even people who used the metro hand bars as a gymnastics arena. If you are entertained, you can opt to tip them.
Where to Stay in Santiago
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Santiago hotels here!
The best area to stay is the downtown area of Santiago. This area has several sites within walking distance and everything else is easily accessible by metro. You can always try searching Priceline Express Deals for a better price or try to price match a hotel.
We opted to stay at the Almacruz Hotel and Convention Center, and I would stay here again next time. The location was awesome and the hotel was very nice. They even had a wine tasting at the hotel!
What to do During Two Days in Santiago
Two days in Santiago is the perfect amount of time to visit all the main sites in the city. If you have more time, I recommend taking some day trips from Santiago to places such as Vina del Mar, Valpacio, and the wine regions like Casablanca and Maipo Valley.
Day 1
San Cristobal Hill
Cost: $7.50
Hours: Mon: 1pm-6:45pm, Tues-Sun: 10am-6:45pm
Start your first of two days in Santiago with a visit to San Cristobal Hill. San Cristobal Hill offers the best and most panoramic views of Santiago. Buy your ticket ahead of time to save time as the line can get very long. We waited 20-30 minutes just to buy our tickets.
To get here, you will need to Uber or plan for a long walk from the closest metro station. You could also book the hop on hop off bus which includes your ticket.
There are three different activities included with your ticket: the funicular, cable car, and panoramic bus. On San Cristobal Hill, there are also several activities such as the zoo and adventure park, but I recommend just the transportation ticket.
Funicular
First, visitors will take the funicular up the mountain. This is the coolest experience but make sure to hold on! Once at the top, you will be able to take in your first views of Santiago from above. Then, you can visit the Virgen de la Immaculada Conception, a monument and sanctuary.
Cable Car
After you have finished there, head towards the first cable car station! This first cable car offers the best of the two cable cars in my opinion. With many of the tickets, you can also ride it as many times as you’d like.
At the next station, you can opt to get off or take it all the way to the end. The last station is at the bottom of the mountain, further down from the funicular station. Next to the station is the adventure park where you can go ziplining!
At the central station, there are some cool picture spots, access to the public pool, and a few other attractions. I recommend taking it all the way to the end first and then stopping at the central station on the way back.
Panoramic Bus
The Panoramic Bus you catch at the bottom of the hill next to the entrance to the funicular. This bus will drive you up the mountain, offering some views of the opposite side of Santiago. If you do not have enough time for all three of these, I would skip this one.
Central Market (Mercado Central)
Cost: Free
Hours: Sun-Thurs: 6am-5pm, Fri: 6am-8pm, Sat: 6am-6pm
The Central Market is THE place to go if you want to buy anything in Santiago. It originally opened in 1872 after a fire destroyed the old one in 1864. Inside, there are a ton of vendors with everything from fresh seafood to artisanal crafts and souvenirs. Visitors can find everything they need here.
Cafe Derby
Cost: $
Hours: Mon-Sat: 9am-11pm, Sun: 9am-12:15am
Tonight, grab a light lunch at Cafe Derby, a small hole in the wall. They offer some inexpensive chicken and rice dishes that give you a good sampling of Chilean cuisine. It seemed like a very locals’ spot with regulars who hang out there.
Plaza de Armas
Cost: Free
The Plaza de Armas, the main square of Santiago. Surrounding the area is various important government buildings, historical buildings, and the national museum. It is worth taking a stroll through to see the architecture and historical sites.
Museo Histórico Nacional
Cost: Free
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-5:30pm, closed Mondays
What was once the royal palace is now the Museo Historico Nacional, located near the Plaza de Armas. The National History Museum of Santiago contains all sorts of historical and cultural exhibits about Chile. It is the perfect place for people who want to learn the history of Chile through art.
La Moneda Palace
Cost: Free
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-6:30pm, closed Mondays
Next on your first of two days in Santiago, stop at the Presidential Palace. Designed by an Italian architect, La Moneda Palace is the residence of the Chilean president and houses the offices of cabinet ministers. Visitors can enjoy a free tour of the interior from Monday to Friday.
Soho Thai Restaurant
Cost: $$
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 12:30pm-10:30pm, Fri-Sat: 12:30pm-11:30pm, Sun: 12:30pm-4:45pm
Tonight, grab dinner at a delicious Thai restaurant. While it is a bit more expensive than other restaurants in Santiago, it was worth the price! The entrees are big, so it is worth going with a group and sharing family style.
Day 2
Cerro Santa Lucia
Cost: Free
Start your second of two days with a visit to Santa Lucia Hill. This area also offers views of Santiago, much like San Cristobal Hill. However, the difference is that you have to hike up this hill as there is no funicular to take you up! The hill is actually the remnants of an old volcano.
