Should I visit Santiago or Buenos Aires?
/Two of South America’s megacities – Santiago in Chile and Buenos Aires in Argentina - go up against each other in a battle of architecture, history, food and culture. While both are impressive in their own right, there can only be one winner. We’re here to answer your question, ‘Should I Visit Santiago or Buenos Aires’?
Templo Baha’i in Santiago
At Beyond The Bay, we’ve answered tough questions before in our ‘Should I Visit…?’ series. See some of our other articles, Should I Visit Krakow or Warsaw?, Should I Visit Oslo or Bergen? and Should I Visit Melbourne or Sydney? for more.
Floralis Generica monument in Buenos Aires
I’ll start off by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed visiting both cities, and if you have the time, you should definitely check out Santiago and Buenos Aires. But if you only have time to visit one, we hope this guide helps you in making your decision.
Before we start comparing, let’s first outline some of the best places to stay in Santiago and Buenos Aires.
Where to stay in Santiago
Budget: Hotel Sommelier LOFT
Santiago isn’t the cheapest place to stay at, but the funky Hotel Sommelier LOFT is ridiculously affordable for the quality that it’s offering.
You can take a closer look at the Hotel Sommelier LOFT by clicking here.
Mid-Range: Casa Bellavista Hotel
This quaint, design-inspired hotel is a great option as it is in the safe, artsy area of Providencia. Plus - it’s clean, affordable and spacious.
You can take a closer look at the Casa Bellavista Hotel by clicking here.
Luxury: NOI Vitacura
We stayed at a suite at the NOI Vitacura and absolutely loved it. It was located perfectly in the extremely safe and pretty area of Vitacura, and we could walk around at night safely while staying here. It features an indoor heated pool, as well as a rooftop pool. Couldn’t have stayed at a better hotel, really.
You can take a closer look at the NOI Vitacura by clicking here.
Where to stay in Buenos Aires
Budget: Up Tribeca
Up Tribeca is by far the best budget hotel in Buenos Aires. We stayed here and it didn’t even feel like a budget hotel - centrally located, clean, modern and spacious rooms - I actually don’t know why rooms here are priced these low. In any case, we would totally recommend you staying here just like we did.
You can take a closer look at Up Tribeca by clicking here.
Mid-Range: Live Soho Boutique & Apartments Palermo Soho
Located in the trendy Palermo Soho area, this boutique aparthotel has been stylishly designed for the traveller on a modest budget.
You can take a closer look at Live Soho Boutique & Apartments Palermo Soho by clicking here.
Luxury: Palladio Hotel Buenos Aires - MGallery
One of Buenos Aires’ best-designed and most luxurious hotels, the Palladio Hotel is known for its effortlessly stylish design and strategic location in Recoleta.
You can take a closer look at the Palladio Hotel Buenos Aires by clicking here.
Comparison Categories – Santiago vs. Buenos Aires
To help break down this difficult question, we’ve split our reasoning into ‘comparison categories’. We’re going to judge Santiago and Buenos Aires based on the following:
Ease of Access
Architecture
Nature
Iconic Sights
Culture
Costs and Prices
People
Food & Drink
Public Transport
Safety
Day Trips
As there’s a lot of material to discuss, we’re going to be quite brief – so let us know in the comments below if you’d like us to expand on anything.
Ease of Access
Which city is easier to reach from other places in the world – Santiago or Buenos Aires? The answer really depends on where you’re coming from. For us Australians, reaching Santiago is easier as there are easier flight connections (for example, through New Zealand).
If you’re coming from Europe or North America, we’d call it pretty even between the two cities – perhaps giving the edge to Buenos Aires as it has two international airports, the Ministro Pistarini International Airport and Jorge Newbery Airpark.
To get into Santiago’s Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, there are frequently departing direct flights from cities such as Miami, Mexico City, Panama City, Houston, Paris, London and Toronto.
As for Buenos Aires, you’ll be able to find flights flying from Madrid, Panama City, Miami, Rome, Houston, Atlanta, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Paris, London and more.
If you’re already in South America and flying from countries such as Peru, Brazil and Colombia, you wouldn’t have any trouble finding flights to both cities.
Floralis Generica monument in Buenos Aires
We’ll also give another shoutout to Buenos Aires for being easy to access through neighbouring Uruguay. If you’re doing a trip through South America starting from Brazil, you could then travel to Uruguay’s capital Montevideo or the UNESCO World Heritage Site Colonia del Sacramento before catching an easy ferry into Buenos Aires.
