The Lastarria neighborhood, also known as the Bellas Artes neighborhood, is located in the northeastern part of Santiago, Chile's capital city. Located between Plaza Italia, Santa Lucía Hill, the Alameda and Parque Forestal, this neighborhood is an outstanding cultural, gastronomic and tourist center. In 1996, it was declared a Typical Zone, and in 2018 it was recognized as one of the "coolest neighborhoods in the world" by the travel section of La Vanguardia.

The Bellas Artes neighborhood is traditionally bounded by San Antonio Street to the west, the Alameda to the south, Santa Lucía Hill and José Miguel de la Barra Street to the east, and Parque Forestal to the north. The Lastarria neighborhood encompasses the area east of José Miguel de la Barra and Santa Lucía hill, all the way to Plaza Baquedano.

After the Conquest of Chile, Pedro de Valdivia gave this area to Bartolomé Blumenthal (or Bartolomé Flores), who established a mill there. Blumenthal died on his property, on the eastern side of the Santa Lucía, on November 11, 1585.

The development of the neighborhood, as in other sectors of Santiago, began around a church, in this case, the church of La Veracruz. Over time, stately homes were built on winding streets, most notably the mansion in the Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro, which dates from the early nineteenth century. Although the neighborhood has a long history, this plaza was created in 1981 to preserve historic facades, including the house of Mulato Gil de Castro.

In the 1960s, bohemian locales began to appear in the area, which also served as meeting points for Santiago's homosexual community. Among these locals were "El Loro Perjuro", located on Merced Street, the piano bar "La Guarida", and the cultural center "La Casa de la Luna", which later, in 1968, was renamed "La Casa de la Luna Azul" under the management of Hugo Marín.

During the 1990s, the neighborhood was revitalized, maintaining its bohemian and intellectual character. At the end of that decade, new bars, cafés and cultural centers appeared, increasing the activity in the area. In 1996, the "Barrio del Mulato Gil de Castro" was declared a Typical Zone by the Council of National Monuments of Chile, and in 1998 its limits were extended to the north and east, renaming it "Barrio Santa Lucía-Mulato Gil de Castro-Parque Forestal". Today, it is recognized for its gastronomic offerings as well as its fashionable stores. The Universidad Católica and Bellas Artes subway stations offer direct access to the Lastarria neighborhood.

The neighborhood's cultural offerings are vast, with activities ranging from circuits and festivals to performances, especially on José Victorino Lastarria Street and Parque Forestal. It is also popular among the LGBT community, and on November 5, 2006, the Homosexual Integration and Liberation Movement (Movilh) held an event in Parque Forestal to declare the area Santiago's first gay-friendly neighborhood.

The neighborhood was also affected by the social outburst of 2019 and the following months due to its proximity to Plaza Baquedano, suffering acts of vandalism, looting and fires that impacted businesses and residents.

The Lastarria neighborhood is close to the Universidad Católica (Line 1) and Bellas Artes (Line 5) subway stations, in addition to the Baquedano station, which connects both lines. It is also accessible by buses of the Metropolitan Mobility Network that circulate mainly along the Alameda.