Biking Through the Parks of Santiago

If you only have one full day to explore the Chilean capital, you'll want to spend it with a Santiaguino who can cover everything from pre-Columbian civilizations to 21st-century politics, colonial architecture to the cutting-edge culinary scene. Good news: I will help you make every minute count. If you love to try different local favorites, I have a super confortable minivan that I can use in ours tour and I can also arrange bigger vehicles for a larger groups. Where to start? Santiago's eastern foothills, home to some of its most manicured residential neighborhoods, offer glittering views of the modern cityscape and a chance to discuss the substancial economic development Chile has experienced in recent decades. While you're in the barrio, check out one of my favorite local crafts fairs to browse the work of local artisan jewelers, weavers, and woodworkers from all over the country. The single most essential component of any first day in Chile? A stroll around the Plaza de Armas in the historic center of town. With the presidential palace as backdrop, I will share the story of the 1973 coup that culminated in a 17-year military dictatorship—and point out how the spectrum of authoritarianism has influenced Chilean culture and politics in the post-Pinochet years. If you're interested in human rights, let me take you beyond La Moneda to a residence that was used as a detention center for political dissidents, now a memorial to victims of the regime's suppressive tactics. Feeling peckish? Epicures will swoon over the Centro's fabled markets with their stalls of specialty seafood and produce harvested at many latitudes. A loaded "completo" is a Santiago rite of passage, and I knows exactly where to stop for the city's signature snack. He'll gladly weigh in on restaurants, cafés, and wine bars, too; just follow him to the creative kitchens of tony Bellavista or Lastarria. Hotel Manager INACAP Cooking clases INACAP Private pilots license Driver guide For more than 23 years ( in atacama desert, end central Valleys of Chile) Sommelier courses, Sommelier School of Chile No restricciones.