You can use the Skyscanner search engine below to check connections to both Santiago and Buenos Aires.
WINNER: BUENOS AIRES
Architecture
The stunning El Ateneo Grand Splendid theatre-turned-library/bookstore in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires’ architecture is dominated by three kinds of styles – neoclassical, art nouveau and art deco. At every corner, every district, there is always a building to take a picture of. A walk through the Recoleta neighbourhood will take you through gorgeous attractions such as the Cementerio de la Recoleta, Floralis Generica and El Ateneo Grand Splendid, which are among my favourite things to see in the city.
Palacio Borolo in Argentina is the perfect example of architecture in Buenos Aires.
Cementerio de la Recoleta, Buenos Aires
Then you have other stunning classic structures such as the Teatro Colon, Catedral Primada, Palacio Barolo and Casa Rosada dotted along the city, as well as the colourful Caminito and La Boca area – offering a completely different type of architectural style.
Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires
The colourful Caminito area, Buenos Aires
Ralph in front of the Casa Rosada building.
Church of the Holy Sacrament, Buenos Aires
Santiago also has its fair share of stunning Spanish-influenced colonial buildings, but its architectural landscape also includes more modern buildings as opposed to Buenos Aires.
Interior of Catedral Metropolitana in Santiago
While the city is home to the beautiful Catedral Metropolitana and La Moneda, it’s also famous for buildings such as the Sky Costanera, the highest lookout in South America
La Moneda, Santiago
Ralph in front of the Sky Costanera building, seen from the Vitacura area in Santiago.
The Templo Bahá’í, on the outskirts of Santiago city, was one of the more unique architectural examples that I visited during my time in Santiago.
Asher at the Templo Baha’i
Personally, I enjoyed Buenos Aires’ sheer number of ornate buildings and would give the edge to the Argentinean capital.
WINNER: BUENOS AIRES
Nature
Santiago is surrounded by the Andres mountain range, as seen from Cerro Santa Lucia here.
Santiago’s skyline is surrounded by the epic Andes mountains, blessing its population with grandiose natural views everywhere you turn. We’ll admit that the fog and pollution level can sometimes obstruct your view, but head to viewpoints such as Cerro Santa Lucia, Cerro San Cristobal or Sky Costanera and you’ll be able to really take in the gorgeous landscapes up there.
The bottom of Cerro Santa Lucia, Santiago
The skyline view from Cerro San Cristobal (it’s covered in pollution, but still beautiful somehow).
The Chilean capital struck me as a bit more of a modern, cosmopolitan city, so it’s no surprise that its urban cityscapes also include wide parks, trees and large green areas. For example, the Vitacura area is home to the leafy Parque Bicentenario, a peaceful oasis from an otherwise busy city.
Leafy park of Parque Bicentenario in Vitacura
The area around the Floralis Generica is a leafy enclave of Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires is also no stranger to green spaces, boasting attractions such as Los Bosques De Palermo, Jardin Japones and Jardin Botanico. However, I would say that the overall natural scenery of Santiago is more visually striking.
WINNER: SANTIAGO
Iconic Sights
If I’m being honest, both of these cites are places that you really get to know simply by staying for a few days and exploring on your own. Neither have instantly recognisable landmarks such as Sydney’s Opera House, London’s Big Ben or Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer – their beauty is more felt than rather than seen.
La Virgen Maria on top of Cerro San Cristobal in Santiago
Skyline view from Cerro Santa Lucia.
The most famous sights in Santiago are the ones I’ve already mentioned before and involve panoramic views. These are Cerro Santa Lucia, Cerro San Cristobal and the Sky Costanera. The cable car and funicular system in Santiago is also a fun way to catch some views.
👉 Recommended Activity: Small Group City Tour of Santiago
Buenos Aires’ renowned sights include Teatro Colon, Puerto Madero, Recoleta Cemetery, Caminito and Casa Rosada. You may have recognised the famous balcony of Casa Rosada from the movie Evita, where music legend Madonna portrayed Eva Peron – Argentinian icon and former First Lady of Argentina.
Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires
Puerto Madero area, Buenos Aires
The Recoleta Cemetery is one of the world’s most recognisable cemeteries and definitely worth visiting (it’s also certainly the prettiest cemetery – this place is ridiculously beautiful).
