Santiago

Santiago de Chile is a modern metropolis with a shiny face and one of South America's most dynamic economies. At the same time, struggling street vendors board city buses to hawk everything from pins to ice cream, and housemaids ride for hours to scrub floors and change diapers in exclusive suburbs.

It's first and foremost a city of commerce, but visitors will find much to enjoy in the city and its surroundings. Less than an hour from the city centre are world-class ski resorts and white-water rafting opportunities, famous beaches and the colorful port city of Valparaíso.