Located on a 1,706-foot plateau, with the Andes as a backdrop, Santiago blends 18th & l9th century buildings, sleek skyscrapers and Spanish colonial cathedrals. Due to its geographic location, Santiago is one of the few capital cities in the world which has easy access both to ski slopes and beaches. It is in fact possible to visit the modern ski resorts as well as the famous beach resort of Vina del Mar or picturesque Valparaiso, Chile's main port, in just one day.