SANTIAGO
EAT: 040, Opened by the Former El Bulli Chef Sergio Barroso, expect a whimsical menu at a fraction of the price. Although speakeasy type settings are démodé, the food and the environment makes up for it.
EAT: LA MAR, A Peruvian chain scattered across Latin America, they have got the food and service down to a science. Sit amongst locals and white table cloth to chow down on ceviche and choros a la chalaca.
EAT: AMBROSIA, When looking for alfresco dining, ask for a table in the lush green courtyard and enjoy well-executed French-influenced fare.
GO: LA VEGA, Though supermarkets plentiful, go to La Vega to experience the open market where farmers trek to vend their fresh produce daily. Set in the corner of Nueva Rengifo & López de Bello, Santiago
ANECDOTE: I particularly loved going to La Vega to purchase everything from meat to flowers. This proved convenient whilst hosting a large format dinner in Santiago, lots of time had to be allocated for the cooking and decorating. Though I was unable to take pictures of the market, I hope the results below highlights the beauty of the market.
GO: VALPARAISO, Only an hour and a half by car, rent a car and drive to Valparaiso the port city on Chile’s coast. Highly recommended for an overnight or weekend trip and lodging in one of the beachfront bungalows available on Airbnb; a stark contrast to the cosmopolitan Santiago.
GO: HIKING IN VALPARAISO, Hiking trails, and beaches are available throughout Valparaiso, absorb the variety of environmental landscapes of Chile.
GO: GALERIA ANIMAT, Walk into the modernist concrete building of Galeria Animat in the affluent neighborhood Vitacura. The gallery is a source for contemporary art in Chile, walk around and browse the impressive collection.
STAY: MAGNOLIA HOTEL, A restored former mansion reborn as a beautiful and contemporary hotel, the building reflects the old and the new throughout. The hotel is clean, design forward, and spacious, so stay here.