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I took the 405 bus that runs along Alameda, and a half hour later, I found myself in Vitacura. This posh area is home to some of Santiago’s wealthiest citizens. With tree-lined streets, large homes behind high walls, and lots of small art galleries, I felt like I was in Southern California. I love Southern California, but I don’t mean that positively.
Fashion Museum
My main target for my afternoon in Vitacura was the Fashion Museum (Museo de la Moda). It’s supposedly one of the most important fashion museums in the world. It opened in 2007 in the family home of its founder, Juan Yarur. The collection contains over 10,000 pieces covering the history of fashion in the world and some very famous memorabilia from the movies and music world. The home, built in the 1960s, is a Modernist work of art in itself. Of course, with my luck, the museum was closed for the installation of a new exhibit.
Ralli Museum
Next, I walked about ten minutes to the Ralli Museum (Museo Ralli). This free museum is one of five in the world from the collection of Harry Recanati (1918-2011), a successful banker and art collector. The museums are run solely by the Harry Recanati Foundation and do not accept donations or subsidies. The Ralli Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am-7pm. It has limited hours in January, open only on Saturday and Sunday, and is closed the entire month of February.
The entire ground floor showcases works of art from Latin American artists.
The second floor has very impressive pieces by René Magritte, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, and Salvador Dalí.
Streets in Vitacura
After the museum, I walked down Avenida Alonso de Córdova, which is lined with luxury shops, and Avenida Nueva Costanera, full of condos and high-end restaurants.
Bicentennial Park
I finished at Bicentennial Park (Parque Bicentenario), a huge park running north-south completed in 2011. The south end of the park (where I visited) has a couple small artificial ponds and newly planted trees, along with great views of the skyline. The north end of the park has some restaurants, cultural centers, and the Vitacura municipality building.
