Thing to do
Mercado Central de Santiago
Santiago's 1872 iron-roofed market hall, made in Glasgow, where fishmongers and seafood restaurants serve paila marina, mariscal and fried fish.
Barrio Lastarria
A protected heritage quarter between Cerro Santa Lucía and Parque Forestal, with winding streets, cafés, restaurants, boutiques and street performers.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic neighbourhood
- Area
- Lastarria, Santiago, Chile
Good to know
- Cafés
- Restaurants
- Boutiques
- Street performances
Why we recommend it
Barrio Lastarria, also known as Barrio Bellas Artes, is a pleasant neighbourhood in central Santiago for an unhurried walk on foot, at any time of day. It fills the north-eastern corner of the commune of Santiago, between Cerro Santa Lucía and Plaza Italia and between the Alameda and Parque Forestal. Its focal point is José Victorino Lastarria street, lined with cafés, restaurants and small shops.
The area grew up around the Iglesia de la Veracruz, with houses along winding streets. After the Spanish conquest the land belonged to Bartolomé Flores, who built a mill here. In the late 1960s bohemian bars opened, including La Casa de la Luna Azul in 1968, along with El Loro Perjuro and the piano bar La Guarida, which became early meeting places for Santiago's LGBT community, and in 2006 the area was declared the city's first gay-friendly neighbourhood. The quarter was remodelled in the 1990s while keeping its character, and bars, cafés and cultural centres arrived towards the end of that decade.
The Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro, created in 1981 to preserve a group of early nineteenth-century facades, including the house of Gil de Castro, is worth seeking out. The neighbourhood was declared a protected heritage zone in February 1996 and its boundaries were extended in 1998 to take in Cerro Santa Lucía and Parque Forestal. In 2018 the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia included it among the coolest neighbourhoods in the world.
Today Lastarria is known for its restaurants and fashion boutiques, and for the festivals, guided circuits and street performances that take place on its pavements. It is a good base for visitors: The Singular, Casa Bueras and Hotel Cumbres Lastarria are all here, and Emporio La Rosa's original ice-cream shop is on Merced. Cerro Santa Lucía and Parque Forestal, with the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, form its edges.
The neighbourhood suffered vandalism and fires during the 2019 social unrest because of its proximity to Plaza Baquedano, so some buildings may still show the marks. Universidad Católica station on Metro Line 1 and Bellas Artes station on Line 5 are the closest, with Baquedano a short walk away.
Barrio Lastarria FAQs
Where is Barrio Lastarria?
In the north-eastern corner of central Santiago, between Cerro Santa Lucía, Plaza Italia, the Alameda and Parque Forestal.
Which metro stations are nearest?
Universidad Católica on Line 1 and Bellas Artes on Line 5, with Baquedano close by.
What is there to do?
Wander the winding streets, browse boutiques, eat in its cafés and restaurants and watch street performers.
What is the Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro?
A small square created in 1981 to preserve early nineteenth-century facades, including the house of Gil de Castro.
Is it a protected area?
Yes, it was declared a heritage zone in 1996 and extended in 1998.
Is it a good place to stay?
Yes, several boutique hotels are here, and it is central and walkable.
Is it LGBT-friendly?
Yes, it has a long history as a meeting place for the LGBT community and was declared gay-friendly in 2006.
What sights are nearby?
Cerro Santa Lucía and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.