We arrived late at our apartment block where we were spend a week after a busy start to the trip. We had been looking forward to a place to put our feet up for a few days and explore at a more relaxed pace.

The first afternoon we walked over to Bellavista neighbourhood to get our bearings in the city. Of course some light refreshment was taken.

Santiago hosts 25% of Chile's total population but the centre is compact so we could explore easily.

We're not townies at heart, we sought out Cerro San Cristobal. Not only does it have commanding views of the city and a huge statue of the Virgin Mary at it's summit, there is also a swimming pool. We spent much of the afternoon at Piscina Tupahue, surrounded by Chilean families enjoying the Christmas holidays.

The walk around to the summit was hot but worth it. There were a few cyclists doing reps up and down this road, which kind of made me miss the bike for the first time in a while. Though 37 degree heat wouldn't be the best re-introduction!

The air pollution here is high and often obscures the view of the Andes out to the East. As a result you often get a hazy silhouette which is a shame considering the setting that this city has, nestled among breathtaking mountains.