This is a pedestrian area off Avenue Providencia which has two different personalities. By day it is a pleasant place to walk amongst the boutiques and cute half-timbered teashops while at night it becomes a haven for night clubbers and others. I was told that this ‘used to be "the place" in Santiago to hang out but that is no longer the case as here and nearby Calle Suecia are places for druggies and prostitutes’. There was no evidence of this when we visited late one afternoon but I must say that parts of the area seem to have seen better days so there could be some truth in this statement.
The whole Providencia area, has many slick, American-style bars that pull in a huge crowd of professional types, including lots of expats and foreign visitors. This is also a restaurant hotspot with several close to Holley and others on the main Avenue Providencia. Mar y Vinos is at Hooley and Bucarest, Macondo is at Holley 2368, Atakama is at Holley 2366 and El Indio Picaro is at Suecia 030. We had a good meal at this latter restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I do not claim to be a nightspot expert but we briefly called into Boomerang at Holley 2285. This high energy Suecia nightspot is a favorite for Santiago’s young scene chasers looking for ear-piercing dance music and a chance to rub shoulders with the city's socialites and party seekers. A few pool tables allow diversion from raucous socializing. This may not be the best choice for a casual glass of wine after a day of shopping and sightseeing, but travellers looking for a fun and festive outing will keep coming back.
Other pubs and discotheques in the area are Arriba de la Bola (Tel: 2327965) at Holley 171, Babel Club at Holley 2337, Charleston at Holley 2323, Bedrock at Suecia 78 and Brannigan’s at Suecia 35.