Return to Santiago

Chile is a country of startling contrasts and extreme beauty, with attractions ranging from the towering volcanic peaks of the Andes to the ancient forests of the Lake District. There are a multitude of very good parks here, and plenty of opportunities for fine adventure travel.

Chile is home to the famous Torres del Paine, which is considered to be one of the finest nature travel destinations in all of South America. Chile's climate is as diverse as its geography. With the exception of the extreme weather conditions of the Andes and the Atacamad, Chile enjoys a comfortably temperate climate.

The most obvious factor in Chile's remarkable slenderness is the massive, virtually impassable wall of the Andes, a mountain range that is still rising and that contains more than fifty active volcanic peaks. The western border is of course the Pacific Ocean, but it is a misconception to picture Chile as nothing more than the steep western slope of the Andean peaks.

All along its length Chile is marked by a narrow depression between the mountains and the sea. To the north the land rises and becomes more arid, until one reaches the forbidding Atacama Desert, one of the most inhospitable regions on earth. To the south just the opposite transformation takes place: the land falls away, and the region between mountains and ocean fades into the baffling maze that terminates in Chilean Patagonia..

Chile's southern extremity is marked by Cape Horn, a treacherous headland surrounded by almost continuously storm-tossed seas and passable only through the foggy stillness of the Strait of Magellan.

Los Graneros del Alba
In the heart of Santiago, beside the Los Dominicos Church, is set up as a village where craftspeople both work and sell their wares. Traditional and original work in clay, ceramics, wood, copper, leather, wicker, wool and other materials are available, and there's a colorful collection of exotic birds and a restaurant.

The Maipo Canyon
About forty minutes by car from downtown Santiago, offers an excellent outing for the weekend. Travel through small towns where people sell kneaded rolls, almonds, walnuts and wine. Along the road, different resorts offer open air pools, restaurants and picnic areas where you can have a barbecue. Towards the end of the road, there are hot springs at Ba-os Morales and, on past the Refugio Aleman, in the natural pools of the Ba-os Colina.

The Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro
Located in Santiago, this has been remodeled with care and passion to preserve its colonial style. The square houses three art galleries also including the Archeological Museum of Santiago.

Ski Resorts
If Skiing is your passion, the season starts sometime in May or June and runs through October. At less than an hour from an hour from Santiago by car and over 2000 masl, the Farellones-El Colorado Ski Complex includes several hotels, refuges, ski schools, equipment rentals and 18 tows and slopes of varying difficulty..

Near Farellones, La Parva offers chalets, apartments and a condominium, 13 tows, wide slopes and center for medical emergencies. Valle Nevado, twenty km from La Parva, has nine tows, 25 slopes, three large hotels, sauna, Jacuzzi, pool, cinema, shopping center and a bank. Portillo, a winter ski resort that is famous throughout the continent, is 145 km northeast of Santiago, its hotel beside the mythic Lagoon of the Inca.

Is Chile & Santiago Safe?
The people in Santiago and in fact throughout Chile are very friendly and are always willing to help. Do however be cautious and well aware of your personal space at all times. Pickpockets are a menace and never let someone you do not know watch your luggage. Never accept rides from anyone other than official taxi drivers.

Remember: you are in another country with a different set of social rules and regulations. What might be acceptable at home is not necessarily acceptable abroad. Ask questions and find out more about your city. Learn to adapt to different cultures and customs, part of your study abroad experience is to learn more about the world around you, be open and friendly.

What is the local currency?
The local currency is the Chilean peso, worth about 600 pesos per US dollar, although it does fluctuate.

Are a passport, visa, or vaccinations necessary?
Important: Please Read!
A passport is required. U.S/Canadian citizens do not need a visa for a stay of up to three months.

How do you get there from here?
Santiago has a International Airport with good connections to the rest of South America and North America. Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport. The airport is located 17 kms from downtown Santiago.

How do I get around Chile & Santiago?
Underground Train: Line One of the Santiago metro (underground train) follows Alameda (Bernardo O"Higgins Ave)/ Providencia/Apoquindo from the Pajaritos station in the west to Escuela Militar station at the eastern end of the city. Line Tow crosses Line One at the Los Heroes station, near downtown, offers transportation from the Central Market north of downtown, southwards to Lo Ovalle. It's an excellent way of getting around, easy to learn, fast, comfortable and safe.

Taxis: can be flagged at every major corner or you can call a radio taxi, which are a little more expensive, but will come to your door. Taxis are black with yellow roofs, abundant and relatively inexpensive. It's a wise strategy to have a clear idea of where you're going and how to get there, however, because it's often necessary to provide your driver with specific directions. Collective taxis, with fixed routes, are also available.

There is a good bus system that can get you to all the major cities and regions in Chile. The ticket cost is about $10.00 about every 250 to 300 miles. Once you get to the city there is another bus system that can bring you to almost every little town in Chile. A ticket on these buses begins at a price of 75 cents and up depending on how far away the city.

What is the weather like?
Because of its length, Chile encompasses a variety of climates (the country contains both arid deserts and icebergs). There's no one time that's perfect for every part of the country, but our favorite season is summer (October-March). In most parts of the country, it seldom rains, humidity is low, midday temperatures reach about 90 F/32 C and the nights are cool. .

The worst time overall is May-August, when it rains a lot from Santiago south. It's also colder. A sweater (and, in the south, a heavy jacket) should be taken no matter when you go, as nights can be cool-to-cold nearly everywhere. The best time to visit Easter Island is August-October, and the worst months are June and July, when it rains, and December-February, when most tourists go. Temperatures there average in the 70s-80s F/21-34 C year round.

Will my electrical gadgets work?
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs and screw-type bulbs are used.

What is the best way to phone home?
To make a call from a public booth, you need a 100 peso coin or a card bought in kiosks, usually near the phone booth, cellular phones can be rented at airports or in cities. For long distance, several companies offer service, with very variable tariffs. You simple dial the code corresponding to the carrier you wish to use, followed by 0, country and city codes.

The multi carriers are: 123(0), Entel;181(0), Bellsouth;188(0), CTC;171(0), Chilesat: 120(0), Iusatel,155(0).

What major holidays are there in Chile?
January lst/Good Friday and Saturday (variable: March/April)/May lst/Corpus Christi (variable: May/ June3/June 29th/August 15th/ September 18th-19th/October 12th/ November 1 st/December 8th/ December 25th