Barrio Brasil travel guide

On the northern side of the Alameda, immediately to the west of the Panamericana, is the Barrio Brasil, a bohemian neighbourhood with many brightly painted houses. At the end of the 18th century, this historic part of the city was the first area to be colonized by Santiaguinos away from the centre. The area is rich in colonial architecture and is also a centre for nightlife with many underground bars, clubs and restaurants.

The heart of the barrio is Plaza Brasil, easily reached by walking straight up Calle Concha y Toro from the República metro stop (line 1). This is a narrow, winding cobbled street that passes elegant old stone homes in rococo and German Gothic styles before reaching the plaza, which is shaded by palms, lime trees and silk cottons. Just east of the plaza, on Huérfanos, is the Basílica del Salvador, a striking yellow- and rose-coloured church built between 1870 and 1872, with stained glass and a statue of the Virgen del Carmen. A little further along Compañía is the Iglesia Preciosa Sangre, a bright red church of neoclassical design, with impressive reliefs and twin towers. One block north is Calle Catedral, where there are some fine old buildings with tall double windows, wooden balconies and stone palisades.