Travel out of Santiago past the vineyards, farms, orchards and olive plantations of the Curacavi and Casablanca valleys. At the coast, drive past the beaches of Las Salinas and Renaca and arrive at the resort of Viña del Mar. ...
Travel out of Santiago past the vineyards, farms, orchards and olive plantations of the Curacavi and Casablanca valleys. At the coast, drive past the beaches of Las Salinas and Renaca and arrive at the resort of Viña del Mar. The beach is the main attraction here but the town also offers picturesque parks, flowerbeds and gardens.
Continue to neighbouring Valparaíso, a port founded by the Spanish in 1536. The city is balanced on some 40 hills and there will be an opportunity to walk around the narrow winding streets and see the waterfront, busy with ships, boats and fishermen. In the heart of the city, a visit will be made to the Plaza Sotomayor, a pleasant sanctuary opposite the Maritime Authority. Inside the plaza is the Monument a los Heroes de Iquique, a memorial to those killed during the War of the Pacific.
Lunch (not included) can be taken at one of the many restaurants that fringe the beach with an opportunity to sample the port's fresh fish and seafood. In the afternoon, visit La Sebastiana, the home-turned-museum of poet Pablo Neruda and take a ride on one of the city's many elevators, an effective way of moving around this largely vertical port at the turn of the century. The Ascendor Artillería, built in 1898, is one of the oldest elevators still in operation and it offers beautiful views of the ocean. Finally, take a drive through the financial and commercial districts before making the return journey to Santiago through the Curacavi Valley where traditional Chilean sweets and snacks are for sale.
You will encounter steps and steep terrain during the tour of Valparaiso.
