<p>My husband and I will be traveling to Santiago this April and would appreciate any any advice about places to visit. DH will be tied up with work for a day or two after we arrive, so I’ll be exploring on my own then. A Chilean colleague will take us to Valpariso for two days of sightseeing, but we have no other plans at this point. There are many places in Chile we would love to see, but it’s such a big country and our time is so limited, we don’t know where to begin.</p>
<p>If you haven’t tried it - you might try Trip advisor web site, look for chile - there boards, reviews on restaurants, activities, etc. I find a ton of information there … and usually often there are locals who will help you as well.</p>
<p>NYT had an article this week on Chile. It might have been part of the 45 places to visit in 2012 article.</p>
<p>I am going to second what MaterMia said. Tripadvisor is a wonderful resource. I have used their forums many times. The locals are very helpful. I often read others’ questions and then look up places they mention on the internet or in a guide book. We have gotten many great tips that way and have seen things we otherwise wouldn’t have.</p>
<p>Our two weeks of tour in Chile was mostly for skiing, so our experiences should not apply to you. But Santiago is a fun place to visit. You should visit the traditional market with a lot of local merchants selling stuffs you will never see in the States. Avoid big malls, the American infernces are so strong(TGIF and McDonals) that you mind as well stay here.</p>
<p>Just a safety tip that should be used whenever traveling, no matter where, don’t walk alone at night. Also, don’t flaunt valuables, and try not to show that you are a tourist. </p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong, you’ll have a great time. Chile, especially Valparaiso, is a great, beautiful place, but it’s not perfect.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. Parent1986-I found the article and a lot more info on sightseeing in Chile from the NYT site.
Tripadvisor is a good idea. Looks like there is good info about side trip from Santiago.
saman-Valparaiso looks very interesting, one of our thoughts is to try and prolong our time there and perhaps take some side trips.</p>
<p>Just got word the organizer of this trip thinks we should go to San Pedro de Atacama. Will have to look into this.</p>