From snow to sand in one day: Lucy Hordern drives from Santiago’s Andes Mountains to the lapping waves of the Chilean Pacific Ocean. |
A funicular (suspension cable car) pulls us 300 steep metres up San Cristobal Hill to visit Mary of the Immaculate Conception. The 36-metre high statue of ‘Virgincita’ gazes lovingly across Santiago towards the Andes Mountains, and she serves as a perfect landmark for us during our stay in this South American city. She is surrounded by Parque Metropolitano, which has kilometres of walking tracks, a swimming pool and a magical kids’ playground (Plaza de juegos Gabriela Mistral) with rainbow tractors, wooden pyramids and water games.
Santiago parklands
Stretching along the banks of the Mapuche River is shady Parque Forestal. We make use of several kids’ playgrounds, visit The National Art Gallery (Museo National de Bellas Artes) and laze with locals watching buskers perform on the grass. On the edge of the park, Emporio La Rosa makes delicious cheese empanadas and their lucuma (a Chilean native fruit) ice-cream is a treat to remember.
A walk up nearby Santa Lucia Hill is a simple way to show kids where Santiago officially began, pointing out the statue and fountain of Pedro de Valdivia, who founded the city in 1541. The hill itself, once a fortress, is now a labyrinth of pathways crossing gardens and plazas, with canons and telescopes to keep little ones entertained.
Young minds needing stimulation love a visit to Museo Interactivo Mirador (MIM), with its 300 interactive exhibits. My five-year-old is fascinated by running a ball through a series of roller-coasters, messing with gravity and running through rainbow-coloured spaghetti.
Into the Andes
An hour’s drive south east of Santiago, the Camino al Volcan road follows the Maipo River up into a wild section of the Canyon (Cajon del Maipo). We marvel at the layers of exposed rock (covered in flowering cactuses) pushed up to form the Andes Mountains.
Ecotourism centre and nature sanctuary, Waterfall of the Spirits (Cascada de las Animas) has something for all the family – white-water rafting, horse rides, flying foxes, swimming, meeting a puma, spotting condors and a one-hour hike to an icy waterfall. It is a highlight of our journey to stay overnight in a mountain cabin in the forest, with the Maipo River roaring by outside.
World’s biggest pool
Ninety kilometres west of Santiago lies the fishing town of Algarrobo, home of the Guinness Book of World Records biggest swimming pool. It is actually possible to sail, kayak and windsurf in the kilometre-long pool, which overlooks the ocean at San Alfonso Del Mar Resort.
We stop in the artistic port town of Valparaiso to the north, exploring the colourful murals in the alleys of the Open Air Museum (Museo a Cielo Abierto) and spend the drive back to Santiago dreaming up creative murals to paint back home. |
Report Card
Information
Parque Metropolitano: www.parquenet.cl
Cascada de Las Animas: www.cascada.net Ph: + 56 2 861 1303
Santiago Tourist Information: www.ciudad.cl/turismo
Museo Interactivo Mirador: www.mim.cl Ph: + 56 2 828 8000
San Alfonso Del Mar Resort: www.sanalfonso.cl
Getting there
Qantas/LanChile offers daily flights from major Australian cities to Santiago, via Auckland. www.qantas.com.au
Thumbs up
El Pueblito de Los Dominicos is an artisan village of traditional adobe houses where unique wool, wood, stone, silver and ceramic souvenirs can be purchased. We spend an entire afternoon poking around the shops, watching artists at work and attempting to bargain for quirky souvenirs.
Don’t miss
Pastel de Choclo – savoury sweetcorn pudding with beef, egg and chicken available in any Chilean restaurant (or home if you’re lucky).
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