Saturday in Santiago: Piscina Antilén
The only time I’ve ever been to a public pool is when I was a child vacationing in the South of France. Yes, I am aware of how that sentence makes me sound. But, until last weekend, it was true. I grew up in a part of California where it was normal that many of my friends and I had pools, and why would we pay to go to a communal pool when we could just walk out our back doors?
Now, however, I live in a building without a pool. It’s literally the only thing I would change about our apartment, but sadly no one asked me. Every summer, I bemoan my pale skin and try to mooch off friends. But last weekend Rodolfo and I decided to take matters into our own hands by going to one of the public pools on Cerro San Cristóbal: Piscina Antilén.
San Cristóbal is a big hill in the middle of Santiago which functions as a park. Tourists often take the funicular up to see the big statue of the virgin and gaze down at Santiago, but there are hiking and biking trails, picnic areas and two ruinously expensive pools – $6.000 (US$12) for the smaller, lower-elevation Tupahue and $7.500 (US$15) for Antilén.
I was shocked by the prices, but they seemed to serve to keep the crowds to a good level. Although we were told that in January and February, when so many santiaguinos go on vacation, the pool looks like this, but in December and March it’s packed. And although I won’t say that $15 for a pool is worth it, I will say that I have no regrets.
The view is gorgeous from 800m above sea level. The only building even remotely close to our height was the in-progress Costanera Center, which will be the tallest building in South America when it’s done.
We also had a view of what I think of as the back-side of Santiago: the comunas of Huechuraba, parts of Recoleta, even as far west as Conchalí. It’s not exactly tourist-central, nor is it a part of town I tend to go to, although Huechuraba is now well-connected thanks to a tunnel going through San Cristóbal hill to make the commute easier for people headed to the business park Ciudad Empresarial. Santiago really is growing fast.
I wish they offered season passes to the San Cristóbal pools. I’m sure I’d take advantage, and I’d happily pay up-front for sunshine all summer. At $7.500 per person, this is unlikely to become an every weekend activity. But as an occasional splurge, it’s a lovely setting in which to soak up some rays.
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Saturday in Santiago
I’ve been to both pools on San Cristobal, and it’s definitely worth the $1.500 extra to go to Antilén. My building doesn’t have a pool either, so I would so be with you on the season’s pass thing. Because $7.500 is a bit steep to shell out every time!
Good to know that we made the right choice! But even so, it’s going to be a once in a while splurge because I don’t care how nice the pool is, $7.500 is crazy.
I went here my first day in Santiago! Ridiculously over-priced, but my friend really wanted to go. It was a lovely afternoon.
On the bright side, all the other activities in Santiago probably seem cheap by comparison now, right?
Is that a new bikini I see peeking through at the end of this post? I love it. The print looks almost Missoni-ish. Maybe I’m wrong, but those three inches of strap showing give that impression. Super cute!
I was thinking the same thing! What a cute (top of a) bathing suit!
xo
Thanks! If only I had more time to wear it.
I got it in Hawaii last year, but you probably haven’t seen it. Not Missoni (or, let’s be real, Missoni for Target), but I do see why you would say that.
I grew up in Florida having a pool, so I totally get it. I still have one but rarely go. I loove sitting around the pool on vacation. Sexy couple!!! And ugh, what I’d do for that warm sunny weather. I’m over winter already!
I’m sure that soon enough our summer will end, and I’ll be jealous of your desert heat AND of the fact that you have a pool.
The view from the pool is nice!!! And the pool also looks nice! I haven’t been to a public pool either. I grew up without one in my house but we spent the weekends going to country clubs or houses with pools. Cali is always sunny and around 25C so a pools is a necessity. I always wanted my own pool. I used to stay with my cousins for days and we never got out of the water. In Florida I didn’t have a pool in my parents house but every apartment complex has one or more. Where we live now there are 3 pools and they are always crowded. Someday I will have my own house with a pool in the backyard
I was a total fish as a kid, and I’m sure it made life easy for my parents that during the summer we didn’t need to go anywhere or do anything for me to be entertained. I could just sit in the pool for hours and be happy.
What beautiful views! So odd that they don’t have a season pass…
I know, I honestly think I might suggest it if I can find a contact email. Not, of course, that I expect they’ll take notice, but it’s worth a try.
Haha I swear I was going to say the same thing is Kyle! You and your hubby are sooo cute! WHAT A VIEW!!!
Seriously good view. And I look a little weird in that last picture, but Rodolfo looks good, so he can cancel out my weirdness
Great post! I can relate to not going to public pools growing up. I think everyone I knew in Silicon Valley had some sort of pool!
Rodolfo was shocked when he found out I’d never really been to a public pool, but like you say, almost everyone just had their own pool. We had a good childhood
[...] Tim and I went to find the public pool he had heard about. These photos were taken from the Antilen pool at the top of the hill at the Parque [...]