How to Spend One Day in Santiago, Chile

If you find yourself in the beautifully artistic capital of Chile, Santiago, you’re a lucky person. This gorgeous city is surrounded by the Andes mountain range, offering amazing views, delicious food, and so much culture.

So, how can you fit that into just one day in Santiago, Chile? Well, here’s my one-day itinerary to help you out. 

About Santiago, Chile

First things first, some information about Santiago itself. It’s one of the biggest cities in the Americas, so trying to tackle it all in one day isn’t super easy, but sometimes itineraries mean we only have limited time!

Santiago is known for a lot of things but primarily as one of the biggest cultural hubs in South America. If you love museums, you could spend weeks here. There are so many to choose from, and I’ll go through a few of the best later in this guide. 

As the Chilean capital, you know that the food and wine are going to be amazing. The wine trade in Chile is delicious but often overshadowed by its Argentine neighbors over the border in Mendoza. However, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle or three of Chilean Malbec while you’re there. You can thank me later. 

Due to the colonial takeover in the 1500s, when Santiago was made the capital of Chile, there are a lot of Spanish elements in the city that you’d expect in a lot of South and Central American capitals.

However, there are plenty of more modern buildings, including Art Deco, Gothic Revival, and Neoclassical design, as well as shiny new skyscrapers, that are in stark contrast to the greenery and imposing mountains all around the top of the valley. 

One Day in Santiago Itinerary

As I’ve mentioned, Santiago is huge, so don’t expect to “complete” the city on this itinerary. This is just a sampler to show you what you can see and do in one day. I’d recommend staying a lot longer here than just one day, but sometimes short layovers happen!

Morning

Okay, first step is always coffee, right? If you’re looking for a unique breakfast that your friends will for sure be jealous of, check out Magikoffee. It’s a cartoon-themed café, and they really go all-in on the theme! Here’s me with my Pokémon-themed breakfast:

Once you’re caffeinated, journey to the Plaza de Armas. This is the absolute heart of Santiago.

It’s full of colonial architecture and fountains, so it’s a great place to start off your day. Of course, this is a major tourist spot, so pickpockets are going to be hanging around, so be aware. 

However, Plaza de Armas is also where you can meet your guide from FoodyChile for one of my favorite kinds of city tours: a food and market tour. I did the local markets tour, which is between 3-4 hours long and kicks off at 10 am.

So, if you’re doing this tour, have some breakfast and put on your walking shoes!

Starting at the Plaza de Armas, you’ll walk and visit La Vega Chica, La Vega Central, Tirso de Molina, and Mercado Central. Along the way, you’ll meet local market vendors, learn about local dishes and cuisines, and, of course, enjoy plenty of tasters.

This tour is great value with 4-5 food tastings, a traditional Chilean alcoholic drink, a glass of delicious local white wine, and a bottle of water to help you refresh your palate.

The guides are bilingual and so passionate, so even if your Spanish isn’t the best, you can definitely enjoy this tour. Not only is the food fantastic, but it’s also so cool to see where the locals shop and get an insight into modern and traditional Chilean culture.

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Afternoon

Once you’ve finished your food tour, pop back around the corner to Plaza de Armas. As well as being a beautiful main square, Plaza de Armas is also home to two of the most popular landmarks in Santiago: the National History Museum and the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral.

I love visiting places of worship when I travel, as they’re often some of the most beautiful buildings in the area. The inside of this cathedral will blow you away. But as always, this is a functional cathedral, so be respectful of people praying and paying their respects.

If you’re looking for the National History Museum, you’ll find it inside the opulent and spectacular Palacio de la Real Audiencia from 1808. If you want to get a feel for Chilean history all the way from pre-Columbian times to the mid-1970s, this is a great way to do so.

Admission to the museum, like many of the major museums and galleries in Santiago, is completely free, so it’s also a budget-friendly way to spend an afternoon.

Of course, there are plenty of other museums in Santiago that you can visit for free instead, including:

• Museum of Precolombian Art (close to Plaza de Armas)
• National Museum of Natural History (In the lovely Quinta Normal Park)
• Violeta Parra Museum
• Museum Gabriela Mistral Education
• The Santiago Railway Museum (also in the Quinta Normal Park)
• Military and Historical Museum of Chile

I’d really recommend hitting up one of the Chilean national museums as they’re super informative and give you a good basis of Chilean history and culture for the rest of your trip. Some of the museums do favor Spanish explanation plaques, so make sure you have your handy translator or translation app ready.

Evening

Okay, so in the late afternoon or early evening, I’d recommend heading to San Cristobal Hill. This is one of the best things to do in the city, because it gives you the most amazing views.

The expanse of the city, with the snow-capped Andes mountains, is a breathtaking vista that you’re definitely going to want to bring your camera for! 