It is a very slow and small incline that loops around the hill. About halfway up you will have to start to climb some stairs. Once at the top, there is a very lovely lookout that makes for a good photo stop.
Sky Costanera
Cost: $15+
Hours: 10am-10pm
Definitely, the most expensive attraction you will visit during your two days in Santiago, the Sky Costanera is another option to take in the views of Santiago. This 62-story skyscraper is the tallest building in South America and the second tallest in Latin America. It is very modern looking, and you can pick it out from almost anywhere in the city.
To visit, you’ll have to find the entrance inside the Costanera mall. It can be a bit confusing but ask any of the security guards and they will point you in the right direction. You can buy your tickets ahead of time here (better to beat the line) or buy them on arrival.
Once at the Sky Costanera, you are allowed access to the 61 and 62 floors of the building which both offer 360-degree views of Santiago. The 62nd floor is also open at the top! I thought it was worth going up for the views and being at the top of the tallest building in South America!
Lunch at La Bonaerense
Cost: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat: 12pm-10pm
After you have taken in various views of Santiago, head to La Bonaerense for lunch! This restaurant offers a variety of Italian dishes which is the perfect thing to eat after hiking up the hill in the morning. Nearby is also Brussels, Heart of Chocolate, if you are craving something sweet.
Museum of Memory and Human Rights
Cost: Free
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-6pm, closed Mondays
The Museum of Memory and Human Rights is a museum dedicated to the human rights violation during the dictatorship reign in Chile. It goes over the entire political history of the era and its effects on the Chilean people. It was a very interesting museum and worth a visit. While all the exhibits are in Spanish, they do have English audio you can listen to.
Parque Quinta Normal
Cost: Free
The Parque Quinta Normal should be your next stop on your two days in Santiago. This park has a lot of fun things to do and is definitely a spot locals like to go and hang out. There are multiple attractions in the park and several spots to grab a snack.
In the park is the National Museum of Natural History that you can visit for free. You can also opt to rent paddle boats. There are also several other museums scattered around the park such as the Museum of Science and Technology, the Railway Museum, and the Artequin Museum.
Make sure to grab a traditional Chilean drink called Mote from the vendors. It is made of peaches/peach juice and husked wheat berries (known as mote). Mote was so good and it was the perfect snack/drink in the heat!
Wine Tasting at Almacruz Hotel
Cost: $12
Next during your two days in Santiago, opt to do a wine tasting at the Almacruz Hotel! This was such a good value and was the perfect way to wrap up time in Santiago. You will need to book it at the front desk of the hotel, and it is offered most nights. The wine comes from the hotel’s winery in the Colchagua Valley.
First, you will get a tour of the historical Chilean artifacts the hotel has along with a brief history of the area. Then, you will be taken to the tasting room at the hotel where you will get to sample three types of wine paired with food! It was such a good value for $12.
Rincon Venezolano
Cost: $
Tonight, grab dinner at Rincon Venezolano, a delicious empanada place. These empanadas were seriously some of the best I have had, and they had at least 15 different kinds! They also sell other things, but empanadas were perfect to grab and go!
More Than Two Days in Santiago
If you have more than two days in Santiago, plan to take some day trips to other nearby areas. We actually spent a total of 4 days in Santiago and took two days trips.
Go Wine Tasting in the Maipo Valley
Cost: $100
If you are a wine lover, you will not want to miss wine tasting in the Maipo Valley! This is one of the best wine regions in Chile and you will not be sorry if you spend a day basking in the vineyards.
The easiest way to visit wine country is by taking a tour. You could also hire a driver, but I found it more difficult to do so in Santiago than in many other Latin American cities like Bogota or Quito.
We opted to do this Maipo Valley tour as it went to two wineries. Overall, I would highly recommend this as it takes care of all the logistics for you and takes you to two of the most popular wineries: Concho y Toro and Santa Rita.
Visit Valparaiso and Vina del Mar
Cost: $25+
Another fun day trip to take from Santiago is Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. While you could opt to take a taxi or Uber out there, I decided for ease of travel to do a tour, even if they are not always my first choice.
We opted for this Valparaiso and Vina del Mar tour, as it was one of the cheapest and included a guide. This Valparaiso and Vina del Mar tour includes a stop at a winery. Both tours will take you around the main sites in the two cities with a (not included in price) lunch stop. It is also about a two hour drive out to the coast, so keep that in mind when deciding to visit.
Final Tips for Two Days in Santiago
Two days in Santiago is the perfect amount of time to see all of the main sites and get a feel for the city. If you want to explore more of Chile, opt to head to Patagonia or the Atacama Desert. We opted to visit Santiago after our cruise to Antarctica and spent time in Buenos Aires.
