Few capitals boast as dramatic a setting as Santiago, Chile, which is squished between the Chilean Coast Range and a few of the highest mountains in the Andes. Frequently neglected by vacationers headed onward to Chile’s wild extremes—like Patagonia and the Atacama Desert—this metropolis of seven million individuals actually does deserve a few days of your time. (There’s a good purpose we named it one in all our Best Places to Go in 2026.)
Mark Johanson
Mark Johanson is a journalist who has lived in Santiago, Chile, for over a decade.
Day-trippers can swirl a glass of peppery Carménère at a Spanish-colonial Maipo Valley vineyard, soak in milky-green scorching springs at Colina Valley, or hike to the Condor Lookout to {photograph} the most important raptors on earth. In winter, you may even race down the Andes at one in all four ski resorts. And inside two hours, you may survey the huge Pacific from a tony seaside city like Zapallar or the art-filled streets of Valparaíso.
Of course, remember to spend time downtown, too. Santiago has world-class museums, vibrant parks and plazas, bohemian barrios, buzzing nightlife, and a rising meals scene to match these globe-conquering wines. This is all the things you have to know to plan a journey to Santiago, Chile.
Read our full checklist of the Best Places to Go in Central and South America in 2026.
When to go to Santiago
Visit in the course of the spring months of September by November, when daytime temperatures in the mid-70s are good for exploring, and the Andes are inexperienced following winter rains. In September, hunt down Independence Day traditions like cueca (a folks dance with handkerchiefs) on avenue corners and at week-long fondas (pop-up gala’s).
The climate begins to heat in December, however it hardly ever will get steamy in this arid local weather. Nighttime temperatures drop even on the top of summer season, so it’s finest to pack a layer regardless of while you go to. City site visitors is particularly gentle in balmy late January and February, when most Santiaguinos take their summer season holidays, however you’ll wish to keep away from the seashores then, as they’ll be crowded with fellow vacationers. And if you happen to’re going snowboarding, guide your Chilean getaway between mid-June and August.
Getting to and round Santiago
Santiago-based LATAM Airlines is the most important in Latin America, making certain a big range of direct flights to Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. LATAM codeshares with Delta, and there are nonstop flights to main US cities, together with New York, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. From the airport, you may take a taxi or a automobile service like Transvip to your lodging.