Santiago is divided into comunas (districts) and then into barrios (neighborhoods). Founded in 1541 by Spain, Santiago suffered
repeatedly from earthquakes, floods and civil disorder. It is no wonder its barrios are unique and distinct — some with steep terrain crawling up into the foothills of the Andes, some sitting close to the urban center and boasting busy cafés, music clubs, restaurants, food markets, and new residential and commercial high-rises.

Use Uber or Cabify ride sharing, taxis or the speedy metro system to explore many of Santiago’s barrios. In Barrio Bellavista — known for its nightlife — find music and dance clubs almost everywhere; la cueca, the national dance, and salsa are popular. The Hotel Boutique Castillo Rojo, a nicely renovated, 19-room, red colonial mansion in Bellavista, lies just a block from trendy Patio Bellavista, a modern complex with bars, restaurants, shops and cafés. Opened in 2006, the venue attracts locals and tourists. The barrio offers many other small hotels, as well.

Pablo Neruda, Chile’s legendary writer and poet, lived in Bellavista in a home called La Chascona, a two-minute walk from the hotel. Neruda owned two other dwellings here, and all three properties (now small museums) welcome visitors.

Also a few minutes’ walk from the hotel find Estación Pio Nono Santiago Funicular. Constructed in 1925, it remains a crucial part of Santiago’s transportation history, along with newer cable cars that now take commuters up and down the mountains from high-altitude barrios. The 1,591-foot-long funicular takes just five minutes to reach the top of San Cristóbal Hill, with the Andes looming large in the distance.

One can safely and easily walk around Barrio Bellavista. Interesting graffiti art and beautifully painted historical homes line Calle Pio Nono, the main street. Lots of small shops sell handmade crafts, and a weekly market offers even more. Sitting at a café table under the Chilean sun, a cold drink in hand, makes a great introduction to Bellavista’s feel-good ambience.

A less gentrified barrio more symbolic of Santiago’s up-and-coming middle-class neighborhoods, Matta Sur lies about 15 minutes south of Bellavista via Uber or Cabify. In the 1800s, the high society favored this then-rural area as the perfect place to build their adobe mansions. Nearby farms provided fresh meat and vegetables at local markets.

In the early 1900s, however, farms faded and the area became more commercial, with small businesses creating handmade gloves, shoes, business supplies and other products still sold in Matta Sur shops. In 2010 the Barrio Municipality of Santiago and the Council of National Monuments recognized Matta Sur’s construction of new buildings in harmony with the area’s historical architecture. Matta Sur offers quiet, tree-lined streets and squares as well as busy food markets. Its friendly dining venues
include Emporio Criollo Azukar Club Bistro Bar and Restaurant Barrio Sur for delicious local cuisine. Also don’t miss the wonderful Cuevas Street Murals and Parque Artesana Alicia Cáceres.