Chile
Chile5 guides across 1 destination — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.
Destinations in Chile
Practical essentials for Chile
Chilean peso (CLP)
Spanish; English is limited outside hotels, airlines and tour operators.
Type C/L (Type F also found), 220V 50Hz
Santiago's metro and buses run as Red Movilidad on a bip! card; since February 2026 contactless bank cards and phones also work at metro gates, though not yet on buses.
10% is customary in restaurants and is usually suggested on the bill as "propina"; taxi fares are not tipped.
Tap water is safe to drink in Santiago and most of the country; in the far northern desert its mineral content is very high and locals avoid it.
Right-hand side; a photocard national licence is accepted for three months, so an International Driving Permit is only needed if your licence carries no photograph.
133 police, 131 ambulance, 132 fire
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
Recent stories from Chile
Santiago for First-Timers: The Complete Guide
Andes views, Neruda's house, seafood markets, and vineyards on the doorstep — how to get Chile's underrated capital right on a first visit.
Should Santiago Be More Than a Stopover? The Honest Briefing
Wedged between the Atacama, Patagonia and Easter Island, Chile's capital is usually reduced to an airport transfer - here is what two or three days actually buys you.
Santiago Street Food and Cheap Eats That Overdeliver
Santiago eats cheaply and extremely well if you know the hours, the neighbourhoods and which side of the market hall to sit on - here is the working plan, from completo counters to the cocinerias above La Vega.
Four Days in Santiago, Reordered by the Cordillera
Santiago is worth four days, but not in a fixed order: the mountains decide which day you spend high and which you spend low, and a plan held loosely beats a plan followed exactly.
The Santiago Barrios Most Travelers Walk Right Past
Santiago's tourist circuit takes half a day; its barrios take three. A practical route through the design quarter, the heritage streets, the markets and the plaza where the city drinks off duty.