After living in Santiago as an expat for a year I finally found the neighborhood gem to rival them all - Barrio Franklin. I’d heard of an “authentic” Santiago neighborhood with a massive flea market called Persa Bio Bio, but hesitated to venture alone. So when my friend and fellow travel writer, Steph Dyson from Worldly Adventurer, offered to give me a tour, I found myself in Santiago’s next hipster haven.

Santiago is considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in South America. But when you visit the numerous markets sprinkled throughout, you can still experience its Latin American charm. For that reason, I’ve put together a DIY Walking Tour Guide to 5 of my favorite markets in Santiago. And if you need some company, you can always join me on my Airbnb tours!

When you’ve been living in Santiago for a while (or, in my case, a few weeks), it almost feels like a little bubble. The roads are clean, the subway system (metro) is great, and the traffic follows the rules of the road. So, it’s easy to forget you’re in Latin America. Until you make your way to La Vega.