La Vega Central - Recoleta and Cementerio General (Santiago's graveyard)

In the north zone of the city, above Mapocho river there is another face of the city, you find some folkloric places and activities. There is located one of the most places full of local colour and popular tradition "La Vega Central", is a big market of fresh goods and food, a very crowed place with a particular smell and lots of colours. In Vega you can eat some typical food at a very low price (about 3€ ,4$).

Crossing the street (map below) it's a little Vega, where you can also eat at low prices and buy stuff.

If you keep walking thought La Paz av. you may notice a change in atmosphere, from a crowed place like la Vega to a quiet and static place. Santiago's General  Graveyard. 

This place when you walk from la Vega is a bit shocking, the entrance is composed by a semicircle neoclassic building containing a plaza, in the middle a fire-fighter monument, in front of it the impressive entrance of the graveyard. This place is a city itself, big mausoleum, graves and tombs makes a place where you can lost easily.

The entrance is free also there are some tour at night, ask in reception

HOW TO GET THERE?

Cementerio General :  

   From Providencia av  or Apoquindo av : 

        BUS:  use lines 401 - 406 - 407 - 421 - 426 - 427 , get off on Moneda palace walk west till     

        Amunategi st.  use line 301 to the north, get off on Santos Dumot st. and La paz av.  walk north at 

        La Paz st.

        SUBWAY : any station of L1, change in Baquedano to L5 (direction plaza maipu), then change to   

        L2 (direction vespucio norte), get of at Cementerios station. use south exit.

    From Santiago Down-town 

      BUS: Get to San Diego st. (if you are from Alameda av. to the south) or Bandera st. (if you are 

      Alameda av. to the north)  use 301 line 

      get off on Santos Dumot st. and La paz av.  walk north at 

      La Paz st.

      Get Santa Rosa av. (if you are from Alameda av. to the south) use line 203, get of at Arzobispo 

      Valdivieso av and Recoleta av.   

     Get Mc Iver st. (if you are from Alameda av. to the north) use 203 or 208, get of at Arzobispo 

      Valdivieso av. and Recoleta av.    

      SUBWAY: Get any Station of L1 and go Los Heroes station, change L2 (direction Vespucio Norte) 

      get off at Cementerios Station, use south exit 
Vega Central : 

    From Providencia av  or Apoquindo av : 

        BUS:  use lines 401 - 406 - 407 - 421 - 426 - 427 , get off on Moneda palace walk west till     

        Amunategi st.  use line 301 to the north, get off on Artesanos and La paz av.

        SUBWAY : any station of L1(direction San Pablo), change in Baquedano to L5 (direction plaza 

        maipu), then change to L2 (direction vespucio norte), get of at Patronato Station, walk thought 

        Lastra st. to west 

   From Santiago Down-town 

       BUS: Get to San Diego st. (if you are from Alameda av. to the south) use lines 301- 201

       or Bandera st(if you are Alameda av. to the north) use lines 301- 201- 202- 223

       get off on Artesanos and La paz av.

       Subway: take any station L1 and try to get Los heroes station, then change to L2 (direction  

        vespucio norte), get of at Patronato Station, walk though Lastra st. to west   

   

vega central map

vega central

Little Vega

(Cementerio general, taken from : http://www.canalpatrimonio.com )