Language · 11 published
Country guide
Chile is a narrow strip between the Andes and the Pacific, the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica. Its 756,102 km² are arranged almost entirely along one north–south line, with Peru and Bolivia at the top and the Drake Passage at the bottom, so nearly every journey here is a journey up or down. The 2024 census counted 18.5 million people. Santiago is the capital and largest city. Chile also administers Pacific islands far offshore, among them Juan Fernández and Easter Island, which means two places under the same flag can sit an ocean apart.
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Omnespsx (D•ES) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
The Museum of Memory and Human Rights is Chile's principal museum addressing dictatorship-era state violence, memory, and human rights.
The Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, known locally as Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, is a museum in Santiago dedicated to Indigenous art and material culture from across the Americas.
La Chascona House Museum, locally Casa Museo La Chascona, stands as Pablo Neruda's distinctive Santiago residence in the Bellavista quarter.
The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is Chile's principal fine-arts institution, anchoring the Parque Forestal and the Lastarria museum circuit in Santiago.
The National Historical Museum, locally Museo Histórico Nacional, stands as Chile's central national-history collection. It occupies the former Royal Audience building on Plaza de Armas in Santiago.
The Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre, known locally as Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral, is Santiago's major multidisciplinary performing-arts and exhibition complex. It serves as the cultural anchor of the Lastarria neighbourhood, one of the city's most distinctive quarters.
Barrio Bellavista is a bohemian neighbourhood in Santiago, Chile, situated on the northern bank of the Mapocho River at the foot of San Cristóbal Hill.
The National Museum of Natural History, known locally as Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, stands as Chile's principal natural-history museum. It serves as the flagship institution within Quinta Normal, a significant public park in Santiago.
Casa Colorada is a colonial-era house in central Santiago, Chile. Built in 1769, it is one of the oldest surviving structures in the city and serves as the Museo de Santiago Casa Colorada.
The San Francisco Museum of Colonial Art, locally known as Museo de Arte Colonial de San Francisco, occupies part of the historic San Francisco religious complex in central Santiago.
The Salvador Allende Solidarity Museum is a cultural institution in Santiago, Chile, known locally as the Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende. It holds a distinctive international modern-art collection that was formed through artist donations made in solidarity with Chile.
The Violeta Parra Museum, known locally as Museo Violeta Parra, is a national institution in Santiago dedicated to Chile's foundational folk artist.
The Santiago Railway Museum, known locally as Museo Ferroviario de Santiago, is an outdoor museum dedicated to Chile's railway heritage.
The Museum of Science and Technology, locally Museo de Ciencia y Tecnología, is a hands-on science museum in Santiago, Chile. It forms part of Quinta Normal's broad family museum cluster in the capital city.
The Mirador Interactive Museum, known locally as Museo Interactivo Mirador, is Chile's leading interactive science museum. It stands as one of metropolitan Santiago's strongest family destinations.
The Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio is Chile's principal aviation museum. Located in the Cerrillos area of Santiago, it houses a substantial collection of aircraft and aerospace artifacts.
The Museum of Decorative Arts, known locally as Museo de Artes Decorativas, is a specialist museum located within the Recoleta cultural complex in Santiago, Chile.
The Historical and Military Museum of Chile is housed in a substantial heritage building that formerly served as Chile's military school. Located in Santiago, this institution presents Chilean military history through its collections and exhibitions.
The Gabriela Mistral Museum of Education is a national museum dedicated to Chilean schooling and educational history. Located in Barrio Yungay, a historic neighborhood of Santiago, it preserves and exhibits materials related to the development of education in Chile.
The Museo del Sonido, or Museum of Sound, is a distinctive cultural institution located in Santiago's Yungay neighbourhood. It is devoted to recorded sound, playback technology, and listening culture.
The Museo Numismático del Banco Central de Chile is Chile's specialist public collection dedicated to coins, banknotes, and monetary history. Housed under the auspices of the nation's central bank, it preserves and exhibits the country's numismatic heritage.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
A 10–16 day visit should pair Santiago with one major region, such as the Atacama, the Lake District or a Patagonian gateway. Chile’s length makes combining north and far south in a short itinerary transfer-heavy.
Chile’s consular service publishes the visa rules used for entry. Nationality, travel purpose and length of stay determine the requirement, and any application should be made through the official consular channel.
Santiago is the central international and domestic hub. Flights connect the desert, lake and Patagonian gateways, while long-distance buses cover mainland corridors and remote parks require a confirmed final transfer.
October through April is the broad operating window for many central and southern journeys. Atacama conditions, central-valley heat and Patagonian wind are distinct, so the least flexible regional leg should set the calendar.
Chile uses the Chilean peso (CLP). Current withdrawal costs and merchant acceptance are Not recorded; review the amount in pesos and any conversion offered before completing payment.
Chile uses 133 for police, 131 for ambulance and 132 for fire. Power is 220 V with Type C and L plugs, while nationwide tap-water guidance remains Not recorded.
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