Santiago Tours and Holidays

Santiago in Chile is a cosmopolitan metropolis with much to offer the South American adventurer. A culturally diverse city, its lively neighbourhoods are peppered with verdant parks, art galleries, museums, cafes and restaurants. There are many exciting things to do in Santiago if it’s your first time in the city. If you are unsure of what to do when in Santiago, here are our top 10 highlights.

All the prominent wine regions in Chile are located just within hours drive of Santiago city center, making it one of the best destinations in South America for a wine-break. Of all the wine spots, Maipo Valley wine region is the shortest drive away and offers a host of delectable Chilean wine, meaning it is a perfect getaway for wine-lovers who are short on time. For those on a longer trip, you could even combine your Maipo Valley wine tour with some hiking or rafting, but we suggest you get your activities done before you start drinking!

Maipo Valley, the most traditional (and claimed by some to be the oldest) wine region in Chile, is known for its French-inspired wineries and famed for its cabernet sauvignon and carmenere. No trip to Maipo is complete without sampling a glass or two of this fine local produce!

Valparaiso is a tapestry of mesmerizing chaos, old architecture, ramshackle funiculars, colorful street art, and the beautiful Pacific coast. Home to 45 historic hills, it is Santiago’s bohemian hideaway, a favorite among artists, philosophers, and romantics. In 2003, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since then, more and more tourists on their Chile tour have been attracted to visit – and some, to stay.

There are two primary modes of transportation you can use to get from Santiago to Valparaiso. The 120 kilometers land distance can be covered either by bus or car. Unfortunately, Valparaiso cannot be accessed by air as there is no airport near Valparaiso.

From the fields of Patagonia, the ones that influenced Bruce Chatwin, to the endless mystery of the Easter Islands, there are a million things for you to do in Chile, an ecologically diverse country that has been a surprise to travelers for centuries. One of the most frequent questions people ask while planning their itinerary is when to visit Chile. Weather in Chile can vary quite a bit, and the seasons will definitely affect your plans. So, what is the best time to visit Chile? Let’s take a look.

You’re bumping along an unpaved road, thankful you sprung for the 4-wheel drive rental car. Enormous mountains surround you on all sides, soaring up and disappearing into the clouds. You haven’t seen another soul on the road since morning and your stomach’s reminding you it’s past lunch time. Suddenly, the road terminates and you’re faced with a massive body of water. Nearby, a ferry bobs silently in the mist, ready to catapult you ahead on your epic quest. You just reached the first out of three ferry crossings on your daring road trip down Chile’s Carretera Austral and the adventure is just beginning.

This could be a day in your travel life if you decide to go on a Chile tour. At over 2,600 miles long with mountainous terrain and remote regions, Chile presents traveling challenges. However, a trip here is not without its rewards. From rich local culture, to authentic towns, to the most untouched natural areas on the planet, the places to visit in Chile make all the effort to reach them completely worth it.

Check out the top 12 Chile destinations to visit:

Chile is a travel destination unlike any other. The slender country runs from north to south and features all kinds of landscapes including glacier-filled Patagonia in the south, the stony terrain of the Atacama Desert in the north, the lakes and volcanoes of the Lake District and even secluded Easter Island, a Chilean territory in the Pacific Ocean. The country is also home to cultural hotspots including the capital, Santiago, which is surrounded by the Andes mountains, and the port city Valparaiso. Here is an overview of possible Chile itineraries to help you plan your trip to Chile, depending on how long or short you want the stay to be.