We look forward to welcoming you in Santiago!
Please note that it will be winter in Chile and that temperatures in Santiago fluctuate between warm in the day time and chilly in evening.
Summit Venue
The Summit will be held at the Santiago Public Library / Biblioteca de Santiago. Address: Av Matucana 151, Santiago, Chile
Doors will open early for Summit attendees.
Transportation
Public transportation is very efficient in Santiago and will probably be your preferred way to get around.
Metro
The nearest metro station to the Summit venue is: Quinta Normal | See full map
Metro tickets cost the equivalent of US $1.
Taxis
Lonely Planet says: “In Santiago, it costs Ch$300 (about US$0.50) to bajar la bandera (‘lower the flag’), plus Ch$100 (US$0.20) per 200m. Each cab carries a placard indicating its authorized fare.”
From Airport
The airport is about 30 minutes from the center of Santiago. There are three ways to get from the airport to the city:
1) Buses (US$ 4-10) the most popular are Centropuerto (blue busses) and Tur Bus (green bus). They will drop you in the center, at a metro station with good connections.
2) Transfer/Minibus (US$ 10-15)
3) Taxi (US$ 25-30)
If you are going to the Blue Tree Hotel Fundador by cab, transfer, bus, or metro, the reference will always be “Metro Universidad de Chile”. The hotel is right by the university.
Hotels
During the Summit, most Global Voices contributors will be staying at:
Blue Tree Hotel Fundador (UPDATE: SOLD OUT)
Telephone: +56 (2) 387-1200
Address: Paseo Serrano 34, Santiago, Chile | Map
Nearest metro: Universidad de Chile | on the Red line
We have negotiated a special rate of $99/double, $88/single for all Summit attendees. Contact: Marisol Galaz V. reservas.fundador@bluetree.cl
Those traveling on a budget before, during, and after the Summit may prefer:
Chelagarto Hostel Santiago
Telephone: +56 (2) 699-1493
Address: Tucapel Jimenez #24, Santiago | Map
Metro: Los Héroes | Red and Yellow lines
Global Voices volunteers banded together to negotiate a deal with this hostel that has a blog, Facebook, Twitter account, YouTube channel, and free wifi.
Special rate for Global Voices Summit attendees is $10 in shared dormitories. Email Nicolás (or tweet @chelagarto) to get prices for single/doubles.
Other Hotels
These are a few other inexpensive hotels in Santiago.
Tourism
May is a winter month. Sometimes it rains, and it could be very cold in the mornings and evenings. During the day temperatures can rise up to 25º Celsius.
Citizens of many countries need tourist visas to travel to Chile. You can consult your local Chilean embassy or consulate to see if you need one.
Here are some links to help you explore Chile and Santiago.
As in any city, some parts of Santiago are expensive others cheap. You can find lunch for as little as US$2 or as much as US $70 per person. The average price for a soda or bottled water is around US$1.
The currency in Chile is the Chilean Peso (CLP). Check exchange rates.
Chile is a normally a safe country, and people are nice to tourists. It's good for backpacking, and you can find a lot of homely and inexpensive places to stay throughout the country.
Chile is divides in 13 regions. Since the earthquake, it is still not advisable to go to the Bio Bio and Maule regions, nor to Juan Fernandez Island.
For those planning to cross the Andes to Mendoza/Argentina wineries by bus, check the weather at least 2 weeks in advance. Sometimes the roads are blocked because of snow. Alternatively, there are several cheap airlines that fly to Argentina.
