Chile stretches like a ribbon from desert to glacier, a country shaped by the Andes, the Pacific, and centuries of culture. In one week, you can savor Santiago’s neighborhoods, trace Valparaíso’s UNESCO-listed hills, and stand under some of the clearest night skies on Earth in the Atacama Desert.

Expect a modern capital with excellent museums and restaurants, an old port splashed with murals and funiculars, and a desert of salt flats, flamingos, and lunar valleys. Chile’s cuisine leans on the sea and the soil: ceviche, pastel de choclo, asado, and world-class wines from Maipo and Casablanca.

Practical notes: the Chilean peso is the currency; tap water is generally safe in Santiago but stick to bottled in the desert. Distances are long—flights are your friend. Keep an eye on altitude (San Pedro sits ~2,400 m / 7,900 ft), hydrate, and go slow the first day.

Santiago

Backed by the Andes, Santiago is a tapestry of barrios: stately Centro, bohemian Lastarria and Bellavista, leafy Providencia, and artsy Yungay. It’s a city to stroll and sip—plazas, markets, galleries, and rooftop views from Cerro San Cristóbal.

• Top sights: Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral, La Moneda Palace, Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, Barrio Lastarria, and the views from San Cristóbal Hill.
• Food & drink: Markets like Mercado Central (seafood) and La Vega (produce), wine bars such as Bocanáriz, and classic sandwiches at Fuente Alemana (lomo completo).
• Getting there: Fly into SCL (Arturo Merino Benítez). Compare fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Taxi/Uber to central neighborhoods: ~25–45 minutes, ~$20–35; Centropuerto airport bus to downtown: ~30 minutes, ~$3–4.
• Where to stay (curated picks + search): Splurge at The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago (great rooftop pool and spa); excellent value at Hotel Plaza El Bosque Ebro in El Golf; social vibe at Hostal Providencia. See more on VRBO or Hotels.com.

Day 1: Arrival, Lastarria, and a Taste of Santiago

Afternoon: Land in Santiago, check in, and stretch your legs in Barrio Lastarria. Pop into the Museo de Artes Visuales courtyard and grab an espresso at Colmado Coffee & Bar; try a marraqueta sandwich if you’re peckish.

Evening: Dinner at Bocanáriz—build a flight of Maipo and Casablanca varietals to pair with chupe de jaiba (crab gratin) or slow-cooked short ribs. Nightcap at Chipe Libre, the “republic of pisco,” where servers guide you through Peruvian vs. Chilean pisco sours.

Day 2: Santiago Icons by Funicular, Markets, and Rooftops

Morning: Coffee and medialunas at Wonderland Café in Lastarria, then walk to the historic center: Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral’s baroque interior, and La Moneda’s stately courtyard. Detour to the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino for exquisite Andean textiles and ceramics.

Afternoon: Ride funicular and cable car up San Cristóbal Hill with the Cable Car, Funicular and Sightseeing Bus in Santiago one day pass to stitch together neighborhoods without the traffic guesswork. Enjoy city-and-Andes panoramas; snack on a mote con huesillo (traditional peach-and-wheat refresher) at the summit.

Evening: Seafood feast at Mercado Central—order congrio frito (fried conger eel) at Donde Augusto or chupe at El Galeón. For a modern setting with park views, book Mestizo in Parque Bicentenario (reinvented Chilean classics; reserve ahead). Rooftop drink at Red2One (W Santiago) or a pisco sour at Bar Liguria, a locals’ haunt decorated ceiling to floor.

Day 3: Full-Day Valparaíso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Country

Make it easy with a small-group coastal day trip that includes transport and tastings: Santiago: Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting. You’ll start at Viña del Mar’s Flower Clock and Fonck Museum’s authentic Rapa Nui moai, then wander Valparaíso’s UNESCO hills—Cerro Alegre and Concepción—riding a century-old funicular and photographing murals by street-art luminaries. Lunch suggestions on your free time: La Concepción (sea views; reineta a la plancha) or Fauna (terrace with postcards of the harbor). End with a Casablanca Valley tasting to compare Chile’s cool-climate sauvignon blanc and pinot noir before returning to Santiago in the evening.

San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro is the desert dream: adobe lanes, a whitewashed church, and a plaza that glows at sunset. Around it lies the Atacama—salt flats crowded with flamingos, rust-red canyons, geysers that roar at dawn, and night skies so crisp you can trace the Milky Way by naked eye.

