Santiago travel guide

History
Santiago was founded by Pedro de Valdivia on 12 February 1541 on the site of a small indigenous settlement between the southern bank of the Río Mapocho and the Cerro Santa Lucía. During the colonial period, it was only one of several Spanish administrative and cultural centres; also important were Concepción to the south and La Serena in the north. Nevertheless, by 1647 there were 12 churches in the city but, of these, only San Francisco (1618) survived the earthquake of that year. A further earthquake destroyed most of the city in 1730.
Following Independence, the city became more important. In the 1870s, under the Intendente (regional governor) Benjamín Vicuña MacKenna, an urban plan was drafted, the Cerro Santa Lucía was converted from being a makeshift protestant cemetery into a public park and the first trams were introduced. As the city grew at the end of the 19th century, the Chilean elite, wealthy from mining and shipping, built their mansions west of the centre around Calle Dieciocho, Avenida España and República. One of these families was the Cousiños, who built the Palacio Cousiño and later donated this and what became the Parque O’Higgins to the city. Expansion east towards Providencia began in 1895. Until the 1930s, much of the city centre had colonial buildings in the style of Quito or Lima, but expansion and modernization meant that these were gradually replaced. In the latter part of the 20th century, like most Latin American capital cities, Santiago spread rapidly. Many older Santiaguinos who live in areas that are now relatively central tell how, when they first arrived in the city, their homes were right on the outskirts. In general, the more affluent moved east into new neighbourhoods in the foothills of the Andes, and poorer neighbourhoods were established to the west of the centre. This geographic division of wealth continues today.

The Santiago area enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with long dry summers and daytime temperatures rising to over 30°C, when the heat can be uncomfortable. Rainfall is heaviest from May to August and often falls in bands lasting for two or three days at a time. In summer, rainfall is almost unknown. Snowfall is rare, although frost is not uncommon, and, as houses in Santiago rarely have central heating, you will feel the cold on winter nights. There is usually less wind in winter, making smog a more serious problem over the city (forecast levels of smog are published in the daily papers, during television weather forecasts and inside underground stations). Pollution levels vary; the west and the old city centre are much worse affected than the more expensive areas around Las Condes and the upper city to the East. Pollution is usually at its worst in July and at its lightest in September and October and after rainfall.

Banks

Banks are open from 0900 to 1400, but close on Sat. Official daily exchange rates are published in El Mercurio and La Nación. There is never a problem finding a Redbanc ATM. Look for Redbanc sign. All accept VISA and MasterCard except Banco Estado (MasterCard only).

Casas de cambio

Some in the centre open Sat morning (but check first). Most casas de cambio charge 3% commission to change TCs into dollars. Always avoid street money changers (particularly common on Ahumada, Bandera, Moneda and Agustinas). They will show you a figure that is fractionally more than the going rate, before pulling a number of tricks, eg using the MR button on calculators to do a false calculation giving much less than you should have, or asking you to accompany them to somewhere obscure. Muggings or the passing of forged notes have also been reported.

Afex, Moneda 1148, Agustinas 1050, Pedro de Valdivia 012, Parque Arauco; Alfa, Agustinas 1052; Cambios Andino, Ocho, Agustinas 1062; Casa de Cambio Blancas, opposite Hotel Orly, Pedro de Valdivia; Cambios Manquehue, Huérfanos 1160, local 5 (Galería Alessandri); Guiñazú, Matías Cousiño 170, all major currencies can be bought or sold; Exprinter, Bombero Ossa 1053, good rates, low commission; Inter, Andrés de Fuenzalida 47, Los Leones metro, north exit; Intermundi, Moneda 896. Also several around Av Pedro de Valdivia, Providencia, eg at Gral Holley 66, good rates; Mojakar, Pedro de Valdivia 059.

Dentists

Antonio Yazigi, Vitacura 3082, apto 33, T02-208 7962/208 5040, English spoken, recommended; Carlos Ulrich, Napoleón 3565, T02-203 7390, El Golf metro. English and German spoken, recommended.

