This tour offers you a combination of the Discover Santiago Tour and a visit to a local wine vineyard.
We start with the one and a half hour drive to Santiago where we will first visit San Cristobal Hill. Here we will take a cable car to the summit and enjoy the most amazing panoramic views of the entire city and Andes Mountains. (See note below).
Afterwards, we will drive through the bohemian neighborhood of Bellavista before arriving in the historic city center where we will see Florestal Park, the Museum of Fine Arts, Plaza de Armas (Santiago’s main square), the Cathedral, City Hall, Historic Post Office, Old Congress Building, Palacio La Moneda (The Government House), National Theater, and Santa Lucía Hill.
After exploring Santiago, we will journey to the Casablanca Valley where we will stop at Casas del Bosque Vineyard for a tour and wine tasting. Today, Casas del Bosque is one of the most important wineries in Chile.
In 1993, a family of Italian descendants established the winery. The large old pine and olive trees, and small white houses of adobe, define the name “Casas del Bosque” (Houses of the Forest). Currently, the vineyard has 580 acres of planted vines, exclusively dedicated to the production of cool-climate varieties of wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Syrah. One of Casas del Bosque’s biggest strengths is its soil. In the hills, red clay composites of volcanic origin sit on top of decomposed granite layers formed 110 million years ago beneath the Pacific Ocean. This soil gives their wines the unique characteristic sea salt flavor.
Casas del Bosque has gained great prestige over the years and in 2010 became the Best Vineyard to Visit in Chile. Enjoy an informative tour, browse their gift shop and relax in their outdoor lounge area!
Please note:
(1) The order of sites visited may vary.
(2) On weekends and national holidays, due to excessive crowds and lines to board the gondola at San Cristobal Hill, we will not take the gondola, but rather we will visit an alternative site in the tour van for panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains. We will do the same on Mondays, since the gondola is closed for maintenance on this day.
(3) As with any major city, Santiago has heavy traffic in some sectors, especially on weekdays. Your driver will do his or her best to avoid highly-congested areas, but in order to see the city’s major landmarks in the downtown area inevitably you will run into traffic, which can be heavy at times. We appreciate your patience and understanding, as traffic is completely beyond our control.
(4) Although this is a private tour with your own vehicle and guide, there may be other visitors at the vineyard joining you on the winery tour and tasting, which is beyond our control.