• Top sights: Valle de la Luna, Laguna Chaxa (Salar de Atacama) with Andean flamingos, the high-altitude lagoons Miscanti and Miñiques, Piedras Rojas, El Tatio geysers, and the Puritama hot springs.
• Local flavors: Quinoa, chañar fruit desserts, llama and beef stews, and excellent breads and pastries at French-influenced bakeries.
• Getting there from Santiago: Morning flight SCL → Calama (CJC) ~2 hours, fares ~$60–$160 each way on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Shared shuttle Calama airport → San Pedro ~1.5 hours, ~$17–25; private transfer ~$90–120 per vehicle.
• Where to stay (search & styles): Browse boutique lodges and adobe casitas on VRBO or Hotels.com—look for properties with courtyards and shaded pools to beat the midday sun.

Day 4: Fly North, San Pedro Stroll & Moon Valley Sunset

Morning: Fly Santiago to Calama (aim for a ~8–9 am departure; ~2 hours). Shuttle to San Pedro (1.5 hours) and check in. Hydrate and take it easy while you acclimatize to ~2,400 m.

Afternoon: Light lunch at La Franchutería (legendary baguettes, croissants, quiche) or Emporio Andino (salads, empanadas). Explore the adobe church, the small museum, and the craft market for alpaca textiles.

Evening: Book a Valle de la Luna sunset tour—short hikes to salt caves and dune viewpoints as the Cordillera de la Sal turns pink and purple. Dinner at Adobe (open fire, Chilean-and-Andean plates; try quinoa risotto with shrimp) and a quiet early night.

Day 5: Full-Day Altiplanic Lagoons, Piedras Rojas & Flamingos

Classic Atacama scenery, all in one big day: Full Day Tour to Piedras Rojas, Altiplanic Lagoons and Chaxa. Start early for sunrise light at Chaxa Lagoon (Salar de Atacama) to watch Andean and James’s flamingos feed, continue to the cobalt waters of Miscanti and Miñiques framed by volcanoes, and see the brick-red “Piedras Rojas” outcrops at high altitude. Expect breakfast and lunch stops, plus plenty of photo time—bring layers; it’s chilly up high.

After returning, treat yourself to dinner at Baltinache (intimate tasting menu of local ingredients; reserve) or La Casona for hearty Chilean classics on a shaded patio.

Day 6: Geysers at Dawn, Hot Springs, and Stargazing

Morning: Pre-dawn pickup to El Tatio Geysers (over 4,000 m). Arrive at sunrise as columns of steam erupt in the freezing air. Dress very warm; guides typically bring a simple breakfast. On the way back, look for vicuñas and vizcachas grazing in the puna.

Afternoon: Siesta, then head to Termas de Puritama, a chain of turquoise pools warmed by geothermal springs in a box canyon—heaven for tired legs.

Evening: Atacama is a global stargazing capital thanks to minimal light pollution. Join a guided astronomy session (telescopes + astrophotography tips) with a reputable local operator; you’ll learn to read the Southern Cross and Magellanic Clouds. Dinner after at La Estaka (wood-fired meats) or Lola (casual pizzas and pastas).

Day 7: Desert Morning, Fly Out

Morning: Slow breakfast—try kuchen or alfajores from a local bakery—and pick up last-minute crafts. Shuttle to Calama for a midday flight to Santiago (2 hours) to connect with your afternoon departure home. Compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Afternoon: If time allows during your layover, grab a final empanada and a bottle of Casablanca sauvignon blanc from duty free to relive the trip at home.

Evening: Depart Chile with a camera full of salt flats, city lights, and star fields.

Optional Add-ons (Seasonal or If You Extend)

• Maipo Valley wine day: From Santiago, taste Chilean reds at their source on the Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards.



• Winter skiing (June–Sept): Head up to Valle Nevado Ski Resort for Andean snow and wide groomers.

Where to stay, quick links:

• Santiago stays on VRBO and Hotels.com—or book The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago, Hotel Plaza El Bosque Ebro, or Hostal Providencia.
• San Pedro de Atacama stays on VRBO and Hotels.com.

Getting between cities: Plan Santiago ↔ Calama flights (~2 hours; ~$60–$160 each way) on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. In San Pedro, most excursions include hotel pickup; in Santiago, the Metro is clean and efficient—load a Bip! card and avoid rush hour if possible.

In seven days, you’ll have sketched Chile’s essence: a capital of culture and cuisine, a bohemian port of murals and wine, and the most otherworldly desert on the planet. Return for Patagonia’s granite towers or Chiloé’s wooden churches—but for now, carry home a head full of Andes horizons and stars.