10 Jan – Drive back to Punta Arenas and flight to Santiago

11-12 Jan – At leisure in Santiago

Our hotel was a wonderful four-star hotel with an art deco reception area and located in the downtown area of the city, facing the presidential palace.  We thoroughly enjoyed the pampering after our hiking in Torres del Paine. Santiago sits in a broad valley plain at 600m above sea level (and collects smog in much the same way as does LA!). On the city's eastern edges the immense wall of the Andes soars to 6,000m. “Few world capitals have a more dramatic setting.”  We loved our time here and walked all around the city.  Our favorite spot was the Mercado Central, the fish, fruit and vegetable market.  Designed in Chile but built in England, this market if filled with fresh fish stalls and wonderful (but simple) restaurants that are frequented by tourists and locals alike.  We had an outstanding lunch!   For a panoramic view of the city, we walked (in the near 100° heat to the top of Cerro Santa Lucía, a hilltop park where Pedro de Valdivia decided to found the city in 1541.) Then for even more dramatic views – despite the yellow smoggy haze – we took the funicular tram to Cerro San Cristobal.

See photos of Santiago:

City Views

The Mercado Central

13 Jan - Flight home

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