O'Higgins Park

O'Higgins Park is one of Santiago's largest and oldest public parks, a broad expanse of lawns, avenues and attractions south of the city centre. Dating in its present form to the late nineteenth century, it has long served as the capital's great democratic playground, where families of every background gather at weekends.

Its significance is civic and recreational. Named for the independence hero Bernardo O'Higgins, the park hosts the country's main Independence Day celebrations each September, when temporary fondas fill the grounds with folk music, dancing and traditional food. Through the year it also stages major concerts and festivals on its open fields, making it central to the city's public life.

The park sits in the south-central districts, easily reached by its own metro station, and packs in a range of attractions. These include an amusement park, a small lake, an aquarium, museums of the insect world and Chilean heritage, playing fields and long tree-lined promenades laid out for strolling. Its formal avenues and monuments recall the ambitions of the era that created it.

For visitors, O'Higgins Park offers a lively local day out. Rent a boat on the lake, walk or cycle the avenues, or visit during the September festivities to experience Chilean patriotic culture at its most exuberant. The grounds are free to enter, flat and family-friendly, with food stalls and picnic areas throughout. On ordinary days it is a calm green retreat; during festivals and concerts it becomes one of the busiest places in the city. For travellers wanting to see how Santiago relaxes and celebrates, this sprawling park is where the capital comes together. A domed monument and an equestrian statue within the grounds honour the independence hero whose name the park has carried for well over a century.