Santiago Cable Car & San Cristóbal Walking Tour Skip-the-line
Funicular to the summit, cable car across the sky, bohemian streets on foot
This 2.5-hour guided walking and cable car tour of Santiago starts at Plaza Baquedano and takes you skip-the-line up Cerro San Cristóbal's funicular to the 22-meter Virgin statue, then soars across the city on the cable car before walking through Bellavista's colorful streets and Pedro de Valdivia Norte. A certified local guide leads the whole route in English, Spanish or Portuguese, and the group stays small.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Santiago's San Cristóbal Hill
- Meet guide at Theater near Baquedano station
- Visit Plaza Baquedano cultural hub
- Walk through colorful Barrio Bellavista
- Stop at Patio Bellavista for dining and crafts
- Tour Pablo Neruda's La Chascona museum
- Ride historic funicular to San Cristóbal summit
- Explore Cerro San Cristóbal lookout and gardens
- Ride cable car over parks and city skyline
- Visit Tupahue Station and nearby gardens
- Walk through peaceful Pedro de Valdivia Norte neighborhood
- End tour near historic Teatro Oriente
- Bellavista 20m
- La Chascona 5m
- San Cristobal Hill Entry included 40m
What’s included
- Cable car ride with panoramic views of Santiago.
- skip-the-line funicular ride to San Cristóbal's summit.
- fully narrated walking tour through Bellavista and Cerro San Cristóbal.
- visit to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception Sanctuary.
- stop for mote con huesillo, a traditional Chilean treat.
- photo stops at key locations.
- certified local guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
Times
- Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 14:00
Before you book
Operated by Unplanned Detours
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The experience
Your guide meets you at Teatro Oriente near Baquedano subway station with a blue flag. From there, the route moves through Bellavista, the neighborhood where street art covers the walls and restaurants spill onto sidewalks. This is where Pablo Neruda's La Chascona museum sits, a winding house full of nautical touches and the poet's personal treasures. You'll stop at Patio Bellavista, an open-air complex of shops selling handmade jewelry and lapis lazuli before climbing the hill itself.
The funicular, operating since 1925, carries you up through green terraces to Cerro San Cristóbal's summit without waiting in line. At the top sits the Sanctuary and the towering Virgin of the Immaculate Conception statue. The guide walks you through the site and you get time to stand in the panoramic views: the Andes, the city grid, the modern skyline all at once. A stop for mote con huesillo, a traditional Chilean treat of wheat and peach, happens here. Then you board the cable car, recently modernized, and glide across the park in colorful cabins, watching the city drop away below. The Tupahue Station mid-point offers gardens and pools if you want to linger.
The final stretch is a walk through Pedro de Valdivia Norte, a quiet residential neighborhood with tree-lined streets and outdoor sculptures, before the tour ends near Teatro Oriente. The whole day involves uneven terrain and stair climbing, so comfortable shoes are essential. The tour runs in any weather and stays mainly outdoors, so dress for the conditions. Groups are kept small. For parties of 10 or more, private arrangements can be made.
Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Santiago from multiple vantage points (ground level, cable car height, and the summit) without arranging transport between neighborhoods yourself. The skip-the-line funicular and small group size mean you spend the 2.5 hours moving and looking, not waiting.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.
What's the Virgin statue on top of Cerro San Cristóbal?
The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception stands 22 meters tall at the summit of Cerro San Cristóbal, the city's natural lookout point and part of the sprawling Metropolitan Park. The Sanctuary surrounds it, and the guide takes you through both as part of the tour.
Do I have to wait in line for the funicular?
No, skip-the-line access to the historic funicular is included, so you board without the queue at the base. The funicular has been running since 1925 and carries you up through lush greenery to the summit.
What neighborhoods do we walk through on this tour?
The tour covers Bellavista, Santiago's bohemian district with colorful streets, street art, and restaurants; the summit area of Cerro San Cristóbal with the Sanctuary; and Pedro de Valdivia Norte, a peaceful residential neighborhood with tree-lined parks and outdoor sculptures near Providencia.
Is the cable car ride included?
Yes, the cable car ride with panoramic views of Santiago, the Andes, and the neighborhoods below is included. The recently modernized cable car connects key points of the Metropolitan Park in colorful cabins.
How difficult is the walking and climbing?
The tour involves walking on uneven terrain and stair climbing to reach the statue summit, so comfortable shoes are a must. It's suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it's not recommended for people with limited mobility.
Santiago Cable Car & San Cristóbal Walking Tour Skip-the-line
2h 30m · EN · ES · PT
from US$ 59 per person
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