Chile Guide
Santiago
Cerro San Cristóbal
A trip up to the summit of Cerro San Cristóbal is one of the highlights of a stay in Santiago, particularly on clear, sunny days when the views over the city and to the Andes are quite stunning. The hill is, in fact, a spur of the Andes, jutting into the heart of the capital and rising to a peak of 860m, a point that's marked by a giant 22-metre-high statue of the Virgen de la Inmaculada. The easiest way to get up is to take the funicular from the station at the north end of Pío Nono in Bellavista (Tues– Sun 10am–8.30pm; CH$1000 return, CH$2500 return including cablecar trip). It stops first at the dismal zoo and then continues up to the Terraza Bellavista, where you get out. From here it's a short but steep walk up to the huge white Virgin, where you'll be rewarded with fine views over Santiago's suburbs vanishing into hazy mountains. If you are fortunate enough to be in Santiago after a rain in the winter months, this view includes rows of snowy mountain peaks. Back down at Terraza Bellavista, a path leads west to the teleférico (cable car) station known as Estación Cumbre (joint ticket with funicular; see above). This mini-gondola contraption provides hair-raising ski-lift-style rides to Estación Tupahue, then descends to Estación Oasis at the foot of the hill (and a long walk from anywhere).