Valparaíso and Viña del Mar day trip from Santiago: a complete guide

Valparaíso and Viña del Mar are about 120 kilometres from Santiago and the most popular day trip from the capital. They are neighbours but very different: Valparaíso is the bohemian port of hills and colours; Viña del Mar, the garden city of beaches and avenues.

Getting there

Along Route 68 the drive takes 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic, crossing the Casablanca Valley with vineyards on both sides. There are buses from the Alameda terminal, but to explore the hills, reach the viewpoints and stop in Viña on the same day, a tour with transport is the easiest option.

What to see in Valparaíso

• Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción: the heart of the historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003. Murals, colourful houses and viewpoints such as Paseo Yugoslavo and Paseo Atkinson.
• The funiculars (ascensores): late-19th-century lifts that climb the hills in a couple of minutes. Ascensor Concepción, from 1883, is the oldest.
• La Sebastiana: Pablo Neruda's house on Cerro Bellavista, with a stunning view over the bay.
• Plaza Sotomayor and the port: the historic centre, the monument to the Heroes of Iquique and the bustle of the port.

What to see in Viña del Mar

• The Flower Clock (Reloj de Flores) facing the sea, the city's symbol.
• Wulff Castle, built on the rocks in the early 20th century.
• The seafront and its beaches, perfect for a walk after lunch.

Where to have lunch

You are on the coast: order fresh seafood and fish. Classics include caldillo de congrio (conger eel soup), machas a la parmesana (razor clams with parmesan) and grilled reineta. In Valparaíso, if you are hungry, share a chorrillana: fries topped with beef, onion and egg.

Tips

1. Comfortable shoes: Valparaíso is all slopes and stairs.
2. Bring a jacket: the coastal breeze is cool even in summer.
3. On Mondays Neruda's houses are usually closed.

To do it all in one day with your own guide, see our private full day to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, with hotel pickup and a seafood lunch included.