Nicola's Guidebook to Barrio Italia

Most shops in Chile are open from 9am to 8pm on weekdays, and from 9am to 8pm on Saturdays. Some shops are open on Sundays.

Most restaurants and bars include a 10% service charge on the bill. It is customary to leave a bit extra for good service. When not included on the bill, 10-15% is the general rule.

The Chilean monetary unit is the “PESO” ($). The official exchange rate is available from daily newspapers, banks and travel agencies. Cash can be withdrawn at ATMs throughout the city, or exchanged at hotels and travel agencies. Most shops and restaurants accept international credit cards. The current exchange rate is approxi- mately USD$ 1.00 = $600 Peso (CLP)

Pharmacies and drugstores have a wide choice of medicines that can be bought without a perscription, but it is always recommended to consult a doctor before acquiring any medicine.

It is completely safe to drink water from the tap in Santiago.

EMERGENCY: 131 FIREFIGHTERS: 132 POLICE: 133

Santiago is a city of syncopated cultural currents, madhou- se parties, expansive museums and top-flight restaurants. No wonder 40 percent of Chileans call the leafy capital city home. It’s a wonderful place for strolling, and each neighborhood has its unique flavor and tone. Head out for the day to take in the museums, grand architecture and pedestrian malls of the Centro, before an afternoon picnic in one of the gorgeous hillside parks that punctuate the city’s landscape. Nightlife takes flight in the sidewalk eateries, cafes and beer halls of Barrios Brasil, Lastarria and Bellavista, while

Travel through wine country, before arriving to the clean and orderly Viña del Mar is a sharp contrast to the charming jumble of neighbo- ring Valparaíso. Manicured boulevards lined with palm trees, a sprawling public beach and beautiful expansive parks have earned it the nickname of Ciudad Jardín (Garden City). Its official name, which means ‘vineyard by the sea,’ stems from the area’s colonial origins as the hacienda of the Carrera family. the picturesque port of Valparaiso, poets, painters and would-be philosophers have long been drawn to Chile’s most unusual city. Along with the ever-shift

Parque Arauco Av. Kennedy 5413, Las Condes Costanera Center Av. Andres Bello 2425, Providencia Alto las Condes Av. Kennedy 9001, Las Condes Casa Costanera Nueva costanera 3900, Vitaura

“Local artisanal market” The perfect place to get souvenirs and catch a bit of the essence of chilean culture. This place was an old domini- can church which is now been used for independent artisanal artist to show and seel their work.