What to know about Santiago, Chile

When I decided to travel to Chile last year, I asked those I know if they have ever been there. Not many have been. I was a bit apprehensive early on in my decision because I don’t know many people personally who have travelled there, and I was unsure of how accessible it would be. However, between those who have been, and with the trip planning research I did before hand, I became super excited to be travelling there as South America has always been on my bucket list!

The City

Santiago, Chile is a beautiful place that’s rich in history since being founded in 1541. It has amazing architecture and scenery. Located in the Santiago Basin, a valley surrounded by the Andes on the east and the Chilean Coastal Range on the west, this great city has elevations that vary and several vantage points to check the scenery out.

However, because of the valley location and with a population of over 5 million people, the smog and air quality in the city is not always fantastic, especially during their Winter season. Please keep this in mind if you have any respiratory concerns.

Things I discovered while in Santiago:

Crossing the road – I want to point out that unless you are crossing the road at a designated crosswalk, you cross a road at your own risk. Unlike in Canada, pedestrians don’t have the right of way, so a vehicle won’t stop for you to cross the street. In fact the times I did cross the road but not at a crosswalk (when I deemed it safe to do so), I don’t think approaching vehicles even slowed down. So it’s extremely important that if you have mobility issues, to ensure you cross safely at a designated crosswalk!

Animals – Additionally, there are a lot of stray dogs on the streets of Santiago, and I do not know exactly why this is the case. However, during my time in Santiago, the dogs never bothered me. They did on occasion stare at me for food, but even that wasn’t as common. It made me wonder if restaurants with patios have found a way to ensure they don’t linger around. I’m not sure on this either, but ultimately I found if you let them be, they seemed to let you be. This was difficult to at first because I love dogs! But seriously, if you didn’t, a person’s place could soon turn into the Radcliffe household so to speak :o)

Tipping – I also discovered that if you decide to take a taxi in Santiago, you do NOT tip the driver because apparently they round up the amount. The currency in Chile is a Chilean Peso (CLP), and as an example, if a taxi trip shows as costing CLP$2,450, you’ll probably be charged CLP$2,500. Trip Advisor lists more good information about tipping in Chile.

Some drivers – I have never encountered drivers like the ones in Santiago. I have never walked around a place and heard so many car horns being honked. The frequency initially caught me off guard, but I soon understood that this was quite common. Thankfully I am not able to rent a car so I didn’t have to worry about driving myself anywhere. However if you decide to rent a car, keep in mind that like most metropolitan cities, there is traffic to deal with, especially during rush hour. Also I found some of the drivers to be more on the aggressive side, especially during rush hour. For instance, I saw a lack of courtesy on letting other cars in front if a lane was ending. Also if cars were moving, it was at a fast pace, but if you aren’t going with the flow, others will let you know pretty quickly! So just move over and let them pass.

The people – I encountered very wonderful people during my time in Chile. People were friendly, hospitable, and helpful. The service at places was good, and I found myself engaged in delightful conversations with pretty much everyone I came across! Here’s something random too, I was even surprised at how nice a lot of people smelled on the buses! Also worth noting, some men do “catcall” as well. 

Transit – I found Santiago’s metro (Metro de Santiago) efficient, convenient, and accessible for those with mobility issues. It was also easy enough to navigate although when in doubt I’m always sure to ask someone for directions. It easily took me to a lot of different areas within Santiago, and beyond! Some stations offered an easy transfer to another metro line, while others offered bus stations for other regions in Chile. You may click to find more information about the metro (metro map included) and bus systems if you like.

Please see my next blog post for more on activities I did, sights that I saw and photos that I took. Don’t forget, you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.