From its massive coastline to its mountains to its deserts and everything in between, Chile is a country with so much to do. With just one week, it’s impossible see and do everything in Chile. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a good time. You will need to pick and choose which activities are the most valuable to you. While there’s no wrong way to spend your time, this one week itinerary does its best to give you a nice overview of Chile.
Admittedly, I have not done this itinerary. I spent 9 days in Chile, but I realize that many people travel with limited vacation time. So, with that in mind, I developed a shorter version of that itinerary.
One Week in Chile
I designed this one week Chile itinerary as a point-to-point itinerary so you’ll need multi-city plane tickets. You’ll fly into Santiago (SCL) and out of Puerto Montt (PMC). While this may be a little more expensive, you’ll likely save precious time. However, for me, the multi city ticket actually turned out to be about $50 USD cheaper than a round trip flight from Santiago.
Day 1 – Hello, Chile
This Chile itinerary starts in Santiago. If you’re flying in from anywhere outside the country, odds are good you’ll end up in Santiago. While it wasn’t my favorite destination of the trip, you’re already in Santiago, so take just a little time to explore the city.
From the airport, catch a bus to the center of town. Depending on where your hotel is located, you’ll want either Santiago Parajitos or Santiago Alameda. Centropuerto buses will get you to Parajitos whereas Turbus will get you to both terminals. Buses cost 1800 to 2000 CLP and can take 20 to 30 minutes depending on your final destination. Note that both bus stations offer connections to the metro that can help get you the rest of the way to your hotel.
Drop your bag at your hotel and then it’s time to hit the ground running. Visit Constitution Park and see La Moneda Palace. A few blocks away is Santiago’s Plaza de Armas along with the stunning Cathedral of Santiago de Chile and the informative (if you know Spanish or have a background in Chilean history) National Museum.
For lunch, head to the Central Market and stop at any restaurant that looks good. With your belly full, jump on the metro to Santa Lucia Hill for nice views of the city before heading to San Cristobol Hill. Here you can get a cable car for even better views of the city.
Sleep: Santiago
Day 2 – Valparaiso and Viña del Mar Day Trip
There’s several day trips you can do from Santiago, but I’m choosing what I think is the best overall choice. Some may disagree, but I think it’s worth taking a day to go and explore the beach towns of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. Travelers who like to travel at a slower pace should just pick one (I prefer Viña del Mar over Valparaíso), but it’s totally possible to visit both in one day.
Get an early start and catch a bus from Santiago to Valparaíso. Buses depart regularly (nearly every 15 minutes), so there’s no need to purchase a ticket in advance. Just arrive at the bus station (either Parajitos or Alameda), purchase your ticket and board your bus to Valparaíso. Expect the bus to take an hour and a half.
While the town itself feels light on sights, the highlight is wandering its colorful streets and taking in the street art and murals that cover this city. To get the most out of your visit, consider joining a walking tour (and there are plenty of English speaking tours offered). If you don’t want to join a tour, you’re free to explore on your own as well. Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion are both neighborhoods full of colorful art that are fun to explore.
When you’re done in Valparaíso, it’s time to get to Viña del Mar. One option is to take the metro, but this is the most expensive option. The journey is only 650 CLP, but you must have a Bip! Card (different than Santiago’s Bip! Card) which costs 1500 CLP. So, for a cheaper alternative, take one of the many local buses that make the journey from Valparaíso to Viña del Mar.
Take some time to explore the city. Visit the Flower Clock, the Maoi at the archeology museum (Museo Fonck), Woluff Castle, and Vergara Pier. Of course, don’t forget to spend a little time strolling down along the beach. Personally, I liked Viña del Mar more than Valparaíso.
At the end of the day, head to the Viña del Mar bus station. Purchase a ticket and head back to Santiago.
Sleep: Santiago
Day 3 – Traveler’s Choice
Today I’m giving you a choice of how to spend your time. You’ll have one full day in or around Santiago. If you arrived later on day 1, consider spending a little extra time in Santiago. There’s plenty more to see that beyond what I had listed for day 1.
Wine lovers should consider a trip back to Valparaíso area to focus on the wine. There are loads of tours for those who don’t want to drive, but it’s also a tour you could DIY yourself.
If you didn’t get enough of the cities of Valparaíso or Viña del Mar, it’s easy enough to venture back to either of those cities.
And for people who are looking for a dose of nature, consider a visit to El Cajon del Maipo. The lake and surrounding mountains are stunning and you’ll find plenty of tour options (just make sure you book a tour in your preferred language!).
Whatever you choose, spend the night in Santiago.
Sleep: Santiago
Day 4 – Santiago to Puerto Varas
Today marks the halfway point of this one week Chile itinerary. We’ll say goodbye to Santiago and head to our next destination of Puerto Varas. While it is possible to take a bus, flying is a much more convenient option. Still, if you’re insistent on a bus, I’ll cover that in a little more detail later.
For those with a flight, you’ll need to return to the Santiago Airport. Simply repeat your steps from day 1, just in reverse. Head to either the Alameda or Parajitos bus station and catch either Turbus or Centropuerto bus to the airport.
While our end goal is Puerto Varas, there is no airport in the city. So instead, you’ll be flying to Puerto Montt. Flights will take about two hours. Pro tip: for the best views, try to sit on the left side of the plane. On a clear day, you’ll get a great view of the volcanos surrounding the area.
From the Puerto Montt airport, you need to get to Puerto Varas. There are no direct buses between the two cities, so a taxi is the easiest option. Prices from Puerto Montt’s airport to anywhere in Puerto Varas are fixed at 22,000 CLP. If that’s too far out of your budget, you’ll need to take a bus from the Puerto Montt airport to the city of Puerto Montt. Then, you can connect to a local bus to take you to Puerto Varas.
