Strolling Around: Plaza de Armas, Bellavista, Pisco Sours, and More Salmon

Statue at the Plaza de Armas

After our seven-hour nap, Andreas and I were ready to hit the streets. Thanks to Google Maps, we found ourselves a Starbucks (of course) near Plaza de Armas, the perfect place to start your adventures in the center of downtown Santiago. Chilenos were out in full force on the gorgeous Saturday afternoon. There were street performers and street vendors selling artwork. I told Andreas that I felt a lot safer carrying my camera in plain view of people than I did in Buenos Aires. On several photography outings that I took in Buenos Aires, people (well-intentioned strangers) had warned me not to carry my camera so conspicuously. There was a noticeable laid-back attitude among the crowds at Plaza de Armas – and it probably didn’t hurt that there was a visible presence of Chilean police at what seemed like every city corner.

Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago – Plaza de Armas

Ceiling of Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago

Andreas and I decided to check out the Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago. The interior of the 18th-century structure is stunning. I especially loved the painted ceilings. After soaking in the spiritual charm of the cathedral, we continued with our exploration of the plaza.

Museo Historico National

We walked over to the Museo Historico National and admired the colonial architecture. We also caught a very amusing performance by a street mime, who drew the largest crowd at the plaza (video of the performance is forthcoming). The mime interacted with random passersby, and he even hailed a taxi cab and incorporated it into his routine – the crowd loved every minute of it!

Parque Forestal – Santiago

Our next destination was the Bellavista barrio, for food and drink. Noted for its bohemian charm, Bellavista is a young and vibrant neighborhood, with plenty of food and drink options, as well as many cute boutique shops. To get there, we walked through the lovely Parque Forestal, an expansive park that abuts the Rio Mapocho. On a sunny day you will find the park full of Chilenos relaxing on the grass and benches, and couples in various conspicuous acts of affection.

Crossing the Rio Mapocho towards Bellavista

As you walk towards the Bellavista barrio, you’ll spot the majestic Andes in the distance especially on days when the smog level is low. As you cross over the bridge into Bellavista, you’ll see a fair on the left-hand side with many jewelry and clothing stands. The main drag, Pio Nono, is full of outdoor seating of the many bars and restaurants that line the street. Check out Patio Bellavista, which is a large interior square full of shops and dining spots.

Pisco Sours and Seafood Empanads at Ciudad Vieja

We decided to check out Azul Profundo (Constitución 111) a seafood restaurant recommended by a friend of Andreas, but it didn’t open until 7pm, a good thing since we weren’t very hungry yet. Instead we went across the street to Ciudad Vieja (Constitución 92) where Andreas and I each had a variation on the pisco sour drink - a national drink of sorts for Chile (a papaya one for Andreas and a mango one for me). Because we chose outdoor seating we were made to order food, so we chose seafood empanadas, which were quite delicious. The pisco sours gave us a buzz, so we decided to sober up a little in our apartment before dinner.

Our plan was to check out what Andreas’ friend called “the best sushi in town” at a place close to our apartment called Izakaya Yoko (Monjitas 296a.) With such a laudatory proclamation, we were excited by the prospect of eating sushi in Santiago, but after seeing the menu, I felt very let down. We got to the restaurant at 9pm and the small space was absolutely empty. The sushi chef of the place is Japanese, which, for me, was a good sign. But the menu was absolutely monopolized by salmon nigiri and rolls (much like the sushi menu at Dashi in Buenos Aires). Because we were hungry, we ordered what we thought were the most interesting of the salmon offerings. And we kept wondering, “How many ways can you prepare salmon?” By the end of it, we were salmon’ed out. I thought our bill was high for the mediocre rolls we had – about $50USD for the both of us. Needless to say, Andreas and I left disappointed. Yet luckily this would be the only foodie-low point we would experience in Santiago, since the city is full of other fantastic food finds – and we would definitely get our sushi fix with tuna in the city a few days later!