LD75

Will be headed to Santiago in Jan and then on a cruise to Antarctica. We have one day in Santiago after a red eye but if we are feeling up to it, would love to do a little sightseeing. Are there any must sees that you recommend? For neighborhood, am considering a highly rated boutique hotel in Providencia but if there are other neighborhoods that would be more convenient/better to sightsee, am totally open to suggestions. Thanks!

LutherVP

If you're coming to SCL from the US, the "red-eye" isn't so bad since there is (almost) no time change, so you'll have more energy than you expect. Providencia is a nice neighborhood, and is accessible to the downtown tourist sights, though it can have loud and endless traffic if you are on the wrong street, and can be very crowded. Between the Metro and Uber, most sights are easily accessible from just about anywhere in Providencia. I would make sure that your hotel has AC. January can feel much hotter than you would expect, especially with the sun beating into the windows all day. Also, January is vacation season so a fair amount of stuff might be closed or have shorter hours.

Eastbay1K

I usually stay in Providencia, and it is quite central. As for the time change, it will be +2 to 5 hours from the continental US in January. Uber is usually fine, street taxis are generally fine and I don't avoid them, except in the Bellavista neighborhood at night),

https://santiagoando.com/centro-arte...-los-dominicos is a nice place to spend an hour or so - it is at the end of the #1 metro line (and you'll likely be staying close to a station on this line). Lots of artisan craftwork. Also, if the day is relatively clear (and you'll likely have a lot of haze), the views from the Costanera Center tower are spectacular. This is probably a short walk from your hotel. If your room isn't ready yet, it is a good nearby activity. Costanera Center You can't miss it. Plenty of other things to see/do (most located toward the city center - opposite the direction of the Pueblito los dominicos.)

LD75

Thank you. Esp didn't think of the shorter biz hours, nor the AC. I was also looking at the Lastarria neighborhood since it looks more downtown but when i google mapped a few places it looked very traffic heavy/not charming.

LD75

Thanks very much- I will look up both of these places and their distance from the hotel I was considering- would be good to check them out. Someone else had suggested watching the changing of the guard and climbing a few diff hills but it looks like neither of them are too close by. How easy is it to get by with Uber/taxis/metro if Spanish is poor? i do plan on brushing up on it a bit, but from what i have read anyway Chilean Spanish appears to be quite different and sometimes even difficult for native Spanish speakers from other countries to decipher so i am not sure if a Spanish crash course will help much.

Eastbay1K

Hills - it will be hot. The funicular up Cerro San Cristobal is nice, and better than climbing on a hot day. A very white stone virgin will greet you. A lot more humble than the Rio statue at the top of its famous hill.
Metro - easy. You'll need a card, as I think all paper ticket fares went away within the past year.
Taxis - more difficult without Spanish.
Uber - fine - but if you use to/from Airport, they aren't authorized to operate there so you may have bizarre pick up and/or drop off points - not recommended if you're not familiar with the airport (especially with major construction).
Spanish crash course - save your dough. My dear huevón, I just hope you don't have a screaming guagua on your flight, and that you enjoy your ave palta sandwich con un schop.

Siempre Viajando

If you're into good food, here are two recommendations for lunch. If you like red meat, try Happening, an Argentine steak house in Las Condes on Avenida Apoquindo one block from the El Golf metro station. If you prefer seafood, try La Mar, a Peruvian cebichería in Vitacura, on Avenida Nueva Costanera (no metro station nearby, so take a cab).

You can't go wrong in either place.

SuperDudley

This is a list that was given to us as a recommendation for what to do in Santiago (btw, the person that wrote this is not a native English speaker). Happening, as referenced above, was also highly recommended although we never made it there.
1.-Plaza de Armas ( main square ). From "Universidad de Chile"
Station ( closest station from RED LINE), There you have the biggest
pedestrian called Paseo Ahumada. Walk 4 blocks through it until you
reach the square.( In downtown, especially careful with pick
pockets)Cathedral and main post office is there. Dontīgo alone by
night. Just with day light. One block far is the Museo de Arte
Precolombino. Very nice museum.

2.- La Moneda presidential Palace.It is station "La Moneda", one more
after " Universidad de Chile" metro station.Itīs like our White House.
Thatīs the place where president Salvador Allende was killed by the
military coup of 1973.You will probably not able to walk inside, but
just from around it is impressive.

3.- San Cristobal Hill. Its a nice hill that you can reach by a
"Funicular". This is a Cable Cart or kind of train, that goes up to
the hill San Cristobal.From the top of the hill you have a panoramic
view from the city.The closes subway station would be "Baquedano",
also by RED LINE. You will pass "Bellavista", which is a bohemian
neighboorhod.

4.- Sky Costanera. This is the tallest building in southamerica, with
300meters ( 1.000 feet). The first 6 floors iare a Mall ( Costanera
center )To get there, you can take metro LINE 1 ( always ), take
direction "Los Dominicos", until station Tobalaba .To get to the top,
you pay $5.000.- and take the lift! Itīs an amazing view to the city
and especially to the andes.

5.- Providencia district. There is bars, coffees, stores, etc. Nice to
walk, pretty safe..Try lo go to "La Fuente Alemana" and have a "lomito
Italiano", this is a pork sanswich with mayo, avocado and tomate.
Anthony Bourdain was there ( TV show No Reserves itīs in
youtube).Metro Station "Pedro de Valdivia"

6.-I donīt know your interest, but maybe some museum.I recomend you
the "Human Rights" called in spanish, "Museo de la Memoria y de los
derechos humanos"its in LINE 5, station "Quinta Normal". Another one
is the Museo Historico Nacional, located at the main square or Plaza
de Armas ( point 1 ), just with chilean history.The Precolumbian art
Museum is really nice too, just 1 block from Plaza de armas.

EtoileFilante

I was in Santiago a month ago, and one of the airbnbs I stayed at was in the Lastarria neighborhood - I really liked it. Yes, it's touristy, but it's also pretty artsy, bohemian, and fun. That said, the area is well connected by metro so you could quite possibly have time to explore Lastarria AND Providencia depending on how much time you have on the ground.

Enjoy Santiago - one of SA's gems!

LD75

Good tips on the transport, esp. Had no idea on the Uber/airport issue. And thx for the laugh with the last bit!. Thank God for tapones para los oides y vino. I will wait on taking the Spanish until my next go round in South America.

LD75

Thank you! The steakhouse is of particular interest. appreciate the recommendations

LD75

A few people mentioned the palace, would love to either see that, climb the hill or go to Sky Costanera. The sandwich sounds delicious. I was (still am) a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain. I wish we were there for longer but always an excuse to come back. thanks for all the great ideas.

I really want to stay in Lastarria- i am traveling with family though and i think we are now going to end up staying in Las Condes as part of the cruise. I am being outvoted on this one. But it looks to be near the metro and the restaurant that Siempre Viajando recommended so that is good. Hopefully will get some exploration in at any rate!

Sciamano

Hope OP won't be hurted if I also ask for some tips
In three weeks I'll be in Santiago landing in SCL around 18:00 (arriving from CJC- Calama) and leaving on the next day with another flight departing at 12:40.
I think I'll stay in Lastarria and walk a little bit around but I'm sure you have a better plan for me

catcher1

For your hotel, I recommend the Lastarria Boutique Hotel. Great location in the Lastarria neighborhood, walking distance to lively outdoor restaurants filled with the locals, wonderful accommodations, and excellent staff. But for January you better book right away--if you even can.

BTW, I'm doing an Antarctica expedition in January also.

LD75

Course not, we are all friends here