Cerro San Cristóbal – Spectacular Panoramic View of Santiago

Although it’s probably on of the Top 5 tourist sites of Santiago, Cerro San Cristóbal is not overrated in the least. The big mound in the middle of the city affords one of the most incredible Santiago panoramas available. Every time I head up, my knowledge of the city has increased, and thus I am able to point out more landmarks, distinguish different sectors, etc. For those unfamiliar to Santiago, the view from up here will let you orient the city in its surroundings: the Andes Mountains and the Cordillera de la Costa.

Whenever someone comes to visit me in Santiago, I take them up Cerro San Cristóbal, and even on smoggy winter days, the view is still stunning. The last time I went up with a couple of friends from Buenos Aires, we climbed as it was getting late in the day and we got to see night fall over the city. Having an amazing panorama and watching it turn from day to night in the course of about a half an hour is a sight that can’t be missed.

Note: The clearest view you will ever get from up here is after a rain, as it reduces the amount of smog in the air. This is especially relevant in winter, and if you do go after a rain, you will have an amazing view of the snow-capped Andes. In the summer, most days should have decent visibility.

The Santiago Zoo is also halfway up Cerro San Cristóbal and can be accessed from the Bellavista Funicular (Zoo hours: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm).

Getting there: There are two common ways to get to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal. You can either take the funicular that leaves from Bellavista, walk-able from Plaza Italia, or the Gondola (Spanish: “Teleférico”) that goes from Providencia, a 10-15 minute walk from Metro Pedro de Valdivia in Providencia.

Bellavista Funicular: From Metro Baquedano (Plaza Italia), head towards the only big hill you see (to the north). The funicular station, as well as zoo access, can be found at the star on this map. Open Mon 1pm–8pm, Tue–Sun 10am–8pm.

Providencia Teleférico: Walking distance from Metro Pedro de Validivia. Ask around for how to get there. I’ll try to get some better information on this site ASAP (update 11/29/07: Directions have been posted below in the comments section). Hours Mon 2:30pm-8pm, Tue-Fri 12:30pm-8pm, Sun 10:30am-8:30pm.