Valparaíso, is a vibrant port city and UNESCO world heritage site. The city is full of colourful street art and charming hillside neighbourhoods linked by historic funiculars. Wander around and get lost in one of the most vibrant cities in the world!

Where is Valparaíso

Valparaíso is on the western coast of Chile about 112km(75 miles) from Santiago de Chile

How to get to Valparaiso

Bus: From Santiago de Chile you can take a bus from Estación Terminal Alameda. Two companies run the service Pullman and Turbus you can check the schedules online and buy a ticket from the booths in the ticket hall. Currently only Pullman allows you to purchase tickets online from the website linked above. The journey takes about 2 hours.

Getting Around

Most of Valparaiso’s sights are located in a small area so you will be spending most of your time exploring on foot and riding the funiculars to save you walking up and down all the stairs! There is a Metro train line that goes along the coast all the way to Viña del Mar.

When is the best time to visit

Summer (December–February): The peak tourist season, warm temperatures and more visitors with temperatures averaging between 12 °C (53 °F) – 23 °C (73 °F).
Spring and autumn: Milder weather with temperatures averaging between 9 °C (48 °F) – 22 °C (71 °F).
Low season (May–August): Colder temperatures, but fewer crowds with temperatures averaging between 7 °C (44 °F) – 17 °C (62 °F)

Our Verdict: Go in the shoulder in spring or autumn to avoid the busier crowds and save some money.

Where to stay

The best places to stay are in the upper part of the city around Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre. Here you will right amongst all the attractions, restaurants and bars. If you are on a budget the lower part of the city has cheaper options.

Things to do

Sea Lion Colony

There is a colony of Sea Lions at Playa Portales where you can watch these playful and majestic creatures basking in the sun or gracefully gliding through the waters of the Pacific Ocean. To get there take the Metro out to Portales station. When you arrive at Playa Portales you may see some Sea Lions frolicking around near the pier. To see the full colony walk past the fish market, on the other side you will find them all hanging out. Once you are done you can also stop for some seafood at one of the many restaurants here or enjoy the beach.

Ride the Funiculars

Valparaíso is known for its iconic funiculars, locally called “ascensores.” These historic cable-driven railways provide transportation up and down the city’s steep hills, making it easier for residents and visitors to navigate the hilly terrain. You need to ride at least one while you are in Valpo our 3 favourite ones are:
Funicular Reina Victoria: The Ascensor Reina Victoria was opened in 1902 and is named in honour of Queen Victoria. It will take you up to the Alegre neighbourhood and costs 100 pesos.
Ascensor Concepción: The oldest elevator in Valparaíso opened in 1883. It connects the Elías Alley with the Gervasoni Promenade on the Cerro Concepción and it is free!
Ascensor el Peral: Links Plaza de la Justicia to Paseo Yugoslavo that has a viewpoint overlooking the bay and mountains.

TRAVEL TIP: You will be spending most of your time wandering around the streets and up and down stairs. So make sure you bring along a good pair of shoes suitable for walking.

Templeman Street

Cerro Concepcion a picturesque neighbourhood known for its colourful and charming houses, cobblestone streets, and vibrant street art. One of the must see spots here is the famous we are not hippies sign.

Cerro Alegre

Cerro Alegre is a beautiful neighbourhood with beautiful murals, cafes and restaurants. It’s a joy to wander around and get lost in the streets relax and watch life go by with a coffee. This was probably one of our favourite spots.

Stairs

Yes stairs! Valparaiso has street art on nearly every surface including the stairs! Walking up stairs is not fun but when they are a covered in colourful street art makes it much more pleasant.
Slide Stairs: A concrete slide beside the brightly painted walls and stairs. You gotta try it out when you are here why walk when you can slide!
Rainbow Stairs: Here artists have painted these steps in a stunning array of colours and for the best experience you will need to walk up the stairs!
Piano Stairs: This is a popular spot where the stairs have piano keys painted on them.

Paseo 21 de Mayo

A nice walk down near the docks where you will pass some awesome street art as you make your way up to a viewpoint overlooking the city. Probably the best views of the city here.

TRAVEL TIP: All these places are marked in the interactive map above!

Where To Eat & Drink

Bar la Playa: This bar had an old time charm felt like you stepped back in time with an eclectic collection of antique items, and an old wooden bar. We came here to try the Paila Marina a seafood soup that is famous in the region.

Delicias Express: For delicious empanadas you cant go past Delicias Express! here they have over 80 varieties that are made to order and are absolutely fantastic!

Cafe Claudia: For the best Churrasco Sandwiches and Chorrillana in town head to Cafe Claudia this super local place is a little out of the way but they serve good cheap food that will blow your mind. It was so good we went twice!

Conclusion

We really loved this city for a few of reasons, as you can see it is very beautiful with all the colourful buildings up on the mountains. Second it’s very unique with all all the street art and murals people commission artists to paint murals on their houses! and third all of the points of interest are in a small area making it a really walkable city just walk around and discover all these places, making it a great day trip from Santiago if you are pressed for time.

Next Stop:

Also check out our Valparaiso YouTube video!