12 10 Must Do 10 must do How many have you done? Go ahead, check them out…
rate them @ www.onceinchile.com 1 La Moneda and its Cultural Center: Until the middle of the 19th century, this building was used for minting coins (hence, the reason for its name). Later, it was the residence for the President of Chile. Today, it is used as the government’s headquarters. Visitors can enter and enjoy the Patio de Los Naranjos and interior areas, and witness the changing of the guard at noon. La Moneda was bombarded and partly destroyed during the 1973 coup d’etat that ended Salvador Allende´s presidency and originated the military government. (See La Moneda on page 25 & La Moneda Cultural Center on page 22)
2 Plaza de Armas: Squares tell us a lot about the cities and its people; here, you will find dozens of portrait artists, chess enthusiasts and Mote con Huesillo stands (typical Chilean dessert). You will also encounter the Museo Histórico National (National History Museum) (See page 28) and the Cathedral (See page 20). These are two of the most important Historical Monuments of Santiago.
3 Barrio Bellavista (Bellavista Neighborhood) (see map, page 65)
Well known for its buoyant nightlife, this is where the poet Pablo Neruda lived and where you can enjoy theater plays, fine dining and finish the night off in one of its famous bars. La Chascona (See page 24) and Patio Bellavista (See page 32), are places you should definitely visit.
4 Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino: A block away from the Plaza de Armas, this museum will surprise you with its interesting pre-Hispanic art collection. Beautiful textiles, ceremonial objects, vestments, craft, ancient jewelry and a lot more. The greatest attractions are the Chinchorro’s mummies, from the northernmost part of Chile, which are even older than the Egyptian mummies (See page 26)