Cerro Santa Lucía is the volcanic outcrop where Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago in 1541, and it's still the easiest free view over the city centre. Paths wind past an old Spanish colonial fortification, fountains and gardens laid out in the 1870s by mayor Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna, who turned a bare rock into a proper park.
Climb to the Terraza Neptuno or the summit for a panorama that takes in the Andes on a clear day, then wander down through the shaded lower paths — it's a short, steep walk rather than a hike.
Local tip: Bring ID: staff at the entrance note down visitors' details before letting you in. Entry itself is free.
Good to know
- Where: Santa Lucía Hill, Santiago, Chile
- City: Santiago
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