My Time in Chile During the November Holidays
I remember planning a trip to Chile a few years back, aiming for November because the weather was supposed to be getting warmer down there. Didn’t really think much about holidays, you know, just focused on seeing Santiago, maybe Valparaiso. Then, shortly after I arrived, I started hearing chatter about upcoming ‘feriados’ – holidays.
Turns out, Chile has a couple of public holidays right at the start of November. November 1st is All Saints’ Day, ‘Día de Todos los Santos’, which is pretty common in many Catholic countries. Then, there’s November 2nd, the ‘Día Nacional de las Iglesias Evangélicas y Protestantes’. What caught my attention was that sometimes, if the 2nd isn’t a Friday or Monday, they move it to make a long weekend. And that’s exactly what happened during my visit! The 2nd was shifted to Friday, giving everyone a nice four-day break including the weekend.
So, what did I actually do? Well, first, I had to adjust my plans slightly. I learned quickly that during these ‘feriados largos’ (long holidays), lots of Chileans travel, so buses and accommodations could get booked up. I decided to stay put in Santiago for the main holidays themselves rather than try to travel somewhere new right then.
Experiencing All Saints’ Day
On November 1st, I noticed the city was quieter than usual. Many shops were closed, especially smaller neighborhood ones. I’d heard that visiting cemeteries is a big tradition on this day, families going to remember relatives, clean gravesites, leave flowers. I thought about going to the Cementerio General in Santiago, which is huge and historic, almost like a city itself. I didn’t want to feel like a tourist intruding on personal moments, so I just walked around the Recoleta neighborhood nearby instead. You could still feel a certain atmosphere, a bit solemn but also family-oriented. I saw lots of flower vendors near the cemetery entrance, doing brisk business. I mostly just observed, took it slow, had a quiet meal at one of the few restaurants that were open in the Providencia area where I was staying.
The Long Weekend Kick-Off
When Friday came, the moved Evangelical Day holiday, the mood shifted. It felt less solemn and more like the start of a proper mini-vacation for locals. The city didn’t shut down completely – bigger malls and some supermarkets were open, but many offices and smaller businesses remained closed. There weren’t specific parades or anything for this particular holiday that I saw, it felt more like a general day off.
Here’s what I actually did during that long weekend:
- Stocked up beforehand: I made sure to grab groceries and essentials before the first holiday hit, just in case things were hard to find. Good call.
- Explored Parks: With nice spring weather, Santiago’s parks were full. I spent a lot of time walking around Parque Metropolitano, even took the funicular up Cerro San Cristóbal for amazing city views. Lots of families were out having picnics, cycling.
- Day Trip (Post-Holidays): I waited until the Monday after the long weekend to take a bus trip to Valparaiso, figuring transport would be less chaotic. It worked out well.
- Observed Local Life: Mostly, I just soaked it in. Sat at cafes that were open, watched people enjoying their time off. It gave me a different perspective on the city than a regular busy weekday.
Overall, being in Chile during these November holidays was interesting. It wasn’t massively inconvenient, especially since I stayed in a big city. You just need a little bit of planning. Knowing things might be closed or crowded helps you adjust. For me, it was actually quite nice to see the city slow down a bit and witness those cultural moments like the traditions around All Saints’ Day. It felt less like rushing through tourist sites and more like experiencing a slice of local life during a specific time of year.
