Mauricio Paredes has a weekend ritual with his family: visiting a different museum in Santiago every week. As director of Syracuse University’s Santiago center, he’s on a mission to share that same cultural enthusiasm with students.

“There’s something for everybody looking to enjoy a cultural and transformative study abroad experience in Santiago,” Paredes says. “For any students considering a study abroad, I encourage you to take advantage of the cultural advantages of Santiago.”

Those advantages are considerable. Culture permeates every corner of Chile’s capital city, extending far beyond vibrant concert halls and historic art museums into the streets, parks and natural landscape.

For Paredes, live music tops his list of favorite cultural activities. An electric guitar player himself, he sometimes performs for students or brings his traveling guitar on bus trips.

“We have these concert halls called Sala SCD, which feature popular Chilean bands and musicians,” he says. “These halls have become so important for our vibrant local music scene.”

That music scene became even more accessible to Syracuse students. Earlier this month, a group from the School of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) spent one week learning from and playing alongside students at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile as part of a new study abroad in music experience. It’s the first time this hands-on training opportunity has been offered to music students, reflecting Syracuse Abroad’s and VPA’s commitment to a strong cultural and arts-centered opportunity in Santiago.

Access to World-Class Arts

The arts are vibrant in Santiago, which serves as Chile’s cultural epicenter. Forty percent of Chile’s population lives in the city, and the main universities are located there.

“Every single important cultural and artistic event happens here,” Paredes says. “A few months ago, one of our partners, the Universidad de Chile, opened a top-notch music hall with impressive acoustics. Our students have access to those world-class concerts.”

Street art flourishes throughout the city. Students interact with street artists as they walk, and parks increasingly integrate art into their walking paths. The bohemian Barrio Bellavista neighborhood serves as the city’s cultural heart, filled with colorful street art, galleries, theaters and restaurants. Among the highlights is La Chascona, poet Pablo Neruda’s former home, now a museum displaying his eccentric collections.

Art museums abound. The Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos examines Chile’s history under Pinochet’s dictatorship, while the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes showcases Chilean and Latin American art.

“We have everything from 19th century art to modern art,” Paredes says.

Nature as Part of the Culture

Chile’s remarkable natural diversity is inseparable from its cultural identity, and Santiago offers students ideal access to explore it.

“Santiago is a city that is close to nature, and the nature in Chile is amazing,” Paredes says. “You can find every single type of geographic formation from around the world here.”

Students can access the nearby Andes Mountains and Pacific coast, with stunning city views from atop Cerro San Cristóbal. Organized trips allow students to tour Patagonia’s picturesque glaciers, untouched forests and pristine rivers.

“Traveling from the northern tip to the southern part of Chile by Santiago, you go through different climates and different types of geography, from glaciers and mountains to deserts and lakes,” Paredes says. “This fascinating geography is a strong part of our culture, and we introduce our students to this topic through our comprehensive seminar and by traveling to different parts of the country.”

Architecture as Art

Chile’s architecture itself is considered an art form. The historic city center boasts the Plaza de Armas, the city’s main square since colonial times, flanked by the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Central Post Office. Nearby, La Moneda Palace serves as both the presidential palace and a beautiful neoclassical landmark.

Students interested in studying abroad in Santiago during the Fall 2026 semester should complete their applications by Sunday, March 15.