Tipping
by kiwigal_1
In Chile the standard tip in a restaurant is 10% which is sometimes added onto the bill but more often than not you need to leave behind on the table. If paying by credit card you can ask to add the tip to the bill and indicate the standard 10%.
Do not tip taxis.
If you drive a car in Chile, in particular Santiago then there are places where you can park for free but there may be a man or woman "helping" you to park. This person works for tips. They can wash your car while you are away usually also. The tip you pay them should be anything from 200 pesos or more depending on the length of time you stay. I usually pay around 500 pesos.
In supermarkets the people who pack your bags only work for tips. They are not paid by the supermarket. Depending on the amount of groceries you could tip anything from 50 cents up to around 500 pesos. The 10% rule is not hard and fast here, just whatever loose change you have.
Go West...
by EricB.
If time permits, rent a car or hire a driver and go west toward the Valparaiso / Vina del Mar area. This gets you out of the Santiago smog and lets you see the countryside's beauty. Here are lush mountains peppered with blue lakes, a site you can't miss.
Trains in Chile
by toid
The train service in Chile with the excption of local services around Santiago and Valparaiso is in dire financial circumstances and services have been reduced to close to zero. Do not think that you can travel by train in Chile.
Nice food -great view
by TheWanderingCamel about Cafe Turri - Valparaiso
Right near the top of Valparaiso's Ascensore Concepcion is where you'll find Cafe Turri. Its location, so near the funicular and the wonderful views from its wide terrace, make it a magnet for tourists but the food is good enough to attract lots of locals too. Inside it's an attractively old-fashioned sort of place - white tablecloths and wood panelling in a series of interconnecting rooms.
A second visit to Cafe Turri some 2 years later than this first one showed the place has been refurbished to give it a more contemporary look. It may have lost some of its period charm but the view is still spectacular and the food is still as good. We love seafood of all descriptions and, after the solid meat diet of Buenos Aires, found we were eating fish of some sort every day in Chile. Cafe Turri was no exception. I can't remember what the fish was exactly but I do know we enjoyed it! A bottle of good Chilean red went down well too.
The second time around we ordered a Chilean speciality - pastel de jaiba (crab casserole) served Cafe Turri-style in an edible bowl of crisp cheese. Rich and filling - and utterly delicious, especially when teamed with an equally crisp Chilean semillon.
Persa Bio Bio
by jpizquierdo
This is a Flea Market, you can find almost everithing, as a visitor you will have to bargain a lot , be carefull because this is a dangerous spot , a lot of pickpocket, if you can, go with a local. you have different warehouses each one dedicated to one ore two things, like antiques, compusters, clothes... check it out
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Mercado Central
Mercado Central
The Andes, Santiago de Chile
view from the house
