A2Z Languages - Santiago, Chile - School Guide

Weekends in Chile

One of the things that make Santiago such a great city to visit is that you can easily leave it. Within 45 minutes you can be hiking in the Andes, or within 1- 1/2 hours, strolling on the beach. If you don’t already have plans to do something with your family on the weekend, and if there aren’t any arranged activities through the school, here are some ideas of fun things to do.

Santuario de la Naturaleza

Santiago Chile Spanish Language School This is a nature reserve located just 30 minutes from the school by public transportation. It is your gateway to the Andes. This is a great spot for a picnic or a day hike that can be long or short. Actually, there are trails that will take you all the way to Argentina, if you’re a really fast hiker (40 kms.) This is also a working ranch so if you hike up the canyon a ways you’re bound to see huasos (Chilean cowboys) rounding up stray cattle and horses.

Cerro el Pintor

This is probably the most spectacular day hike that you will ever do. There is no public transportation to this area so the best means of arriving at the start of the hike is to rent a car with some of your fellow students, or hire a minivan. The hike actually begins at the top of the La Parva ski area and then climbs higher following broad ridges to the 14,000-foot Cerro El Pintor. The views during every step of this 4-6 hour hike are incredible!

El Cajon de Maipo

Santiago Spanish Immersion Programs This is a canyon south of Santiago that climbs into the Andes almost to the Argentinean border. There is public transportation that will take you far up the canyon but a rental car will give you more freedom to explore. There is a wonderfully rustic refuge called Refugio Alemana located in the small town of Banos Morales that is excellent for an overnight. The refuge sits across the valley from Parque El Morado. A few kilometers further up the road are the natural hot springs Termas Colinas, great for soaking tired muscles after a day’s hike.

Parque el Morado

This is beautiful park for taking a non-strenuous day hike. In two-and-half to four hours you can hike up to the glacier at the base of El Morado (5,300 meters), the towering peak that the park gets its name from. You can also camp at the small laguna if you would prefer to spend the night under a spectacular star filled sky.

Skiing

There are three excellent ski areas just one to 1.5 hours from Santiago. You can rent equipment, as well as clothing (ski suit, gloves, goggles, etc.), in Santiago, and take a minivan to the area of your choice..

The Coast

Santiago Spanish Programs Chile has a wonderfully varied coast with many delightful beaches as close as 1.5 hours from Santiago. Vina del Mar and Valparaiso are the nearest coastal cities and make for excellent weekend trips, or as centers to explore the coast from.

Parque Nacional Palmas de Ocoa

This is a national park located just 1.5 hours north of Santiago. The greatest concentration of indigenous palms (60,000) are located here. Outside of this area there are few of the national palms left in the country. This is a wonderful area for day hikes and there are other activities available also such as mountain biking, horseback riding, asados (BBQs), etc.

Parque Nacional la Campana

This is a national park located in the coastal range. It is a great area for easy day hikes or a climb to the summit of La Campana, the second highest point in the coastal range. This is a full day’s hike, but the views from the summit are well worth it. You have unobstructed vistas of the Andes and the coast.

The Nights

For those of you who prefer to stay in town, or want to socialize a bit after an invigorating day in the Andes, there is always the Santiago nightlife. The school is located just a few minutes walk from one of the most popular evening spots in the city, Suecia. Bellavista is another barrio chalked full of restaurants and clubs. If dancing is what you are after you can find dance clubs that range from salsa to techno, and from pop to folk.

You will also fine plenty of opportunity to enjoy the city’s culture, ranging from the ballet, opera and the symphony, to traditional folk events. Whatever your fancy, you are guaranteed to enjoy the Santiago nights.