Depending on the amount of time you have and the time of year, you can either hike up the hill, which takes 1-2 hours, or you can take the cable car. The cable car costs 3,650 pesos ($3.87) for an adult round trip on weekdays and around 4,380 pesos ($4.69) on weekends. 

Even if you hike up and get the cable car back down, it costs around $2.30 per adult. I’d recommend early evening so that you can get the sunset or golden hour vibes. Spend a while here admiring the view, catching your breath, and generally soaking up the city atmosphere. 

Afterwards, head back down the hill to enjoy a delicious meal and some local wine at the hundreds of restaurants and bars that are scattered all around the city. I’d recommend asking your FoodyChile guide for recommendations in the morning, as they know all the best secret spots!

Alternate Activities 

Of course, there are hundreds of variations of this itinerary based on where you’re staying and your specific likes and dislikes.

I’ve already mentioned a lot of the free museums that I’d recommend seeing, but here are some more alternative activities that you can check out during your one-day visit to Santiago.

Of course, some of these are seasonal or take a little more logistical thought, but they’re all definitely achievable in one day!

• La Chascona: Perhaps the home of Chile’s most famous son, the poet Pablo Neruda. His home is now a museum, which is a must-visit for any literature lovers. Interestingly, it also resembles a ship!
• Enjoy a wine tour: Alternatively, you can get slightly out of the city and enjoy Chile’s amazing wineries. Places like Viña Cousiño Macul are in Santiago’s city borders, even though they feel rural and calming.
• Santa Lucía Hill: As an alternative to San Cristobal Hill, Santa Lucía is actually one of the most visited public green areas in Santiago, as it offers amazing views despite only being 230 meters high.
• Mirador Interactive Museum: If you’re traveling with kids or just want a more modern museum experience, this science museum is a great spot. It costs around $8, so it’s still affordable and is full of interactive displays and exhibits. 
• A walking tour of Barrio Bellavista: This neighborhood has so many great restaurants and bars that it’s an amazing place to go, whether you’re on a tour or not. However, if you’re on a tour, the guide will also show you all the beautiful street art throughout the neighborhood.
• Skiing and snow sports: In the Chilean winter (US and European summer), there are plenty of ski resorts that are close to the capital city. After all, you can see the snow on the Andes mountain range from most places in the city. 

Is One Day Enough in Santiago?

Honestly, no, one day is not enough in Santiago. It’s a major city with a ton of great attractions, and it’s undoubtedly worth a couple of days before heading to the coast or the wine regions of Chile.

However, if you’re on a tour that starts or leaves from Santiago and you only have a day between your tour departure and flight, this one-day itinerary is an awesome place to start.

How Do You Get Around Santiago?

Many people will tell you that Santiago is a walkable city, and around the major sights, it is. However, it’s also a major world capital and tends to sprawl if you’re visiting a couple of different neighborhoods.

Luckily, Santiago also has a metro subway system. Much like any other large system, you need to purchase a contactless metro card. Here, it’s called a BIP card, and it works on buses and the metro.

The base card costs 1,550 pesos, and the minimum recharge is 1,000 pesos. Basically, you can travel on one journey within two hours without having to pay for multiple tickets, so it’s super convenient. 

However, for a one-day itinerary, I’d still recommend getting one. As much as I love to walk around a new city, if you’re pushed for time, the metro is quick and effective, and you’ll get to maximize your day in Santiago.

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Is Santiago Expensive?

So, a common question is, “Is Santiago expensive?” and the answer is kind of. It all depends on where you’re coming from. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the most expensive places I’ve been to in South America, but traveling from Western Europe, it’s about the same if not a bit cheaper. 

Despite this reputation, there are plenty of free things to do, and the transport is super affordable. When it comes to food and accommodation, prices seem about the same as Europe and some parts of the US, but the alcohol and transport are much, much cheaper.

This is more comparable with Southeast Europe, like Montenegro, and non-touristy parts of Italy and Greece.

When is the Best Time to Visit Santiago?

As with most major cities, there’s not really a bad time to visit Santiago. There are things to do all year round, and even in the Chilean winter (June to August, remember), you’re still looking at moderate temperatures of around 16°C (high) and 2°C (lows) and around four days of rain out of a whole month.

This is largely because Santiago is in a valley, so while the surrounding mountains are full of skiable snow, that’s because it’s a higher altitude, and the city isn’t affected in the same way.

However, if you’re chasing warm weather and want to get away from winter in the US or Europe, January is the peak of the Chilean summer. You can expect highs of 30°C and lows of 12°C, which is ideal for sipping a crisp Chilean Sauvignon Blanc in the city square before heading out of the city to Chile’s most beloved beaches.