Ñuñoa is Santiago's most politically engaged and culturally vibrant commune — the neighbourhood where students, academics, and left-wing professionals have historically lived, and where the street life reflects those demographics. The Plaza Ñuñoa at the centre of the commune has independent cinemas, bookshops, jazz clubs, and café terraces that stay busy well into the evening.
The commune stretches east from Providencia and has a very different character from the wealthier eastern districts: the streets are less polished, the café prices lower, and the political murals more prominent. The Estadio Nacional — where prisoners were held after the 1973 coup — is in Ñuñoa. The commune is well-served by the metro (Ñuñoa station on Line 6, Irarrázaval station) and makes an easy half-day excursion from the centre.