exploring santiago: a mini weekend travel guide

A LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD US SANTIAGO WASN'T WORTH SEEING (LOCALS INCLUDED)

---

and, well, i disagree. i'm not saying i want to move here but hanging around for a few days is 100% worth it. we stayed a total of 5 nights in santiago, and would recommend you check out the below. 

EAT, DRINK & SLEEP

---

• STAY AT CASA ALMA: this cozy little bnb is perfect in every way. clean, safe, cozy, includes breakfast, and is in a hip walkable neighborhood. we stayed multiple nights and loved it! castillo rojo is another great boutique hotel in a fun neighborhood, but slightly more upscale. hotel carmenere looks cozy and fancy if you are splurging.
• TRY THE EL LOMITO: chile's most iconic sandwhich from fuente alemana. but maybe split it with your friends, this sandwich packs a punch. 
• BAR LIGURIA: come here for at least one pisco sour. we loved having dinner at the bar and their back room is pretty dreamy. you will often find crowds of locals gathering to watch the soccer games. 
• SILABARIO COCINA LOCAL you won't find delicious food everywhere in chile, but this was easily our best meal. dinner here was creative, candle lit and accompanied by live guitar on the patio. make sure to get a reservation!
• COOL OFF AT EMPORIO LA ROSA: some of the tastiest ice cream in santiago, perfect on a typical warm sunny day.
• HAVE A BEER AT LA PIOJERA: santiago's oldest and best dive bar, usually with live music!
• BOCANARIZ santiago's best wine bar, showcasing chile's diverse and famous wine culture
• HAVE LUNCH OUTSIDE AT INPASTA: wasn't cheap, but their pasta was insanely good and authentic. their street-seat scene is a fun place to hang on a nice day and people watch. 
   

EXPLORE

---

• SWIM OR SUNSET AT TRAMANTO TERRACE: the city's best rooftop bar and view over the mountains and skyline. come here on a hot day to swim and have lunch or for sunset drinks 
• MALLINKRODT JARDIN a biergarten in bellavista that is covered in ivy and looks like more fit for brooklyn or san francisco. it's new and a popular place in town for a small bite or drink.
• MUSEUMS museo chileno de arte precolombino or casa museo la chascona (former home of famed poet pablo neruda
• ANTIQUE SHOPPING IN BARRIO ITALIA fun to stroll around here after lunch on the weekends, it's bustling and you may even find some souvenir gems. 
• MERCADO CENTRAL: around since 1872, this market is fun to grab a snack at one of the many food stalls, or just browse the aisles and aisles of fresh fish, veggies and other local goods. 
   

Y O U  M I G H T  A L S O  L I K E:

---

how we booked 5 international flights for $2,500

PARIS  >  KATHMANDU  >  BALI  >  SYDNEY  >  AUCKLAND >  BUENOS AIRES

---

i had always heard of "around the world tickets" – which sounds really great but always seemed to have a ton of hidden rules and restrictions. on top of that, most of them make you get on the phone with a travel agent or a drawn out email back and forth...what is this 1980?! when we decided to get serious about taking our extended travel trip, we came across the website INDIE, a simple and powerful way to book multi-stop international flights. we started to play around with their web interface – entering the cities we were interested in, rough dates, and then clicking around to see the prices change based on dates, airlines, routes, etc.

before we knew it, we had 5 destinations across 4 continents at a price we assumed was 100% incorrect. for $2,500 we had all of our "big leg" flights covered. it helped that we were able to fly tuesday - thursday and there were a few weeks between each of these flights – giving us the flexibility to book smaller trips in between.
 

WERE THEY SKETCHY AIRLINES AND CRAPPY SEATS?

---

no. every airline we flew was top rated and safe, we were able to choose our seats just like on any other flight and include our loyalty numbers. we were even upgraded on our flight to kathmandu via air india. 

WHAT IF YOUR PLANS CHANGE?

---

normal fees apply if you want to change any of these flights – however, we used world nomads for all of our travel insurance [including health], and they will cover you, if your plans change. they also proactively email you if any of the flights in your itinerary have changes, cancellations or anything else notable. 

P I N  F O R  L A T E R:

hiking in chile's lake district: volcano osorno

WHERE TO HIKE IN CHILE'S LAKE DISTRICT

---

known as the symbol for chile's lake region, volcano osorno is a breathtaking landmark and natural beauty. osorno is one of the most active volcanoes in the southern andes and the several eruptions over the past couple hundred years leave the trails pristine and sprinkled with lava rocks. straddled between llanquihue lake (chile's lake tahoe as we dubbed it) and the turquoise todos los santos lake, the setting makes it pretty easy to understand why this is chile's most visited national park. we did the hike in early march, only passing 1 other group and getting great weather. thinking of checking out this national park? check out the details:

DETAILS

---

DISTANCE | anywhere from 5-12 miles, depending on the route you take
TIME | about 4 - 5 hours
WHERE TO SLEEP | the hike is about 1.5 hours from puerto varas, which is likely the best place to stay. scroll down for more information about our cozy cabin.
NEED TO KNOW | we rented a car and drove, which is probably your best bet. taking public transit will limit your freedom to explore, but it's cheap and will get you close to the trailhead. bring your own lunch & water, the top is a great place for a picnic. you can find a bit more information HERE. 
 

WHERE TO SLEEP: QUEBRADA VERDE

---

if you're going to spend some time in the puerto varas region, we really enjoyed these cozy cabanas right on the lake. the cabins vary in size, and we chose the smallest based on our budget. a studio style room easily slept 4, with a well equipped kitchen and grill for preparing your meals. i only wish we could have stayed here longer! about $200/night
 

Y O U  M I G H T  A L S O  L I K E:

---

dollar day at golden gate fields

it only took 6 years to make this happen! 

last sunday we made our way over the bay bridge to berkley with dollar bills in our pocket ready to cash in for coins that would later buy us dollar beers and dollar dogs and [7] dollar nachos at golden gate fields. the day started with a spritz and donuts at our apartment before grabbing lunch at picante [as appealing as the dollar dogs were, we figured arriving with a fully belly was probably wise]. this authentic mexican spot was delicious, had a sun-ripping patio and was walkable to the fields. afterwards we stopped at fieldwork brewing co. for a few tastings before the first race at 1:45. we bet money... won money... lost money... CRUSHED nachos... splurged on $5 VIP seats... and had such a fun afternoon cheering on our horsies, people watching and sipping canned rosé. the bart ride home was rather sleepy, but i'm so glad we finally experienced GGF. 
 

trois familia: french & mexican heaven

ah, trois familia. i'm still thinking about you. this french + mexican brunch spot in silver lake is something i will crave on a weekly basis. just writing this post was hard for me, knowing i can't get those potato tacos again unless i go all the way to LA. reviewers were actually pretty spot on when calling this spot "high end hangover food" – yet i didn't leave with that gross "i ate too much" feeling. we spent our final morning in LA at these white picnic tables, trying what felt like the entire menu. what you'll see in the photos below:

– avocado toast [mashed with banana and served on warm homemade bread]
– hash brown chilaquiles
– potato tacos [my favorite]
– chicken milanesa
– churro french toast [dear god]
– galette crepe
– avocado citrus salad

the best part for me? aside from the chicken, everything we ordered was vegetarian friendly. next time i would love to try the beet tartare and the grits. be prepared to wait for a seat, but i promise you it will all be worth it. bon appétit!