Valparaiso is a coastal gem.
After a week in Santiago de Chile, we rented a car and drove northwest through the Casablanca wine growing region. Our destination was Valparaiso, a picturesque port city on the central Chilean coast. As Chile’s undisputed ground zero for street art, Valpo – as the locals call it – has a laid-back, bohemian, and creative soul. But it’s also a busy port with a colorful military history, and architectural styles that span at least a century. Valpo is rather gritty and rough around the edges, which somehow adds to its charm.
Valparaiso made a big impression on us. Here’s everything we loved about our visit to Valpo.
VALPO FACTOIDS
Valparaiso is Chile’s second-most populous city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003 for its unique urban design, architecture, and cultural heritage.
An important port since the early 19th century, Valparaiso today is one of the busiest in South America – handling a large volume of cargo and cruise ship traffic every year.
Valparaiso has a rich naval tradition. The port has been headquarters for the Chilean Navy since its founding in the early 19th century. Over the past couple of centuries, the Navy has played important roles in many conflicts including Chile’s war for independence from Spain.
Valparaiso has been called the San Francisco of Chile. As former residents of San Francisco, California, we get the comparison. The city is built on steep hillsides and bedecked with thick fog on many mornings. The funiculars, some of them over a century old, resemble the cable cars of San Francisco. And eerily, Valparaiso was leveled by an earthquake in 1906 – the same year as the devastating San Francisco earthquake and fire.
Pablo Neruda slept there. Valparaiso has a rich literary heritage, headlined by Chile’s most famous poet and Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda. His hilltop home, La Sebastiana, is open to the public as a museum today.
Chile’s Congress meets there. In 1990, the Pinochet dictatorship re-established the Chilean National Congress (it had been disbanded since he took power in 1973) and moved it from the capital city, Santiago, to Valparaiso. The reasons for that are up for debate, but the main intent was to de-centralize the government. Interestingly, that didn’t really happen, since the Congress is the only government branch based outside of Santiago.
THE CASABLANCA WINE REGION
Tasting Chilean wines in situ has been on John’s bucket list for many years, and he finally got his wish on the drive up to Valparaiso. Headed west out of Santiago on Highway 68, we entered one of Chile’s most celebrated wine regions: the Casablanca Valley. Because of its cool, coastal climate, Casablanca is known primarily for its white varietals including chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. But it’s also becoming a prime growing region for pinot noir.
Our first stop was at Viñedos Veramonte, a large winery whose claim to fame is its organic wines. We can’t say we fell in love with any of the wines, and we were a little put off by the slick, industrial feel of the place. But we were impressed with the company’s commitment to organic agriculture and winemaking practices and also its Collaborative Garden, which offers a space for local small-volume farmers to grow fully organic produce.
Next up was Viña William Cole. This lovely and cozy winery was founded by – you guessed it – William Cole, an American, in the 1990s. We really enjoyed tasting the wines and chatting up the friendly staff. They were especially welcoming when they heard John had been in the wine business for many years and sold his share of Chilean wines!
Our final winery for the day – and also our favorite – was Bodegas RE. This small, family-owned winery was founded by a winemaker whose tradition of aging wines in large earthenware jars dates back nine generations. The winery still makes some of its wine in the old jars, and its unique blends reflect the family’s commitment to “REvolutionize” winemaking.
Tips: All of these wineries are within a 10-15 minute drive of each other. Each charges a fee for tasting, but it’s refunded when you buy wine. If you’re hungry for lunch, check out Taverna La Breva. It’s just up the road from Bodegas RE.
CERRO CONCEPCIÓN AND CERRO ALLEGRE
Perched high on their namesake cerros (hills), these two Valparaiso neighborhoods are ground zero for visitors. Both are known for their zinc-clad and brightly-painted houses, chic restaurants and cafes, and boutique hotels, with gorgeous city and ocean views around every corner. Both neighborhoods have a distinctly European feel, owing to the large numbers of German and English immigrants who settled there beginning in the early 19th century. We stayed on Cerro Concepcion, where it’s easy to lose yourself in the steep, narrow, cobbled streets and vibrant murals.
THE FUNICULARS
Valparaiso’s historic funiculars (ascensores to the locals) are iconic, and they’re particularly useful if you stay in hilltop areas such as Cerro Concepcion or Cerro Allegre. The city established the network of funiculars in the late 1800s to ease some of the hillclimbing burden for citizens who either lived or worked in the waterfront neighborhood areas below. In their heyday, the funiculars numbered at least 30 – but only 16 survive today, all of them designated Chilean National Monuments. With the exception of Ascensor Polanco (a true vertical elevator), the funiculars consists of antique passenger cars pulled up the steep hills on rails, and using equipment that is at least 100 years old.
