Sometimes, we have the opportunities to travel and from the sources that one less is expected.

A few years ago I was invited to Santiago, Chile by my theater company from Venezuela.

The company’s writer had the opportunity to perform her theater play in Chile. That same play that my group and I had performed on many occasions in Venezuela.

At that time, almost the entire member theater company immigrated to Chile. I was already living in Montreal with my sister Yanelia.

So I was really excited for three reasons: First, to reconnect with the Theater, one of my passions. Second, to meet up with my friends from the theater company again and thirdly, to visit this beutiful city Santiago, Chile, which I haven’t been there never before.

The Chilean Capital

Santiago is the most populous city and the capital of Chile. I had always wanted to visit Chile and, although this trip I only had the opportunity to visit Santiago and its surroundings, I can have a good semblance of the idiosyncrasies of the Chilean.

In recent years and consistently, Santiago has been placed high in the rankings of the cities with the best quality of life. This becomes obvious when we see the environmental, cultural and economic possibilities offered by the city.

My trip was short, and I had to prepare and perform, together with the theater company, the play. However, there was time for some walks.

San Cristobal and Santa Lucia Hills

Cerro San Cristóbal dominates the city of Santiago. It is part of the Metropolitan Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world.

Its summit can be reached by funicular or on foot. I recommend the trip on foot, if you are like me lover of nature and outdoor exercise. The walk to the shrines of the Immaculate Conception summit is about 40 minutes.

From above, you can see with telescopes located in the place, the entire valley of Santiago and the Andean Mountain Range. You can see the ski resorts active in the winter.

There is an astronomical observatory and a statue of the Immaculate Conception, which is a symbol of the city and also a zoo.

San Cristóbal communicates with the Cerro de Santa Lucía, also part of the Great Urban Park of Santiago, and which has a height of 630 meters.

It has a spectacular view of the city center. Above, there is a small chapel and a tiny fort. Ideal for hiking.

Giant Pool

Chile is a country with a very extensive coastline, but due to its geographical location, Chilean beaches are cold.

To take advantage of the summer time, the Chileans built a gigantic, kilometer-long swimming pool.

It is the swimming pool of the holiday resort of San Alonso del Mar 90 kms from the capital.

This pool of 8 hectares extracts its water from the sea and is filtered to give it a color similar to that of the Beaches of the Caribbean. Throughout the year, the water temperature is maintained at 26 degrees.

Vineyards

Chile is one of the countries with the most winemaking tradition in the world. I had the opportunity to visit the Concha y Toro vineyard and I must say that it was an unforgettable experience for those who, like me, are lovers of savoir vivre.

This extensive vineyard, which is the largest exporter of wines in Chile, opens its doors to the visitor so that you can learn the history of the vineyard, the winemaking process and, of course, the tasting of the products of the vineyard.

I especially loved the tasting, in which I had the opportunity to like different wines and feel the difference in flavor of the different varieties of grapes.

The Vineyard of Concha y Toro is located in the beautiful wine region of the Maipo River Valley and was established in 1890.

Historic center

Walking through the historic center of Santiago takes you back to another time. It is worth entering to visit the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral of Santiago (spiritual center of Chile) and the Post Office Building (with the same façade and shape of the Paris Opera House).

As well as iconic buildings such as the Municipal Theatre, the Palace of Courts. Do not miss the museum that is located at the bottom of the Palacio de la Moneda, the presidential residence. It is free until 12 noon.

This building rose to world fame when, in 1973, it was attacked by Pinochet’s forces that overthregated President Allende, who died in the Palacio de la Moneda. Some say that, at night, you can see the ghostly figure of the late former president.

Hiking

I am passionate about hiking and Santiago offers really interesting options for this activity.

And it is that being an Andean city, the Chilean capital offers a whole range of options for those who want to enjoy beautiful views, while exercising.

The canyon that forms the Maipo River is a popular tourist attraction. In it is the Yeso Reservoir. It is the place from where water is supplied to all of Santiago.

In the Reservoir, whose waters are a remarkable turquoise color, it is possible to practice fishing and windsurfing. It is also an excellent place for hiking and mountaineering. You can take a nice tour of the vineyards and at the end you enjoy wine and cheese.

In the mountain range surrounding Santiago it is also possible to go hiking. One of the most popular sites is the Parque de las Aguas de Ramón, with a beautiful waterfall, formed by the melting of snow and several suspension bridges. In winter you can ski.

Valparaiso

This is located just an hour and a half from Santiago by bus. Valparaiso is an ideal destination if you go to Chile, it is known for its steep funiculars and colorful houses that rise to the top of the cliffs.

This beautiful city was one of the most prosperous ports of embarkation and trade in South America in the nineteenth century. In each of the corners of this magical city you will see art and color and that lies in its strong social burden, since through them they talk about the dictatorship and the injustice suffered by the Mapuche people.

We could define Valparaiso as an open museum in the middle of the city, because it is characterized by its street art.

I recommend that you visit without a doubt the Alegre hill a magical place that will let you be dazzled by the magical colors of its murals and stairs.

Conclusions

 

What I knew about Chile and its people I loved. I went in February 2019, when it was summer in Chile and winter in Canada. A getaway that I appreciated.

I wanted to return to this friendly and beautiful country of South America, with some of the clearest skies in the world (although not in Santiago) and more millionaires by number of inhabitants.

The beauty and fast-paced life of Santiago, as well as the wild nature of the sea and mountain range that surrounds it and its warm people are guarantees that it offers as a gateway a nation worth knowing.