· San Cristobal Hill

· Palace of the Currency

· National Museum of Fine Arts of Chile

· American Museum of Natural History

· Main Square

· Colorada House

· Santa Filomena Parish

· Inglesia de San Agustín

1. Cerro San Cristóbal (formally Tupahue or “palace of the gods”, today it rises to over 2,500 feet. At the top of the hill is the “Chapel of the Immaculate Conception” and a 65-foot statue of the Virgin Mary. At the foot of the hill there is a zoo and a beautiful Japanese garden. Also located at the top is the Manual Foster Observatory.

two. Palace of the Currency It is the location of the Chilean government. It was inaugurated in 1805 as a national mint (Currency means “corner”. The Palace occupies a whole block and has a beautiful facade.

3. The National Museum of Fine Arts of Chile It began in 1880 and moved to the current location in 1910. It contains hundreds of works of art by Chilean artists, in addition to several pieces by South American artists. There is a beautiful cafe and gift shop and it is a lovely place to spend the morning or afternoon. By the way, admission is free on Sundays.

4. The American Museum of Natural History It is a fabulous museum filled with many exhibits including Environmental rooms, Reptiles and birds, Fossil rooms and human origins, to name a few. A lovely restaurant and gift shop are available and it is a place where you can spend the day.

5. The Main Square is the true essence of Santiago and is surrounded by many historic buildings, including the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Central Post Office. There are some delicious restaurants that surround the Plaza. It’s a great place to spend a couple of hours just people-watching.

6. The Colorada House (Red House) is a colonial house built in 1769 and houses the Santiago Museum.

7. The Santa Filomena Parish It is a beautiful church built in 1884. The church is decorated with many beautiful paintings, and the paintings on the windows are spectacular.

8. The Inglesia de San Agustín (Iglesia de San Agustín) was built in 1625 and is the second oldest church in Chile. In the church there is a wooden statue of Jesus Christ, called Christo de Mayo. There is a local legend that says that during an earthquake the crown slipped around the neck of the statue. When they tried to put it back in place, blood began to flow from the face and the ground began to shake. The statue has remained intact with the crown still around the neck. A beautiful church that is worth visiting.

As always, I am saddened that I can’t cover all the amazing things you can do in this beautiful city. I have mentioned just a few of them that make a visit to this great city a must.