There is a laidback feel to the capital of Chile, sitting between the Andes and the Pacific and an easy jumping off point for trips to the Atacama Desert, south to Patagonia or further away to Easter Island.

But don't be fooled by its easygoing charm, this city is bursting with energy. Cutting edge galleries, great shopping and wonderful food and wine make this a good place to stop for a day or two, wherever your destination.

Cutting edge galleries, great shopping and wonderful food and wine make this a good place to stop for a day or two, wherever your destination.

  • If you want a change from the usual breakfast hotel fare, take to the streets and pop into a local cafe for a sopaililla,  a pastry made of deep-fried pumpkin dough, or a calzone roto,  a fried biscuit cookie, washed down with a cappuccino.

  • There is no shortage of culture here so start the day with a visit to some of the city's favourite museums, including Museo del Arte Precolombino with a collection of Pre-Colombian art from Latin America, Museo Histórico Nacional which starts with the Pre-Colombian era and ends with a display of Salvador Allende's broken glasses and Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende featuring work from Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró in a townhouse that was used as a listening station during the dictatorship.  Then immerse yourself in the world of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda's former home, La Chascona, packed with offbeat pieces of art and some very unusual decor.

  • Stop for a coffee, sit back and do some people watching on  Plaza de Armas.  When you're ready to move, take in the splendour of  the nearby Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago.

  • Pick up some souvenirs at  the Centro Artesanal Santa Lucia for handmade arts and crafts. If you have a bigger budget, find designer brands such as Hermes on the streets of Avenida Vitacura, Alonso de Cordova and Nueva Costanera.

  • If you like seafood, have lunch at Mercado Central, where the food is fresh and the service is fast. Eat like a local and stop at one of the smaller restaurants at the side of the market.

  • Stretch your legs with a walk up Cerro Santa Lucía,  in the centre of the city, featuring facades and fountains and fabulous views from the top  of the contrasting colonial and millennial architecture below.

  • For a drink before dinner head to the trendy Bellavista neighbourhood for a pisco sour and then wander around the bohemian area to decide where you want to eat.

  • Nearby, Galindo offers pastel del choclo, Chilean soul food baked in an earthenware pot with beef, onion, chicken, a sliced hard-boiled egg, olives and raisins, topped with corn puree.

  • Steep yourself in the city's political vibe with a late-night drink at The Clinic, where portraits of Chile's first socialist president Salvador Allende line the walls and the menu is styled on a satirical-style newspaper.

  • Then finish the evening with a trip to a salsa club, try Havana Salsa at Belle Artes for breathtaking shows.

  • Spend the night at Lastarria Hotel, a 1920s mansion that has been transformed into a stunning boutique hotel. Behind the art deco facade find 14 spacious rooms on four floors, with a terrace overlooking a luxurious garden and pool.

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