Valparaiso Travel Guide
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115km (71 miles) NW of Santiago; 8km (5 miles) S of Viña del Mar
Valparaíso is Viña del Mar's next-door neighbor, but the two couldn't be more different. This port town is Viña's blue-collar sister, with a history and vibrant culture that speaks strongly of the golden days before the Panama Canal, when every ship on its way around the Cape stopped here for supplies. Valparaíso, with its multicolored jumble of clapboard homes and weathered Victorian mansions, sinuous streets, steep hills, and rollicking seafront bars, is enchanting -- although it might not capture you at first. It is a poorer city, and a little rough around the edges. Because of this, Valparaíso can be a little scary to first-time visitors, but give it a chance and allow the city to work its magic on you.
Valparaíso has spawned a generation of international poets, writers, and artists who have found inspiration in the city, including the Nobel prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda, who owned a home here. The bohemian flavor is still going strong, and the city is known for its eccentric and antiquated bars that stay open into the wee hours of the morning. The city is also known for its restaurants, some of which have the most dramatic sea views found anywhere in Chile.
But the real attractions here are losing yourself in the city's streets, viewing the angular architecture of homes and mansions that cling to the hillsides, and especially riding the century-old, clickety-clack ascensores, or funiculars, that lift riders to the tops of hills. If you're the type who craves character and culturally unique surroundings, this is your place.
