Guide to nightlife in the capital of Chile. From dusk to dawn among the trendiest and most fashionable neighborhoods of Santiago
Santiago, the capital of Chile in recent decades has become an important financial, cultural and economic center and also one of the main tourist destinations in South America. A city of great charm with scenarios of rare beauty and enchantment but, above all, it is the South American city of the moment which with its nightlife and its varied gastronomic tradition offers visitors a vast choice of entertainment.
Founded in the first half of the 1500s by Pedro de Valdivia thanks to its exceptional position, located in a valley between the Andes mountain range and the Pacific Ocean, just climb the spur of San Cristobal to relax or enjoy the view away from the daily chaos; but as evening falls, walking around the neighborhoods of the capital the watchword is fun.
The nightlife of Santiago It's lively and engaging. There are many typical restaurants and historic and evocative Jazz venues that enliven the metropolis, alternating with trendy and fashionable discos where you can spend the wee hours perhaps sipping an excellent drink, a glass of delicious Chilean wine considered the best in South America or a good glass of pisco sour, a wine brandy served with lemon juice, egg and sugar.
The lively nightlife of Santiago begins in the late evening and continues until the early hours of the morning. But before going to the various places it is a good idea to take a tour of the restaurants in the capital to taste a good Chilean dish typical of Chile. The city is much visited by tourists from all over the world and over time it has adapted to the different needs by opening numerous restaurants serving international cuisine. Despite this, the capital has also retained its strong culinary tradition and the number of restaurants where you can stop to enjoy a local dinner is truly high.
Among these we suggest the Mouth nose, warm and welcoming place where you can enjoy a typical dinner based on empanadas and appetizing corn tortillas, paired with an excellent local wine; L'Astrid and Gaston, elegant, refined and specialized in Chilean and Peruvian cuisine; then the rustic Don Benito ideal for those who want to eat the traditional lomo a lo pobre, i.e. beef accompanied by eggs and chips; again, the famous Caramanic in the bohemian neighborhood of Barrio Bellavista. Finally, how can we not mention the very particular and extravagant The Fat Cows, whose interior is covered with cow fur. A steakhouse where the meat is cooked on huge exposed embers.
Before going to the disco clubs, the inhabitants of the capital meet after dinner for a "previous", after enjoying a sandwich, the “lomito” in one of the many venues in the city where each neighborhood has its own soul and its own particular atmosphere, also thanks to the wide range of opportunities and entertainment options. One of the areas where the nightlife is concentrated is the Bellavista neighborhood, the most elegant and trendy neighborhood of Santiago, dotted with murals, new Chilean art and numerous bars, cafes, restaurants, shops and clubs of all kinds.
The bohemian character of this "barrio" of Chile is reflected in the numerous art galleries, in the colorful houses of famous writers, such as Pablo Neruda's Chascona, and in the reserved bistros. At night, the area comes alive with its restaurants in colonial-era buildings, clubs and trendy bars. One of the most famous is the Constitution Bar with live music and musical sessions with the best DJs, the Backstage is the ideal place to listen to live jazz music. For Caribbean music fans the appointment is at Two gardenias, while in the crowded Pyojera an excellent cocktail based on wine, ice cream and the gem, a sweet cider, is served.
Another neighborhood where it is worth dropping by is Nunoa, where you can find numerous clubs where you can listen to live music, in particular the Santiago Jazz Club the most famous and evocative venue in the capital of Chile and one of the oldest in the world. Built in 1943, illustrious people of the caliber of Herbie Hancock and Luis Armstrong have performed here. Jazz is the king of the club, but blues, swing and ragtime are also played. The area around Plaza Ñuñoa boasts many venues not only for jazz but also for rock music such as Baton or the famous HBH, a brewery near the square.
Less exclusive and fascinating but no less frequented by night owls is the Viatcura neighborhood, full of clubs, bars and restaurants, including La Previa, an ideal venue for cocktails and dinners, while Las Urracas is a sophisticated lounge bar in Santiago where you can dance until late at night and where you can enjoy a dinner, sip a cocktails or a good local wine. And then the exclusive Club Eve, a bar where you can spend an evening in the company of good house, techno and electronic music played by international DJs. There is also a VIP area and a restaurant open until dawn.
For wine enthusiasts it is possible to taste them in one of the many city wine shops or in the cellars of the Maipo Valley, a few dozen kilometers from the city: they are quality wines, full-bodied reds among which Carménère, a black grape variety of Bordeaux origin, stands out. It is also possible to reach the companies by bike with a tour organized by La Bicicleta Verde or you can book a guided tour by the Concha Y Toro company.
If you want to get to know the capital of Chile in all its wonderful nuances, Santiago is served by the Comodoro Arturo Merino Benìtez International Airport which welcomes numerous national and international flights. From Italy you can take advantage of the new direct flights made available by Alitalia, approximately 15 hours of flight without intermediate stops. To move within the city, however, there is an efficient service subway, based on five lines or alternatively a line of buses, urban trams and shared taxis.
It's also fun to wander around the capital's many "fashionable" and crowded shops shopping centers that this city offers. You can also shop among the stalls of its markets where you can find clothes, jewelery and precious local craft products; you will then find the famous lapis lazuli with its intense blue colour, the classic souvenir that we recommend bringing home from Chile.
