|
|
|
|
Santiago |
|||
 |
 |
Cerro Santa Lucia (Santa Lucia Hill) – In 1541, Santiago was founded on this hill (cerro) and today it is a large park. Start at the water fountain along the Alameda, then climb up the curving stairways to the top of the hill, which is the Plaza Caupolican. If the kids don't feel like walking up, take the glass elevator. From the top, there are great views of the city and of the mountains on a clear day. In summer, there are concerts in the amphitheater. | |
|
Artisanas (handicrafts) markets – Handicrafts markets are always entertaining and fun to explore. Try the Centro Artesanal de Santa Lucia (south side of the Alameda), Pio Non (jewelry and children's toys) or Los Dominicos in front of the Igelsia San Vincente Ferrer de Los Dominicos). |
||
|
Museo de Santiago – The Santiago Museum is housed in an 18th century colonial home, the Casa Colorada. The museum presents a history of the city with absolutely wonderful dioramas. The diminutive dioramas have hundreds of beautifully carved and painted wooden figurines by Rodolfo Gutierrez. Don't miss the model of the Casa Colorada, furnished as it was in the 18th century. | ||
|
Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino – The Pre-Columbian Art
museum has a large collection of artifacts from all over Latin America,
including Maya, Olmec and well as Andean and Chilean indigenous peoples.
Look for the blow guns and darts. |
||
|
Correo Central (Central Post Office) – The Correo Central at the Plaza de Armas has a Postal Museum on the second floor. You'll find a good collection of stamps from all over the world and postal paraphernalia. |
||
|
Mercado Central – The Mercado Central, an elegant wrought iron metal building, was once the wholesale food market, but is now a fish market with seafood restaurants and fruit stalls. After you've visited the Mercado, take a stroll in the Parque Forestal, a long narrow park along the Rio Mapocho with nice fountains along the way. | ||
 |
|
Parque Metropolitano – The Parque Metropolitano, situated on three hills, is many things in one. To get to the top of Cerro San Cristobal take the funicular (aerial tram) to Plaza Caupolican. On the way up, you might want to stop off at the zoo, the Jardin Zoologico. The zoo gets a negative review, but it has local animals, such as puma, vicuna, deer, condor and tropical birds. On Cerro San Cristobal the 115ft. high statue of the Virgin Mary is a famous Santiago landmark. The Terraza Bellavista has good views of the city. | |
Take the Tupahue teleferico (gondola) for even better views of the Andes in the distance. If it's a hot day, the teleferico has an intermediate stop at Estacion Tupahue with a public swimming pool close by. (Take the teleferico up or down from Avenida Pedro de Valdiva.) The kids could also just spend the afternoon on hiking trails within the park or biking. |
|||
|
Parque Quinta Normal – This is a popular family park, with picnic tables and an artificial lake where you can rent rowboats. | ||
 The Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Natural History Museum) has Chilean
mummies, a giant whale, fossils, minerals and artifacts Easter Island. |
|||
| Museo
Ferroviario (Railway Museum) – The Museo Ferroviario is an open
air museum with steam engines that once hauled trains through the Andes. |
|||
|
Parque O'Higgins – Parque O'Higgins in the southwest section of the city has playgrounds, a swimming pool, skating rink and amusement park. In the Plaza de la Artesanias kids can see artisans making handicrafts. El Pueblito is a reconstruction of a typical Chilean village, and the Museo del Huaso has exhibits about farming in Chile. | ||
 |
Santiago day trips |
|
Fun food – |
||
Ice cream comes in all kinds of shapes and flavors, like cream and chocolate, cherimoya, orange, raspberry, mint, banana. Try ice cream with caramel mixed in. Every place you go, try a scoop (or two, or three, … make it lunch). |
|||
|
Shopping – |
||
Everywhere you turn, you'll see handicrafts fairs where kids can buy jewelry, copperware, carvings, children's toys, pottery, woolen and musical instruments. In towns and villages, look for handicraft fairs on the weekends. |