The iconic Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, one of the world’s most recognisable cemeteries.
👉 Recommended Activity: Small Group City Tour of Buenos Aires
WINNER: BUENOS AIRES
Culture
The culture in Santiago and Buenos are both reminiscent of Europe – namely Spanish culture in the former, and Italian culture in the latter. Without getting into too many specifics (both places obviously have a lot of history behind why they are the way they are), I would characterise Santiago as a slightly more introverted and sophisticated city, while Buenos Aires struck me as a distinctly South American city with a European flavour. Santiago felt a little quieter but more modern, while Buenos Aires felt more classic and vibrant.
The hipster culture is well and truly alive in Santiago, which can be seen by walking through neighbourhoods such as Barrio Lastarria, Barrio Bellavista, Barrio Italia.
Typical vibe at Barrio Bellavista
Hipster area of Barrio Lastarria is popular with students and young adults.
In Buenos Aires, the vibrant atmosphere can be found in the tango-flavoured Caminito, as well as the cultural hubs of Palermo Soho, San Telmo. I would definitely recommend catching a tango show in Buenos Aires if you have the time.
Home of Tango – Caminito district in Buenos Aires
The Palermo area in Buenos Aires is one of the best for food and culture.
👉 Recommended Activity: Early Tango Dinner-Show in Buenos Aires
WINNER: TIE – too subjective, depends on which you prefer
Costs and Prices
This category is really easy to decide since Chile is notorious for its expensive prices compared to the rest of Latin America. In fact, we found ourselves paying similar prices to those you can find in Australia.
Meanwhile, Argentina is currently going through an economic crisis that has essentially devalued their currency, meaning that visiting Buenos Aires has never more inexpensive. The prices in the Argentinian capital were much, much cheaper, even on par with prices in South East Asian countries such as Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
WINNER: BUENOS AIRES
People
Before visiting both places, I heard that Chileans were less friendly than Argentinians. Did its reputation hold up? Although we did run into a few hairy situations before visiting Santiago (namely, in the desert region of Atacama), we found people in Santiago to be very friendly and welcoming. We made a lot of new friends there that we still keep in contact. Chileans may seem more introverted, but didn’t seem any less friendly to me.
Hanging out at the beautiful shopping mall, Galerias Pacifico in Buenos Aires
The Argentinians we came across reinforced the country’s reputation of having friendly, outgoing hospitable people. No issues in Buenos Aires with people at all. They have a little bit of a rivalry going on that you might find interesting if you ask what they think of each other, as well. 😅
WINNER: TIE – Argentinians are more outwardly friendly, while Chileans are friendly in a more subtle way.
Food & Drink
Both cities are considered world-class places for their gastronomy, but there are slight differences. When visiting Santiago, visiting Lastarria is a must for high-quality food. You should also check out places in Franklin, Las Condes and Vitacura. In fact, I had one of the best Japanese ramen meals of my life at the Kintaro Ramen Bar in Vitacura.
My meal at Kintaro Ramen Bar in Santiago
As for Buenos Aires, areas such as the previously mentioned Palermo, Puerto Madero, Recoleta and San Telmo are all excellent choices for a good meal. With its famous barbequed meats, you should also try the local Argentinian cuisine when in the capital city.
The Puerto Madero area in Buenos Aires is one of the best for food.
Just as a side note, there were plenty of Asian food choices and bubble tea in both cities. Santiago’s Asian restaurants can be found scattered everywhere, but you can find a plethora of Asian food choices in Buenos Aires’ Chinatown (Barrio Chino) – which we really enjoyed walking around at night.
Buenos Aires’ Chinatown at night.
Oh! Tea is one of Buenos Aires’ bubble tea franchises and it was so yum!
As for bars, clubs and general nightlife, Buenos Aires wins this one, hands down. Santiago has less than half of Buenos Aires’ population so naturally has fewer choices when it comes to late-night activities.
👉 Recommended Activity: Local Foodie Adventure in Buenos Aires
WINNER: BUENOS AIRES
Public Transport
Santiago has an excellent subway system that is safe and easy to use. Most of our friends in Santiago get around this way and cite its cleanliness, modernity and security. For a major South American city, I would give Santiago an A grade for public transport.
Buenos Aires also holds up quite well, as its metro system, “the subte”, features an extensive network that can get you pretty much anywhere in the city. However, we have heard more reports of uncomfortable experiences such as the heat in the summer and overall sketchier vibes.