Embassies and consulates

Argentina, Miraflores 285, T02-582 2500, http://www.embargentina.cl; also Argentine consulate, Vicuña MacKenna 41, T02-582 2608, open 0900-1400 (visa US$25, free for US citizens), if you need a visa for Argentina, get it here or in the consulates in Puerto Montt or Punta Arenas, Australians will need a letter from their embassy to get a visa here. Australia, Isidora Goyenechea 3621, Torre B, piso 12-13, Las Condes, T02-550 3500, consular.santiago@dfat.gov.au; Austria, Barros Errázuriz 1968, piso 3, Providencia, T02-223 4774; Belgium, Av Providencia 2653, piso 11, dept 1103-04, T02-232 1070; Bolivia, Av Santa María 2796, Providencia, T02-232 8180, Los Leones metro, http://www.consuladogeneraldebolivia.cl; Brazil, MacIver 225, piso 15, T02-820 5800, www.embajadade brasil.cl; Canada, Nueva Tajamar 481, Torre Norte, piso 12 (Edificio World Trade Center), http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ latin-america/chile/, T02-362 9660; Colombia, Av Presidente Errázuriz 3943, T02-206 1999, http://www.consulbiachile.cl; Denmark, Jacques Cazotte 5531, Vitacura, T02-941 5100, http://www.ambsantiago.um.dk/la; Ecuador, Av Providencia 1979, piso 5, T02-231 5073, www.embajadaecuador; Finland, Alcántara 200, of icina 201, T02-263 4917, sanomat. snt@formin.fi; France, Condell 65, Providencia, T02-470 8053, http://www.france.cl; Germany, Las Hualtatas 5677, T02-463 2500, http://www.santiago.diplo.de; Greece, Jorge VI 306, Las Condes, T02-212 7900, http://www.greekembassy.cl; India, Triana 871, Providencia, T02-235 2633, www.embajada india.cl; Israel, San Sebastián 2812, piso 5, Las Condes, T02-750 0513, www.santiago. mfa.gov.il; Italy, Clemente Fabres 1050, Providencia, T02-470 8400, www.amb santiago.esteri.it; Japan, Av Ricardo Lyon 520, piso 1, T02-232 1807, http://www.cl.emb-japan.go.jp; Mexico, Félix de Amesti 128, T02-583 8400, http://www.emexico.cl; Netherlands, Apoquindo 3500, piso 13, Las Condes, El Golf metro, T02-756 9200, http://www.holanda-paisesbajos.cl; New Zealand, El Golf 99, of 703, Las Condes, T02-290 9800, http://www.nzembassy.cl; Norway, San Sebastián 2839, of 509, Las Condes, T02-234 2888, www.noruega,cl; Paraguay, Huérfanos 886, of 514, T02-639 4640, epychemb@entelchile.net; Peru, Bucarest 162, Providencia, T02-231 8020, http://www.conpersantiago.cl; South Africa , Av 11 de Septiembre 2353, piso 17, Torre San Ramón, T02-231 2862, www.embajada- sudafrica.cl; Spain, 11 de Septiembre 2353, piso 9, Providencia, T02-233 4070, cgespsantiago@correo.mae.es; Sweden, Av 11 de Septiembre 2353, Torre San Ramón, piso 4, Providencia, T02-940 1700, swedenabroad.com; Switzerland, Av Américo Vespucio Sur 100, piso 14, Las Condes, T02-263 4211, http://www.eda.admin.ch/santiago; UK, El Bosque Norte 0125, piso 6, T02-370 4100, http://www.britemb.cl; Uruguay, Av Pedro de Valdivia 711, Providencia, T02-204 7988, http://www.uruguay.cl; USA, Av Andrés Bello 2800, T02-330 3000, http://www.embajadaeeuu.cl.

Medical services

Hospitals

: If you need to get to hospital, it is better to take a taxi than wait for an ambulance. Clínica Central, San Isidro 231-243, Santa Lucía metro, T02-463 1400, 24 hrs, German spoken; Clínica Santa María, Santa María 0500, Providencia, T02-461 2000. Emergency hospital (Hospital Clínico de la Universidad Católica), Marcoleta 367, Universidad Católica metro, T02-354 3266 emergency, T02-633 2051 general; Hospital de Urgencia (Posta Central), Portugal 125, cheapest hospital open to the public; Hospital del Salvador, Av Salvador 334 or J M Infante 551, Providencia, T02-274 0093 emergency, T02-340 4000 general, Mon-Thu 0800-1300 and 1330-1645, Fri 0800-1300 and 1330-1545; Vaccinatoria Internacional, Hospital Luis Calvo, MacKenna, Antonio Varas 360, Providencia, Manuel Montt metro, south exit, children’s hospital, T02-340 1600.

Other medical services

Dr Sergio Majlis Drinberg, T02-232 0853, physician available 1430-1900; Emergency pharmacy, Portugal 155, Universidad Católica metro, T02-631 3005. Consult www.farmaciasa humada.cl for other emergency pharmacies.

Internet

Internet cafés are ubiquitous. Prices around US$0.60 to US$1 per hr. 463@café, Av Brasil 463, Barrio Brasil; Anditel, Bandera y Catedral, 1 block from the Plaza de Armas, quiet; c@fe.com, Av Bernado O’Higgins 0145, near Plaza Italia, good snacks; Café Phonet, San Sebastián 2815, Providencia, also very cheap international phone calls; Ciberia, Pío Nono 015, Bellavista; Cybercafe, Santa Lucía 0120, next to Instituto Chileno-Británico; Cybercafe, Cienfuegos 161, near junction with Moneda, just west of Panamericana, Barrio Brasil, cheap; easy@net, Ricardo Lyon y Providencia, Providencia; ES Computación, Salvador Sanfuentes 2352, Barrio Brasil, República metro, helpful staff; Internet Virtual, Santo Domingo 1091, also very cheap call centre; Sonnets Ltda, Londres 043, tea, coffee, book exchange, owner speaks Spanish, English, Dutch and German, helpful. There is also access at the Terminal de Buses Alameda, on the upper floor of the terminal building.

