Santiago is a great city if you are lucky enough to be there with local friends (like most places, I guess), but there is no denying it doesn't rank high on the list of 'nice' big cities, like Buenos Aires, for example. One aspect where Santiago does shine is in the friendliness of the people. I'm biased, I'm sure, but I do find it is very easy to have a good time in Santiago and its surrounding area (Región Metropolitana).