Santiago de Chileis the capital and principal urban area in Chile. There you will find the most important administrative, cultural, commercial, financial and governmental organisms in the country, with the exception of the National Congress which is located in Valparaiso.

The city has many buildings which are an impressive architectural heritage and a distinguishing feature. These are mostly located in two regions: one of them is in the surroundings of the Plaza de Armas and the other in the vicinity of the Plaza de la Constitución.

Near the Plaza de Armas you will find the Museo de Santiago, the Casa Colorada, the Museo Histórico Nacional, the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino and the Catedral de Santiago among others.

Near the Plaza de la Constitución you fill find the Palacio de la Moneda (Mint), the seat of Government and of the Presidency of the Republic.

Every year, Santiago receives more than two million travelers and tourists who are mostly interested in learning about Chile’s cultural heritage and history.

The principal tourist attractions are located in the Cerro Santiago between Cerro Santa Lucía, la Alameda and the Mapocho River.

Climate

The climate in Santiago could be defined as Mediterranean with characteristic rains in winter, warm temperatures and long dry periods.

The geographical location of Santiago determines the climate factors in the city: on the one hand, the Andes Chain which blocks the maritime influence, generating strong thermal variations during the same day, and little humidity in the region.

The average temperature is around 21°C in summer and 9°C in winter. Many times, the temperatures in summer reach 31°C during the day, but drop to 15°C during the night.