Santiago, the capital of Chile, is gaining a reputation as one of South America’s coolest cities with creative districts, hip boutique hotels and a vibrant food scene.

It is a wonderful city for strolling, and each neighborhood has its unique flavor and tone. Head out during the day to take in the museums, grand architecture and pedestrian malls of the Centro, before an afternoon picnic in one of the gorgeous hillside parks that punctuate the city’s landscape. Nightlife takes off in the sidewalk eateries, cafes and beer halls of Barrios Brasil, Lastarria and Bellavista, while as you head east to well-heeled neighborhoods like Providencia and Las Condes, you’ll find tony restaurants and world-class hotels.

With a growing economy, renovated arts scene and plenty of eccentricity to spare, Santiago is an old-guard city on the cusp of a modern-day renaissance.

What to see?

A popular barrio, or neighbourhood, in Santiago is the historic yet chic Barrio Lastarria. The area is packed with museums and cultural centres as well as trendy shops, restaurants and bars.

If you’re looking for a stylish, bohemian vibe, check out Barrio Italia, the Italian quarter, where you can spend the day exploring cool cafes and designer boutiques.

Where to eat?

For classic Chilean fare such as carne merchada, or braised beef in tomato and red wine, check out Bar Liguria, a crowd-drawing local hangout.

For a special evening, try Ambrosia Bistro, helmed by star Chilean chef Carolina Bazan. Known for her innovative Chilean interpretation of French cuisine, Bazan also runs Ambrosia, often considered one of the best restaurants in Latin America. If you crave seafood, head to Mercado Central to get your fill of octopus, oysters, sea urchins, even abalone and all types of bounty from the sea. The prices here for the seafood are a fraction of what we would have to pay in Singapore and the quality is superb!

For drinks, the national drink of Chile would be Pisco sour. Chile and Peru both claim the pisco sour as their national drink, and each asserts ownership of the cocktail’s base liquor—pisco. It is made using Pisco, lime juice, syrup and topped off with a frothy egg white foam.

Where to stay?

The stylish Singular Santiago is located in the heart of Barrio Lastarria. Just five minutes away is a hilltop park that gives you amazing views of the Andes range.

The Aubrey is Santiago’s first-ever boutique hotel, opened in 2010 and is set in a mock-Tudor mansion. While it is located in Bellavista, known for its restaurants and bars, the hotel is on a quieter street which gives you easy access to the action but without the noise.

How to get there?

There are no direct flights from Singapore to Santiago. The shortest and most straightforward journey takes 25 hours with a stopover in Sydney, by Qantas airlines or LAN Chile. For cheaper flight options, one can fly via any major city in Europe (eg. London, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid) to Santiago in Chile.