Written by Kendal

We gave you four musts already, but the list could not be complete without these remaining four:

Fondas

The party. A fonda is all things Chile all in one place. You dance, eat, drink, play games and simply enjoy. There are tons of fondas all over the city, some catering toward a certain group of people, others meant for all. One of the most popular spots is Parque O´Higgins, which holds several fondas, all at different entrance prices. They´re extremely fun and we really hope you get to at least one.

Food

It´s fair to say that upon life returning to normal, everyone has gained at least a kilo from eating so much, as food is an intricate part of the celebrations. As we mentioned, empanadas are one of the most common foods during this time. Most people just order them by the masses, however, some take the time to prepare their own. The "anticucho" (shish kebab) is another big one, sticks full of grilled meat, onions and green peppers. And as Chileans so dearly love the French fries, there are plenty of those as well, along with sopaipillas. Those four are probably the most typical at fondas, but there are all kinds of places offering a wider array of the Chilean classics.

Drinks

Chicha (a fermented fruit alcoholic beverage), terremotos, ponche (white wine and fruit), chichón (a mix of chicha, white wine and orange juice), wine and the beloved Piscola, as you can see, a lot of alcohol is involved in 18 festivities.

Asados

The Chilean barbecue, where meat is king. During the 18 festivities, the city basically smells of grilled meat everywhere you go. If not at a fonda, you are probably grilling up a feast with family and friends, drinking, talking, laughing and having a good time.

The concept of 18 September is to eat, drink and be merry, while spending time with family and celebrating this wonderful country. We hope you will have the chance to experience all eight on the list, as they are essential to a true Dieciocho. ¡Viva Chile!

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