Santiago de Chile is Chiles capital and when viewed as a conurbation its largest city.
The majestic Andean Mountain Range can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Due to its geographic location it is one of the few capital cities in the world which has easy access both to ski slopes just 50 kms away and beaches 100 kms away. It is in fact possible to visit the modern ski resorts as well as the famous beach resort of Vina del Mar or picturesque Valparaiso.
A visit to the museums, art galleries, handcraft centres and neighbourhoods with intense cultural and artistic activity will give the visitor an insight into the culture and traditions of the country and its people.
Numerous villages located in the countryside around Santiago invite the visitor to relax and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of country life. Tourists may also visit the vineyards and try the delicious Chilean wines.
It is not a seven nights a week party town, and compared to other Latin capitals can seem rather tame. However Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays get pretty lively and huge, buzzing crowds pour into the streets and bars of the nightlife zones.
Santiago could make a serious bid for the title of fast food capital of the world. However bland those international brands are often more inviting than the hundreds of fuentes de soda offering beer, TV and cheap snacks, which is a blanket of mayonnaise top a hot dog or the more basic broiled horse meat sandwich.
Chile is famous for its wines and is the biggest exporter of wine in South America.
Spanish is the official language of Chile. In tourist companies and organizations the higher echelons speak English and or French.
There is complete religious freedom in Chile although the official religion is Roman Catholic. There are also other religions such as Protestant, Jewish, Moslem, Greek Orthodox.
The official Chilean currency is the Peso.
It has a mild Mediterranean climate. Hot dry summers November to March with temperatures reaching up to 35. Winters June to August is more humid, with typical maximum daily temperatures of 15. Occasional snowfall occurs on higher suburbs of the city. Mean rainfall is 338 mm per year.
Chile is a country of great beauty and contrasts that offers tourists a safe and stable environment, stunning nature and first class services to enjoy incomparable and unforgettable holidays full of adventure and exciting experiences.
