Traveling to Santiago
A City Both Diverse & More Vibrant Than It Appears
Chile is not spoken about nearly as much as other famous countries in South American like Brazil, Argentina, Colombia or Peru. But I can assure you it has just as much to offer as its outspoken neighbors. And that’s not just my bias for the country I was born and share dual citizenship with speaking. See for yourself!
Santiago is full of interesting history and art museums, is home to enough soccer teams to catch a game every weekend, and has the tallest building in the country, which if you catch it on a clear day, hands out stunning views from its rooftop as far as the eye can see.
Add to that the selection of food that is more comfort food style than “fine dining” (although it has its fair share of that too), and you have yourself a wonderful unassuming capital that is more relaxed than many. From empanadas both baked and fried filled with meat, seafood or vegetables, to loaded sandwiches with European influence, to excellent machas a la parmesana (razor clams with parmesan cheese) and locos (abalone), to pollo al pil-pil at Liguria, to completo hot dogs, to tons of other seafood options, it’s hard to go wrong. And don’t forget to wash it all down with the national cocktail, the pisco sour. Made with pisco, a liquor made from distilling muscat grape wine, lime juice and a bit of a sugar, you’re sure to have more than one. Refreshing indeed.
As the proud owners of 4,000 miles of coastline, Chile is the longest country on Earth. The amount of geographical diversity is even more than one would expect considering all that land. As the capital city, Santiago is perfectly situated dead center in the country and for that reason is the ideal home base for venturing out in any direction.
To the west you can check out beach town Viña del Mar in the summer, home to the famous music Festival de Viña and a casino. Next door in Valparaíso, check out the downtown port area or venture up into the hills where every seemingly ever wall is covered in street art. To the east, take a trip into the Andes Mountains in the winter if you fancy a visit to the snow to ski or snowboard.
If you head north, you’ll find the driest desert on the planet, the Atacama, home to some of the best stargazing there is, and countless small towns abound. To the south, you can find the Colchagua Valley, wine country that is home to the Carmenere grap, which can only grow in France and Chile. Further south is the land of lakes, full of small towns like Valdivia, known for their German influences. If you continue the journey, you’ll eventually reach “the end of the world” in Patagonia. This region has otherworldly views, beautiful hikes and even penguins. If you want, you can even take a boat trip to see Antarctica from here.
Skiing in the Andes, a trip to the beach, Patagonia or the Atacama Desert
We can’t write about coffee travel without providing some tips for where to eat and drink during or after your cup of coffee.
Best Food & Drink
1. Emporio Zunino
The empanada de pino is the taco of Chile. Large, oven-baked and filled with the incredible mixture of chopped beef, onions, hard-boiled egg, a single olive and occasionally some raisins. Doesn’t get any better than that, and they don’t get much better than the ones at Emporio Zunino. Right around the corner is the entrance to the Mercado Central full of great seafood as well.
Address: P.º Puente 801, Santiago, 8320011, Región Metropolitana, Chile
emporiozunino
2. Fuente Suiza
The menu includes plenty of variety, but in my personal opinion, the perfect meal is a fried empanada de ostiones (scallops with melted cheese) and a small churrasco sandwich. Wash it all down with a FanSchop, half draught beer, half orange Fanta. Just try it.
Address: Irarrázaval 3361, Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana, Chile
fuentesuiza
3. Dominó
The specialty here is the Chilean style “completo” hot dog, which typically is covered in tomato, homemade mayo and creamy avocado, giving it the sub-name of “Italiano” based on the Italian flag. That is just one of the many, many variations available at Dominó. A personal favorite is the Turco which has a fried egg and melted cheese.
Address: Isidora Goyenechea 2930, Las Condes, Región Metropolitana, Chile
dominofds
Check out the Santiago episode for more information on coffee culture in SD.
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