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Stayingpower inSantiago

The capital is the gatewayto Chile, but that doesn’t

mean you should just passthrough quickly to explorethe country’s other hidden

secrets. Santiago has somuch more to offer, writes

RobMcFarlandCHILE’S capital tends to get a bad rapwhen compared with other SouthAmerican cities. It might not haveRio’s party atmosphere or the style ofBuenos Aires but it certainly hasenough sights and attractions to justifyhanging around for a few days.It’s also the main gateway to the

country, so if you’re coming to Chile,the chances are you’ll be passingthrough Santiago. So before you godashing off south to trek in Patagoniaor north to explore the AtacamaDesert, take a few days to live life likea Santiaguino.

ThesightsMany of Santiago’s main attractionsare crammed into the oldest part ofthe city known as Centro, which is bestexplored on foot. Start at theMercadoCentral market to check out theenthusiastic seafood vendors beforestrolling down towards the city’smain square, Plaza de Armas.Flanked by the impressiveMetropolitana Cathedral on one sideand the National HistoryMuseum onthe other, it’s a busy, people-watching paradise full of tourists,artists and engravers.Nearby is arguably the city’s best

museum, the ChileanMuseum of Pre-Columbian Art. Inside you’ll findbeautifully curated displays ofartworks and artefacts plus somesurprising facts about the region’sdifferent cultures.

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SIGHTSTOSEE:(Clockwise fromleft) A bar on PioNono inBellavista; TheAubrey hotel; adisplay in theChileanMuseumof pre-Columbianart; Santa Luciahill; El Tororestaurant; andthe statue of theBlessedVirginMary on CerroSan Cristobel.

Pictures: RobMcFarland

Go2CHILE

Getting thereLAN has daily flightsfrom Australia toSantiago via Auckland.Ph 1800 558 129 or seewww.lan.com

VisasWhile Australians don’trequire a visa to enterChile, if you arrive atSantiago, you’ll becharged a reciprocal feeof $US61 ($A57), whichis valid for the life ofyour passport.

More information: Seewww.chile.travel

Everyone’s heard of the Incas butdid you know that the Chinchorroswere mummifying their dead 2000years before the Egyptians?Or that Amazonian shamans used

wooden vomiting spatulas to cleansethemselves before takinghallucinatory drugs?From here it’s just a couple of

blocks to the imposing PresidentialPalace and its army of smartlydressed rifle-bearing guards. Despitewhat the guide books tell you, it’s nolonger possible to go inside, but it isworth timing your visit to coincidewith the changing-of-the-guardceremony at 10am.Ignore the ubiquitous stray dogs

and graffiti as you walk a few blocksalong the impressively-namedAvenida Libertador General BernardoO’Higgins because the reward is anoasis of peace in the middle of the city.Santa Lucia hill is a set of beautifullylandscaped gardens wheremeandering paths climb pastimpressive Romanesque waterfountains towards a summit withsweeping views over the city.Santiago has a reputation for being

smoggy and from here you can clearly– or not so clearly, depending on theday – see the two sets of mountainsresponsible: the Andes on one side andthe Coastal Cordillera on the other.Head north from Santa Lucia and

you’ll eventually hit the ParqueForestal, a lovely Parisian-style parkwith meandering gravel paths and

shaded benches. The latter areparticularly popular with amorousteenagers whose public displays ofaffection contrast with Chileans’reserved reputation as the English ofSouth America.

If you’re keen to head further afield,it’s worth investing in a ticket for thebright red, hop-on/hop-off Turistikbus service. As the name suggests, it isa bit touristy but it allows you to see alot in a day and it has commentary inEnglish. Buses run every 30minutesand there are stops near all the mainattractions. See www.turistik.cl.

For an evenmore impressive viewof the city, take the funicular to the topof Cerro San Cristobel and join thetourists and nuns around the22m-high statue of the Blessed VirginMary. There’s also a 2km-long cablecar (called the telefrico), which hassimilarly inspiring panoramas.

