Santiago Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
capital city of Chile
About Santiago
Santiago is a fast-growing city in the Santiago Región Metropolitana, in the central valley of Chile between the Andes mountain range to the east and the Coastal Range to the west. The metropolitan area has about 7 million inhabitants. Founded in 1541 as Santiago de Nueva Extremadura by the Spaniard Pedro de Valdivia, it has been the heart of the country since colonial times and has evolved to the cosmopolitan city it is today. The Santiago valley has been inhabited for thousands of years by different tribes. The Inca empire, and with them the Inca road network, extended here in the late 15th century. Not long after emerged the Spanish conquistadors, and on February 12, 1541, Pedro de Valdivia founded "Santiago de Nueva Extremadura" as the capital of the Captaincy General of Chile. During
Top Attractions in Santiago
Explore the best things to see and do in Santiago:
- ★Paso de Uspallata (between Chile and Argentina)
- ★Viña Concha y Toro
- ★Viña Cousiño Macul
- ★Viña Emiliana
- ★Vineyards
Santiago Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 15 sections including: