Immortalized by Pablo Neruda, a famous Chilean poet, Valparaíso is a port city renowned for its laid-back bohemian vibe and colorful street art. Nestled between steep hills and the Pacific Ocean, Valparaíso is characterized by its colorful houses, creating a picturesque landscape that captures the hearts of locals and visitors alike. The labyrinthine streets are adorned with striking murals and graffiti, reflecting the city’s rich culture and artistic spirit; each artwork tells a story of the community and its history. This lively city not only serves as a hub for artists and musicians but also offers charming cafés and bustling markets, making it an ideal destination for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in the unique, creative atmosphere that pervades Valparaíso.
Quick Summary
What we did- Visited and walked the streets of Valparaíso on Christmas Day (Dec 25th, 2022) as a self-guided day trip from Santiago, Chile. Famous for its colorful hillside neighborhoods, winding stairways, and abundance of street art, the port city of Valparaíso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both Valparaiso and Vin Del Mar can be visited on a day trip from Santiago
Where we ate—Since it was Christmas day, few places were open, so we went to a local place with no name but decent vegetarian food. On a regular day, there are many places in the Allegre and Conception areas.
Ode to Valparaiso
Pablo Neruda, a legendary poet and politician in Chile, had a home in Valpo where he found inspiration away from Santiago. His house, La Sebastiana, is now a museum and can be visited and offers great city views. Neruda’s poem “Oda a Valparaíso” perfectly captures the essence of the vibrant port city. Below is a snippet of the peom in English. For the full peom in Spanish and English check out the page.
Valparaíso,
what an absurdity
you are,
how crazy:
a crazy port.
What a head
of disheveled
hills,
that you never finish
combing.
Never
did you have
time to dress yourself,
and always
you were surprised
by life.
How to get to Valparaiso
We were supposed to visit Valparaíso (or it is commonly known as Valpo) on a guided tour from Santiago, but after waiting 1.5 hours at supposed pick-up spot, we realized the guided tour operator wasn’t going to show up (booked through Viator). Our day was salvaged by the front desk operator at the hotel, who helped us figure out the bus route to Valpo and arranged an Uber to the bus station.
Valparaíso is 72 miles (116 km) from Santiago, and can be travelled by bus or car or guided tour from Santiago.
Bus– There are two main bus companies: Turbus and Pullman. Both buses depart from Terminal de Buses Pajaritos in the center of Santiago and take about 1.40-2.00 hours. We opted to go with Turbus on the way to Valpo and took Pullman on the way back. There is no real difference, and we chose whichever was leaving earliest.
Guided Tours – There are several guided tours available on Viator and GetYourGuide that have day trips from Santiago that include Valpo, Viña del Mar, and Casablanca Valley (wine tasting), such as this one.
Valpo guided tour- if you want an in depth tour of the murals and real behind the scenes story, check out this company and their classic Valpo Street Art Tours is supposed to be really good.
Things to do in Valpo
Walk the streets of Valpo and appreciate the colorful murals and art
Since our plans had changed from guided tour to self-guided tour, we decided just to walk the streets and check out some of the art work. My sister-in-law had done reaseach and knew some of the places to go. The majority of the street art is concentrated in the more tourist-centric district of Cerros Concepcion and Alegre, a short walk from the historic seaport neighborhood. You can take the cobbled tone stairs and steets go up and down the area which are lined by resturants, cafes, and murals.
Plaza Sotomoyer
After getting off the bus, we took a cab to Sotomoyer square to start our tour. This building is in Plaza Sotomoyer and it is one of my favorite buildings in Valpo.
Plaza Sotomoyer, the largest public center in the city and the heart of Barrio Puerto, features significant buildings such as the Monument to the Heroes of Iquique, housing Arturo Prat’s remains, and the Edificio Armada de Chile, formerly the Intendencia. It is also an archaeological site, containing the remains of the first official dock constructed with parts from the captured frigate Esmeralda. Initially named Plaza de la Aduana, then Plaza del Palacio, it was eventually named after 19th-century minister Rafael Sotomayor. On January 23, 1979, it was declared a Typical Chilean Zone, with the Edificio Armada de Chile recognized as a Historical Monument.
Fischer Stair and Gálvez Alley, Valparaiso
Fischer Stair and Gálvez Alley offer a vibrant experience for visitors in the city. Start your ascent from Urriola Street by taking Fischer Stair, also known as Colorful Stairs. As you climb, the bright colors create a visual delight. The lively atmosphere prepares you for the artistic views at the top. To the right on Gálvez Alley, another colorful staircase features lyrics from “Latinoamérica” by Calle 13. In Gálvez Alley, you can enjoy a burst of color and creativity with many murals and drawings perfect for photos. Here, you’ll discover one of the most magical corners of Valparaíso.
La mami de Valparaíso- The little Grandma
The mural of “la mami de Valparaíso,” which features a little grandma watching over the city, is located on Almirante Mont Street on Alegre hill. This significant artwork was created by the French collective Ella & Pitr.
Piano Stairway
One of the most photographed street art piecce is the paino stairway is in Beethoven passage on Concepcion Hill, next to Alegre Hill. It is a beuatiful stairway that is surrounded by several other murals that are worth seeing.
Other noteworthy streets to visit
- Templeman Street: Located on Cerro Alegre, this street is a top place to see street art.
- Cerro Abajo: This hill is home to colorful art works below the park, down from the retaining wall.
- Calle Ecuador: This street is home to a row of houses, each with art in very different styles.
Some of my favorite buildings and art works
La Sebastiana
We didn’t get the opportunity to see La Sabastiana, the ship-shaped home of Poet Pablo Neruda. Currently the house is a measum and you can check open times and tickets here
Accooding to legend, this was the request Poet had for a house in Valpo and he found it in La Sebastiana.
“I feel the fatigue of Santiago. I want to find a small house in Valparaíso where I can live and write in peace. It has to have certain conditions. It can’t be too high up or too low down. It should be solitary, but not too much. Neighbors, hopefully invisible. They shouldn’t be seen or heard. Original, but not uncomfortable. Very winged, but firm. Neither too big nor too small. Far from everything but close to transportation. Independent, but with shops nearby. It also has to be very cheap. Do you think I can find a house like that in Valparaíso?”
Viña del Mar
Vina Delmar is known as the garden city of Chile and is a vacation town. On Christmas Day, when we visited, there were plenty of Chileans relaxing with friends and family on the beach. One of the main highlights of Vina del Mar is the flower clock, and you climb the stairs behind the clock to get the view of the city.
Final thoughts
Valpo is an interesting place to visit. I am not a big fan of the place maybe because we visited on Christmas day when not too many things were open, but the whole city felt dirty and smelled of pee. The art is interesting, and if we had gotten our guided tour, we probably would have enjoyed it more. I felt that it is a good city to visit as a day trip if you have some extra time on your hands, but it is not a must-visit place
Peaks to Palaces 