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Historic Santiago walking tour

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Trace the history of the Chilean capital on a wander through its most significant sights and neighbourhoods.

The current capital of Chile was born where a Spanish conquistador founded the settlement of Santiago de Nueva Extremadura in 1541 – laying the foundations for its eventual evolution into the present-day metropolis of 5 million people.

Explore the main square and the cathedral, neatly juxtaposed with the glass frontages of skyscrapers and visit the government palace La Moneda. Alongside its earlier history, you’ll become aware of the violent coup that emanated from here in 1973, installing the brutal military regime of General Pinochet.

The National Historic Museum is worth a look as are two of Santiago’s oldest and most stately neighbourhoods, Republica and Concha y Toro.

Holidays Historic Santiago walking tour

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Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.
Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.
Finn Clennett - Travel Expert
Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!
Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.