Capital and business centre for one of Latin America's most pumping economies, Santiago is close to everything you need to get a grasp on Chile's appeal. Where else in South America can you find both beach relaxation and snow adventure sports within two hours of a cosmopolitan and modern capital? Santiago's famous Andean backdrop and equally famous smog cloud may give you both some headaches and some breathtaking industrial-orange sunsets, but once you learn to use the ever-present mountains as natural compass, at least your backpacker boots will never get lost. Stay for 2-3 days, see it all, then escape to the less noisy desert up north or the fresh green of the south.
