What to see and where to eat in Valparaiso, Chile with a side trip to Casablanca valley

We had two days in Valparaiso and limited prior preparation on the Must-sees. We knew there was a second Neruda house recommended to us from Santiago – La Sebastiana. Also, we wanted to try fresh seafood and set out on foot to discover the whimsically painted houses that Valpo is well known for. So, once we checked in at the hotel (Palacio Astorreca – a perfect location) we inquired about the best way to discover the heart of the city by foot and got ourselves a map.

There are plenty of busses leaving from Santiago to Valpo. We organised a transfer with a travel agency via our hotel and arrived in Valpo in about 1h15 min.

A lovely 2-day discovery itinerary in Valparaiso would include the following:

If you arrive towards lunchtime from Santiago, take a Tour4 Tips in the afternoon (3PM) to get an overview of the Valpo highlights. The tour starts in Sotomayor square and, as in Santiago, there is one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Just look for Wally (red striped t- shits) and ask them to join the tour. Both tours are equally good and recommended. The afternoon one will take you to the most popular hills ( Allegre and Conception ) that have been designated as UNESCO world heritage. Tour ends at about 6 PM, just in time for dinner. This is an activity than can easily be done with kids and even young babies in sling. There was one family with two young kids doing the tour with us and they had a great time. Have some change at hand as you need to pay for elevators and the trolley.

The next day, get up bright and early and head to La Sebastiana, Pablo Neruda’s second home. There is a limited number of tickets and this is a popular site so you should try to get there early. There are several ways to reach the house that is located on Florida hill, a bit outside the main tourist area. You can walk there but there would be a steep hill climb of about 45 min- 1h. Alternatively you can take a cab. A more cost effective and traditional way is to share a collectivo ( taxis leaving from designated stations on a certain route). For this you will need to head to Plazuela Ecuador and catch collectivo 39. It costs about 500 CLP to la Sebastiana and takes 5 min. The museum house is being partly renovated at the moment but is still a great landmark. Tickets are 7000 CLP per person.

Once you finish the visit, head down by foot and visit Cerro Bellavista and the open air museum around fundacion Valparaíso. This area is full of street art and some amazing murals. If you follow via Bellavista, you will easily reach the entrance of the open air museum. Fundacion Valparaiso sells some lovely handmade souvenirs.

If you have another day in the area, use the afternoon to stroll at leisure in Cerro Alegre and Cerro Conception and cover the paseos ( walks) that were not part of the tour. You will have to use the funicular to get up the hills. El Peral and Victoria funiculars are very nice but be prepared with coins to pay for the ride. You always pay at the bottom and is 100 CLP per ride.

If you had enough walking and modern murals, take it slow with some classic art in Baburizza museum and art collection on paseo Yougoslavo. It is open from 10 AM till 5h30 PM and the entrance fee is 2000 CLP.

If you do not have an extra day or need some additional suggestions in the area, I would recommend a short trip to neighbouring Viña del Mar. It is a seaside resort in complete contrast to the colourful hills of Valpo. The main attraction here is the ocean and the beach. The fastest way to reach Viña is by Metro from The Sotomayor square in Valpo. A return trip from Valpo will be about 1200 CLP and takes about 20 min. The station of Miramar is the closest to the beach. We spent the afternoon in Viña and enjoyed a walk on the ocean promenade. I would not spend more than one day there as Valparaiso is much more atmospheric and has better bars and restaurants.

Where to eat:

La Conception: a beautiful view and nice food. This is one of the famous Valpo fine dining places

Fauna: good food, beautiful view of the harbour but also family friendly without being too loud. We loved their ceviche and cocktails.

Cafe Vinilo: unpretentious but still good food and a nice atmosphere.

For a quick bite, try the freshly made empanadas at Delicias Express ( Av Urriola 358). It is perfect as a take away if you want to keep moving in the afternoon.

Our recommendation however, if you have a couple of nights before the flight home, is to take some time in a Chilean vineyard. It is really a wonderful experience of the countryside. And the wine is just amazing. I would recommend Viña Matetic and their hacienda: La Casona. They are located about one hour from the Santiago airport, in Casablanca valley. So there is really no reason why you should not give them a try before boarding your plane. You can also visit this vineyard as a day trip from Valparaiso but we found that staying there was just a better experience. The vineyard can arrange for a transfer to the airport if this your last stop.