You haven’t really experienced the Chilean way of living if you haven’t had a night out at the capital

Chileans are night owls by excellence, therefore, it is a must to go live the experience of a night out in Santiago, if you come to visit. There is something special about the people when the sun comes down and the moon is rising. Instead of turning IGNORE INTO weird, dangerous, sharp-teeth creatures, the locals just turn IGNORE INTO chatty dancers and Piscola drinkers. Everyone is happy partying here. Is it the drinks? Is it the vibes? Doesn’t matter, the fact is, they are mean by day and the nice at night.

To receive your full experience as a tourist, you must try to party like a local. Here are some of the top 5 places to hangout while in Santiago:

1. Barrio Bellavista – the party and food neighborhood

This must be the most popular place for tourists in Santiago. If you’ve visited, you’ve probably been to Bellavista. What you might don’t know is that it is Chileans’ best choice to go have fun, so you’d be partying like a local, if you go to the right places. Try Microclub or Subterráneo, two trending parties in the neighborhood. A more relaxing, Latin option, is the salsoteca Maestra Vida, a place where you can grab a drink and dance salsa all night long with live music. Bellavista is also popular for its restaurants and bars. Try Patio Bellavista, a space where you can find plenty of good restaurants, bars, and food trucks.

2. Miércoles Po – Wednesdays are for foreigners

This party was designed to attract tourists and foreigners so, of course, it is full of Chileans. “Miércoles Po” is one of the biggest, greatest parties for university and exchange students. It is quite popular because locals like interacting with foreigners. If you’re looking for a nice club where you can meet not only citizens, but people from all around the world, Wednesday is your day to go party.

3. After Office in Candelaria, Casa Piedra, Borde Río, and Club Militar

“After office” is a thing here, especially during the summertime. Locals love to buy some fancy drinks after a long day at work. It usually starts at 7pm and if you pick the right place, you get some really good happy hour deals. For example, Candelaria, a bar in Providencia, has Happy Hour on Wednesdays where you only pay 10% of what you consume. Some other popular and fancier places are Casa Piedra, Borde Río, and Club Militar, where they throw really big after office parties.

4. The LGBT go-to party place, La Blondie

Doesn’t matter your sexual inclination, “La Blondie” is a place where everyone enjoys of a good time and it is known to be LGBT friendly. Big space and great people, this disco is known for being in an absolutely beautiful, wide club and having a variety of music.

5. The “pre” experience

If you meet Chileans, you should ask them to invite you to a “pre”. I’m sure this is not a world-wide practice; what locals call “pre” is simply the pre-party which is usually held at a friend’s house. There’s music, lots of conversations, and drinking games. And, of course, a lot of Piscolas, Chile’s favorite drink.

Latin American Post | Paloma Cruz 

Copy edited by Susana Cicchetto