Strategizing over a leisurely breakfast of fresh croissants, eggs, fruits, meats and cheeses, we were ready to conquer Santiago!
We exchanged dollars for pesos and hopped on the Turistik tour bus. The weather was perfect for the open top deck. Through headphones we were guided past historic monuments, churches and the tallest building in Latin America.
Hopping off at the Plaza de Armas which has been the symbolic heart of the city since its founding in 1541, we strolled around the cobblestone square. After visiting the cathedrals we headed for the Mercado Central. Hit immediately with the smells of fish and crustaceans, we watched as local merchants prepared and sold a wide array of seafood.
Failing to find our bus stop, we hailed a taxi to get us to our next point of interest, Cerro Santa Lucia. Charles Darwin proclaimed that this hilltop park has the best view in Santiago.
At this point our stomachs were growling so we were pointed in the direction of the closest eatery. We feasted on traditional Chilean dishes amongst the locals.
The Mercado Artisanal de Santa Lucia is well known for locally made crafts, clothing and art. Meandering the market, we found hand woven Alpaca sweaters, scarves, copper kitchenware, and a hand carved game called Ludo.
Liguria is a famous restaurant in Santiago that we knew we couldn't miss. Old school but trendy, we felt that we could have been in New York or Italy. Ordering family style, we shared fresh bread dipped in Chilean olive oil, vino tinto, beef and lamb specialties accompanied by spicy mashed potatoes and vegetables. We topped it off with coffees and a caramel flan like dessert.
The energy was picking up and we were tempted to dance to the live music. With a big day on the mountain ahead of us, we decided to turn in for the night.