| Population: Nearly 5.5 million Santiago is the capital of Chile. Located in the country's central valley, it is a very modern city for Latin American standards. As the largest city of Chile, Santiago holds almost 35% of the total Chilean population. Santiago is the financial, cultural, and political center of Chile and home of several regional headquarters to many multinational corporations. It is an easy city to live in. It is safe and has a solid infrastructure, low crime rates, and comparatively little corruption. There are great restaurants of all kinds. The best is the local Chilean food, and seafood is fantastic. The nightlife is good, centered on a few main neighborhoods. Santiago is about as dense as San Francisco, so it’s easy to walk to grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, and other amenities, and there are many examples of stunning architecture. Its underground trans¬portation is efficient and safe. Chile's steady economic growth has transformed Santiago into Latin America's most modern metropolitan area, with extensive suburban development, dozens of shopping centers, and impressive high-rise architecture. It has a modern transportation infrastructure, including the steadily-growing Metro de Santiago, a public bus transport system that is being continually modernized, and a free flow toll-based ring road and inner city highway system. The majestic Andean Mountain Range can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Due to its geographic location, Santiago is one of the few capital cities in the world which has easy access both to ski slopes and beaches. It is possible to visit the modern ski resorts and the coastal cities of Viña del Mar or Valparaiso in just one day. Numerous villages located in the countryside around Santiago invite the visitor to relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility of country life. Tourists may also visit the vineyards and try the delicious Chilean wines. Not far away are Argentina, the desert, and Patagonia. |