Private Santiago City Half Day Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. The Central Market in Santiago, Chile, has been named as one of National Geographic’s top ten food markets worldwide. Taken from National Geographic’s book Journeys of a Lifetime, the list runs through the best markets in the world for offering fresh local produce alongside a slice of local life.

   Passes by

2. Paseo Ahumada is four-block-long street in downtown Santiago. It extends in a north–south direction from Plaza de Armas to the Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins and is lined by buildings housing retail establishments at their lower levels. At its northern terminus is Plaza de Armas metro station, whereas that at its southern end is Universidad de Chile metro station.

   10 min

3. Is the seat of the Archbishop of Santiago de Chile, currently Celestino Aós Braco, and the center of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. Construction of the neoclassical cathedral began in 1753 and ended in 1799. The architect was the Italian Gioacchino Toesca. Further alterations ordered at the end of the 19th century give it its present appearance.

   10 min

4. La Moneda, is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile. It also houses the offices of three cabinet ministers: Interior, General Secretariat of the Presidency and General Secretariat of the Government. It occupies an entire block in downtown Santiago

   10 min

5. The Central Post Office Building is a historic post office building on the northern edge of the Plaza de Armas, in Santiago, Chile. It is adjacent to the Palacio de la Real Audiencia de Santiago and is located on what was the land lot originally owned by Pedro de Valdivia and where he built his house.

   5 min

6. Is the former home of the Chilean Congress. Congress met in this building in central Santiago until Salvador Allende's socialist government was overthrown by Augusto Pinochet's military coup d'état on September 11, 1973. During the Pinochet dictatorship, Congress was moved to new premises in Valparaíso; the old building was declared a national monument in 1976 and between 1990 and 2006 housed the ministry of foreign affairs. The Senate moved its offices in Santiago to this building in December 2000

   Passes by

7. On top of the Santa Lucia hill, in the historic center of the city of Santiago, is El Castillo Hidalgo, a building built in 1816 during the Reconquest by order of the last Spanish Governor of Santiago, Casimiro Marco del Pont. It is one of the most important buildings in the history of the city.

   10 min

8. +++ If Option Selected +++ Although it’s probably on all of the Top 5 tourist sites of Santiago, Cerro San Cristóbal is not overrated in the least. This big hill in the middle of the city affords one of the most incredible Santiago panoramas available. Every time I head up, my knowledge of the city has increased, and thus I am able to point out more landmarks, distinguish different sectors, etc. For those unfamiliar to Santiago, the view from up here will let you orient the city in its surroundings: the Andes Mountains and the Cordillera de la Costa.

   30 minAdmission included

9. +++ If Option Selected +++ This hill is actually quite the historical locale. First off, It is the remnant of a 15 million year old volcano. Secondly, the conquistadors used it as a lookout point when they were conquering Chile. It was atop this hill that Pedro de Valdivia declared the founding of Santiago in 1541. In 1872, governer Benjamin Vickuna Mackenna decided to turn the hill into a park to commemorate its significance in the city’s history. Since then, it has undergone many renovations. Today, it comprises 65,300 square meters, replete with bronze gates, metal stairways, and various fountains and statue

   20 minAdmission included

10. This is the financial sector in the upper area of our city

    Passes by

11. Is a plaza occupying a full square block in the heart of the civic district of Santiago, Chile. It is located in front of the northern facade of the Palacio de la Moneda and is surrounded by other government buildings such as those housing the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Banco Central de Chile and the Intendencia de Santiago

    10 min

12. The church, along with the adjacent convent, is one of the oldest colonial-era buildings in the country. The church was consecrated in 1622.

    Passes by

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 424 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 4Driver should do more Research

  Driver was good and had good English , but felt rushed as he would drop us off and make us go on our own since he couldn’t find parking spaces. Additionally, gave us very poor walking directions at end.

  FrankRMay 2026via Viator

• 5Santiago half day tour

  Excellent guide, excellent choice of locations visited. Very informative guide with a very wide knowledge of Santiago’s history demonstrated at every location.

  Kevin_SMarch 2026via Viator

• 1Avoid at all costs

  Avoid this company at all costs. We booked 2 months ahead. They took our money and less than 24 hours before said they could not pick us up where they had said they would for 2 months prior.

  Janice_MMarch 2026via Viator

• 5We had an excellent...

  We had an excellent experience with our tour guide, Rodrigo, who made the entire trip both enjoyable and memorable. From the very beginning, they were friendly, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable about the area. He shared fascinating insights, local history, and hidden details that we would have completely missed on our own. I would highly recommend Rodrigo to anyone looking for a meaningful, well-run, and enjoyable tour experience. They truly went above and beyond to make our trip special.

  Hanna_XMarch 2026via Viator

• 5Terrific Tour

  Juan gave us a terrific tour of Santiago filled with many facts about Chile's geography and history. A very comprehensive tour that was never hurried or rushed. Of the 100's of tours we have taken this was one of the very best.

  Gary_EMarch 2026via Viator

• 5Great eat to spend your first (or last) half day in Santiago

  Comfortable and safe way to visit Santiago's sights. It was a hot day so we appreciated the flexibility of our private guide/driver was so accommodating and friendly!

  Julie_RMarch 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in Santiago

• Its from-price is 49% below the median of the 141 city tours we list in Santiago.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 5 of 141.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Santiago

Santiago, Chile's capital, sits in a broad valley beneath the snowy Andes, a city of hilltop parks, bohemian neighbourhoods and vineyards close by.

The Plaza de Armas, with its cathedral and grand old post office, is the historic heart, and the neoclassical La Moneda Palace stands a few blocks away. The Museum of Pre-Columbian Art holds treasures from across the Americas, and the Central Market serves seafood beneath a soaring iron roof.

Top-ranked sights in Santiago: Viña del Mar, Plaza de Armas, La Moneda Palace (Palacio de la Moneda).

See all 1119 experiences in Santiago