Best Day Trips from Santiago

Santiago's position between the Pacific coast and the Andes makes it one of South America's best bases for day trips of extraordinary variety. The Casablanca and Maipo wine valleys are the classic excursion — world-famous vineyards producing excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Carménère respectively, both within 90 minutes of the city centre. The Pacific beach resort of Viña del Mar and the colourful port city of Valparaíso — a UNESCO World Heritage site — are essential combined day trips on the coast. In winter, the Andes ski resorts of Valle Nevado, Portillo, and La Parva are accessible within an hour of Santiago.