Valparaíso

💡 About Valparaíso

Valparaíso, on the Pacific coast of Chile, is a bohemian port city of dizzying beauty and chaotic charm, spilling down a natural amphitheatre of steep hills toward the sea. Once one of the most important harbours in the Pacific, its faded grandeur and creative spirit have made it Chile's cultural capital.

The city's hills, or cerros, are a maze of winding alleys and staircases packed with brightly painted houses in every colour imaginable, their walls covered in some of the most vibrant and celebrated street art in the world. To climb the hills, residents ride the city's beloved network of antique funicular elevators, or ascensores.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Valparaíso enchanted the poet Pablo Neruda, who built one of his whimsical houses here, perched high above the bay. Its labyrinthine geography, panoramic viewpoints and artistic energy give it an atmosphere quite unlike anywhere else in South America.

Bohemian, poetic and gloriously ramshackle, "Valpo" pulses with cafés, bars, poetry and music. Combining maritime history with irrepressible creative energy, it is one of the most romantic and unforgettable cities on the continent.

⭐ Known For