Santiago Travel Forum

We will be in Santiago in late March and unexpectedly (we planned to go to Bariloche but airline canceled their service) find ourselves with 3 extra nights and would like suggestions on where to go. We could rent a car or travel by bus or train - would like to go somewhere interesting and hopefully scenic with good places to stay and restaurants. How long would it take to get to Mendoza? Or are there other choices that would be better?
Any recommendations appreciated!
Mibby

Being single with 2 suitcases and a rucksack could you please advise on the best way to get from Santiago Airport to Muelle Prat Cruise port, and if there are changes to be made where first to then to the next one naturally with 2 suitcases it is more dificult in carring long distances.
Looking forward to visiting Chile on the 22nd
Your help will be very much appreciated
Brian

Hey all

Am going to be in Santiago between the 10th and the 14th of February 2008. Can anyone suggest me if there are any must do's and don'ts?

Regards,

Omar

Hi,
My partner & I will be visiting Santiago from early April 2008. Can anybody suggest a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment (I snore) in a very central location. I am a big boy weighing in at 140kg so cannot walk long distances. Say somewhere close to the subway & cheaper-priced eating establishments (not after fancy restaurants, etc.). We will also be taking the bus to Mendoza & Buenos Aires & will be looking for central accommodation in these two locations. Also, can you suggest the best bus co. for this journey. We will be flying back to Santiago. Any suggestions on cheaper flights.
Many thanks for any input.
Steve

I have to fill out a form and I cannot find the right place to fill in the airport of Santiago de Chile
choices are :
Santiago Arturo Merino B
Santiago Cibao Int.
Santiago De Cmps - Santiago De Cmps

These are my only chances to fill out a form

Any suggestions/comments on what I gather are the 2 hotels closest to the airport. One is the Holiday Inn Airport hotel and the other is the Diego de Almargro Aeropuerto. Holiday is $149 and Diego is $113, but it costs $10 for the shuttle to Diego...so it's a wash. Has anyone stayed at either hotel...or have any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.

I see the "wandering camel" recommends the busses from Santiago airport to Valparaiso - My problem is:
...after being dropped off in Valparaiso - how far is it to the Cruise Ship terminal......is walking distance with two suitcases !! -- or is it preferable to take a taxi ? If so, what sort of cost would be involved? and what is the tipping policy ?
Thanks
Ian Mack South Africa

We are 4 persons, all over 60, all very experienced travellers, arriving in Santiago 4 Feb with a City Tour arranged for that day. We then have 2 full days at leisure before hopping a cruise. If you could choose one winery, which would it be and why? What is not to be missed? Is there a good military museum? Is Valparaiso worth a day? Any classical/cultural performances recommended? You've all helped me immensely in the past, TIA!

Hi,
I'm travelling to Santiago at the beginning of January and heard that LoveParade is supposed to be there on the 5th. I've recently been checking the net and can't find anything on it though, does anybody know if its still going ahead?
Cheers
Steve

My husband and I are arriving in Valparaiso on February 25, 2008 on Royal Caribbean cruise ship. We would like to share a ride to Santiago airport with others. Our flight leaves at 10:00pm. I have looked into several options and everything is cheaper when there are more people sharing a ride. It is much cheaper than the tours offered by the cruise line. We are interested in going to Vina Del Mar and a winery and then to the airport. We have been to Santiago already, so we are not interested in sightseeing there. Is anyone interested?

Anyone know good places to go wine tasting near Santiago de Chile? I found several websites offering tours, but I was going to wait til I get there to book or else just go by myself - which one is cheaper, booking a tour once in Santiago or over the net, and is there a way to just take a cab/public transport to one of these places?

Thanks!

hi! i am here for a friend´s wedding. i have been here for the past four days. it is quite lovely. i can help out with some tips with the information i´ve gained.. also was wondering if anyone wants to meet up sunday or monday... ciao.

My wife and I will be traveling to Santiago, Chile on March 18, 2008. We will be arriving at SCL(Santiago International Airport) at 5:30AM on March 18. We are traveling with 2 other couples. Does anyone know about a bus to get to the port in Valparaiso. We are boarding a Princess cruiseship.

I wish I were following the direction of the sun going east to west through the mountains, but unfortunately we most go the other way. That suggests to me that picture taking may be less than ideal because of shadows when you are on one side of the height of land and the sun is on the other side.

Given that the trip by bus takes about 7 hours, I'm thinking you'd want to leave about 3.5 hours before the sun is most directly overhead. Noon in Santiago is an hour later than Noon in Mendoza - so let's guess that the sun's greatest elevation in angle occurs at approximately 11:30 Santiago time if you're on the border - so you'd ideally like to leave Santiago at 8AM.

I'm also thinking that an early departure may be advantagious if there is more of a tendency for clouds to gather later as opposed to earlier. I remember the crater of Poaz volcano outside of San Jose Costa Rica which you'd be quite unlikely to see after 9AM in the morning due to cloud cover always moving in, and I wonder if there might be at least a small tendency toward this kind of timing issue on the Santiago-Mendosa route.

