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Why Santiago, Valparaiso and the Wine Regions?
Santiago de Chile enjoys a spectacular setting: sprawled across the fertile Santiago valley, 100km (62 miles) from the Pacific coast, the city is dominated by the mighty Andes to the east and a smaller coastal mountain range to the west.
Many visitors regard Santiago as little more than a convenient place to spend the night before heading elsewhere in Chile. But to avoid Santiago is to overlook a quirky, vibrant city. Travellers prepared to venture beyond their hotel lobbies will be rewarded by colonial churches, lively markets, colourful street life and a surprisingly varied restaurant scene. Santiago’s foodie scene has undergone a revolution during the past decade or so, with an influx of ethnic restaurants and trendy eateries serving fusion-style, creative cuisine commonly known as ‘cocina de autor’.
In the bustling city centre, modern structures sit alongside colonial buildings, where the 18th-century cathedral is reflected in a glass-fronted tower block. Santiago is a city of atmospheric old quarters and shady parks with a thriving artistic and cultural scene. The city’s museums, albeit small, boast impressive collections, while quality cuisine is accessible to those on even the tightest of budgets.
History
Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founded ‘Santiago del Nuevo Extremo’ on February 12, 1541, at the bottom of the Huelén hill, now known as Cerro Santa Lucia. He implemented a regular street grid from the present-day Plaza de Armas. Just six months later Mapuche warriors almost obliterated the new settlement and colonists nearly starved under indigenous pressure. Santiago was later rebuilt to the original plans.
By the late 16th century the city was a settlement of just 200 houses. It was not until the end of the 18th century that Santiago began to acquire the infrastructure of a proper city – the cathedral and La Moneda (the official colonial mint, later to become the presidential seat of power) were both built at this time.
Meanwhile, wealthy encomenderos (landowners) began to stamp their mark as the dominant economic and political force in the capital.
When colonial rule ended in the early 19th century, Santiago was relatively undeveloped with around 30,000 residents. By the mid-19th century, thanks in part to soaring exports triggered by the Californian gold rush, the capital swelled to more than 100,000 inhabitants.
State of the Art Wine Production
Wine is probably the most famous of Chile’s exports among the general population. In 2022 Chile was the sixth largest wine producer in the world, a smidgen below its new world rival Australia, and fifth largest exporter in the world.
With its sunny warm mediterranean climate, unique geographical location between coast and mountains and just the right soil conditions Chile is justifiably world famous for its wine production and Santiago is at its heart; Aconcagua, Maipo, Elqui, Colchagua, Curico, Casablanca – these are just a handful of Chile’s productive wine valleys in the Santiago and central valley areas of Chile.
A Quick Tour of the City
The most important historical sites of Santiago include the downtown area surrounding the Plaza de Armas and the Presidential Palace. You should also pass by the Mercado Central, one of Chile’s largest fresh seafood markets and take a stroll through the many bustling stalls to see the tremendous variety available from Chile’s bountiful sea.
Make your way to one of the lesser know barrios of Santiago such as, Republica and Concha y Toro. Initially constituting the outskirts of the city, the capital’s constant growth transformed the area into a privileged neighborhood and home to Santiago’s high society. Wander the streets and take photos of the many styles of architecture dating back to the 19th and early 20th century.
Continue to the bohemian barrio Lastarria neighborhood, once home to famous politicians as well as writers, intellectuals, artists and liberal thinkers such as Jose Victorino Lastarria, after whom the area takes its name. At the end of the century, the barrio underwent a rebirth as old buildings were renovated, facades restored, and a diverse array of eclectic cafes, restaurants, bars, bookstores, design boutiques, art galleries, and cultural centres emerged throughout Lastarria’s winding streets.
For a scenic vista of the city, visit the top of Cerro San Cristobal Hill, 600 feet above the city. You should also visit at least one of Santiago’s many famed museums such as: The Cousino Mansion, the former home to one of Chile’s wealthiest 19th century families; or, the La Chascona Museum, the former home of Pablo Neruda, Chile’s most famous poet and Nobel laureate; or, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, containing one of the richest collection of Pre-Columbian culture in Latin America.
Reasons to stopover in Santiago, the central valleys and Pacific coast
- Walk through a native Chilean palm forest at La Campana National Park near the quaint rural town of Ocoa.
- Browse the local seafood market at Maitencillo before exploring the neighbouring town of Cachagua where you can visit a unique national penguin reserve.
- Sample delicious Chilean seafood in a beachside restaurant nestled between the crashing waves and the forests that line the lushly landscaped boardwalks of the impossibly pretty and prosperous retreat of Zapallar.
- Visit the rolling hills of the wine valleys to taste and learn about the science of wine, better still, spend a few nights in one of the insanely comfortable wine lodges where excellent wine & food are served alongside personal wellbeing treatments and pool lounging.
- Take a drive out to the quirky and fascinating artist paradise of Valparaiso, known as Valpo locally, walk its hilly streets lined with colourful houses made from a hotchpotch of unlikely materials and discover street art, concealed eateries and drinking dens, including what is said to be Chile’s first Pisco Bar that opened in the 1800’s.
Fact
The imposing Cordillera de Los Andes is like the backbone of Chile. It is the continuation of a mountain range that emerges in Colombia and which has, between the north of Chile and Santiago, an average height of 5,000m (16,404 ft) above sea level. South of Santiago it begins to descend until it vanishes in the continent’s extreme south. It rises up again in the Antarctic, where it is called the Antartandes or the Antarctic Andes.
It’s most outstanding peaks are located in the north and centre of Chile. These are the volcanoes Llullaillaco (6,739 m or 22,109 ft); Tres Cruces (6,749 m or 22,142 ft); Cerro Tupungato (6,635 m or 21,678 ft) and the highest volcano on the planet, Ojos del Salado (6,893 m or 22,614 ft).
In the extreme south, where the Patagonian Andes emerge, the most outstanding peaks are the renowned and beautiful horns of Torres del Paine and Mount Fitz Roy.