Our Best Places to Visit Nearby: Slow Travel Gems in Santiago, Chile
After spending over a month slow-traveling through Santiago, we’ve had the chance to look beyond the typical tourist checklist. As full-time nomads with a soft spot for places that blend culture, food, nature, and daily life, we’ve found that Santiago reveals itself slowly and beautifully if you give it time.
Whether you’re staying for a few weeks or longer, our best places nearby to visit capture the spirit of slow travel. These spots became part of our rhythm: places we returned to, wandered through, or shared with new friends over lunch.
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Table of Contents
Best Places Nearby: Our Top Picks for Santiago
1. Parque Bicentenario + Lunch at La Cabrera Chile
Located in the heart of upscale Vitacura, Parque Bicentenario quickly became one of our favorite escapes. We spent countless afternoons strolling its tree-lined paths, reading beneath the shade of native flora, and watching flamingos wade gracefully through the central lagoon. With its well-kept walkways, rotating public art installations, and serene views of the Andes, the park offers a refreshing pause from the city’s buzz, a perfect place to simply be.
Don’t miss: A leisurely lunch at La Cabrera Chile, just a short walk from the park’s edge. Known for its premium Argentine cuts and generous sides, this steakhouse delivers more than just a meal. The atmosphere is warm, the service exceptional, and the experience, like the park itself, is best savored slowly.
2. Viña Cousiño Macul + Amigos del Mar
Tucked into the foothills southeast of Santiago, Viña Cousiño Macul is one of Chile’s oldest family-run wineries and most accessible. There was no need to book a pricey tour; we hopped on a local bus and arrived at the estate’s gates, making the journey part of the adventure. The $20 Per/Person guided tour in English that we chose took us through historic cellars and peaceful vineyards and started, continued, and with tasting showcasing their wines’ elegance and heritage.
Just a few hundred feet away, we capped the afternoon with a long, satisfying lunch at Amigos del Mar, a beloved seafood spot known for generous portions and warm, unfussy service. The coastal Chilean and Peruvian influences blend beautifully here, making it the perfect pairing for a wine-soaked morning.
Don’t Miss: The winery’s robust cabernet sauvignon and the rich seafood chupe at Amigos del Mar are comforting, flavorful, and best enjoyed with nowhere else to be.
3. Barrio Italia
Barrio Italia was one of those neighborhoods that felt like an extension of home, a creative, walkable district where you can lose an afternoon to curiosity. With its mix of local boutiques, artist studios, vintage shops, and leafy courtyards, it offers more soul than spectacle. We had our only breakfast meetup in Santiago here, joining a wonderful group of fellow nomadic travelers over coffee and conversation. The kind of slow, spontaneous morning reminds us why we travel this way.
We spent hours window shopping through antique stores and artisan stalls, admiring pieces we once might have packed and now admire with a smile and a camera. Even though we can’t travel with beautiful ceramics or repurposed furniture anymore, browsing was a joy.
Don’t miss A crepe or slow brunch at one of the cozy corner cafés and a stroll through the back alleys where murals evolve with the seasons, an open-air gallery that never stays the same.
Check Out what it costs for one month in Santiago, Chile
4. Santiago’s Museums of Memory and Culture
These two museums offer powerful, contrasting windows into Chile’s soul, one grounded in the weight of recent history and the other in the depth of ancient roots. Our visit to the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos was one of the most moving experiences we’ve had anywhere. The exhibits are honest, deeply human, and at times hard to witness but vitally important. We took our time here, reading, listening, and absorbing. The quiet in the galleries felt sacred.
Later in our stay, we visited the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, which, to both of us, stands as the most beautifully curated display of historical artifacts we’ve ever seen. The craftsmanship, storytelling, and reverence for the continent’s Indigenous cultures were awe-inspiring until Meghan tripped over one of the barely visible rope barriers and nearly toppled a totem. Thankfully, no art (or travelers) were harmed in making this memory, but it gave us a good laugh and a new appreciation for museum spatial awareness.
Don’t Miss: Give yourself time to move slowly through both museums and find a quiet spot to reflect. Quinta Normal Park offers shade and stillness near the Museo de la Memoria, while the steps of Plaza de Armas provide a lively contrast after the Precolombino.
5. Lastarria Neighborhood + Bocanáriz Wine Bar
Lastarria is one of those places you plan to pass through and then lose track of time. We wandered its cobbled streets countless times, drawn in by the energy and elegance. Artisan markets spill into the plazas on weekends, musicians play, and theaters beckon with indie films and charm. It’s the kind of neighborhood that invites you to linger, even if you don’t mean to.
One of our favorite ways to end an afternoon here was at Bocanáriz, a cozy yet elevated wine bar just off the main street. Their all-Chilean wine list is unmatched, with 250 labels and counting, and the sommeliers don’t just pour; they tell stories. We tasted wines from extreme vineyards, volcanic soils, and tiny family plots, each paired with dishes that complemented the glass and the moment.
