This was fun. Our tour group of 34 piled into a cable car to climb up the steep grade to the top…read more There's a bench in a couple of the cars. But for the most part it's standing room only. You'll be able to see the skyline of Santiago as the car continues to climb. Likewise coming down. Once you get off the cable car you can continue taking the stairs or the roundabout terrace to see the Virgin Mary. There's also an open air chapel. We were given free time on our tour so hubby & I made the most of it. Not much more to do once you've climbed up to see the Virgin Mary and you've taken your scenic photos. Bathrooms, small gift shop, and a cafe. Our group queued up and went down the cable car to our tour bus.

I love funiculars so it's hard for me to give this anything less than five stars. I started at the…read moretop of the mountain after riding up in the cable cars then took the funicular back down. Note that those two means of transport leave you in very different places at the bottom of the mountain. There were some nice cats to pet while waiting in line for about 10 minutes for the car to arrive. The views at the top are amazing so don't forget to look around while you're up at the peak. The ride was about as bumpy as you'd expect. We had a brief pause about halfway down and then we passed the other car that was making the ascent. The incline is fairly steep so each car gets excellent views without being blocked by someone's head in front of you. If you've been to Pittsburgh, this one is definitely a longer ride than either of the inclines there so enjoy the journey!

I'm very disappointed that my digital camera decided now was the time to corrupt the images I…read morecaptured as this is a lovely fountain in downtown Santiago. The characters pictured are strong and well done, clear crisp lines and quite powerful. The fountain is located in the Parque Forestal near Plaza Baquedano. It was designed by a German sculptor and donated by the Chilean-German community on the centennial of Chile, inaugurated on October 13, 1912. Look for the condor with its wings spread. The condor is the national bird of Chile.

Visiting Fuente Neptuno at Cerro Santa Lucía was a highlight of my trip to Santiago. The fountain…read moreitself is incredibly grand, and the entire hill feels like a hidden oasis tucked away in the bustling city. To get the best experience, you do have to put in some effort. There is a fair amount of hiking and stair climbing involved, but the panoramic views from the top are stunning - way better in person than in any photo! It's completely free to enter. There is a person at the entrance who will ask for your name, group size, and ID number (like a passport). They just write it down and don't strictly verify it. There are paid public toilets near the entrance, but be very cautious. The staff there are known to try and scam tourists by shortchanging them. It's a cash-only operation, so if you use a larger bill, make sure you count your change before walking away!

I love this park its gorg has great views of the city and nearby some seriously hot spots if you…read moreknow what I mean haha

Located between the Baquedano metro station and the river, this roundabout surrounds a big statue…read moreof a dude on a horse. The traffic at the roundabout seems orderly enough. As a pedestrian, it helps to know that the drivers will stop for the light, more or less. The man on the horse is Manuel Jesús Baquedano González (1823-1897). A Santiago native, he was a Chilean soldier and politician, briefly serving as President of Chile during the civil war of 1891. This is where Parque Forestal, Balmaceda Park and Bustamante Park converge and is apparently the epicenter of the city of Santiago.

This is the epicenter of the city. It is the gathering place for many events, protests, parades as…read morewell as celebrations. Supposedly, in the past, Chileans used Plaza Italia as a reference point separating what was considered the "upper class" barrios with those of the "lower class". The Plaza was the meeting point, unifying the two social classes. Now days, depending on why you are coming, you will be met with many different types of people-but always fully charged with emotion. If you have the opportunity while you are here, I definitely recommend coming to Plaza Italia after a big national football match. It is one of the things that I love most about living here; their love for football transcends class, race and gender and you can see it best when celebrating with everyone in Plaza Italia, one of the focal points of the city, after "la roja" wins. Please keep in mind it can get a little dangerous (just like any big celebration). Even though the police are present and have cut off traffic to the surrounding roads, the possibility of getting pick-pocketed or being a bystander of a small "pelea" are very likely. Just be aware of your surroundings and everything will be fine.

If you're a tourist, you must visit this place! It's one of the most important places in Santiago…read moreand it's got a ton of history. Also, its architecture is wonderful: this train station has an interesting european style that seems frozen in time. Not only the trains make this place fascinating, but also the shops around. There are many traditional shops with beautiful crafts. You can look all you want, but be careful if you want to take photos. Security there is not very good and you can be mugged easily.

A lovely bridge, hardly one I would call 'romantic' however…read more Peering over the side of the graffiti laden bridge all I could see was a pretty dirty river and a gigantic dead rat floating in the shallows, head bobbing melodiously to the waves at the water's edge, lovely. It does have a cool view though, looking back toward the Andes on one side and the other stretching out toward the city centre (the photo I added). I find tis whole 'strap a lock to a bridge' movement a bit tacky but there is something about this bridge that I did like and have yet not found an explanation for: when you are over the other side, look back at the bridge and see these long ribbons in all different colours hanging of the side. They look really cool, but have no idea what they are. A good looking bridge, VERY low handrails and definitely worth a look if you need to cross the river , but hardly a 'destination'

Better known as "el puente de los enamorados" (lovers bridge), is a take on Pont de l'Archeveche:…read moreThe "Love Lock" bridge in Paris. You will find young couples and teens writing their declarations of love not only on the locks (like in Paris) but also the bridge itself in graffiti. Many couples come up to the bridge during sunset as a testament to their ever-lasting love. They come prepared with a decorated lock that they clasp onto the bridges rail and then throw the key into Santiago's Mapocho river. True love forever. The rails are now filled with "locks of love" and as cynical as one might be, you can't negate how beautiful and eerily romantic it is. With a perfect view of both the city and the snow-capped Andes mountains it is worth the walk. To get here: get off at Salvador metro (it is located right next to the Cafe Literario)

A truly humbling experience to be able to visit this memorial. There's not much to see, it's mostly…read moreempty rooms, but to imagine to people who were detained and tortured here will leave you with a feeling of humility and gratefulness. If you are in the area, it is worth a visit

This place, although mostly empty, must be visited nonetheless. Its a space for memory. Like the…read moresigns say "how can you fill a space, that is already so full of suffering and memory?". I recommend visiting after the Museo de la Memoria; after you have some context of the history and therefore know the relevance of the place. People were kept and tortured there in secret for many years after '73. good to know: its free to enter, you can book guided tours, you can take pics, and go to the second floor to listen to first hand encounters.