8 Unique Things to Do in Valparaíso, Chile — A Local's Guide

Sunrises are a reward to early birds

Most travelers come to Valparaíso for the Pacific, but few know that the sun rises behind the Andes, casting golden light over the hills and bay. Early risers are rewarded with stunning views of Mount Aconcagua, the tallest peak outside Asia, silhouetted against a blue sky.

Simultaneously watch how the sun begins to light up Playa Ancha, the peninsula-like hill at Valparaíso's northwest tip, starting from the hilltop downwards.

Best spots to watch it:

1. ✓ Paseo Yugoslavo, Plaza Bismarck, and Paseo 21 de Mayo — three public lookouts with sweeping views.
2. ✓ Your rooftop hotel terrace in Cerro Alegre or Concepción.

🕓 Pro tip: Check sunrise times and weather the night before — fog is common in summer.

The best way to start exploring Valparaíso, such an intricate and amazing city, is on foot. Then, with so much to learn, a walking tour is your way to go, where a local expert — a friendly and knowledgeable guide — will help you navigate through hidden alleys, vibrant street art, scenic lookouts, secret spots, and the nuances of Valparaíso.

Choose between our half-day or our full-day walking tours, where you'll learn about the city's frantic history and see lots of significant parts of Valparaíso, including the Historic Quarter (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), colorful hills (Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción), vibrant street art, panoramic views, picturesque funiculars, and more.

In any case, our Valparaíso walking tours — led by a local expert — are a 100% tailored to fit your own needs and likes, are suited to kids, and are available in 🇺🇸 English, 🇧🇷 Portuguese, and 🇨🇱 Spanish.

Halfway between Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, Caleta Portales is Valparaíso's lively wet market, where — besides getting fresh fish and seafood directly from the local fishermen — you can experience the natural spectacle provided by a myriad of sea lions, pelicans, and seagulls battling for scraps under the market's pier.

Don't miss:

1. ✓ Watching sea lions, seagulls, and pelicans feeding under the pier
2. ✓ Buying fresh ceviche or fried seafood empanadas
3. ✓ Strolling the Paseo Wheelwright promenade to Muelle Barón

🕙 Pro tip: Go mid-morning — from Tuesday to Sunday — then grab a craft-beer at Chungungo by the sea.

Whether you like Pablo Neruda's poetry or not, the Chilean poet and Nobel Prize for Literature's house and museum — La Sebastiana — is a must-see attraction on any trip to Valparaíso, Chile.

La Sebastiana seems to float in thin air yet is well-secured into the ground, sitting as a watchtower on top of Cerro Florida, showing off splendid views of the bay. The museum provides a great insight into Pablo Neruda's life and likes.

Besides La Sebastiana — Neruda's party house — Chile's most famous poet had two other houses, both museums too: La Chascona in Santiago de Chile and his house in Isla Negra (located about 90 minutes south of Valparaíso).

Business hours are between 10:00 and 18:00 from Tuesday to Sunday (in January and February, visitors can enter the museum until 19:00). Entry cost is $9,500 (about USD 10).

Ready to explore the depths of Pablo Neruda's soul? Visit La Sebastiana during your full-day walking tour of Valparaíso.

Climbing to a panoramic lookout on a century-old funicular — an alive industrial heritage from Valparaíso's golden age — is an unmissable activity to experience on any must-visit list of Valparaíso, Chile.

Though most funiculars — locally called ascensores — are no longer in operation (13 of them have been completely removed), there are 8 of them still operating, namely: Cordillera, San Agustín, El Peral, Concepción, Reina Victoria, Espíritu Santo, Polanco — not a funicular but a lift tower — (TEMPORARILY CLOSED!), and Barón.

Most funiculars lead to a panoramic lookout, so you must definitely include them during your visit to Valparaíso. Here's a list of the funiculars we recommend riding:

Once Valparaíso's bourgeois neighborhood, Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción are nowadays the city's most tourist district — where your hotel will most likely be located.

Immerse yourself in the neighborhood's colorful, cobbled streets and alleys, while you are captivated by the hills' scenic viewpoints (the Yugoslavo, Gervasoni, Atkinson, and Dimalow) and discover adorable petite shops.

While you walk around the colorful streets of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, you will discover vibrant murals at every corner, including the most iconic graffiti from Un Kolor Distinto, the Piano Stairs, and the We Are Not Hippies We Are Happies mural.

We include the narrow, colorful streets of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción during your Valparaíso Insider Walking Tour.

Pro tip: Try ice cream at Amor Porteño, candies at La Dulcería, chocolates at Vivali Chocolatería, and pisco at Bar de Pisco.

Valparaíso — South America's street art mecca — will amaze you with picturesque, vibrant murals and colorful steps, in almost every corner!

Although murals can be found throughout Valparaíso's 42 hills and its two downtown area (Puerto and Almendral districts), four of the most graffiti dense neighborhoods — we recommend you to visit — are Cerro Concepción, Cerro Alegre, downtown Valparaíso, and Polanco Hill.

By including Cerro Concepción, Cerro Alegre, and Polanco hills to your list, you can also ride three patrimonial elevators (El Peral, Concepción, and Reina Victoria) and the Polanco Lift (with a panoramic lookout on its top), as well as a walk through picturesque alleys to admire charming architecture — Polanco Lift is temporarily closed.

Want to explore colorful murals in person? Join a walking tour with a local guide now!

Valparaíso's maritime, hilly landscapes offer loads of great opportunities and places where to enjoy a blissful sunset.

From marveling at the warm shades painted by the sun on the mountains — even on the majestic Mt. Aconcagua! — to the heartwarming experience of watching the sun on the horizon over the Pacific Ocean, the options and angles are almost countless.

🍹 Beside public viewpoints like Paseo Yugoslavo and Mirador Barón, my recommended sunset spots are:

1. ✓ Rooftop bars like Fauna, El Terrat, and Circular Valparaíso
2. ✓ Portofino Restaurant (for a fancy dinner view)
3. ✓ Muelle Barón pier with a craft-beer from Chungungo

🌅 Bonus tip: For the best sunset over the ocean, head to the coast of Viña del Mar or Playa Ancha.