Friday's Lightbulb: Santiago, Chile

For years, Santiago has been thought of by many as a place to catch a connecting flight to somewhere else, but there's much more to Chile's capital city than that. It was founded in 1541 by the Spanish, and is home to 40 per cent of Chileans.


There are plenty of things to see in the city, and the hub of it all is Plaza de Armas. The cathedral is in this square, and admission is free. If you love history, then the national history museum is worth a visit and if you're into dancing, then don't miss the live salsa shows!


As you can see by the photo below, Santiago is surrounded by mountains - the Andes to the east, and the Chilean Coastal Rage to the west, which makes it one of the world's most spectacular cities. You shouldn't miss the view from Cerro San Cristobal. It also has a wonderful climate, with almost no rain between October and May.


As I previously mentioned Santiago is a real travel hub, so this could be the perfect place from which to start your adventures, then discover more of Chile. There's so much to discover in this country - the Atacama Desert; stunning salt lakes, 36 national parks; and the wine tourism scene has also developed in a big way - something for everyone I'd say!

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