This is a great site to visit. You get beautiful views at the top of the mountain. We enjoyed…read moreriding the rail car going up and then the gondola going down. There's some vendors selling souvenirs. We bought ponchos for about $35. There's some walking involved but nothing strenuous. The restrooms at the top were fairly clean. There's also a snack shop at the top selling coffee, ice cream and snacks. I highly recommend this place.

Cerro San Cristóbal has a little something for everyone! Trails for running/hiking, paved pathways…read morefor walking/cycling, and even a cable car for killer views (plus less huffing and puffing for the ascent). The hill offers beautiful views of Santiago from the higher points, but there are also plenty of interesting stops along the way, including side trails, small cafés, and even playgrounds in some of the parks. The city has done a fantastic job making this an accessible public attraction, and access is totally free! Definitely one of my favorite stops in Chile.

Easily a wonderful park that Santiago should be proud to have. This is as good or better than most…read moreparks we have in the US. There are multiple playgrounds, a body weight fitness park, hike and bike trails, a pond, open fields, and a fantastic view of the skyline above it all. You could easily spend hours here e joying the day. There are a fair amount of trees so shade can be found. Restrooms are available for free near the southern part of the park. It's very pet and kid friendly.

What a great park for people of all ages and dogs, too! On a Saturday, we took our dogs for a quick…read morewalk to check out the enclosed dog park. When we arrived, there were a lot of people enjoying the park, mostly in the shade on picnic blankets because it was quite warm. The entire park is very well maintained; we saw several people working there from maintenance to security. Our priority was the dog park, which is small and narrow but really lovely! It has one main entrance; once through the first gate, you can remove your dogs' harnesses/leashes, before entering through the second gate. Inside, there is a nice, modern agility course (circuit). Our old dogs were pretty worn out from their walk, so they weren't into the course, but there was plenty more for them to checkout. There are large bushes that run along two sides of the park. One of my dogs discovered a pathway between the shrubs and the wall and just nosed around back there in the cool shade. The water fountain is very nice, too, and serves both humans and dogs. There are several beautiful wooden benches throughout, many of them under the shade of the trees. While there, we saw lots of walkers, bikers, and families enjoying themselves in the park. Afterward, we stopped at the vendors and bought the most delicious lemonade with mint--yum!

Situated alongside the Mapocho River, this beautiful public park is the perfect setting for a…read morepicnic, pick-up soccer game, run, concert in the park, bike ride...and the list goes on. What makes this park stand out from the rest is that it is an open-air museum where you can enjoy over 30 different sculptures from both local Chilean artists as well as international artists. I have trained with my soccer team here various times and it is a great strip to run around, with no large dips or holes plus it has good lighting at night. There is also a playground not only for children, but for adults with exercise equipment. In the summer they host the annual Jazz in the Park where you can enjoy the worlds best Jazz artists for free while enjoying one of Santiago's finest public parks (you can also pay for seats...but it is more fun on the other side of the Mapocho). They also hold events throughout the year (although the majority take place during the summer) and are mostly open to the public. They also have a small room to show exhibits throughout the year. The exhibits are constantly changing, and usually show the work of young Chilean artists. It is super easy to get here. If you don't want to run from where you are, I recommend taking the metro to Pedro de Valdivia and walking the 3 blocks to the park.

Located between metro Baquedano and metro Salvador, Parque Balmaceda always has something going on…read more This is where you will find many young couples lounging on the grass or in one of their many park benches (a great getaway from their parents' house). I particularly enjoy going to Parque Balmaceda for soccer games and training in the summer since the park is huge there are tons of empty patches of grass to play in (just beware of mini ditches where you can twist your ankle as well as the many street dogs that will try to play with you or steal the ball). On the weekends there are tons of things happening here at any given time. From what Ive seen, the teens get together to sell second hand clothes or art as well as pine over a new boy band (I think one of the one direction fan clubs hang out here). There are also groups of cheer teams practicing in one of the main grass areas. It is fun to stop and look as they throw both girls and guys up in the air and how they gracefully (and other times not as gracefully) catch them. You can also see the groups of guys and girls who play real life D&D (or something along those lines). They come dressed up in traditional 1900's clothing and they fight with fake swords and what not...very cool! They also host many different ferias and fairs here. One time they even had free skin cancer checks (one of the coolest things the municipality has done for those that might not have gotten checked otherwise). On Sunday mornings they even have workouts in the park! You can do Zumba for free, lead by an awesome instructor. This is also a great alternative to the office or busy restaurant if you work close. Many sit and have lunch with coworkers (or alone) on the benches or they bring a blanket to sit on the grass. There is also the Cafe Literario, where on any given day, their patio is filled with students studying and people working while enjoying a coffee or juice. Tip: If you are passing through on a run or bike ride and need to use the bathroom, I recommend asking the guard at Cafe Literario, most likely hell say yes if you say please.

This is a nice little garden to explore over an hour or so. You won't need much more time. However,…read morethere is an amazing view of the city so you could enjoy that for much longer. The garden itself is cute having a few bridges, a pond, and a small bamboo walkway. There is no entry fee or ticket required for entrance to the garden. Just walk on in. You won't be able to park at the entrance. You'll have to walk up a major hill from the bottom of the overall park.

Beautiful garden with amazing views of the city. Be ready for a 15 minute walk uphill. It's a paved…read moreroad so it's easy. The garden was under construction so we weren't able to walk the whole thing but overall it should only take 20-30 mins to walk the paths. Less if you aren't taking pictures. They do have restrooms on site. It is free to visit.

This is one of my favorite parks in Santiago. It is very big and you can go there for a whole day…read moreif you want. Because the place has spots for picnic, a nice recommendation would be eating a delicious roasted beef in the afternoon. Another spot you should visit is the lagoon. This lake has ducks, geese and boats. Yes! you can borrow a small boat and set sail. Very relaxing. Another recommendation: be careful in the late afternoon. It may get dangerous and, because it's too big, security can't cover every spot.

One of the most popular parks to have barbecues and drink in public, this park is always filled…read morewith university students as well as people celebrating birthdays, public holidays and well...just about any excuse for them to have a BBQ. To enter the park you are required to pay 500 pesos for weekends or public holidays (feriados) 3mil for a car or 300 pesos on a week day. If you are looking to have a BBQ during the weekend, come early as their "parilladas" fill up fast! Unlike other parks, Parque Padre Hurtado has public bathrooms (costs 200 pesos to access) as well as benches and tables to sit comfortably. Although best known for their large grassy lots and BBQ areas, Parque Padre Hurtado also has a tons of other services and fun for all ages. For kids they have pony rides, 2 large playgrounds with all different types of jungle-gyms as well as a mini electric train that rides around the park. For the somewhat older crowd, they have an amphitheater where a lot of concerts and plays are held (some are free!) as well as a large lake where for an extra 5mil, you can peddle around the water with a friend in one of their plastic boats - great for a first date (fun, exercise and a bit romantic all mixed into one activity)! Overall, a great place to come during a sunny weekend or holiday for all ages!