Hi there,
The capital Santiago would be an ideal starting point for your
Chile vacation. Some places you should visit are:
* The Plaza de las Armas, which is a lovely square where you can find old fashioned street photographers.
* The Cathedral which occupies the entire city block and has a beautiful marble and bronze alter.
* The Chilean Museum of pre-Columbian Art, where you can buy authentic reproductions of Indian art and jewelry.
* The Church of San Francisco, which is the oldest building in Santiago dating back to the sixteen century.
If you are traveling from North America be aware that because
Santiago is below the equator in the Southern Hemisphere, the summer months are from December to February and cool winter months from June to August.
Santiago's intra-city system is the better and cheaper way (around $1 per ride) to get around as the bus can be a little tricky.
Hope this helps
VacationBuddy