Santiago, the capital city of Chile, is nestled between the coast at Valparaiso and the lofty peaks of the Andes. Santiago is a modern cosmopolitan city whose highlights include the San Francisco church, San Cristobal Park and the Plaza de Armas with its historic cathedral. The fashionable suburbs of Las Condes or Providencia are home to casual European-style bars and restaurants. Easily accessible from downtown by metro, these areas offer a great place to relax in the evenings on your Santiago tour.
Wineries now feature on many tours to Santiago and winemaking has been a part of life in central Chile for over three centuries, dating back to the arrival of the Spaniards. Wine lovers who travel to Santiago, will find the central valleys a paradise with plenty of chances for a spot of wine tasting. With an ideal climate and soil for viticulture, Chilean wines have become renowned world-wide for their excellent body and taste.
Closest to Santiago and immediately south of the city, is the Maipo Valley where wines are produced in traditional colonial-style wineries and where you can stay in a historic hacienda at the Casa Real. Situated west towards the coast and Valparaiso is the Casablanca Valley, home to the most modern producers and famed for its crisp white wines. Further south still lies the Colchagua Valley, a producer of very fine wines from historic vineyards dating back to the 17th century. Here you can take a journey on the 'Tren del Vino' or wine train.
The ski resorts of Valle Nevado and Portillo are also just a few hours drive from the city and fans of Pablo Neruda will want to make a pilgrimage to Isla Negra, his former seaside home and now a museum.
To plan your Santiago, Chile holiday, call our Latin America specialists today for more information.