Only six funiculars were in operation when we visited, but we managed to ride four! It’s an unforgettable experience to sit in the little wood-panel car and clatter up the mountainside as the city views unfold below.
Tips: Each one-way funicular ride costs 100 Chilean pesos (a whopping 10 US cents!) per person, so be sure and keep some 100-peso coins handy. The Reina Victoria and Concepcion funiculars are the most touristic, so there might be a line to board.
THE FABULOUS STREET ART
Valparaiso is known as Chile’s street art capital, and it’s easy to see why – especially after taking a stroll through Cerros Concepción and Allegre. Valpo’s murals are world-renowned, and many were created by internationally known artists.
THREE VISIT-WORTHY MUSEUMS
The National Naval and Maritime Museum
Housed in a 1915 building that was once Chile’s naval academy, the Naval and Maritime Museum offers a well-presented collection of exhibits from Chilean Navy’s colorful past and present. Of special interest to us was the story of Arturo Prat, the country’s most celebrated naval hero. Prat died in 1879 in the Battle of Iquique in Chile’s war with Peru and Bolivia, and today his name is everywhere in Valparaiso.
Tips: The Naval and Maritime Museum is located on Artillery Hill and is open Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is about $4 U.S. for foreign visitors.
The Natural History Museum
This interesting museum is Chile’s second oldest, founded in 1878 by the headmaster of a local boys’ school. Built in 1880s for Santiago Lyon, a local shipping magnate, the building itself is worth a visit. The Palacio Lyon was one of the few Valpo buildings to survive the 1906 earthquake, and it’s a beauty. The museum itself takes visitors through all of the Valparaiso area’s different ecosystems and has an amazing array of specimens (although we were a bit taken aback by all of the startled-looking taxidermied animals!).
Tips: The Natural History Museum is located near Plaza Victoria, about four blocks up from the waterfront. Admission is free, and hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The Valparaiso Fine Arts Museum
The Valparaiso Fine Arts Museum is perched high on Cerro Concepcion in the beautiful Palacio Baburizza, an Art Nouveau mansion built by Croatian businessman Pascual Baburizza in 1916. The museum includes works from Baburizza’s own collection as well as many other paintings and sculpture by Chile’s greatest artists.
Tips: The Fine Arts Museum is easy to reach from Valpo’s lower regions using the Concepción or El Peral funiculars. It’s a scenic area with incredible views out to the Pacific, and the cozy cafe is a nice place to take a break and enjoy a cappuccino (or something stronger!). Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and admission is about $4 U.S. for foreigners.
THE DOGGOS
Dog lovers that we are, we couldn’t get enough of the famous street pups of Valparaiso. You’ll see the doggos everywhere, hanging out on porch stoops, hitching rides on the funiculars, and following tourists around in hopes of a treat or two (of course we obliged!). Far from the usual image of street dogs as starving, abandoned, and unloved, most of these dogs are well-fed and cared for by the residents of their home neighborhoods. Many wear collars, and some even have nametags and bear signs that say “Don’t feed me, I get plenty to eat.” Although some might be intimidated by the pooches, every one we encountered was friendly and approachable. They really added to our experience in Valpo!
VIÑA DEL MAR
Viña del Mar (or as Susan referred to it, Viña del Meh) is an upscale seaside resort town about a half hour up the coast. We took a morning trip up to see what the fuss was about, and honestly, we were underwhelmed. It’s pretty, but it doesn’t really feel distinct from any other beach resort city we’ve visited (and we’ve seen a lot). That said, Viña del Mar does have beautiful beaches and some nice restaurants. If you’re in Valpo and craving a beach fix, this is your best bet.
OTHER VALPO TIPS
Getting there/Getting Around
Valparaiso is about 75 km northwest of Santiago. We wanted to visit the wineries, so we rented a car in Santiago from Chilean Rent-a-Car (service and car were great). Just note that parking a car in Valpo’s historic areas is not easy! There are also plenty of bus connections from Santiago to Valpo. Once you get there, Uber is very reliable.
