Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre — Attraction in Santiago

After a huge fire 12 years ago, the government decide to rebuild it as a cultural centre for the city. Next to the main entrance is a Chilean design store that deserves your attention. Inside is a nice coffee shop. My suggest walking tour will be; take the subway to Universidad de Chile Station. Check out Ahumada Street, the downtown point of the city, full of the store and places to eat. It's always crowded. Remind to have your backpack in the front of your body and keep your wallet in some hidden pocket, the thieves have a really good eye to identify foreign people in that part of the city. Keep an eye on your camera and cellphone as well. Give a little visit to "Cafe Altura Paseo San Agustín" to enjoy a real coffee. When you reach Plaza de Armas, check the "Catedral Metropolitana" a historic church. After a couple of pictures, walk thru Compañia de Jesus Street until reach Teatinos. In Teatinos street walk in direction to the main avenue (Alameda Avenue) and you will see Palacio de la Moneda (The Coin Palace) where the president of the nation works every day. Cruce the Avenue to the other side, keep walking until Serrano Street. Turn right and at the first block, is the intersection with Paris Street. The Paris neighboorhood is well known for the beautiful front of the houses. There check Iglesia San Francisco de Alameda. One of the most antique churches in the country. Cruce the main avenue again and take a picture to Biblioteca National de Chile (The main library in the city). And from there, go to Cerro Santa Lucia. Do a little hike to the top of the hill and you will have an amazing view of the surrounding buildings. Go down, and walk two long blocks until reaching the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral (Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center). Check the design store I mentioned and of course, it's time for lunch! Just return one block in the main avenue and walk thru Jose Victorino Lastarria Street. Full of good restaurants. Try to do a reservation in advance to Bocanariz. Ask for a flight wine tasting of Chilean wine, you will not be disappointed. After the lunch, just keep walking in the same street, you would hit Merced street. Walk back thru the park to see the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts). Just one block away is the Bellas Artes Neighboorhood. Go to "La tienda Nacional" (Merced street) where you will find books for children and fridge magnet amongst other items from Chilean pop culture. Take some to home! Walk three blocks to "Cha Cha Bags" store and get delighted with purses, knapsacks and backpacks hand-crafted Chilena design. All made from leather and good quality cotton materials. You will not believe how cheap they are! It's getting late? No worries, Cha-cha bags is just one block away from Subway Station Bellas Artes. If you get a little bit hungry again, just go to "local Paraiso" for a hamburger or a little snack before getting...

Brilliant highlight of Santiago!

We visited the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre on a Tuesday evening and we were super impressed by its vibrant atmosphere and rich cultural offerings.

The centre hosts a variety of performances, exhibitions, and events, making it a hub for art enthusiasts - including informal performances which were being practiced in the amphitheater area near the bar.

The building itself is architecturally a statement, which we loved, with mixed materials and angles making up the facade. The contrasts in the scale of exhibition spaces against the wide plazas and circulation space is also very well considered.

Finally, the free admission makes it accessible to everyone. The surrounding Lastarria neighborhood offers up its historic charm and lively streets plus plenty of dining options and bars. Definitely worth a visit for anyone interested...

I love this place. They have a great selection of plays of teather, dance and music, and multitude activities during the year, workshops of diferente themes, expositions, book fair of independent editorials. Much of this is free o very cheap. Permanently, the have a bookstore, a independent design store, coffee shop, wine and refined food shop. Every day are young people dancing, practicing differents styles of music and movement. And the cherry on top? Is in a very neuralgical place of Santiago, in Barrio Lastarria, only a small walk to Parque Forestal, diferent museums, restaurants, Santa Lucía hill, and civic center of Santiago. A little fare away, you could visit the tradional and very tipical Barrio La Chimba...but, that must go in...