San Antonio / Santiago, Chile

Cathedral of Providence

It is located in the city’s historic center, where the main architectural and cultural attractions are concentrated. The Cathedral of Providence was built in 1880; it belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chile. At the end of the 20th century, it was recognized as a national cultural monument of Chile.

Chile Museum of Contemporary Art

The museum’s exhibition introduces us to Chilean art, from the second half of the 19th century up to the present day. The number of exhibits-among them paintings and sculptures, drawings and photographs, engravings and graphics-amounts to around 2000 items. Here you can find works by the most outstanding masters of Chilean art, as well as by foreign artists and sculptors such as Alfredo Jaar, Roberto Matta, Emilio Pettorutti, Hundertwasser, and many others, and various exhibitions are held regularly.

National Historical Museum of Chile

One of the oldest and most interesting museums in Santiago, it consists of 16 themed halls. To date, the museum’s extensive collection, featuring more than 1600 exhibits, tells the story of Chile-from pre-Columbian times to the present day. Tourists can trace the entire history of the country step by step, including its European settlement, and the active development of its industry and transport.

Church of San Vicente Ferrer

The temple is located on the grounds of Los Dominicos Park, named after the Catholic Dominican Order. The church was built in 1849 and, in the following years, underwent no significant alterations. Only in 1877 were bells installed in the church’s bell tower-bells specially cast in the port city of Valparaíso. The church’s main façade smoothly transitions into two towers crowned with domes, one of which serves as the bell tower.

Municipal Theatre of Opera and Ballet

A large team of masters worked on the theatre’s design, including the French architect Charles Garnier, the author of many theatre and opera buildings in Europe. The building of the municipal theatre is made in the neoclassical style. To date, the theatre has been added to the list of Chile’s national architectural and historical monuments. It is considered the best theatre stage in the country and one of the best theatres on the continent. Over the years, such luminaries as Carlotta Patti, Anna Pavlova, Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, and many others have performed on its stage.

Restaurant “Como Agua Para Chocolate”

The restaurant is located in a single-story building painted red. The venue got its name thanks to the film of the same title by Laura Esquivel, scenes from which are reimagined in the restaurant’s décor.

The restaurant is considered one of the most romantic places in the city. Carefully selected lighting and slow, relaxing music are perfect for evening dates. The interior design of the restaurant is quite unusual. For example, some tables here resemble beds, which adds to the overall atmosphere of the venue. Another feature is the large selection of aphrodisiacs in the restaurant’s menu.

The Post Office Building

With its unique architecture, it enhances Plaza de Armas-the square where tourists and city guests gather. The name of the square translates as the Armory Square. Here you can find the city’s oldest historical buildings, as well as outstanding architectural landmarks. The city of Santiago traces its origins to the development of this very Plaza de Armas.

Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art

This is a truly fascinating museum that attracts tourists, primarily for its unconventional design. It was opened in 1981, and its founder is considered to be the famous architect and antiquities collector Sergio Larraín García-Moreno.

He searched for a long time for a place where he could exhibit his collection, gathered over half a century. The Santiago Chile municipal authorities allocated a building for the exhibition, where the museum was later opened. The museum is very interesting from the perspective of archaeology, anthropology, and ethnography.

The Pablo Neruda House-Museum

This museum is dedicated to the outstanding Chilean poet, historian, and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate. It is located in the house built by the poet for his secret lover, and later for his third wife, Matilde, where he lived with her during the last twenty years of his life, from 1953 to 1973. Local residents gave the house-museum an interesting name-La Chascona-which in translation means “red-haired,” just as Matilde was.

The house’s fascinating architecture is such that it is literally carved into the rock. Speaking about Pablo Neruda, it is worth noting that he was simply obsessed with the sea and sea themes-this is why the building resembles a ship in shape and is filled with many items related to the sea. Everything here has been preserved as it was during the poet’s lifetime. The house consists of many rooms forming a true labyrinth. The museum’s exhibition tells about everyday life and Neruda’s creative activity.