chile — Travels — Dammit Mearle

Where to stay? We stayed in the neighborhood of Providencia
- steps from Metro
- walkable
- clean/safe
- many things to do
- many high rise apartments for rent to wake up to views of the city and mountains

*The city has changed quite a bit over the past 3 years so some neighborhoods might not be as safe as they once were. Make sure your research is up to date.

Getting from the airport to your abode
- Uber isn't legal (but some still use it)
- Be wary of Taxi scams (only book official taxis from the airport)
- If you want to be super safe, book ahead of time through a service like Welcome Pickups. That is what we did and it was safe and convenient.
- Should be $30-$40 USD to get from airport to city center & about 20-45 minutes depending on traffic

Money
- Every restaurant/cafe we went to took card (and electronic card, like Apple pay)
- There is an extra fee for foreigners and sometimes the card needs to be scanned twice
- Bring cash for cheap cherries ($1 per kilo), avocados, mote, or other street purchases!

Meals
- Most places don't open for breakfast until 9am!
- Most places are CLOSED on Sundays
- Most Chileans eat a small breakfast, large lunch around 1-3pm, and either no, or a small snacky dinner

DAY 1 SETTLE

After we checked in to our apartment and nested, we headed out for a snack. If in the Provedencia area, head over to Huelen Street. There are a few cafes to choose from (as well as 2 yoga studios) This was the first time I heard Chilean Spanish in such clarity when the waiter told me they had “pecao” on the menu (fish / pescado)
For dinner, check out Peruvian food. According to one of our guides its “like Chilean food but better.” A pisco sour is a must - but trust me, just one! We went to Restaurant Pez de Oro and had 2 ceviches and a typical Peruvian layered cold dish called a causa.

Tip: Since its the first day, definitely walk to wherever you go to begin exploring your local area!

DAY 2 FAMILIARIZE

Early in your travels, it's important to learn about the history of the city and get info about the main points of interest. Tour guides are typically happy to give you further recommendations for things to do, eat, drink, etc

We booked through GuruWalk, specifically the "Essential Santiago Free Tour, Iconic Places and Recommendations" We learned a ton about how the city has changed in the past 3 years from covid, protests, presidential changes, and immigration. It was about 2.5 hours and well worth it! Don't forget to tip your guide! (Key points: Plaza de arms, La Moneda Palace, Paseo Bandera)
—> Get loaded french fries at Papachecos
—> Get typical chilean sammies at the famous Antigua Fuente
—> Head over to Cerro Santa Lucía Hill for exploration and views
—> Explore Barrio Lastarria, artsy, cute, hoppin’

DAY 3 WINE

Breakfast - Eggy Cafeteria (open on Sunday and opens at 8:30am) the most delicious (tomatoes, salad, eggs). We went so many times that Dammit Mearle needed to leave their mark. Can you spot it?

We booked a day trip to explore local wineries in the Casa Blanca Valley - we booked through AirBnB but if you can book directly through the person (via Instagram) they will make more of a cut.

After the 2 wineries, we visited the coastal city of Valparaíso, it's AMAZING! It’s the sister city to the more touristy Viña del Mar - and you def need a guide. It's a maze of streets at the top of a hill. Many hidden photo opportunities. (Reminded me of Alfama neighborhood in Lisbon)
—> Eat lunch at the local market in Valparaíso
—> Expect parking in Valparaíso to be rough
—> Expect there to be traffic to/from

Tip: We went on a Sunday and that worked out nicely since there was less traffic to and from, and places were still open. Note: Parking is not easy in Valparaíso.

Dinner suggestion: Domani Pizzeria - Napoleon style pizza off the hip street of Manuel Monte in Provendencia

DAY 4 EXPLORE

Start every day at Eggy!!
We headed east (walkable from Providencia) to the Sculpture Park Museum - a free open air park. Saw lots of interesting trees & nesting monk parakeets.
Then catch the metro to the Cementerio General - make sure to enter at the main entrance to see a map and ensure you visit the tombs and memorials you want to see. This place is HUGE. Or meander around. It's pretty incredible.

Next, head to Barrio Yungay - Many museums here (closed on Monday, only 2 offer english, one being Museum of Memory and Human Rights) and lots of old architecture and interesting street art!

An expansive park is here called Quinta Normal Park
We had lunch at Zarita—> highly recommend for vibes and good Peruvian food. We had dessert at Peluqueria Francesa (a french barber shop and restaurant) for more vibes!

DAY 5 HIKE

There are 2 trails at Aguas de Ramón Park- and we chose the shorter one (which is still 10k and about 4 hours) but is more scenic than the longer one, treks along the water, and provides incredible city views. This park is only a few KMs from the city and takes about 40 minutes to get to (due to traffic). The trail is dry in the summer, so wear shoes with good traction.
After we recovered, we headed back to Barrio Yungay to visit the Museum of Memory and Human Rights

Finally, we ended the day in Barrio Italia to explore Ave Italia. We had some of the best apps at Casaluz Restaurant. I’d explore this area more if we had more time!

DAY 6 OUTSKIRTS / UNWIND

It was our last day so we woke up, grabbed some coffee and a pastry (on Huelen again) then headed to a yoga class at Academia yoga de santiago!

Head south to the community that hosts the Museo Cielo Abierto (Street Art) - it's free and was a way to bring money and energy to this working class neighborhood. There are approximately 55 huge murals painted on the sides of the modest apartment buildings.

When we got back to the apartment, we checked out the local Providencia bar of - Bar Liguria -- we grabbed a few appetizers, a pisco sour, and relaxed before the flight!

OTHER

Other points of interest we didn’t have time to visit!

Bicentenario, Vitacura Park (flamingos, east side modern architecture, views)
Wonderland Cafe - typical dinner snack
View point from the top of the
Huge market at Vega Central Santiago
Parquemet Parque Metropolitano de Santiago
Maipo Canyon