Santiago de Chile was founded on February 14, 1541 in the Mapocho river valley at the foot of Cerro Santa Lucia by Pedro de Valdivia. The layout of the city that continues to this day, was conducted by the same conqueror.

Although Santiago was almost to disappear down the Indian attack, an earthquake and a series of floods, the city began to fill quickly. Were these disastrous events, in conjunction with the consolidation of the city as the capital contributed to the remodeling of the city of Santiago. From the colonial period until today, the leaders have been concerned to make important urban works. The Casa Colorada (1769), Calicanto Bridge (1780), La Moneda palace (1805), the Alameda de las Delicias (1820), the General Cemetery, the transformation of Santa Lucia hill (1872), the National Congress building (1875) and the channeling of the Mapocho river (early twentieth century), among others, have helped to turn Santiago into a city with a rich past and a promising future.

The climate of this area is the height of Mediterranean, temperate, with regular temperature variations between winter and summer. Rainfall is concentrated between the months of March and September (autumn and winter) and are very scarce during the summer. The average annual temperature is 14 º C in winter the average is 9 ° C and in summer is 22 º C, although it can exceed 30 º C during this season.

Currently no doubt Santiago has become one of the cities "top" in business opportunities in Latin America and internationally because it has built a picture of tranquility, cleanliness and quality of life valued by visitors. According to the prestigious American newspaper The New York Times, Santiago is the best travel destination for 2011. Santiago is a great alternative to visditors who like to walk the streets and discover a metropolis increasingly renewing their spaces to surprise everyone.

How to get there

Arturo Merino Benitez Airport (SCL) receives daily flights from America and Europe. More information: www.aeropuertosantiago.cl

In Bus There are four terminals in Santiago who receive traffic from Argentina, north and south of Chile. Interprovincial and international buses arrive / depart from:

• Alameda Terminal Av Bernardo O'Higgins 3570, Metro Universidad de Santiago. Service to most destinations; to Vina del Mar / Valparaiso every 15 minutes. Phone: (2) 7762424
• Terminal Santiago (former South Terminal): Alameda and Retamales Nicasio, 150 m west of the Terminal Alameda, all companies are going to the coast, south and international destinations. Phone: (2) 3761750
• Terminal Los Heroes: Tucapel Jimenez and Alameda, near the Metro station Los Heroes, several companies destined for the north. Phone: (2) 4200099
• Terminal San Borja (former North Terminal): San Borja and Alameda, near the Central Station railway station on the north and within the metropolitan area. Phone: (2) 7760645

By Car. From Mendoza, Argentina, crossing Los Andes through Los Libertadores border (383 km).

Public transportation includes: Underground, city buses and taxis that work 24 hours.

There is also night tours  that include scenic views of the city, dinner and / or show, to end at some bohemian nightclub.

Activities

The Downtown of Santiago concentrates the civic life of this country, there is La Moneda palace, the Plaza de Armas and  the judiciary and executive buildings. Downtown Santiago is a spectacle in itself with its many museums and pedestrian walkways.

Neighborhoods like Providence, Bellavista, Ñuñoa, Las Condes or Vitacura mix shopping, food and nightlife that ends after 05:00 in the morning.

Despite the great building development of metropolis like this, in Santiago are valuable green spaces: the Metropolitan Park dominated by San Cristobal hill, which is visible from great part of the city can climb up to its top by foot, bike, car and lift.

There are vineyards that have been in the middle of the city where you can take tours and offer tastings of the best Chilean wines.

You can enjoy Los Andes going to Pirque town or Cajon del Maipo to find nature, taste traditional food, buy some souvenirs or host on the banks of the river and to do trekking, climbing, rafting,canopy , horseback riding or biking.

However, one of the greatest virtues of Santiago is that it is nearly 60 km of ski resorts and close to the port of Valparaiso (just over 1 hour), Viña del Mar and other summer resorts along the Pacific. Snow and sea easy to reach.