AccommodationFive years ago the suburb of Bellavista,northeast of Centro, had a decidedlydodgy reputation. Since then cafes,restaurants and bars have moved in,transforming the area from anunsavoury backwater into the mostvibrant district in the city. The icing onthe cake was the opening of Santiago’sfirst boutique hotel, The Aubrey, inMarch last year. Painstakinglyconverted over a four-year period froma private residence into a luxury hotel,its 15 rooms are a stylish mismatch of

antique furniture andmodernamenities. Throw in one of the city’sbest eateries and a decadentMediterranean-style outdoor pool andit’s easy to see why it has garnered suchrave reviews. See www.theaubrey.com.If your budget won’t stretch that far

or you’d like to be closer to Centro,check out the Andes Hostel in theBellas Artes neighbourhood. It has arange of accommodation options,from four-person dorms through todoubles with private bathrooms. It’s astep up from a backpackers and it hasa funky communal area with a bar andpool table. See www.andeshostel.com.

EatingIf you want a traditional taste of Chile,make a beeline for Liguria. ThisSantiago institution serves up heartyservings of Chilean favourites, such assmoked short rib with mashedartichoke and blood sausage withspicy mashed potatoes. Either sit atthe bar and eat tapas-style or try tonab a table in the smoky, dimly lit,wood-panelled restaurant. It’s aspopular with locals as it is withtourists, so it’s worth booking ahead.See www.liguria.cl.A great spot for lunch with a side

order of people-watching is El Toro,which has two branches – one inProvidencia and another in Bellavista.Youmight not recognise the Chileansingers and soap stars that come hereto chow down on its enormous

sandwiches and salads, but that’ll justmake you seem even cooler.

Pasta e Vino started in the coastalport of Valparaiso and is credited withlaunching the city’s gourmetrevolution. Its winning combination offlavoursome pasta dishes washeddown with fine Chilean wine whippedreviewers into a frenzy. The good newsis you can now have the sameexperience in Santiago. A sisterrestaurant has opened within theAubrey Hotel and offers a similarlyindulgent menu served in a gorgeousfloodlit courtyard. Seewww.pastaevinoristorante.cl.

For food on the go, you’ve lots ofchoices. There are the usual fast-foodchains but for something moretraditional, try an empanada – a pastryfilled with assorted fillings such asmeat, potato and olives. Or if you’refeeling brave, tackle a Completo – amonstrous hot dog crammed full ofavocado, tomatoes, pickles and lettuceand then smothered with mayo,mustard and ketchup. Yum.

NightlifeIf you’re looking to party like a SouthAmerican, head to Bellavista.Although don’t do what I did and gothere on a Saturday night at 7pm.Most people haven’t even startedeating by then and they won’t behitting the bars and clubs untilmidnight. Most of the nightlife isconcentrated around two streets,

Constitucion and Pio Nono, and theyhave very different feels. OnConstitucion you’ll find a collection ofstylish wine bars with impressivecocktail lists, intimate lighting and livemusic. Pio Nono, on the other hand, iswhere the students go out, so braceyourself for a rowdy atmosphere.If you’re based near Centro, The

Clinic is worth a look near AndesHostel in Belles Artes. It’s a popularspot which transforms from a livelyrestaurant to a bar and club later on.In terms of what to drink, pisco sour

– a potent mix of grape brandy, limeand sugar – is many Santiaguinos’tipple of choice (even if there’s fiercedebate as to whether it originated hereor in neighbouring Peru). For anadded kick, mix it with Coca-Cola tomake a piscola, although be warned –your hangover will last for days.

Unfortunately, getting a decenthangover-curing coffee in Santiago isnigh-on impossible. Chileans drink a lotof coffee and it’s almost always instantNescafe. If you want to take your mindoff the taste, try a coffee with legs,where the coffee is served by scantilyclad girls in a nightclub-like atmospherebehind blackened windows. There arehundreds of these establishmentsthroughout the city and they’re mostlyfrequented by businessmen during theday. It was possibly the most awkward10 minutes of my life.

Thewriterwasaguestof LANandTheAubreyHotel.

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