Valentino and their Cafe Caribe fans

One of the attractions of Santiago that a few tourist know are our very own “Café con Piernas”, Coffee Shops which in the 80’s became very popular not because of the quality of the coffee, which in Chile is not very good.

The main attraction are these girls in a neon colour dresses with every inch of their impossibly long legs on display.

These establishments are a cross between a coffee bar and a Las Vegas cocktail lounge, no alcohol is served in this places just espressos, cappuccinos and “cortados”, for those “Starbucks” addicts are similar to lattes but served in a glass cup, by waitresses in distractingly revealing outfits.

This is no seedy, red-light district phenomenon, Cafes con Piernas are all over Santiago, especially in downtown area, they are as ubiquitous in Santiago as Starbucks is in any city of the United States.

Coffe with legs

They are already an institution they even have a beauty pageant to choose “Miss Café con Piernas” they even have their own chains: The Café du Brasil; Café Caribe ; Café Haiti.  Valentino as you see , he made his choice !!!

September is a great month to visit Chile, spring begins, also the circus session and many kites glide in the sky but the most important event is our commemoration and themany celebrations of our Independence from the Spaniards. September 18^th, isn’t the final date of victory but it is our national holiday. So if you want to celebrate with us and learn about our traditions and taste our “empanadas, Chicha, fulfilling barbecue, plenty wine, fabulous sausages (choripan) and of course dance our “cueca” I recommend the following visits:

La Fonda de Los Tres: All day long family visits, at night the rock and good dancing music takes place until 5 in the morning.                                        From September 17^th until September 19th.                                                                  Location: Quinta Normal (Central Station District)                                                 Prices: Until 6 in the evening $ 1.000 (only Chilean pesos) From 6 in the evening $ 10.000.

La Ramada de Los Guachacas: All day long visits, cueca, “pipeño”, “terremoto”, competitions and great musicians.                                                               From September 17^th until September 19^th.

Location: Mapocho Station, La Piojera (Across from the Station).

Prices: Until 5 in the afternoon $ 4.000 (only Chilean pesos) after 5:00 o’clock $ 6.000.

Las Tejas: El Teatro del Terremoto: From lunch time until midnight, Saturdays, until 7 p.m. cheap Chilean home made meals. Every Friday night there they play music cuecas and folklore.

Location: San Diego 236 (Santiago Down Town)

Prices: According to menus, payment only in Chilean pesos.

Remember that these are just a few suggestions, everywhere in the country you can find a “fonda” (Specific area decorated for the Independence Celebration) to enjoy our national traditions. ¡Feliz 18^th!

LA MONEDA CULTURE CENTER

If you are going to visit Santiago now or until September I recommend the Kuhane Rapa Nui exhibition. This outstanding presentation gathers more then 300 pieces of artifacts from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Tahiti, New Zealand and other Islands of Oceania.

You will discover the differences and similarities of diverse groups of people that populated this area of the Pacific Ocean and how the skilful navigators managed to conquer the sea and the small Islands.

The presentation covers the culture, languages, writing system, music, religion, rituals and gods of the Polynesian Islands, including of course our Rapa Nui (Easter Island) located in the imaginary triangle between New Zealand and Hawaii.

The Polynesian exhibition is not the only attraction of “La Moneda Cultural Center”. First of all this museum is open every single day. You can also find and buy well designed Chilean handcrafts, often at the store the artisans teach how they elaborate their pieces of arts.

Another reason to visit the building is to use the sparkling toilets and for free, which is not very easy to find in Santiago.

If you are hungry or thirsty there is a cafeteria and two great bars.

The cost of the exhibition is $ 600 CLP (just over US$ 1), but if you go between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 from Monday to Friday it is free and if you only go to see the store, or to drink something you don’t pay anything.

The entrance fee is only for the specific presentation, movies or the room that exhibits the art of our great folklorist Violeta Parra.

Remember when you go to the Government Palace, don’t forget to visit the Cultural Center I can guarantee it you will enjoy the visit.

Duration. 8 Hours

Laguna del Inca, Portillo

This excursion is one of our favorites, because the connection with the mountains, for Incas and Mapuches, Andes mountain were sacred and you can feel the energy of them in our excursion; that departs heading north east of Santiago, crossing beautiful grapes fields to arrive Aconcangua valley, may be the name is familiar for you because is the name of the highest mountain in America 7000 meters (23.000 ft) if the clouds allow us, we can take amazing pictures of this mount , but that’s not all, we keep going up hills finding wonderful and interesting sceneries, combining nature with the Chilean history, The Andean Condors

Hotel Portillo

are the native inhabitants of our mountains, with a pinch of luck and patience we could see more than one. Finally, we arrive to Hotel Portillo the oldest ski complex in south America, just 3 miles from the Argentinean border, there, we are having lunch with a breathtaking view to Laguna del Inca ( Inca’s lagoon) an emerald water lagoon located at 2800 meters ( 8400 fts.). After lunch we give you time for relaxing, pictures and for enjoying the view and silence of the Andes.

All our tours are just an idea what is commonly done , if you need something a little different , please just send us your request!!

Duration: 8 hours

Rafting Maipo River

One of the most exciting and dramatic ways to explore the beauty of the Chilean Andes is by whitewater raft.  In addition to its magnificent scenery and delicious wines, Chile is world famous for its whitewater rivers and hosts thousands of visitors each year who come to test themselves against its world class whitewater.

The Maipo River is usually among the first stops for whitewater enthusiasts because of its challenging class 3 and 4 whitewater and its close proximity to Santiago .

Each of our inflatable rafts which make the descent is designed and built for professional use and is equipped with modern whitewater safety equipment. Each raft is under the control and supervision of a trained river guide, and each of our guests is fitted with a special whitewater rafting life preserver, whitewater helmet, rafting wetsuit and splash jacket.  Our guides are trained to take “first timers” on the trip and will quickly put you at ease and have you riding the rapids like a pro… in fact over 70% of our guests experience the Maipo as their very first whitewater rafting trip.

Duration: 10 hours

Neruda, Isla Negra

Neruda’s house in Isla Negra is a peace of inspiration itself, located on the coast, just one hour and a half away from Santiago. This house museum was the main residence of our Nobel Prize of literature; he constructed the house impregnating in every corner his style and special sense of humor, Neruda’s most appreciated collections are in this house s : Ship’s figure heads, shells, nautical objects and more than a hundred bottles he bought in the flea markets in France, all this surrounded by an overwhelming ocean view and Pine trees aromas. Our excursion takes you

Pablo Neruda

there in a guided visit to the house interior, giving you time not only for that, also to visit him, since 1985 Neruda’s mortal remains/are resting in the garden of that house surrounded by flowers and with a beautiful view of the ocean. After that, we give you choices, seafood and fish or countryside style food (not included), you decide . When returning to Santiago we include a visit to the pottery town of Pomaire , where you have enough time to see its famous clay handicraft and more. Back to the hotel.