My Santiago: BBA Design’s Founder Sharon Bortolotto Shares Her Favourite Spots in Chile’s Capital

When my friend and I embarked on our first marathon trip to South America last fall, we hadn’t anticipated falling in love with Santiago, Chile, as much as we did. To the uninformed—me, that is—it was a pleasant surprise to find the city both energetic and cosmopolitan, with cultural places, museums and activities galore in an array of diverse neighbourhoods, each with their own unique flavour.

The City

The city spreads out from its historic centre—including Cerro Santa Lucia, the place where the city was founded—to the new financial district in the east called Las Condes, all the while framed by the picturesque Andes range.

Chipe Libre, La República Independiente del Pisco

Located in Barrio Lastarria, Chipe Libre is both a restaurant and pisco bar. Wanting to try a “Chilean pisco” as opposed to a “Peruvian pisco,” I ordered one and heard the story of the rivalry between the two cultures on who invented the spirit. (The name of the bar is a tribute to an imaginary state uniting southern Peru and Northern Chile.)

Magnolia Boutique Hotel 

Also located in Barrio Lastarria—Santiago’s hip and bohemian neighbourhood—this historic mansion was meticulously renovated in 2016 into a 42-room boutique hotel with wonderful views of Cerro Santa Lucia. Its cozy bar, lovely library and unique artwork make it a great spot for any downtime, and the staff are incredibly friendly and informative.

Centro Gabriela Mistral (GAM)

We wandered into this striking cultural and performing arts centre and discovered an amazing exhibit commemorating former Chilean president Salvador Allende’s contribution to the arts. The photo is a portion of a tapestry marking Chile’s liberation from Spain

La Vega Central 

La Vega Central is the biggest food market in Santiago, and worth pairing with the Central Market and its huge variety of seafood. The colours and textures of both markets are a feast for the eyes.

Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

This one is a must-see: the museum has wonderful pottery, towering Mapuche totems, incredible textiles and unusual wooden spatulas used by the shamans when taking their psychoactive powders. And bonus—it has a great coffee and pastry bar, too.

Barrio Italia

Imagine Vancouver’s Main Street on steroids: that’s what Barrio Italia was to me with its eclectic, energetic and funky cafés, boutiques and coffee shops. It’s a great place to brunch and lunch and pick up some local designer fashions… or, in my case, a pair of sunglasses.

Some of my favourite spots here include La Cava del Barrio, which showcases the wine of small independent winemakers; Óbolo, which makes handcrafted Chilean chocolate in unique blends like Atacama rica rica and sweet lemon verbena; and the flea market: a visual delight with antique furniture, glassware, tchotchkes and a plethora of books—all in Spanish, of course.

Valparaíso

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the port city of Valparaíso is a colourful, offbeat place that has long drawn poets and painters. About an hour and a half outside of Santiago, it’s a maze of steep, windy streets meandering over hilltops accompanied by painted wall murals and staircases.

 

This story was originally published in the March/April 2024 print issue of Western Living magazine.