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Santiago Plazas and Parks
Just like every city of a former Spanish colony, the heart of Santiago is the Plaza de Armas. Santiago's 400 years of history seems to hover around the plaza, with modern buildings contrasting cities oldest structures. Santiago's Catedral (Cathedral) stands on the western end of the plaza. The Central Post Office and the National History Museum are on the northern border. The plaza is almost always alive with activity and filled with musicians, artisans and street performers until late at night. There are occasional cultural events and concerts. It is also a great place for a challenging game of chess. In December of 1999, the city's Metro openned a station at Plaza de Armas.
Cerro Santa Lucía is a hill and park in downtown Santiago. This is the place where Pedro Valdivia founded the city in 1541. Over the course of time, Cerro Santa Lucía has been built into an elaborate garden. At the top of the hill, the ruins of a Spanish fort offer a spectacular view of Santiago.
To get there, take the Metro to the Santa Lucía Station.
The Virgin Mary watches Santiago from the top of Cerro San Cristobal, Santiago's most conspicuous natural landmark. It is possible to spend an entire day atop San Cristobal. The park has a zoo, a wine museum, a cultural center, swimming pools, botanical gardens and an aerial tramway with spectacular views of the city. It is a popular place for jogging and biking. Baquedano is the nearest Metro station. From there, follow Pio Nono northward. At the end of Pio Nono, an elevator takes you most of the way up the hill.
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