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Valparaíso
Second largest city in Chile

Valparaíso

Valparaíso is a major city, commune, seaport, and naval base facility in the Valparaíso Region of Chile.

Plan a trip to Valparaíso→From Santiago

Valparaíso was originally named after Valparaíso de Arriba, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. With a population of 284,938, it is the 10th-largest commune in Chile.

Get in

Getting to Valparaíso

Valparaiso does not have its own airport. The closest airport with commercial service is Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL IATA) in Santiago, some 1½ hr away, which offers extensive domestic and international service. To get to Valparaíso from Santiago's airport, requires catching a bus heading to Pajaritos from outside of the airport terminal.

See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    Museo Naval y Maritimo
  2. 02
    Plaza Sotomayor

    The central square near the port and the heart of the old seaport city.

  3. 03
    La Sebastiana
  4. 04
    Baburizza Palace

    Fine arts museum with mostly Chilean artists but it also has a section of artists of European origin.

  5. 05
    National Congress of Chile

    Pedro Montt s/n (next to Plaza O'Higgins),.

  6. 06
    National History Museum

    Two floors of exhibits, focusing on the natural history and geography of Chile, particularly the cross-section Juan Fernandes, Valparaiso and the Andes following the latitude of the former two.

Do

Things to do

Funiculars. Going to Valparaiso and not going on the ascensores (inclines) is like going to Venice and not taking a ride on a Gondola, only that the ascensores cost as little as 100 pesos. They are also of practical use as they help many local people get to the higher parts of town, saving them from having to walk otherwise long and steep pedestrian routes.

  1. 01
    Ascensor Cordillera

    With a beautiful staircase and lately been reconstructed.

  2. 02
    Ascensor Florida

    This one does not run anymore, but the hike up and beyond reveals a beautiful neighbourhood with La Sebastiana and the Winebox Hostel.

  3. 03
    Ascensor San Agustín

    Another useful staircase.

  4. 04
    Ascensor Concepcion
  5. 05
    Ascensor Espíritu Santo

    A particularily steep staircase lift, hidden away in an alley behind the Natural History Museum.

  6. 06
    Ascensor El Peral

    This funicular takes you up to a viewing platform right in front of Palacio Baburizza.

Eat

Where to eat

The most traditional food for tourists in Valparaiso is the Chorrillana, a heaping mound of french fries topped with steak, onion, and eggs. You can eat this in the traditional restaurant J Cruz. Fresh seafood is readily available in many restaurants around the city, especially around the muelle (wharf) areas, and is considered a must for any seafood lover.

  1. 01
    Mahuel Hot

    Bellavista 466.

  2. 02
    Sabronómico

    5500 pesos for 2xcompleto and a draught beer.

  3. 03
    La Pica de Vitorio

    Independencia 1718-1786.

  4. 04
    Restaurante Navoli

    Carrera 547.

  5. 05
    Natur

    2698, Av.

How locals move

Getting around Valparaíso the local way

  • Get aroundColectivos are taxis painted in black with yellow roofs that run fixed routes, and are a very common mode of transport between (and within) Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, and other surrounding areas.
  • Get aroundRather than a funicular, it is the only vertical elevator whose entrance is at street level.
  • Go nextTake a colectivo from Calle 12 de Febrero, behind the bus terminal, they leave as soon as they fill up.

From Wikivoyage: Valparaíso, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Carlos Figueroa (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.