Striped with cobbled narrow paths and staircases, the small hilltop park of Cerro Santa Lucía/Santa Lucía Hill in Lastarria provides a peaceful escape from the city’s hustle and bustle, with the distant Andes etched into the skyline. This historic hill, once a fort, is now a beautifully landscaped park with fountains and winding footpaths – the ideal place for a picnic (with a bottle of Maipo’s famed cab sav) at sunset.

Standing in this chequerboard square is a little like stepping back in time. Founded in 1541, it’s ringed by historic buildings – from the stately 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral to the grand 19th-century Central Post Office and the Museo Histórico Nacional/National History Museum, a Neoclassical beauty. Today, the square serves as a gathering spot for locals and travellers, providing a sunny place to relax, people-watch and take in the striking architecture.

The Maipo Valley, in the foothills of the Andes just a one-hour drive south of Santiago, is known for its superlative cabernet sauvignon and carménère. The temperate climate helps nurture these fine reds and you can sample the best at the picturesque Viña Concha y Toro – one of Latin America’s biggest wine producers – or the expansive, bougainvillea-draped Viña Santa Rita. At the latter estate, don’t skip the chance to sip the award-winning Casa Real Reserva Especial and make time for a lunch at Doña Paula restaurant, where dishes such as Chilean pork ribs and cremoso de mote (a risotto-like boiled wheat dish) can be enjoyed in an 18th-century building with adobe walls and bamboo ceiling.

Standing sentry in downtown Santiago, Palacio de La Moneda/La Moneda Palace isn’t just an example of Neoclassical architecture – it’s a symbol of Chile’s complex political heritage. Although it was the scene of the coup d’état against then-president Salvador Allende more than 50 years ago, a visit to the palace today is a peaceful affair. Plan to arrive at 10am (and double check you’re heading there on the right morning) , when the changing of the guard procession, replete with horses and horns, takes place.

Santiago’s sprawling Mercado Central de Santiago/Central Market, inside an historic building near the Mapocho River, gives visitors a crash course in the country’s flavourful spoils. See culinary rarities (think prickly sea urchins and giant, fleshy “abalone” known as locos) on your way to the heart of the market, where you can dine on delicious curanto (a stew of seafood, meat and potatoes cooked in the earth) while live music brings the entire scene to life around you.

In the arty district of Bellavista is La Chascona Museum House, the former residence of Pablo Neruda. The Nobel Prize-winning poet built La Chascona (“wild hair” in Spanish) for his secret lover at the time, Matilde Urrutia, whose defining feature was her curly red hair. The two would later marry and their shared home – still in a bric-à-brac-strewn state – now offers visitors an intimate glimpse into their life together. Audio guides are available for hire onsite to help you dive even deeper into the building’s history and the stories behind some of the poet’s lovingly collected personal items.

Be warned: you’ll struggle to leave Patio Bellavista without spending a few pesos. This neighbourhood of colourful houses and lively bars and restaurants – which borders Chilean National Zoo/Zoológico Nacional de Chile – boasts more than 50 shops spruiking local arts and crafts, from Mapuche woven fabrics to copper jewellery and lapis lazuli ornaments. Still have room in your suitcase? Head to Los Dominicos Craft Centre, a village-style market in the Las Condes neighborhood at the foot of the Andes, about 20 minutes north-east of Santiago. Here, more than 100 stalls sell artisan products from all over Chile – think Mapuche art, fabrics and Andes-mined minerals.

About two hours’ drive south-east of Santiago is the rugged terrain of Cajón del Maipo, a deep valley offering abundant hiking, rafting and canyoning opportunities amid the Chilean Andes. Spectacular El Yeso reservoir, the canyon’s scenic centre, is best admired during a hike on the out-and-back 13.5-kilometre trail that skims its craggy edges. A soak in one of nine natural thermal baths at the Termas Valle de Colina is a less taxing way to take in the stunning surroundings.

With almost 30 hairpin bends, the winding road that leads to the pristine Laguna del Inca/Lake of the Incas is not for the faint-hearted. Those who undertake the 2.5-hour drive from Santiago will be rewarded with breathtaking mountain scenery that encircles the alpine lake’s mirror-like surface. At the edge of the lagoon is Hotel Portillo, an iconic resort that thrums with visitors during the ski season (mid-June to September). You don’t have to hit the slopes to enjoy it, though – the property offers movie showings, onsite childcare options and an outdoor pool that’s heated to a balmy 30°C and takes in the best panorama in the valley.

Sky Costanera is the highest viewpoint in Latin America, delivering 360-degree views of Santiago’s surrounding mountains and city skyline from the 62nd and 63rd floors of the Gran Torre Costanera skyscraper. Cerro San Cristóbal/San Cristóbal Hill, a hilly green space that sits an incredible 880 metres above sea level, is one of the world’s largest urban parks and offers yet another vantage point. You can reach the top by cable car or funicular but no matter your mode of travel, a traditional Chilean mote con huesillos – a non-alcoholic drink made from cooked wheat, dried peaches and syrup – is a must-try once you reach the top.