Language schools

Amerispan, PO Box 58129, 117 South 17 St, 14th floor, Philadelphia, PA19103, USA, T1-215 715 1100, http://www.amerispan.com, provides information about the affiliated Amerispan school in Santiago; Centro de Idiomas Bellavista, C del Arzobispo 0609, Providencia, Salvador metro, T02-732 3443, http://www.escuelabellavista.cl; Natalislang Language Centre, Vicuña Mackenna 06, piso 7, of 4, Providencia, Baquedano metro, line 1, to the south, T02-222 8721, http://www.natalislang.com, 2-week courses are recommended as good value; Pacífica, Guillermo Acuña 2884, Providencia, Francisco Bilbao metro, line 4, walk 10 mins to the east along F Bilbao, T02-205 5129, pacifica@ netline.cl, Anglo-Chilean agency offering cultural programmes to students, will also find accommodation with families and arrange Spanish classes either in language schools or with private teachers, minimum 1 month, US$70 commission charged.

Many private teachers: Silvia Pöltl, T02-235 3463, T09-353 6835 (mob), silviapol793@hotmail.com, well qualified and very experienced, recommended. Patricia Vargas Vives, José Manuel Infante 98, departamento 308, Salvador metro, line 1, south exit, Providencia, T02-244 2283, qualified and experienced.

Laundry

Dry cleaning

At the corner of Providencia and Dr Luis Middleton there are several self-service dry cleaners (Pedro de Valdivia metro, 11 de Septiembre exit (south)). Also several just south of Universidad Católica metro including American Washer , Portugal 71, Torre 7, local 4, 0900-2100 including Sun, US$3, can leave washing and collect it later.

Wet-wash

Lava Fácil , Huérfanos 1750, Mon-Sat 0900-2000, US$4 per load; Lavandería Lola , Av Ricardo Cumming y Moneda, very busy so get there before 1100, US$6 per load; Laverap, Av Providencia 1600 block, Manuel Montt 67; Marva, Carlos Antúnez 1823, Pedro de Valdivia metro, south exit, wash and dry US$10; Av Providencia 1039, full load, wet-wash, US$7, 3 hrs; Nataly, Bandera 572.

Post office

The main office is on the Plaza de Armas (0800-1900), poste restante is well organized (though only kept for 30 days), passport essential, list of letters and parcels received in hall of central post office (one list for men, another for women, indicate Sr or Sra/Srta on envelope).

Also sub offices in Providencia, Av 11 de Septiembre 2092, Luis Thayer Ojeda 0146, Pedro de Valdivia 1781, of 52, Providencia 1466, Moneda 1155 (downtown) and in Estación Central shopping mall. These are open Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1230.

If sending a parcel, the contents must first be checked at the post office. Paper, tape, etc on sale, Mon-Fri 0800-1900, Sat 0800-1400.

Telephone

The cheapest call centres are on C Bandera, Catedral and Santo Domingo, all near the Plaza de Armas. International calls from here are half the price of the main company offices: to the US, US$0.15 per min, to Europe, US$0.25 per min, eg at Catedral 1033 and Santo Domingo 1091.

Visas and immigration

Ministerio del Interior, Departamento de Extranjería, Agustinas 1235, 1 block north of the Moneda, T02-674 4000, www.extranjeria. gob.cl. Mon-Fri 0900-1200. Visit for an extension of tourist visa or any enquiries regarding legal status. Expect long queues. Note that this can also be done at any provincial extranjería office.

The city’s main avenue, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins, is almost always referred to as the Alameda, while Plaza Baquedano, one of the city’s main squares, is almost always known as Plaza Italia (in both instances, this book follows suit). Most of the more expensive accommodation is situated in the city centre or further east in the neighbourhoods of Providencia and Las Condes. Most budget accommodation is located in the city centre or further west in the vicinity of the bus terminals. Although parts of the centre can be explored on foot, you will need to master the city’s transport system, which is well organized, if crowded and slow in peak periods.

International and domestic flights arrive at the Aeropuerto Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez at Pudahuel, 26 km northwest of the city centre.

Intercity buses arrive at one of four terminals, all located close to each other, just west of the centre and not far from the train station, along Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins. This is the main east-west avenue through the city and is within easy reach of line 1 of the metro.

The centre of the old city lies between the Río Mapocho and the city’s main avenue, La Alameda. From Plaza Italia, in the east of the city’s central area, the river flows to the northwest and the Alameda runs to the southwest. From Plaza Italia, Calle Merced runs west to the Plaza de Armas, the heart of the city, which is five blocks south of the Río Mapocho.