WINNER: SANTIAGO
Safety
The statistics and word-of-mouth experiences indicate that Santiago is much safer than Buenos Aires, but we honestly didn’t feel that way. Perhaps COVID changed things, but we thought both were pretty even in terms of safety.
In both cities, we felt safe and didn’t have anything bad happen to us. We walked around for long distances late at night in the popular areas and didn’t feel like there was any imminent danger whatsoever (we’re not saying that nothing will happen to you, but walking around both cities was fine for us). Of course, please do your research on which areas are safe and unsafe to walk around.
Asher at the Palermo area in Buenos Aires
The areas we walked around at night in Santiago were Las Condes, Vitacura, Providencia and Lastarria. In Buenos Aires, we felt safe in the areas of Recoleta, Palermo Soho, and surprisingly, the Centro area.
Walking around the Centro area in Santiago.
The one area that felt a bit more rundown was Santiago’s Centro area, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected.
WINNER: TIE
Day Trips
Santiago and Buenos Aires are both amazing hubs for some of the most memorable day trips you can take.
From Santiago, the most popular day trip involves heading to the colourful coastal cities of Valparaiso and Viña Del Mar. Other popular trips include a day at the Inca Lagoon in the Andres Mountain Range, and a tour of Chilean’s famous wine valleys (e.g. at the Casablanca Valley or Maipo Valley).
To check out these recommended day trips and more from Santiago, click the following:
Inca Lagoon in Andes Mountain Range – With Wine Tasting at Vineyard
Casablanca Valley from Santiago – 3 Wineries with Lunch Stop
If you’re starting from Buenos Aires, you can escape the busy city on a tour of the Tigre River Delta and San Isidro, where you can enjoy a cruise around the canals. You can even visit the world-famous Iguazu Falls on an all-day (but worthwhile) day trip.
A day trip to the amazing Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires is certainly doable.
The day trip I would recommend most is a trip to Uruguay’s Colonia del Sacramento, a peacefully pristine coastal town that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s super quick and easy to make a trip there, and it’ll allow you to explore parts of a completely new country. Not to be outdone by Santiago, wine tasting in the Bodega Gamboa is also a popular day trip activity.
Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay is also reachable by day trip from Buenos Aires.
To check out these recommended day trips and more from Bueno Aires, click the following:
Small-Group Day Trip to Colonia del Sacramento from Buenos Aires
Private Day Trip to Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires, Airfare Included
While Santiago’s day trips are amazing, I love that you can visit a whole new country just a hop and a skip away from Buenos Aires, as well as visit the epic Iguazu Falls. Both were highlights of my entire South American trip.
WINNER: BUENOS AIRES
Overall Winner – Should I Visit Santiago or Buenos Aires?
Buenos Aires swept the categories 9-5, so the winner of this battle is Buenos Aires.
Overall, I enjoyed the buildings, affordability and general vibe of Buenos Aires more than Santiago. I would highly recommend visiting the Argentinian capital so you can experience it for yourself.
We love BA!
Buenos Aires really is a city unlike any other, and has easily solidified its place as one of my favourite cities of all time. If you can only visit one, you should visit Buenos Aires.
Ralph enjoying Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires.
Asher at the El Ateneo Grand Splendid.
That’s not to say I didn’t love Santiago – because I did – and I can’t wait to visit again. Santiago is still a beautiful, modern city that’s lovely to walk around and take in.
Ralph at Cerro Santa Lucia
It was definitely the more relaxing city of the two and would be my choice if I was in the mood to just chill out for an extended period of time. I loved staying in the pretty Vitacura area and just going for a stroll around the leafy parks.
We’d love to come back to the Vitacura someday.
Thinking of visiting both cities? They are only a short and inexpensive 2-hour flight away, and you can find connections on several airlines such as Sky Airlines, LATAM, Aerolineas Argentinas and JetSMART. You can take a look at flights on Skyscanner.
Would you rather visit Santiago or Buenos Aires? Let me know in the comments below!
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The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the world’s most instantly recognisable glaciers. Although many choose to visit during the warmer months, we visited in the frosty winter to find out if the experience was still as amazing. Turns out – we loved it and want to convince you that you should visit during winter too. Here are 5 Reasons to Visit Perito Moreno Glacier in the Winter.