Sleep: Puerto Varas
Day 5 – Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls
There are so many good day trips from Puerto Varas and we’ll do two on this trip. The first is the one that I feel you have to take when you’re in Puerto Varas. It’s a day trip to the Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls. On a clear day, you can see the Osorno Volcano from the town of Puerto Varas, but there’s something so much cooler about seeing the volcano close up. Combine your visit to the Osorno Volcano with a visit to Petrohué Falls, a nearby waterfall.
Travelers with their own car can do this on their own, but for travelers without, you’ll want to look into a tour. I booked a guided tour through my hostel that took us to Petrohué Falls, Lago Todos los Santos, and the Osorno Volcano.
Sleep: Puerto Varas
Day 6 – Chiloé
It’s another day trip today. While there is flexibility for you to choose your own day trip, I’m going to make a case for the island of Chiloé. If you read other blogs, people will say that Chiloé is not worth a day trip. Rather, you should dedicate extra time to your trip and make Chiloé a destination on its own.
While its true that I agree that Chiloé deserves more than one day, sometimes one day is all you have.
As a caveat, there is a lot of driving today. I love scenic drives, so for me this isn’t a big deal. For others, this might be considered a boring day, so keep that in mind and feel free to change your day trip here.
To get to Chiloé, you’ll drive south toward Puerto Montt and board a ferry. From there, you’ll visit the small town of Chacao before heading to Piñuhuil where you’ll board a boat to try to catch a glimpse of wild penguins. My group got lucky and we saw eight penguins and a sea lion during our trip. It was the highlight of my day.
Then, you’ll stop at the market in Ancud before visiting the last Spanish Fort in Chile and returning to the mainland and Puerto Varas. It’s a long day, but it was definitely one of my favorites in Chile. The views were incredible and even I, a self proclaimed animal un-enthusiast, loved seeing wild penguins.
If Chiloé still doesn’t sound appealing to you, you have a few more day trip options. For DIY travelers, take a local bus and visit the towns of Frutillar and Puerto Octay. Or for those looking for another tour option, look at the Renoclavi Estuary for epic views of a fjord. This was actually my first choice, but we couldn’t find any English tours, so I took a tour to Chiloé instead.
Sleep: Puerto Varas
Day 7 – Goodbye, Chile
This one week in Chile ends here. Head back to the Puerto Montt airport and head home.
Pro tip: If your flight home, or to your next adventure, involves flying back to Santiago, try to get a window seat on the right side of the plane. If you have a clear day, the views will be fantastic as you take off from Puerto Montt.
Recap of this Chile Itinerary
Note that this recap assumes you’re taking the entire day to travel to Puerto Varas. If you take an overnight bus, you’ll have an extra day. It’s your choice where to add it.
Day 1 – Explore Santiago. Sleep Santiago.
Day 2 – Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. Sleep Santiago.
Day 3 – Traveler’s Choice. Sleep Santiago.
Day 4 – Santiago to Puerto Varas. Sleep Puerto Varas.
Day 5 – Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls. Sleep Puerto Varas.
Day 6 – Puerto Varas Day Trip. Sleep Puerto Varas.
Day 7 – Fly Home.
Hotels Needed
Days 1-3: Santiago (3 nights)
Days 4-6: Puerto Varas (3 nights)
Modifications to This Chile Itinerary
If the Puerto Varas and the Chilean Lake District doesn’t appeal to you, consider flying north to visit the Atacama Desert. This is a popular destination for many first time travelers to Chile and I saw it on so many itineraries when I was researching my trip. Obviously I skipped the Atacama Desert (as I have other plans to visit in the coming years), but it’s a totally valid (and very common) switch to make.
With More Time
With one extra day, the choice is yours where to add it. Personally, I’d add it to Puerto Varas because I felt the nature in this area was so much better. Plus, since the weather can be unpredictable, you have a better shot with the weather cooperating.
With two extra days, check out my 9 Day Chile Itinerary.
When to Do This Itinerary
This itinerary could theoretically be done all year round, but some seasons will be better than others. I’d avoid the Chilean Winter (June through August) as many sights in Puerto Varas close for the season. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Chilean Summer (December through February) is peak season in southern Chile. My guide in Chiloé said that when the cruise ships are in town, it’s not uncommon to have 2000 people at Petrohué Falls. I’d try very hard to avoid that!
Shoulder season can offer a great balance. I visited in October 2023 and had a phenomenal visit. Temperatures were pleasant around Santiago and Viña del Mar. It was warm without being too hot. In Puerto Varas, by some miracle, I had clear skies and sunshine every single day (this is not the norm—the area has 238 days of rain per year). Temperatures were always cold in the morning in Puerto Varas but warmed up to a comfortable temperature in the afternoon (although I still had a sweatshirt on).
Final Thoughts
Chile is a great country to visit, even if I experienced some struggles with a language barrier during my trip. This seven day itinerary is a great introduction for anyone looking to visit Chile. With cities, beaches, and mountains, you’ll see a little bit of everything in this beautiful country.
Continue Your Adventure
Chile Travel Guide: Check out my Chile Travel Guide for everything you need to start planning your trip, including itineraries, city guides, travel tips, and a detailed budget.
Santiago: Spend just one day in Santiago to experience the highlights of this city. Visit Plaza de Armas and ride to the top of San Cristobal Hill. For a dose of nature, take a day trip to El Cajon del Maipo for a beautiful blue lake and stunning mountain views.
Puerto Varas: Visit the charming town of Puerto Varas, but also take advantage of some of the awesome day trips, including the Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls and a visit to the island of Chiloé.
Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: Two cities that routinely get added to Chilean Itineraries are Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. They are great but don’t miss out on some of the region’s day trips, including a visit to La Campana National Park.