We just returned to one of our favorite cities, Santiago de Chile, where we spent four months in 2011. It was the first time we've been back to Santiago since then, and we were pleased to wander the Bellavista neighborhood where we'd lived and find that many of the shop and apartment walls were still covered with imaginative murals.
One day back in 2011, I wandered around photographing the murals and spread a few shots around a few posts I did on Santiago back then. I thought I'd revisit those times, as well as add some shots I took this time around.
I didn't spend as much time this time around wandering the neighborhood, as we were leading a group and didn't have the free time, but I did see some new additions to the ambiance…and wondered how many of the old murals that were so familiar have now been painted over with new art.
So, some of these shots are from 2026, and others are from 2011. What is clear now is that the artistic aesthetic persists in Santiago, and that makes these neighborhoods a wonderfully pleasant place to live…or just to pass a few days reminiscing.
You can read about our full Santiago de Chile itinerary with our 2026 Travel Past 50 tour group right here: Santiago Itinerary: Neighborhoods and Day Trips.
What a great idea to attract attention to the store – with those wall paintings.
There are cartoon murals all over the entire Bellavista neighborhood. It’s really sort of cool. Probably the most fun walkaround in Santiago.