Travel Tips Valparaiso – Less than two hours from Chile’s capital, Santiago, Valparaiso is one of the South American country’s most colorful and peaceful cities. Read our travel guide on the best things to see and do in Valparaiso, where to stay, how to get there, what to pack, and what the safety situation is like in this port city.
Valparaiso is a colorful city near Santiago de Chile that has attracted writers, poets, musicians and painters since time immemorial, and thanks to this, although the city is still a little rough around the edges, Valparaiso Retains its charm and ambiance.
Travel Tips Valparaiso
There are many things to do in Valaparaiso, and for many people the city is quickly becoming their favorite place in Chile.
What To Do, Where To Stay, And Where To Eat In Valparaiso, Chile
And while that wasn’t the case for us, it’s definitely a pleasant stop on a Chile itinerary.
To be honest, we had read and heard a lot of praise for Valparaiso, so our expectations were high, but we were not leaving Valparaiso disappointed, but a little confused because we weren’t sure what or why. are missing out.
We love exploring towns and cities, and although Valparaiso has beautiful spots, especially the many paseos and unique street art on the hills surrounding the city, during our visit, it might be a quick click for us. It wasn’t enough.
That’s why we’ve created this guide with lots of helpful tips on the best things to see and do in Valparaiso, including where to stay, how to stay safe, how to get to Valparaiso, and what to pack. have to do
A Guide To Visiting Valparaiso In Chile — Spin The Globe Project
We left the capital city of Santiago where the early morning temperatures were reaching around 30 degrees Celsius, so we didn’t pack any extra clothes, Martin even traveled in just his swimsuit and t-shirt, as we Also planned to go to the beach.
At the bus station we asked a lady at the information center what the best things to do in town were.
She was helpful but told us not to walk around Plaza Sotomayor because of the protests in Valparaiso that day (dock workers were protesting poor working conditions).
We grabbed a map and set out to explore Valparaiso, which was very easy since the center and paseos are walkable, and almost everything is close to the bus terminal.
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On the way back, as we were approaching Plaza Sotomayor, we suddenly had a strange sensation in our throats and noses and watery eyes.
When we turned the corner, we saw many people with scarves around their mouths, and we realized that we had inhaled tear gas because we had gotten too close to the protest.
We left the place and quickly jumped on the first bus to the beach at Vina del Mar, and since it was now too hot, Martin finally got a chance to swim in the sea.
Here you can see the best things to see and do in Valparaiso that we discovered during this exciting day trip from Santiago.
Your Guide To The Best Things To Do In Valparaíso, Chile
Valparaiso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and although it doesn’t feature equally must-see places in our opinion, it’s a pleasant city.
In Valparaiso, you can spend half a day leisurely strolling its charming patios, admiring the street art, enjoying city views from one of the many hills around the harbor and just , can spend a good day without rushing.
Here are the best things to see and do in Valparaiso you shouldn’t miss, whether you’re visiting Valpo (also known as Valparaiso) on a day trip from Santiago or if you’re here for a taste. Have decided to spend a week. in an artistic environment.
And to make walking around Valparaiso a bit easier and more comfortable for locals, Valparaiso has had a number of lifts and funiculars built since 1883.
Traveling To The Chilean Coast
So if you want to experience the ride, you’ll have no problem finding a lift that will take you up for a small fee.
The square near the port, Plaza Sotomayor, is the meeting place in Valparaiso and is also a place where strikes and protests often take place as we can experience first hand.
The plaza is lined with several notable buildings, and in the middle, you can find a statue commemorating the men who lost their lives during the Pacific War between Peru and Chile.
When you read all the time that Valparaíso is a place where artists, writers, and musicians gather, it may not surprise you that Chile’s most famous poet, and Nobel Prize-winning author Pablo Neruda. Here was his home.
