Valparaíso — Day Trip

Valparaíso — The Colorful UNESCO City on the Pacific

Valparaíso (120 km west of Santiago, 1.5h by bus) is one of the most extraordinary cities in South America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003. The port city clings to 42 steep hills (Cerros) above the Pacific and is a giant open-air art museum: every house wall, every staircase, every alley is covered with murals, graffiti, and mosaics.

Exploring the Cerros

• Cerro Alegre & Cerro Concepción: The most beautiful hills with the best street art, boutique hotels, cafés, and breathtaking views over the bay. The Pasajes (alleys) are full of surprises — around every corner awaits a new artwork.
• Ascensores: Valparaíso's historic elevators (actually funiculars) have been rattling up the steep hills for over 100 years. The Ascensor Concepción (1883) and the Ascensor El Peral are the most famous. A ride costs only 300 CLP and provides spectacular photo opportunities.
• La Sebastiana: Pablo Neruda's third house, high on Cerro Bellavista with panoramic views over the harbor. Neruda's collecting passion (ship instruments, sea charts, curious objects) fills five winding floors.

Street Art

Valparaíso is the street art capital of Latin America. International and Chilean artists have turned the Cerros into a gallery — from political statements to surreal fantasy worlds to hyper-realistic portraits. The Museo a Cielo Abierto (Open-Air Museum) on Cerro Polanco showcases 20 murals by renowned Chilean artists.

The best way to experience Valparaíso: Just wander. Walk through the alleys of the Cerros, turn where it's colorful, climb stairs up and elevators down, and let yourself be enchanted by the anarchic beauty of this city.