HOME Travel Guide Common Sense Travel
decorative font style

Polaroid of the Week: Santiago's Outdoor Gyms with Stunning Andes Backdrop

Polaroid of the Week: Santiago s Outdoor Gyms with Stunning Andes Backdrop
In a previous post on 33 things we love about Buenos Aires, we highlighted the Argentine capital's active lifestyle. Yet, just days in Santiago reveal an even greater fitness enthusiasm. With the snow-capped Andes as a dramatic skyline, locals embrace skiing and hiking, while daily workouts permeate the city. Santiago's urban design caters to joggers, featuring bike paths and running trails through parks and the verdant medians of major downtown thoroughfares. Mornings and evenings, cyclists and runners in full gear—from high-end bikes to custom shoes and apparel—stream past as we walk our dogs. Sunday mornings bring massive running groups, mistaken at first for marathons.

Outdoor gyms abound along these paths and parks, particularly the 8km trail from downtown to the mountain foothills in Bicentennial Park, near our stay. We've spotted similar setups worldwide—in Asia, North America, Europe, and Mexico—but Santiaguinos truly maximize them. These facilities stem from the government-backed Elige Vivir Sano (Choose to Live Healthily) program, led by Chile's First Lady Cecilia Morel. A recent study credits it with motivating 500,000 Chileans to exercise three times weekly; in the capital, it feels even more widespread. Though not decked in fancy gear here, we recently used one, aligning perfectly with our own intensified fitness routine amid Santiago's vibrant energy.


Tourist Attraction
  • Polaroid of the Week: Majestic Castle Spotted in the Alps

    Embarking on a scenic drive from Innsbruck, Austria, to our housesit in the Bavarian mountains, we cruised the Autobahn in a rented Smart car. Suddenly, a stunning castle emerged into view—blink and it was gone. We captured this fleeting moment with a quick Polaroid snap. Not quite a castle in the sky, this idyllic fortress perfectly embodies the Alpine charm. Our drive-by Polaroid of the day!

  • Polaroid of the Week: Epic Cycling Adventure Through Berlin

    Apologies for the recent hiatus—Ive finally rolled out the long-overdue mobile-friendly website redesign. The transition hit a few snags, so please bear with me as I squash the remaining bugs. Exciting new posts are lined up and ready to publish. After an unforgettable first weekend in Berlin, we kept the momentum going with vibrant street art hunts, classic German breakfasts, our first-ever vegetarian currywurst, breathtaking sunsets over Tempelhof Airport (one of my favorite city gems), and an

  • Polaroid of the Week: My Emotional Return to London After Nearly 5 Years

    On my journey from New York to Sri Lanka, I made a brief stopover in London—the city I left in 2010 to explore the world. Back then, I never imagined it would take nearly five years to return. London has always been one of my favorite cities globally. Even after nearly half a decade of worldwide travel, it remains one of just three places Id consider calling home: New York, London, and Berlin. Returning after such a long absence proved deeply emotional. Im not sure if Ill expand on it further,