Murals
Colourful houses.
Carlos yo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Carlos yo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Klausiee — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Carlos yo — CC BY-SA 4.0
An artsy, bohemian district at the foot of Cerro San Cristóbal, with quiet streets of colourful old houses whose walls are covered in huge murals and street art. For decades it has been home to artists and writers, among them the poet Pablo Neruda, who built his house La Chascona here. The main street, Pío Nono, climbs from the river to the funicular station at the foot of the hill, and holds Patio Bellavista, a large courtyard of restaurants, cafés and craft shops. The district also has many shops selling jewellery in blue lapis lazuli, of which Chile is one of the world's main sources. The best way to discover it is to wander the side streets among murals, houses and small cafés, then ride the funicular up San Cristóbal. The area is busy at night with restaurants and music venues. Daytime is calmer for wandering and photos. Watch for pickpockets and phone snatching in crowded spots, as in any big city.
Colourful houses.
Food and crafts.
Neruda's house.
Between the Mapocho River and Cerro San Cristóbal, Santiago
La Chascona, Neruda's HouseThe house of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize in Li5 minutes walk4.7
National Museum of Fine ArtsOne of Latin America's oldest art museums, founded in 1880 and housed since 19108 minutes walk4.5
Cerro Santa LucíaA small rocky hill in central Santiago, called Huelén in Mapudungun, at whose fo13 minutes walk4.5
Plaza de ArmasSantiago's heart since its founding in 1541, when the Spanish captain Pedro de V16 minutes walk4.3
Cerro San CristóbalA green hill rising about 300 metres above Santiago, to 880 metres above sea lev18 minutes walk4.6Walk among the murals and colourful houses, visit Neruda's house, eat at Patio Bellavista, then take the funicular up San Cristóbal.