These two attractions lie next to one another, so it makes sense to see both in one visit. But here's a word of caution: The extensive views that come with an ascent to the top of Cerro San Cristóbal can be ruined if it is a particularly smoggy day. But if the air is clear, this attraction rates as one of the best in the city, offering a breathtaking panorama of sprawling Santiago and its city limits that stop just short of the craggy Andes.

The Cerro San Cristóbal and its Metropolitan Park rise high above Santiago's bohemian hamlet Bellavista. One of the more interesting neighborhoods in the city, its streets are lined with trees and colorful antique homes, many of which have been converted into great restaurants and studios for artists and musicians. It's a pleasant place for an afternoon stroll; in the evening, Bellavista pulses to the sound of music pouring from its many discos and bars.

You might begin your visit with a trip to Bellavista's prime attraction, La Chascona (Fernando Márquez de la Plata 0192; tel. 2/777-8741). Located near the zoo and the entrance point to the Parque Metropolitano, this is one of three homes once owned by the brilliant, Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. As with Neruda's other two homes, La Chascona was built to resemble a ship, with oddly shaped rooms that wind around a compact courtyard. It's fascinating to wander through Neruda's quirky home and observe his collection of precious antiques and whimsical curios collected during his travels. Neruda's library is especially interesting, and it holds the antique encyclopedia set he purchased with a portion of his earnings from the Nobel Prize. The home is headquarters for the Fundación Pablo Neruda, which provides guided tours. Admission is $2 adults for Spanish tour, $3.25 for English tour, and it's open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 1pm and 3 to 6pm.

The Parque Metropolitano is a 730-hectare (1,803-acre) park and recreation area with swimming pools, walking trails, a botanical garden, a zoo, picnic grounds, restaurants, and children's play areas. It's the lungs of Santiago, and city dwellers use the hill's roads and trails for jogging, biking, or just taking a stroll. The park is divided into two sectors, Cumbre and Tupahue, both of which are accessed by car, cable car, funicular, or foot. In Bellavista, head to the end of Calle Pío Nono to Plaza Caupolicán, where you'll encounter a 1925 funicular that lifts visitors up to a lookout point, open Monday through Friday from 10am to 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm; tickets cost $1.50 adults, $1 children. Along the way, the funicular stops at the Jardín Zoológico, open Monday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm; admission is $3 adults, 75¢ children. This surprisingly diverse zoo features more than 200 species of mammals, reptiles, and birds -- it's a rather outmoded, sad affair, but fascinating just the same. You will have to restrain yourself when you see kids feeding monkeys cotton candy and Fanta. The lookout point is watched over by a 22m (72-ft.) high statue of the Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción, which can be seen from all over the city. Below the statue is the teleférico (cable car) that connects the two sections of the park, open Monday through Friday from 11am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am to 7:30pm. Tickets cost $2.25 adults, $1 children; ticket combinations with the funicular cost $3 adults, $1.50 children. The gondola offers great views while suspended high above the park before arriving at Tupahue, which is the Mapuche name for this hill, meaning "place of God." Here you'll find the Piscina Tupahue, an attractive, rock-lined swimming pool (no phone). The pool is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 7pm; admission for adults is $8 Monday through Friday, $9 Saturday and Sunday; children $6 Monday through Friday, $6.50 Saturday and Sunday.

A walk down the road will take you to the Camino Real and its wine museum Museo Enoteca (tel. 2/232-1758). The museum is disappointing, but the restaurant is worth the visit for the marvelous views from the dining area and patio. The museum offers a basic wine tasting at a bar that's relatively inexpensive. Nearby is the Botanical Garden Mapulemu (no phone). It's open daily from 9am to 6pm; admission is free weekdays, 25¢ weekends. From Tupahue you can either head back on the gondola to Cumbre and the funicular, or take the Valdivia teleférico down, which will drop you off at the end of Avenida Pedro de Valdivia. It's also possible to head back down by foot following a road that ends at Avenida Valdivia, passing first by the Plaza Gabriela Mistral. Of course, this trip can be done in the reverse direction, which might be more convenient if you're starting from Providencia or Las Condes.

If you're driving up to the park, you can drive via the Valdivia entrance road that continues at the end of Pío Nono, winding around first to Tupahue, then to Cumbre, or via the road that climbs up from Avenida Pedro de Valdivia. The admission fee for cars is $2 per vehicle -- but if you buy two glasses of house red at the Camino Real for $2, they'll give you a voucher for a free entrance. It's also possible to take a taxi up, but you'll need to pay the park entrance fee as well as the fare. The Parque Metropolitano's hours are daily from 8:30am to 9pm.