Santiago on the edge of the Andes.
Ben Stubbs tries his luck in the capital.
10am
Santiago is not a city big on breakfast but that's not to say it needs to be a dull affair. Part Hooters, part Starbucks, Cafe con Piernas (coffee with legs) is an espresso chain with cheap caffeine served by waitresses who leave little to the imagination. For something a little tamer, the popular Cafe Haiti on Avenida Independencia has good coffee and people-watching opportunities.
11am
Head to the fashionable Santa Lucia district. On the edge of the city centre is Cerro Santa Lucia, a 629-metre mountain rising above the traffic and shopping districts below. Take in the city views from Fort Hidalgo atop the summit and get ready for the ceremonial cannon shot that is fired from the fort at noon. Directly below is the Centro Artesanal Santa Lucia, a trendy outdoor market where Chileans from outside Santiago come to sell bohemian jewellery, llama socks and artwork.
1pm
With an armful of carved Easter Island bookends from the markets, treat yourself to lunch at Liguria, one of Santiago's best-known eateries, across the street from the Manuel Montt metro stop. Tuck into Chilean abalone and unusual dishes such as parmesan clams, blood sausage with mashed potatoes and sea urchin on toast.
1373 Avenida Providencia, see liguria.cl.
2.30pm
Every guidebook suggests a South American soccer game as the mandatory Latin sporting experience but for a unique day out, dress up and head to the races. Wander past the ornate fountains and beautiful gardens at the Hipodromo Chile on a Saturday afternoon to watch the horse races and place a few pesos on your favourite ''caballo''.
Avenida Hipodromo Chile 1715, see www.hipodromo.cl.
5pm
One of the more unusual of the city's museums is the Museo de Pablo Neruda, or La Chascona. This means ''unruly hair'', a reference to Pablo Neruda's third wife. Located among the cobblestones and cafes of Bellavista and in his former residence, this museum is a glimpse into the Alice in Wonderland world created by Chile's most famous poet and writer. Take a guided tour (in English or Spanish) to learn of his obsession with watermelons and find the secret passages in a home built to resemble a ship, with more bars than bathrooms.
Av Marquez de La Plata 0192. Admission 3500 pesos ($7.49). Email lachascona@fundacionneruda.org for tour information.
7.30pm
After shopping, gambling and walking all day, reward your efforts with dinner at one of Santiago's newest and most unusual restaurants. Robinsonia is inspired by the mysterious Robinson Crusoe Island, 700 kilometres off the coast of Chile, and the legend of the castaway who lived there. The menu is based on seasonal seafood from the isolated archipelago; favourites include Juan Fernandez crayfish, golden crab, octopus, flounder, yellowtail, amberjack, grouper, sea bass and breca.
Santa Beatriz 191, Providencia, see robinsonia.cl.
10pm
Catch a cab to Barrio Brasil and wander through the bohemian district off Avenida O'Higgins. Play chess in Plaza Brasil, walk the cobbled lanes to bars such as El Bajon and enjoy a cocktail at the Barroco Bar.
Ben Stubbs travelled courtesy of Aerolineas Argentinas. The airline has a fare to Santiago for about $1580, to Auckland (3hr), then Buenos Aires (12hr), then Santiago (2hr 15min). Fare is low-season return from Sydney including tax; Melbourne passengers connect in Sydney. Australians are issued with a multiple-entry tourist card upon arrival, valid for 90 days.
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