culture
Art, Theatre and Cinema
During the summer, the
whole of Santiago becomes a huge theatre, with its many festivals
and performances. What is known as the "Teatro a mil"
("mil"
meaning a thousand) takes place in Mapocho station every day in
January and competes with the many free theatre festivals organized
by various councils in the capital city, such as La Florida or Providencia.
For music-lovers, the choices are both excellent and wide. Whether
you are interested in seeing one of the concerts of world-famous
bands such as Inti Illimani or Los Jaivas, or attending one of the
many folk, jazz or classical concerts offered throughout the city,
Santiago has something for you, no matter your musical preference.
If it's rock you are after, you should have a look and see what
is going on in places like La Batuta, Zoom or La Pica de 
don
Chito, where there tend to be many concerts organized throughout
the year. During the summer, the Teatro Municipal presents concerts
practically every night, presenting some of the new music that has
come out during the season.
Summer is also a time for cinema, and there are many festivals and
retrospectives in various cinemas located throughout Santiago. The
art cinema Normandie offers excellent retrospectives of the best
films of the year at very reasonable prices (USD$2 for students).
The art cinema Alameda is also worth paying a visit to. It organizes
interesting retrospectives of European, Latin American and Asian
cinema, as well as entertaining animation features.
There are many other things one can do at night in the center of
Santiago.
Why not simply have a walk along the Paseo Ahumada, where there
are many street stalls selling trinkets and treats? At the end of
that street, you will come across the recently refurbished Plaza
de las Armas. Surrounded by Colonial buildings, the place is full
of street painters and musicians who perform all sorts of concerts
on the stage.
Santiago has more than one face. And this is part of its attraction:
modern shopping malls on the one hand, and indigenous arts and crafts
exhibitions (in the Cerro Santa Lucia) on the other, street performances
and juggling outside the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (Museum of
Contemporary Art), and visual art exhibitions in its many galleries
and underground stations. Santiago is a city of healthy contrasts
between its different areas, with a truly fascinating cultural and
architectural diversity
