Valparaíso
Rising from a crescent Pacific bay across forty-two mural-painted hills linked by nineteenth-century funiculars, UNESCO-listed Valparaíso pairs Pablo Neruda's La Sebastiana and bohemian Cerro Alegre with neighbouring Viña del Mar and the Casablanca wine valley.
Quick decisions
- How many days? Spend 2 to 3 days to explore Cerro Alegre, Cerro Concepción, Barrio Puerto, and Pablo Neruda's La Sebastiana, plus a coastal train trip to Viña del Mar and the Concón dunes or a wine stop in the Casablanca Valley.
- Where should I stay? Base yourself in a restored nineteenth-century mansion on UNESCO-listed Cerro Alegre or Cerro Concepción for cliffside bay views, or choose beachfront Viña del Mar 15 minutes away by train.
- Do I need a car? You do not need a car; the hills are explored on foot and by historic funiculars (ascensores), heritage trolleybuses cross the flat port, and the EFE coastal train connects Valparaíso with Viña del Mar.
- Best for: Open-air street murals, Victorian corrugated-iron architecture, nineteenth-century funicular railways, literary heritage, Pacific seafood, and cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.
- Before you go: Pack comfortable non-slip walking shoes for steep cobblestone staircases and carry small Chilean peso coins and notes for the historic funiculars and harbour boat launches.
- Getting around: Ride the ascensores up from El Plan into the hills, hop on the 1952 Pullman trolleybuses along Avenida Pedro Montt, and use the EFE Tren Limache-Puerto along the bay.
- Continue your trip: Combine Valparaíso with the Chilean capital Santiago (90 minutes east), the wine estates of Mendoza across the Andes, or Buenos Aires.
Overview
Spilling down forty-two steep coastal hills (cerros) into a natural north-facing amphitheatre on the Pacific Ocean 120 kilometres northwest of Santiago, Valparaíso is Chile's most poetic and visually arresting seaport. During the nineteenth century, before the 1914 opening of the Panama Canal, "La Joya del Pacífico" served as the indispensable first port of call for merchant clippers rounding Cape Horn from Europe, drawing British, German, French, and Italian immigrants who clad their hillside mansions in brightly painted corrugated iron salvaged from ships' ballast and engineered thirty inclined funicular railways (ascensores) up the cliffs. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, the city blends the painted stairways and cliffside promenades of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda's five-storey house La Sebastiana, and traditional port taverns with the garden beaches of neighbouring Viña del Mar and the cool-climate vineyards of the Casablanca Valley.
Getting there
Direct intercity coaches depart every 10 to 15 minutes from Santiago's Alameda and Pajaritos terminals (connecting directly with Santiago International Airport, SCL), reaching Valparaíso in 1 hour 30 minutes via Route 68.
Where to stay
Stay in a boutique Victorian guesthouse perched along Paseo Gervasoni, Paseo Atkinson, or Paseo Dimalow on Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre, or by the beach in Viña del Mar.
Things to do
Explore the murals and cliffside walks of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, ride the historic ascensores and 1952 trolleybuses, tour Pablo Neruda's La Sebastiana and Cerro Bellavista, cruise the bay from Plaza Sotomayor and Muelle Prat, and take the coastal train to Viña del Mar and the Concón dunes.
Food and drink
Share a sizzling plate of chorrillana porteña, order Pablo Neruda's beloved caldillo de congrio upstairs at the 1912 Mercado El Cardonal, and taste baked machas a la parmesana overlooking the Pacific surf.
Culture
Every staircase, retaining wall, and corrugated-iron gable on Valparaíso's hills serves as a living canvas for Latin America's most celebrated open-air mural movement.
Weather by month
Valparaíso is warmest in January, with average highs around 22°C, and coldest in July, when nights drop to about 8°C. June is the wettest month, with rain on about 7 days. For mild weather with fewer rainy days, aim for January, February, March, November and December.
| Month | Low | Range | High | Rain | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14°C | 22°C | 0 mm | 0 d | |
| Feb | 14°C | 22°C | 0 mm | 0 d | |
| Mar | 12°C | 20°C | 7 mm | 1 d | |
| Apr | 11°C | 19°C | 14 mm | 2 d | |
| May | 10°C | 17°C | 35 mm | 5 d | |
| Jun | 9°C | 15°C | 49 mm | 7 d | |
| Jul | 8°C | 15°C | 49 mm | 7 d | |
| Aug | 9°C | 16°C | 35 mm | 5 d | |
| Sep | 9°C | 17°C | 21 mm | 3 d | |
| Oct | 10°C | 18°C | 14 mm | 2 d | |
| Nov | 12°C | 20°C | 7 mm | 1 d | |
| Dec | 13°C | 21°C | 0 mm | 0 d |
Averages of daily values from 2015 to 2024. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm of rain. Source: Open-Meteo · Compare destinations by month.
