Santiago

Santiago is Chile's capital city. It is also the most populated city of the country, around six million people live in a 641,4 km² area, so is a very crowded city surrounded by a high mountain range, very distinctive of the city.

It is administrative and financial capital of Chile; most companies, Chilean and foreign, have their offices in the North East area of the city, commonly known as “cono oriente”, where also live the richest part of Santiago and Chile’s population.

In the outskirts of the city are most of manufacturing industries, while majority of services are closest to the urban area, that is to say, farther away from centre and/or “cono oriente” you get, farther you are from good quality services.

This unequal use of the city causes transport problems; public transport system it’s a low quality one, especially on suburbs and downtown. Underground and bus are the most used kinds of transport in this city.

There are many places to eat and drink in Santiago, many restaurants, cafés and bars in the commercial areas, but a typical place to visit for this matter could be La Vega Central, it is located near the city’s centre, to the north side of Mapocho River. It is well-known as a traditional and big market, and it has a lot of places where they sell typical Chilean food with accesible prices, but I think that the best of it is the friendly environment.

Other place you have to visit in Santiago is San Cristobal Hill, at Parque Metropolitano de Santiago. It has a zoo, two swimming pools, a Japanese-style garden, a funicular, many green areas where is possible to do sports, and a sanctuary dedicated to the Immaculate Conception on the top of the hill, with a statue that can be seen from almost any place near to Santiago's downtown.

Santiago has many cultural and entertainment centers, like musseums, theatres, galleries and cinemas, its just a matter of taste choosing where to go and enjoy.