Our time in Chile started in Santiago, the capital city. We stayed at a little apartment within walking distance of downtown and wasted no time booking a walking city tour with a local guide, Carlos, through Airbnb experiences. This tour included, according to Carlos, “The Most Haunted Church in Santiago” – Iglesia San Agustín. This church, just like much of Santiago, has been rebuilt over the centuries due to earthquakes.
Our walking tour also took us to La Moneda Palace (the Presidential Palace), and our guide explained a little about the coup that occurred in 1973 and the difficult period that followed. We then walked to the main square, Plaza de Armas, where you will find the Cathedral of Santiago. We continued to the Lastarria neighbourhood, with plenty of artisan market stalls and restaurants. It was here that Carlos explained that “marijuana is not legal but also not illegal”.
After our tour and a bite to eat, we walked to the funicular and cable car – another popular tourist attraction. The walk through the suburb of Bellavista was great, with exceptional street art.
While based in Santiago, we booked a day trip to Maipo Canyon. Cajón del Maipo is a gorge in central Chile, southeast of Santiago. En route, our guide, Jamie, had us walk through a pitch-black tunnel – not sure of the tunnel’s purpose, but Jamie seemed to enjoy the fact that the ‘scary experience would freak us out’.
We took way too many photos at the El Yeso Reservoir, which is Santiago’s main water source, and we were also thrilled briefly to spot an Andean Condor. The mountains around the reservoir made this a special spot. Our tour included a picnic with wine, and we stopped at the Chocolate House for ice cream on the way back.
We returned to Santiago several times as many flights and buses depart from the capital. The city has a rich history, but we were ready to explore the rest of Chile.