Bite-size Break Santiago

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Chile. Set within a circle of snow-capped mountains, Santiago is vibrant, artistic and gourmet – and the gateway to adventures in the snow, sea or desert. Your adventure begins with a hotel pick up at 6pm for your first activity. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). What better way be immersed in the Chilean way of life than by getting straight into the night-time rhythm of Santiago with a bar hop. Starting in the heart of the city, Plaza de Armas, learn how to order your drinks in Spanish, then head to a bar with an intellectual vibe to drink Chilean wine. Next, it’s on to a favourite hangout in the cool neighbourhood of Bellavista, home to Bohemians, artists, and full of street art, hipster shops, fantastic restaurants, and plenty of pubs, discos and bars. Sample piscola, enjoy lively music and finish up at a dance class learning a few Salsa steps. You'll be returned to the hotel at about 10pm to ready you for a full day tomorrow.

Enjoy a bit of a lie in this morning, before meeting your guide at the hotel at 9.40am and heading out on a food-inspired walking tour of the city. Start at La Moneda (Government House), then wander through the Alameda neighbourhood, mixing historical monuments with the main government buildings, to the Plaza de Armas, Santiago's main square. Stop at the Mercado Central (Santiago’s celebrated fish market) to enjoy a late breakfast of empanadas accompanied by pebre, a delicious Chilean condiment of coriander, garlic, olive oil and peppers. Continue through the forest park to Bellavista, with its colourful homes and street art, and take the funicular up San Cristobal Hill for spectacular views across the city. As you admire the outlook, sip a popular local drink called mole con huesillo, made from peaches and wheat. You’ll head back to your hotel around 12pm for a short rest. This afternoon you’ll be collected from your hotel at 3pm and driven to Cajon del Maipo, a valley in the foothills of the nearby Andes, to visit a Chilean family and learn about their lives. Get an in-depth introduction to Chilean cuisine with a cooking class, and then dine on your creations of South American specialties like humitas al plato and calzones rotos. After dinner, take a stroll around the property or a dip in the swimming pool with a view across the stunning mountains, then farewell your hosts. You’ll arrive back at your hotel at around 8pm.

This Bite-size Break in Santiago comes to an end today. There are no activities planned and you are free to leave at any time.