Santiago

Santiago is Chile's beating heart, a modern metropolis cradled between snow-capped Andes mountains and the rolling Pacific coast. This is a city that blends European history with Latin American flair, where trendy boutiques and hip eateries have sprouted up among centuries-old mansions and majestic cathedrals.

Locals — aka santiaguinos — are notorious for speaking a fast, distinct iteration of Spanish with an impressive amount of slang. Locals are also laid-back, friendly and forgiving — especially to foreigners — so don't be afraid to ask "¿como?" (can you repeat that?) if you can't understand.