Really, I think that Santiago isn't very shiny. There are a lot of pollution, the people are angry and egocentric, it is a bad copy of any city of the United States; definitely I don't recomend it to any foreing tourist.
Ok, I can't be so bitter. There are very beautiful places like Santa Lucia hill or the Forestal Park. The first one is an amazing piece of nature in the middle of the down-town. It's full of water fountains and scultures sorrounded with shrubs and trees. It also has paths to walk, benches to take a rest or viewpoints to see the city. The second one is a huge park, also in the down-town. It starts near Baquedano Square (also known as Plaza Italia) and finish in front of Mapocho Station. Within the park is the Bellas Artes Museum (very affected by the earthquake, but it was recently re-opened) and interesting scultures. At the weekend, artistic organization goes and does different activities, so it is a special place to visit with children and the complete family.
There are other typcal places, like the Metropolitan Park (San Cristobal Hill) which has the zoo and an old cable car (special for a romantic date). Near that, there is a Pablo Neruda's house (La Chascona) and Bellavista, a bohemian and cultural neighborhood.
But, despite that, there are beatiful places, some with a tremendous cultural value, Santiago has no identity. People love going to the mall or prefer staying in there houses watching TV instead of visiting and walking around their city. Modernity not only produces changes in the sense of production, but also in the interactions and ways of relating to people. Santiago is a city which pretends to be modern...however, those who observe and analyze the contradictions of the globalization (see the other face of the coin) can say the opposite.
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