Cityview Santiago:
Where A Chile Reception Means A Warm Welcome

Skyline in silhouette against an Andean backdrop

Often overlooked by travellers to South America unwilling to resist the sensual charms of Rio de Janeiro or the urban sophistication of Buenos Aires, Santiago is a surprise package of experiences.  It is also the capital of one of the most geographically diverse nations in the world; from desert inhabited by people who have never seen a drop of rain in their lives to lunar landscapes of rock and glacier, Chile's biodiversity is attracting lovers of the outdoors in growing numbers.  As is often the case, backpackers, our modern-day trailblazers of tourism, are putting such places as San Pedro de Atacama, Puerto Natales, and Valparaíso on the traveller map. 

What can you expect in a city full of German-surnamed, Spanish-speaking locals currently enjoying a booming economy and high standard of living?  Great ice cream, for one.  The rest depends on which Santiago you visit; the Santiago of the high-rise Las Condes business district and the neighbouring Vitacura shopping district are a marked contrast to the more organic city centre and the beautifully landscaped parks surrounding it. 

Banco de Chile

Grand Hyatt Santiago

Las Condes is the place where business people spend their mornings hurrying from one glass skyscraper to another before taking a break in one of the area's smart restaurants.  Nearby Avenida Alonso de Córdova is Santiago's most exclusive retail street.  Unlike counterparts in other cities, Alonso de Córdova houses art galleries and fashionable boutiques in the former mansions and modern low-rise structures lining the wide street.  At the river end is the striking Banco de Chile building, while at the city end is the Grand Hyatt, one of the city's best places to stay, especially when loaded down with purchases.  In line with Santiago's tradition of green spaces, the Hyatt has a lovely garden to accompany its other excellent facilities.

Hotel Fundador, located in the Paris Londres neighbourhood

Hotel Fundador's colourful motifs brighten the ambience

Conveniently located right downtown, the simpler in style Hotel Fundador is a pleasant hotel where the homemade apple strudel and other assorted treats can't help but make breakfast a major meal.  The convenient location is perfect for stepping into the action just out the front door.  Recent renovation of this hotel has freshened rooms and upgraded amenities.  Complimentary internet is available throughout the hotel.  Hotel Fundador is located in the UNESCO-recognized Barrio París Londres, one of several small districts around the city where the architectural patrimony is particularly rich; Barrio Lastarria and Concha Y Toro are two others.

One of the city's most impressive manmade sights is the mansion of the Cousiño family, built in the late 1800's in a classic European style of the time.  No lack of ornateness or vanity here; the Cousiño crest appears at every turn lest the family's guests forget whom they were visiting.  Money comes in handy when constructing a monumental building, and such touches as the one-person elevator that pops through the second floor are uncommon in today's structures.  Much less grand but no less enjoyable is the humble Museo del Huaso, Santiago's museum honouring cowboy culture.  Located in Parque O'Higgins, the former private park of the Cousiño family but now the site of many a fun day and night out, the Museo del Huaso's small exhibit of cowboyphernalia makes a commendable attempt to evoke the lives of Chile's lesser-known counterparts to Argentina's famous gauchos.  The caretaker here is a kindly gentleman who is happy to boost the day's smile quotient.

central hall of the Museo de Bellas Artes

In yet another of Santiago's magnificent Belle Époque buildings, The Museum of Fine Arts exhibits of past and contemporary art styles are on display, some under the enormous glass roof covering a central hall.  Of all the museums in Santiago, however, the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolumbino and the Museo Histórico Nacional give the most insight into Chile's pre-European and colonial periods, respectively.  The museum's Chinchorro mummies are the oldest in the world, predating Egyptian mummies by two thousand years; we should all look so good when we reach our 5000th birthday.

Though Chile is far from the Asia-Pacific region, it's only one stop away from most cities offering connections to LAN's flights from Sydney or Auckland; LAN used to be called LAN Chile until its success had it buying up airlines all over the South American continent and its identity spread beyond national borders.  A member of the oneworld alliance, LAN is the one South American airline to offer standards of quality and service approaching those on the world's finest airlines.