Enjoy a Spanish language course in Chile
at our language school in the city of Santiago
Santiago is the capital and by far the largest city in Chile with population of 5.5 million people in the metropolitan area which is over a third of the entire country’s population. Steady economic growth and major population booms have made the city the major urban area of Chile and its commercial, financial and cultural hub. An expanding metro and increasing urban planning and development are turning Santiago into a major world city. Located in the large Santiago Basin, it is surrounded by the Andes to the east and north and the Chilean Coastal range to the west. Like many cities ringed with mountains smog is a problem in Santiago though efforts are underway to alleviate it. In terms of South American cities Santiago is quite safe, although there are areas visitors should avoid, and with the improving public transportation the city has become quite accessible. A diverse, cosmopolitan culture awaits you in Santiago.
Santiago was founded in 1541 by Pedro de Valdivia in a ceremony on a hill which is now called Cerro Santa Lucía. Chosen for it’s pleasant climate, fertile surroundings and easily defensible location around the Mapocho River, Santiago faced troubles in its early days. Indigenous resistance was fierce and frequently it appeared the settlement would perish by starvation. The city survived and within a few decades was rapidly growing with the first cathedral built in 1561. In 1779 the Calicanto Bridge was built and is one of Chile’s foremost achievements in colonial architecture. In 1817 Chile proclaimed its independence and the city began to grow with the establishment of Universities. By the end of the 19th century Santiago was the hub of Chile’s transportation and rail systems. During the 20th century the city grew enormously in surrounding districts with emigration from around Chile creating a number of shanty towns but these were slowly replaced with urban developments. While suffering in the early 1980s from a recession, the economy of Santiago has been steadily improving and the wealth is spreading throughout the city making it an increasingly modernized and influential city.
The most important place to visit in Santiago is the Parque Metropolitano which holds the Cerro San Cristóbal which can either be hiked or travelled up by funicular. From the summit is an incredible view of the city and, in the distance, the Andes. The heart of the city is the Plaza De Armas which has become a meeting place for the Peruvian community but also holds the main post office and the Cathedral of Santiago, with building beginning in 1745, it is the largest in the city. You can tour La Moneda Palace or visit La Chascona, one of the three homes of poet Pablo Neruda. For pleasant walks there is the Parque Forestal running along the Mapocho River and holds two art museums or the much newer Parque Bicentenario with trails and a huge swan pond. The Teatro Municipal, completed in 1857, is a national monument and still hosts operas. Meanwhile, for music there are several jazz clubs not mention street performers throughout the city. For Chile’s ancient history there is the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino with artifacts and history from the area’s previous civilizations. For a more chilling look at Chile’s modern history there is Villa Grimaldi, a torture center used by Pinochet from 1974 to 1978. Today, Santiago is friendly and thriving and the very definition of a booming city. Enjoy and explore one of the world’s next major capital while learning Spanish!
What we like about Spanish in Santiago:
- Santiago is a city of contrasts with preserved colonial architecture and towering skyscrapers.
- The perfect starting point to escape to Chile’s 2,700 miles of coastline.
- It is a city growing in scale and importance, discover it before the rest of the world.
