Santiago
Situated on a magnificent stage with the backdrop of the Andes Mountains, Santiago, capital of Chile, is a compact city surrounded by colourful neighbourhoods (“barrios”), which extend from the bottom of its central basin, bristling with a clutch of skyscrapers, up the mountain slopes. Adobe ranch-style buildings give way to elaborate Spanish colonial edifices andmore outlying shantytowns in this appealing city, which offers those on holiday in Santiago colourful markets, sidewalk cafes, some good museums and shopping malls.