Climate

Santiago enjoys a Mediterranean-type climate with four distinct seasons. Santiago registers an annual average temperature of 17º C (63º F). Weather in Santiago today.

Water

In general, Santiago's drinking water is completely safe for ingestion. For people who are generally more susceptible to changes in their environments, we suggest that you drink only bottled mineral water (you can choose between effervescent water, "natural" or water without bubbles "sin gas") during your first days in Chile. This water is commonly found in supermarkets, corner stores and restaurants.

Clothing

Spring clothing is recommended.

Time zone

Chilean Continental standard time corresponds to the time zone UTC-4:00 (Universal Time Coordinate). It is two-hours ahead of Lima, Peru and New York, USAChile uses a military time of 24 hours (e.g.: 3:00 PM are 15:00 hours).Chile uses the European format for date (day, month, year. E.g.: The 29 of December of 1980 is 19-12-1980)

Raw Foods

It is not advisable to eat raw vegetables, especially those grown near the ground (e.g. lettuce, carrots, strawberries, etc.), unless they are bought at established supermarkets, which normally monitor the sources of their products. Thus, there is a great variety of vegetables in which you should feel free to partake, as they are guaranteed of having been watered with clean well water. Established restaurants also offer this guarantee.

Personal Security

Santiago is widely known as a safe city for foreign visitors, much more so than most other large cities in Latin America. Nevertheless, it is advisable that you take normal safety precautions against pickpockets For example, avoid interactions with unknown people and keep valuables out of sight, or leave these items at home altogether.