The alternative to leaving at 8AM would seem to be a departure mid morning. I'm concerned this would increase shadowing on the Argentinian side of the trip.

I'm wondering if any of the photographer types might care to comment on their view of the best time to go. I realize taking pictures through a bus window is less than perfect!

What post cruise transportation is available from Valparaiso to Santiago? what costs & times are involved? How & where do you locate the transporation & where are you dropped in Santiago?
Thanks for any info.
Pat

Hello every

My friends and I will take a cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso we will stay in Santiago 2 days in March 1st we want to know a nice and cheap place where we can stay we are 5 pleople, it is just 2 nights.
please let me know any suggestions.
Also any advice for us for visiting in a day?

thanks

ANNIE

I'm arriving in Santiago in a party of four by air from out of the country on Saturday March 1 2008.

We will be returning to Santiago eventually from Valparaiso but wish to leave the next day Sunday March 2 with 1-way bus tickets to Mendoza Argentina. I have been unable to reserve any tickets and I wonder what difficulties we may have if we arrive in Santiago with nothing reserved the day before we need the tickets.

I'd appreciate any practical advice. I've written a government communication which has gone unanswered to date.

Are their legal constraints which are behind the difficulty of obtaining reservations from outside of Chile?

Hi everyone! I have a friend who will be going to Santiago for a couple of days and was wondering if she would be better off renting a car or using public transportation and/or using the professional tour guides.

As a general rule, I don't drive myself around much in other countries, so my thoughts would be a bit slanted.

Open to suggestions for her.

Thanks!

Our flight will departed late in the evening. Which clean hostel or cheap hotel with a great location and shuttle service from the airport could you recommend?

Will be in Chile and Argentina in November,December & January and would like to get some Chile & Argentinian money before I get there but don't know what denomination notes to get. I only want enough to cover me for a few days while I get my act together and plan on paying for accomodation etc by CC. but I've grown used to expect the unexpected when travelling and want to make my arrival in Chile & Argentina as easy as possible, any advise greatly appreciated.

We need to get from downtown Valpariso to a hotel in Downtown Santiago. We are 4 elderly people. We could take the bus ( from where to where?) but we will have quite a bit of luggage and would rather not carry it ourselves. Can we find a reliable taxi or limo that can do this trip that would not be hugely expensive and that could possibly be arranged in advance. We do not want to over pay for this service. Thanks.

How much time should we realistically allow for bus travel between Santiago and Santa Cruz? Has anyone traveled by bus from Valparaiso to Santa Cruz?

My friends are in the process of building a home there and moving from Panama to Futa in late October. They need to stay in Santiago for several weeks to buy a car, wood stove and other supplies not available in Futa for their home.

They are retired and Lived in Florida, bought a coffee farm in Costa Rica and then on to Panama. They went to Chile last Jan = March, bought property, are having the house built now. Should be ready when they arrive.

They are looking for a rental that will accommodate the 2 of them and their 1 medium size (trained) dog for the interim. Does anyone have any suggestions where to look or contact? Any hostels,or hotels that will take a dog?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Diane Lynch for Vicki and Greg

What bus company do you use to travel from Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina???

Is it worth dining in Los Adomes de Argomedo restaurant or is it
something for the"dumb" tourist ?

Can you make some good hotel recommendations for well priced hotels in Providencia, La Reina, Las Condes and Bellavista please? I'm especially interested in Bellavista. Also I would like to know about some good tour operators in Santiago offering transport, wine tasting and other activities. Thank you.

Will be in Chile late Oct. '07:

1) Arriving Santiago at 2:30AM; hoping to get a bit of sleep, booked remainder of night at new Holiday Inn/Santiago Airport. However, unable to locate any info re property. Did it even open in June '07 as scheduled?

2) Winery info: use Santiago as home-base & rent car OR stay on winery property? Most likely in Maipo &/or Colchagua Valley areas.

Thanks.......judemeisterlv

I'm arriving in Santiago and am planning on going straight over to Vina del Mar for a couple of days before going back and staying in Santiago. What is the best way to get from Santiago airport to Vina del Mar?

Hi
My wife and I have 9 days - flying in to Santiago 4th February from Miami. We have been planning our visit around Puerto Natales , visiting Parc Bernardo-oHiggins , Torres del Paine and then on to El calafate to visit the Los Glaciers Park. I am having trouble organising the best way to do this . It seems I have to fly in to Punta Arenas from Santiago and then bus to Puerto Natales as no flights go Santiago - Natales ( ? ) Is there a flight Natales to El Calafate or is the bus the best way ? Must I then return to Punta Arenas to fly back to Santiago or is there a better way . We fly out to Australia on the 12th Feb . I'm having trouble getting clesr information about the airpasses from their sites also . Any help and suggestioms would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

is there a counter at the international airport in Santiago where you can change your usd into peso's? my other question, are there taxi kiosk's at the airport where your able to prepay for your taxi ride?they had this in Ba and i found it very convenient and safe.