Our Lodging
We enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Manoir Atkinson, but we can’t give it an enthusiastic recommendation. Housed in a 160-year-old former mansion, the hotel has a lot of “old-house” quirks. The floor in our room sloped almost as much as a place where we once stayed in Mexico City (a city that is sinking and notorious for crooked buildings). The furniture ranges from threadbare to downright broken; one of the chairs in our room collapsed completely. And just out our window was an outdoor restaurant/night club that entertained us until the wee hours with deejayed music. To be fair, it was Valentine weekend when we first arrived, and things got a lot quieter once the holiday revelers left.
On the plus side, the hosts, a young couple who have poured their lives into restoring and running the place, were just lovely. Every morning they served a fantastic breakfast, easily the best hotel breakfast we’ve had in quite a while. The living room on the ground floor is a cozy place to spend a rainy afternoon, reading and relaxing. If you like rustic charm, you’ll love the Hotel Manoir Atkinson, but bring your ear plugs!
Note: We tried to book our stay on Booking.com without success. For best results, contact the hotel directly through the website.
Food and Drink
Valpo has a huge array of restaurants for every cuisine and every budget. We had our favorite meal at Maria Maria (famous for its breakfasts and baked goods, although we had lunch there). Maria Maria is ALWAYS crowded, so be sure and make a reservation.
Don’t miss Delicias Express, a hole-in-the-wall spot that makes fantastic empanadas to order. It’s a popular tourist hot spot, so there might be a wait. But the hot, made-to-order empanadas are so worth it!
Our other favorites included Kapura for pizza, beer, and panoramic views; and Ambrosia in the historic and gorgeous Hotel Gervasoni. Puro Cafe is a friendly and cozy place for a coffee break near the waterfront. And in Viña del Mar, we had a nice lunch at Buena Vista, just a block from the beach.
Valparaiso’s official tourist site offers a wealth of information for visitors.
Next Up: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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13 Comments
Just finished reading. You are an inspiration for any traveler. Thanks to both you and John’s incredible research.
Thanks so much, amigo!
Beautiful tour around this beautiful city
Thank you, Meg! Valparaiso was so interesting and different from any other port city we’ve visited.
We didn’t spend much time in northern Chile and didn’t make it to Valparaiso. The harbour, the street art, but mostly the nearby wine tasting makes it very enticing. Maggie
Thanks, Maggie. Valparaiso really was interesting, and the wine country sweetened the deal 🙂 We’re enjoying your Canada photos now that you’re back home.
It’s sounding like a lot of Canadians are vacationing in Canada this year, so keep an eye on any bookings you may need to do in advance. We’re still a small population, so it won’t be Europe busy, but busier than usual, I think.
Hi Susan,
I’m glad you both enjoyed Valparaiso and gave it an in-depth visit. The street art is definitely the highlight for me. And the old cable car rides. My favorite mural is the one of the girl on the steps. I think I took a photo of that as well.
When we were in Chile, we had to smile at the story of Arturo Prat. He’s a hero who never won a war. 🙂
It’s hard to believe that it’s been already a year ago since we visited Valparaiso. https://roamingabout.com/valparaiso-in-chile-a-colorful-day-trip-from-santiago/
We had Maya with us and I can tell you that walking around cities with loose dogs in the presence of your own dog is never fun!
Hi Liesbet!
I just had a look at your blog post and noticed John made a comment, back last year before we ever got to Chile. You guys did a great job of hitting the Valparaiso highlights in one day, and so many of your pictures are the same as ours 🙂 I hope the street dogs were cool with Maya. They all seemed so laid back and gentle to us that they might not have minded a new girly in their midst.
– Susan
Great post! Looks like y’all had a great time. I think we were there just a month or so after y’all. We loved seeing all the sweet doggos in Valpo too – and totally agree that Viña del Mar lacks a little bit of Chilean flavor so to speak!
Hello Theresa! I just had a look at your blog and was going to leave a comment, and then I saw that John beat me to it 🙂 That is a good description of Viña del Mar, and I also like your comparison to Miami (spot on). Thanks for reading and leaving a comment!
– Susan
PS My family lives in Austin and we go there twice a year. We should try to have a meet-up, next time we go! If you guys are in town, of course.
I had no idea that John was in wine business! No wonder both of you really enjoy exploring the local food scene wherever you travel. I don’t think I know anyone who loves wine but is not a foodie. Valparaiso definitely looks interesting, and from the way you described it, the dogs in this city are like the cats in Istanbul: they’re friendly, well-fed, and they’re everywhere.
Valparaiso looks like a spot I’d enjoy! The wine tasting, street art, and dogs have me sold. I’m surprised so many of the funiculars closed. They seem like something people would use enough that keeping them open would be worth it.