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The best places to visit in Santiago de Chile

· San Cristobal Hill

· Coin Palace

· National Museum of Fine Arts of Chile

· American Museum of Natural History

· Main Square

· Red House

· Saint Philomena Parish

· Iglesia de San Agustin

one. Cerro San Cristobal (formally tupahue or “palace of the gods”, today it rises to more than 2500 feet. At the top of the hill is the “Chapel of the Immaculate Conception” and a 65-foot statue of the Virgin Mary. At the foot of the hill there is a zoo and a beautiful Japanese garden. At the summit is also the Foster Manual Observatory.

two. Coin Palace It is the seat of the Chilean government. It was inaugurated in 1805 as the national mint (coins means “corner”. The Palace occupies an entire block and has a beautiful façade.

3. The National Museum of Fine Arts of Chile started in 1880 and moved to the current location in 1910. It contains hundreds of works of art by Chilean artists, in addition to several pieces by South American artists. There is a beautiful cafe and gift shop and it’s a lovely place to spend a morning or afternoon. By the way, admission is free on Sundays.

4. The American Museum of Natural History it is a magnificent museum filled with many exhibits including Environmental Rooms, Reptiles and Birds, Fossil Rooms and Human Origins, to name a few. A lovely restaurant and gift shop is available and is a place where you can spend the day.

5. The Main Square is the true essence of Santiago and is surrounded by many historic buildings, including the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Central Post Office. There are some delicious restaurants around the Plaza. It’s a fantastic place to spend a couple of hours just people watching.

6. The Red House (Casa Roja) is a colonial house built in 1769 and houses the Museum of Santiago.

7.The Saint Philomena Parish It is a beautiful church built in 1884. The church is decorated with many beautiful paintings and the window paintings are spectacular.

8.The Iglesia de San Agustin (Iglesia de San Agustín) was built in 1625 and is the second oldest church in Chile. In the church there is a wooden statue of Jesus Christ, called Christ of May. There is a local legend that during an earthquake the crown slipped around the neck of the statue. When they tried to put it back in place, blood began to flow from the face and the ground began to shake. The statue has remained intact with the crown still around the neck. A beautiful church worth visiting.

As always, I’m sad that I can’t cover all the amazing things you can do in this beautiful city. I have named just a few of them that make a visit to this great city a must.