Valparaiso Travel Guide: Chile’s Most Colorful City — Laidback Trip
Located atop Cerro Florida, La Sebastiana, as the house is called, is today an open museum where you can take an audio-guided tour for CLP 7500, and see what the interior looked like when the author lived here. .
Street art and graffiti cover the city from bottom to top, and if you don’t like graffiti and paintings on walls and houses, a visit to Valparaiso might be a bit of a shock for you.
To find street art in Valparaiso, you don’t need a map or a guide, you’ll just find it when you walk around the city with your eyes open.
If you want to learn more about art, where it comes from, and hear the stories behind the best paintings, you can take a Valparaiso and Art Tour.
A Guide To Valparaíso, Chile’s Wildly Creative Coastal City
When you don’t feel like walking up, take a funicular instead, but we recommend you walk back, otherwise, you would have missed the unique steps from Pesios back to sea level.
But while walking around the city, you’ll stumble across many nameless stairs that you’ll need to climb.
Vina del Mar is a city just 8 km from Valparaiso, which you can quickly reach by public transport from Valpo.
Rather than a different city, Viña del Mar reminded us of the slightly upscale and trendy suburbs of Valparaiso.
Things To Do In Valparaiso Chile
Viña del Mar has several city beaches, where you can relax for an hour or two before catching your bus to Santiago.
The weather wasn’t that hot when we visited Valparaiso, but Martin had already been walking around in his swimsuit all day, so we had no choice but to go to the beach, hence the silly look. will not come
We won’t lie to you, the sea in Chile is cold, so it’s not great for swimming, but the beach was beautiful, and overall it was a pleasant way to end our visit to the city.
To get to Viña del Mar, you can either take the train, but since you have to buy a plastic rechargeable card first, it’s much cheaper to get on a bus on Main Avenue, and get dropped off at the beach. will go Wanting to go, we chose Playa Caleta Abarca.
The Complete Guide To Valparaiso Travel
Often paseos around the city are beautiful and beautifully named avenues lined with expensive villas with well-tended gardens, corners where street artists try to take over the city, Artisan shops, bars and benches, where you can sit. While and taking in the environment.
The most famous paseos like Paseo Yugoslavo, Paseo Atkinson or Paseo Gervasoni are located at the top of the hills, and offer spectacular views over the port.
During the 19th century, the port of Valparaiso was one of the most prosperous ports of call in South America.
And although the glory has faded over the centuries (mainly due to the construction of the Panama Canal), it is still an important location for Valparaíso and the Chilean economy.
A Backpackers’ City Guide To Valparaiso
So you can either walk to one of the Paseos we mentioned above, or you can use the funicular to get there quickly and very easily.
Many historic buildings in Valparaiso host small temporary exhibits or permanent museums, so if you can’t imagine visiting a destination without quality museum time, you won’t feel cheated here in Valparaiso.
One of the favorite museums here is the Museo Maritimo National, where you can learn about Chile’s maritime history.
But for art lovers, a must-see is the open-air museum aka Museo a Cielo Abierto, a well-established circuit on Cerro Bellavista, mainly with many fascinating paintings by famous Chilean artists. There are walls.
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In all honesty, we think we saw much better street art in Valparaiso in the entire city and didn’t need to come here specifically, but if you have a lot of time, this is another thing you should see. Should be included in your itinerary.
Valparaiso is located by the sea, and from the water, the city spreads over 40 surrounding hills.
You can imagine each hill (cerro) as a separate unit, an area of the city with its own architecture, street art, vibe, and attractive patios with lively restaurants, artisan shops, great views of the city and Quirky coffee shops. .
The two most visited Cerros you shouldn’t miss when you’re in Valparaiso are Cerro Concepcion, which you can access from the city’s oldest funicular, and Cerro Alegre.
Gay Valparaiso: Our Guide With Gay Bars, Clubs, Hotels & Things To Do• Nomadic Boys
While you may have noticed that we’re not huge fans of hipster places where there’s nothing to do but drink coffee in supposedly cool coffee shops, we