Santiago

New direct flights will open up the myriad attractions of Chile’s spectacularly located capital, says Caroline Shearing

A seismic cultural shift in recent years has seen Santiago shake off its reputation as a dull backwater offering little more than a connecting airport to emerge as a vibrant destination in its own right. Distinct creative districts have popped up across the city, along with a sprinkling of boutique hotels, worldclass restaurants and a thriving arts and nightlife scene. Santiago, founded by the Spanish in 1541, is at last rediscovering its Latin roots.

This is also one of the world’s most spectacularly located cities, flanked by the Andes to the east and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west.

Its myriad attractions are about to become more accessible to British travellers with the launch of the first ever direct flights between the UK and Chile. No longer just a jumpingoff point for the stark beauty of the Atacama or the wild expanses of Patagonia, Santiago is fast transforming into South America’s capital of cool.

British Airways (ba.com) launches direct flights between Heathrow and Santiago on January 3 in what, at 14hr 40min, will be the carrier’s longest route. Return fares from £948. I travelled as a guest of Audley Travel (01993 838640; audleytravel. com), which offers tailor-made itineraries throughout Chile.

Special Treat Singular Santiago (1) at Merced 294 (telegraph. co.uk/tt-singularsantiago) is a colonial-style fantasy in trendy Lastarria. The lounge/library is a triumph of wood panelling and deep sofas, while the rooftop bar is the perfect spot for laid-back beats and Andes views. Doubles from £240, b&b. Mid-range The lovingly restored Lastarria Boutique Hotel (2) at Coronel Santiago Bueras 188 (telegraph. co.uk/tt-lastarriaboutique) is housed in a 14-bedroom mansion featuring grand staircases and period chandeliers. Doubles from £150, b&b.

Budget Near two Metro stations in Providencia, The Orly (3) at Pedro de Valdivia 027 (telegraph.co.uk/tt-theorly) has simply decorated rooms and good breakfasts. Doubles from £95, b&b. 3pm Stretch your legs after the epic flight with an afternoon stroll up Cerro Santa Lucía (4), a hilltop park that is one of the city’s oldest public green spaces. There’s a choice of winding routes through terraced gardens, including one named in honour of Charles Darwin, who made the climb in 1833. The panoramic views of the Andes from the summit (226ft) are well worth the effort. Corner of Santa Lucía and Merced; admission free. Open daily.

7.30pm Relations between Chile and neighbouring Peru are sour when it comes to which country produces the best pisco brandy. Decide for yourself at Chipe Libre (5) (0056 2 2664 0584), at José Victorino Lastarria 282, which offers more than 80 varieties from both sides of the border. If wine is your preferred tipple, next door Bocanáriz (6) (0056 2 2638 9893; bocanariz.cl) boasts 400 Chilean varieties. Both establishments also offer a selection of light bites and mains. 10am Join the crowds outside La Moneda Palace (7), seat of the country’s president, for the changing of the guard ceremony. The spectacle

Clockwise from top left, Easter Island statues at the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino; Cerro San Cristóbal; Bocanáriz; and the Terraza Neptuno at Cerro Santa Lucía park