Valparaíso on the map
Every place we cover in Valparaíso. Tap a category or pin to explore.
In-depth Valparaíso guides
Browse the guides grouped by topic: sights, neighbourhoods, food, transport, day trips and trip planning.
Sights, Landmarks & Parks
Key monuments, viewpoints, museums and nature trails.
- 12 Best Things to Do in Valparaíso: Street Art, Funiculars, Neruda & ViñaDiscover the 12 best things to do in Valparaíso, Chile: walk Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, ride historic ascensores, tour Neruda's La Sebastiana, and visit Viña del Mar.
- 3 Days in Valparaíso Itinerary: UNESCO Hills, Neruda, Viña del Mar & CasablancaPlan the perfect 3 days in Valparaíso, Chile: explore Plaza Sotomayor, Cerro Alegre, and Cerro Concepción on Day 1, La Sebastiana and Cerro Artillería on Day 2, and Viña del Mar on Day 3.
- Cerro Alegre & Cerro Concepción Guide: Street Art, Paseos & MansionsWalk the UNESCO-listed hills of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción in Valparaíso: follow Paseo Yugoslavo, Paseo Gervasoni, and Paseo Atkinson past murals and Palacio Baburizza.
- La Sebastiana (Pablo Neruda House) & Cerro Bellavista Open-Air Museum GuideVisit Pablo Neruda's ship-like five-storey house museum La Sebastiana (1961) on Cerro Florida in Valparaíso, and walk down through the 20 murals of Cerro Bellavista.
- Plaza Sotomayor, Barrio Puerto & Muelle Prat Harbour Boat Tours GuideExplore Valparaíso's historic maritime heart: visit Plaza Sotomayor and the Monumento a los Héroes de Iquique, cruise the bay on a Muelle Prat lancha, and walk Barrio Puerto.
- Paseo 21 de Mayo, Cerro Artillería & Museo Marítimo Nacional GuideRide the 1893 Ascensor Artillería in Valparaíso to the cliffside belvedere of Paseo 21 de Mayo, tour the National Maritime Museum, and explore Playa Ancha.
Neighbourhoods & Where to Stay
Districts, historic quarters and the best bases for your stay.
- Valparaíso: El Plan, the 42 Hills (Cerros) & Viña del MarPlan your visit to UNESCO-listed Valparaíso, Chile: understand the layout of El Plan and the 42 hills, explore Cerro Alegre and La Sebastiana, and visit Viña del Mar.
- Best Time to Visit Valparaíso: Coastal Climate, Summer Sun & New Year FireworksMonth-by-month weather guide to Valparaíso using official 1991-2020 DMC climate normals: compare the sunny October-April season, Casablanca harvest, and winter.
- Where to Stay in Valparaíso & Viña del Mar: Cerro Alegre, Concepción & CoastCompare the best areas to stay in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: boutique heritage mansions on Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, artistic Cerro Bellavista, or beachfront Viña.
Food & Drink
Local dishes, markets, cafés and dining districts.
- What to Eat in Valparaíso: Chorrillana Porteña, Caldillo de Congrio & MachasExplore Valparaíso's Pacific coast cuisine: taste the iconic chorrillana porteña, Pablo Neruda's caldillo de congrio, Viña del Mar's machas a la parmesana, and Concón empanadas.
- Mercado El Cardonal (1912), Caleta Portales & Porteño Bohemia GuideExperience everyday Valparaíso: eat upstairs at the 1912 Mercado El Cardonal, watch fishermen and sea lions at Caleta Portales, and visit 19th-century porteño bars.
Getting Around & Arrival
Airport transfers, public transit, passes and driving rules.
- How to Get to Valparaíso: Buses from Santiago (Route 68) & Coastal TrainPractical guide to reaching Valparaíso, Chile: 90-minute coaches from Santiago and SCL Airport along Route 68, the EFE coastal train to Viña del Mar, and local transport.
- Valparaíso Funiculars (Ascensores) & 1952 Pullman Trolleybuses GuideRide Valparaíso's National Monument transport heritage: explore the 19th-century inclined funiculars (Ascensor Concepción, El Peral, Reina Victoria, Polanco) and 1952 trolleybuses.
Day Trips & Excursions
Easy half-day and full-day trips from the city.
- Viña del Mar, Museo Fonck (Easter Island Moai) & Concón Dunes GuideTake the 15-minute coastal train from Valparaíso to Viña del Mar: see the 1962 Flower Clock, Castillo Wulff, the original Rapa Nui Moai at Museo Fonck, and the Concón sand dunes.
- Casablanca Valley Cool-Climate Wine Route & Isla Negra Day-Trip GuideExplore the Casablanca Valley wine region 40 km east of Valparaíso (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir) and visit Pablo Neruda's oceanfront house at Isla Negra.
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