Santiago’s Best Kept Secrets

While your Chile guidebook may offer popular sightseeing spots like La Moneda, Cerro San Cristobal, and the Pre-Columbian Museum there are many other important sights in Santiago. Discover the city that the locals love with this guide of 4 places your guidebook may have missed.

1) Boulevard Lavaud: One of the best restaurants in Santiago also has a great atmosphere. The old French barbershop and salon was founded in 1868 and still retains much of the look today. Admire the barbershop and antique decorations that line the walls, while you enjoy good food and drinks. It is open Monday through Saturday on the corner of Compania de Jesus and Libertad in the Patrimonial Yungay Barrio. Take the Cumming metro station to get there.
2) Calypso in Cajon de Maipo: This delicious Italian restaurant is located in an adorable house with a large patio that offers views of the countryside and mountains. The genuine Italian food will put you in a whirlwind frenzy of pleasure. Dine outside on a warm summer day while enjoying a glass of wine and the spicy olive oil and garlic sauce pasta. After your meal doze off in a hammock next to a lovely duck pond. Located an hour outside of Santiago, you can take a colectivo from the Puente Alto metro station to enjoy a meal Friday through Sunday.
3) La Habana Vieja: Most guidebooks recommend Barrio Bellavista for the nightlife scene. Bellavista is a great place to drink cheap beer and party, but if you get sick of the fraternity-feel, try La Habana Vieja. Just three blocks from the Santa Lucia metro, not only do they have great food, live music, and live dance shows, but you can get dance lessons too. On Friday and Saturday nights at 9:00 and 10:30 you can take salsa lessons with locals. The live band starts up around 11:30pm.
4) Hip Hop Classes at Arte en Movimiento: After mastering your salsa at La Habana Vieja, try your hand at hip hop. Arte en Movimiento offers a wide variety of hip hop classes from popping, street style, and girly style. Don’t be afraid to test the waters and practice your Spanish at the studio located in Barrio Bellavista. Most of the hip hop classes are offered between 7pm and 9pm on the 8th floor of 172 Antonia Lopez de Bello.


This guide to Santiago’s best kept secrets was written by a Chile travel expert at Chile For Less available to help you custom design your exciting Chile trips.