The imposing building you see there that could easily pass for the Museum of Fine Arts is actually the National Library of Chile.

Here you are on the terrace of Neptune, opposite the beautiful fountain of the same name. This monumental fountain, dedicated to the Roman God of the seas, was built between 1897 and 1903 to serve as the main ornament at the entrance to Santa Lucia Hill.

Climbing to the top of the Cerro de Santa Lucia may be a bit of a leg up with its many stairs, but the view was well worth the effort! This is Pedro de Valdivia Square.

During the time of the Reconquest, Spain’s last attempt to keep Chile in its colonial empire, the Santa Lucia cerro was transformed into a royalist shield. You saw cannons, fortified gates and now you see the castillo hidalgo.

Here is a very special place in Santiago, the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center, the GAM for intimates. It disseminates artistic creations of all kinds, theatre, dance, visual arts, etc.

The Lastarria district you are currently in is the artistic and creative district of Santiago. On just 3.4 streets, you have everything you need to have a good time. You have a Handicraft Point of Sale, Bookshops, Gabriel Mistral’s Great Cultural Centre, many museums, a cinema, hotels, and a host of bars and restaurants.

You are now in the beautiful Santiago Forest Park. This large green space was created on the land reclaimed after the canalization of the Mapocho River in the 19th century, which it runs along its entire length.

The Pio Nono Bridge takes you across the Rio Mapocho to discover the Bellavista district. Behind you you can see Baquedano Square, which the locals continue to call by its former name Plaza Italia.

So here you are in the bohemian district of Bellavista. You have just crossed the Patio Bellavista which offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants and you are now on Constitution Street, lined with colourful houses and casual terraces.

Here you have the Chascona, Pablo Neruda’s third house and the only one he owned in Santiago. Chascona literally means “woman with undressed hair”, it is a nod to the hairstyle of Neruda’s third wife.

Here you are at the foot of the famous Cerro San Cristobal. 860 meters high, this picturesque hill and its park offer spectacular views of the city and the Andes Mountains! If you do not want to explore it now, do not hesitate to come back!

It’s not lost on you, the streets of Bellavista are covered with colorful, Creative and Committed street art. When it comes to street art, Valparaiso often steals the spotlight in Santiago.

If there is one building in Santiago that gives you the Impression of having taken a slight detour through Paris, it is the Museum of Fine Arts! This magnificent neoclassical palace, inspired by the Petit Palais Parisien, was designed by the French-Chilean architect Emilio Jéquier in 1910, on the occasion of the centenary of the Republic!

From here, you are not far from Santiago’s Main Point of Sale. If you have a small trough, this is the perfect place to go and discover the local gastronomy and get in touch with the population. Entering the Mercado Central, built in the 19th century, is to be awakened by the colors, smells and frenzy of a place that has occupied an important place in the lives of the inhabitants since 1872.

You pass on your right, the church of Santo Domingo. As its name suggests, it was founded by the Dominicans, the third religious order to settle in Chile after the Order of Mercy and the Franciscans.

All this north side of the plaza belonged to Pedro de Valdivia whose equestrian statue you see behind you. At his death, the site was divided into three and several important institutions were built.

So here you are on the other side of the great Palacio de la Moneda, the seat of the Presidency of the Republic. It is called the Palace of Coinage because it was originally used in 1814 to beat the currency of the country.

Here you are on the gun square. All major South American cities have their “Plaza de Armas”, in the very heart of the historic center. These squares were created by the conquistadors and bring together the different powers of the time.

You cannot miss it, majestically erected at the corner of the plaza de armas, here is the Metropolitan Cathedral. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Santiago and its construction was not a part of pleasure!

You are here between two important institutions in Santiago. The former National Congress and the Courthouse. On your right, protected by its gates and hidden behind its beautiful gardens, is the Ex National Congress.

You enter a world in Technicolor thanks to the awesome project del paseo bandera. This street, usually very busy with pedestrians and cars, has been transformed into a gigantic work of art by the artist Dasic Fernandez.

Here you are in Constitution Square, in the heart of Santiago’s civic district. It is surrounded by government buildings.

The beautiful and opulent building you see there is the Union Club. It was founded in 1864 so that the aristocracy would have a place worthy of the name to meet. Since colonial times, Chilean society has become accustomed to meeting to debate and discuss.

The classic yellow building you see there is the University of Chile, nicknamed the “U”. Founded by the Chilean state on September 17, 1842, it is the first university in the new Republic of Chile and the most prestigious university in the country.

Small detour in Europe with the discovery of Paris and London streets. If you find it strange that street names are written in French, know that they are not and that it is just the same in Spanish, but it is said Paris/London. Mystery solved.

Here you have the church and convent of San Francisco. It is one of the most important historical monuments in Santiago and one of the oldest colonial buildings in the whole country. It was founded in 1622 by the Franciscan friars, hence its name.