Making the most of San Antonio
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Because of berth conflicts and threatened labour disruptions in Valparaiso, most cruise lines now use San Antonio as Santiago's port.
San Antonio Port lies extremely close to the downtown district, at an approximate distance of 1 kilometre.
As this is also an embarkation and disembarkation port, a taxi to Santiago airport costs at least $100. Try to arrange transfers in advance.
Buses run between the port and Santiago about every 20 minutes, taking a relaxing journey of roughly 1.5 hours and costing USD 7 one way. Tickets must be purchased in advance using Paypal. San Antonio bus station is a 10-minute walk away, and small minibuses often shuttle passengers there. Both the station and cruise terminal are very basic, but helpful tourist information staff, most of whom speak English, are available.
Santiago Almeda bus terminal is very busy but well organised.
Santiago hotels.
San Antonio offers tourists little; Santiago de Chile and Valparaiso are the principal destinations.
Nearby places
Santiago de Chile is Chile's capital and economic centre. Its many museums, events, theatres, restaurants, bars and other cultural and entertainment opportunities also make it the national political and cultural centre. A central position provides an excellent base for other areas: it is possible to ski in the nearby Andes and reach the beach later on the same day.
Only 140 kilometres west of Santiago on the Pacific coast, neighbouring Vina del Mar, or Vina, and Valparaiso, or Valpo, are opposite sides of one coin. Vina del Mar, the ‘Garden City’, is one of Chile's leading beach resorts, with excellent hotels and shops. World Heritage Site Valparaiso, immortalised by Pablo Neruda, is one of Chile's, if not South America's, most charismatic historic ports, with charming “ascensores” funiculars and colourful hillside houses. In recent years, both cities and some neighbours have combined their efforts to stage a New Year fireworks display extending several…
The main visitor sight is La Sebastiana, hilltop home of Chile's late Nobel-prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. Its maze of quirky rooms each provides a prized city view. Sotomayor is the grandest square and gateway to the town pier, lined with statues and fine official buildings including Chilean navy headquarters. The tourist information office here supplies free maps showing walking tours.
Money
Credit-card use is considerably lower in small towns and communities, so carrying cash in the local Chilean peso is recommended when visiting them. 1 USD equals 712 CLP. This avoids unpleasant surprises.
Staying connected
Chile's official language is Spanish.
Chile has so-called cybercafés, shops offering internet access, whose prices vary between towns. In Santiago, an hour online costs 4 dollars.
Call 131 for Ambulance service, 132 for Fire Brigade, 133 for Carabineros (Chilean police), 135 for Drug Enforcement, 136 for Andean Mountain Rescue Squad and 137 for Sea Rescue.
Opening Hours and
Chilean businesses and shops generally open to the public Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m., with a 60-minute lunch break at 1 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Malls trade Monday–Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.