Bachelor of Visual Arts, Vanesa is a lover of free fairs, antiques and Chilean food. When she was 23 years old, she embarked on an adventure that made her change her way of seeing the world: living in England. She worked as a waitress in coffee shops, restaurants and babysitting children. Her last job was in the catering department of the University of Cambridge.
During the two years she lived in the UK, she had the opportunity to travel through the old continent. In each place she visited, she participated in Free Walking Tours.
Today, back home and more in love with Chile than ever and being a tour guide herself, Vanesa urges you to visit Santiago and look closely at its culture, indigenous past, landscapes and people.
Vane's Santiago Tip!
Metro Bio-bio or Franklin. Take a walk during the weekend through the warehouses of the mythical fair Bio-bio, popular market of more than two thousand places where you can find creole food, toys, clothing, antiques, technology, vinyl, street art and much more! Visit the Art Gallery Factoría Santa Rosa and eat an empanada in "El Manchao".
Vanesa was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and from an early age she was passionate about reading. She studied English Language and Literature in her home country and, thanks to a scholarship, in the United States of America. However, it was not until her internship at a University in Thailand that she realized that she would like to become a globetrotting book-worm. Somewhere along her travels she picked up a serious coffee addiction, as well as a keen interest in nature. These days Vanesa can be found in a cafe in Santiago reading a book (or a newspaper, or labels on different containers if there is nothing else to read) or trekking some of the beautiful hills that surround this majestic city.
Vanesa's Santiago Tip!
La Chascona - Nobel winning poet Pablo Neruda's house. It is not just a place where a famous poet lived, it is a story about a secret love affair, politics and the pleasure of finding beauty even in the most ordinary everyday objects.
A bike and language enthusiast from Brazil. Sergio came to Chile to study Physical Education and learn Spanish at age 19. He fell in love with the city and with a girl from Santiago, who he came to marry. This relationship enabled him to have a deeper knowledge of the Chilean culture and customs and adapt some of them such as having the Chilean ‘once’.
Riding a bike wherever he goes allows him to get to know places in the city that might pass by unnoticed when using other means of transportation.
His experience with tourism started in his hometown, Sao Paulo, where he volunteered to show foreigners around his city as a way to practice the languages he was studying. As a Strawberry Tours guide Sergio has the job he’s always dreamed of: working outdoors, speaking different languages and sharing experiences with people from all over the world
Sergio's Santiago Tip!
Stroll along the Mapocho river on a Sunday morning when Andrés Bello avenue is open only for pedestrians, cyclists and skaters.
María Laura was born and raised in Santiago. Since she was young, she showed interest in history and cultural heritage, and that was the reason she decided to study Art History. She has walked through Santiago most of her life and when she was doing an internship in the National Library, she always found places that would spark her interest, surprise her and sometimes even connect her with her own family history.
María Laura’s work experience has always been related to production and content development. She has worked in many different fields: coordination of events, music, culture & wine industry and even television, where she collaborated with tv shows such as “Santiago Adicto”. She is the kind of person that is always happy to explore and discover the hidden gems of Santiago and let travelers wonder at this exiting city!
María Laura's Santiago Tip!
My favorite place is downtown Santiago, where you can see 3 amazing murals by Nemesio Antúnez, a famous Chilean painter: ‘Quinchamali’ located in galleria Juan Esteban Montero, ‘Terremoto’ in the cinema Nilo, and ‘Luna y Sol’, in the lobby of the Grand Palace Hotel.
Maida is a journalism student. Born and raised in Santiago, she’s a lover of her city, the theater and the world of literature. Since she was a child, she got used to travelling with her family and friends, getting to know sustainable tourism and learning the story and culture of diferent countries. After living for six months in Austria, she learned German and fell in love with the story and music of the country.
She is a social activist that supports causes such as feminism, ecology and equality. Maida is a big fan of Chilean theater and Chilean gastronomy. Her great passion, besides national and international politics, is art and its social role. Her guilty pleasure: antique fairs and second-hand books.
She has recently joined the Strawberry Tours family, and is the youngest member of the team, so she has the best of motivations in a fun and new way.
Maida's Santiago Tip!
Walk down the Mapocho’s riviera, from its parks in the east side of the city, to the antique fair “Parque de los Reyes”. If you’re a big fan of nature, Santiago has wide options of trekking and parks: my favorites are Aguas de Ramon and Santuario de la Naturaleza.