Don’t Miss: A custom Chilean wine flight with small plates like venison tataki or roasted beef tongue. Let your sommelier guide you; you’re in good hands, and every bottle has a story.
6. Providencia Walking Loop + Fuente Alemana
Providencia became our Santiago home base, quickly earning a special place in our hearts. We created casual walking loops through the neighborhood, down tree-lined streets, popping into local mercados, browsing tiny bookstores, and pausing for coffee at corner cafés where the pace matched our own. It’s a part of the city that feels lived-in and local, where life still happens on the sidewalks.
No loop is complete without a stop at Fuente Alemana, a classic Santiago lunch counter that feels like a time capsule from the 1950s. The menu centers around massive sandwiches stacked with pork, avocado, tomato, and sauerkraut, each one an edible work of architecture.
Don’t miss Grabbing a stool at the counter to watch your lomito built layer by glorious layer. Pair it with a cold schop (draft beer), and you’ve got the makings of a local lunch ritual.
7. Cajón del Maipo Day Trip
This day-long adventure put us in the hands of a local tour provider; you can find them here. When Santiago’s summer heat settles in, there’s no better escape than Cajón del Maipo, a stunning river valley outside the city that feels like a world away. We made the journey with our fellow full-time nomad friends, Minnie and Larry, and it turned into one of our most memorable days in Chile. From winding roads that carve through the Andes foothills to hidden riverside cafes and panoramic lookout points, the region feels like a love letter to nature.
We spent the day hiking, picnicking, and learning about the area’s geological and cultural history from locals and fellow travelers we met along the way. The air was cooler, the pace was slower, and the rugged and vast landscape invited us to keep going.
Don’t Miss: Soaking in the natural thermal pools at Termas de Colina after a morning of exploring. Bring your lunch for a scenic picnic overlooking the mountains; you won’t want to rush back.
8. Parque Los Dominicos + Los Dominicos Craft Centre
This day began as an experiment; we explored the Santiago metro system, spotted Parque Los Dominicos on the map, and decided to hop off and see where it led. We’re so glad we followed our curiosity. Tucked at the foot of the Andes at the very end of the metro line, this peaceful park and adjacent artisan village felt like stepping into a small mountain town, all without leaving the city.
We spent hours wandering through Parque Los Dominicos, enjoying the open green spaces and tree-lined paths, before heading next door to the Los Dominicos Craft Centre. Housed in adobe-style buildings that once belonged to a historic monastery estate, the market is filled with talented Chilean artisans selling everything from silver jewelry and woven textiles to hand-carved wood and pottery. It wasn’t just the crafts that charmed us but the stories, the history, and the artists behind each stall.
Don’t miss: Striking up conversations with local artists, browsing one-of-a-kind handmade items (even if you’re just window-shopping like we were!), and finishing with an ice cream or fresh juice in the shady central courtyard. It’s a low-key Santiago gem that rewards spontaneity.
9. Sky Costanera + Mall Costanera Center
For a different kind of Santiago day, head up, way up. Sky Costanera offers sweeping 360° views from the tallest building in Latin America, and it’s truly breathtaking. Meghan and Dan of 2travelingafter1 enjoyed arriving early, showing up about an hour before sunset to beat the crowds and claim a window-side table just in time for the golden hour. Watching the light shift over the city skyline and the Andes beyond was magical.
Before taking in the view, we ascended from the Mall Costanera Center, which impressed us with its size and energy. This multi-level shopping center is massive and, unlike many malls in the U.S., thriving. Locals and travelers alike fill its broad walkways, food courts, and fashion outlets, making it a great place to cool off, people-watch, or pick up something practical for the next leg of your journey.
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Prices: Admission is USD 35 per person.
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Hours: Monday to Sunday: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM; Last entry at 9:00 PM.
Don’t miss: Sunset from the Sky Deck, exploring local brands tucked among the global names, and grabbing dinner or dessert at one of the top-floor spots with a view.
10. Day to Night: From Cerro San Cristóbal to Patio Bellavista
Few places in Santiago capture the entire arc of a day like this one. We began with a hike, though the funicular is a fun and easy option, too- up to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal, where panoramic views of the city and the distant Andes unfolded beneath the late afternoon sun. 2travelingafter1 arrived about an hour before sunset, the perfect time to soak in the golden glow as the sky shifted through its evening colors.
As night fell, we descended into Patio Bellavista, a vibrant hub of dining, music, and nightlife at the foot of the hill. The atmosphere is buzzing but still laid-back, with open-air patios, live performances, and an eclectic mix of locals and travelers.
Don’t miss: Catching sunset from the top of San Cristóbal, then settling into a people-watching perch over drinks and dinner below, a day-to-night transition feels quintessentially Santiago.
So what are the best places nearby?
These were our best places to visit nearby, not just because they were beautiful or interesting but because they fit seamlessly into our day-to-day life in Santiago. That’s the magic of slow travel: when discovery feels like routine and every neighborhood becomes part of your story.
