Valparaiso is a labyrinthine town of colourful houses tumbling down a series of hills facing the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes described as the San Francisco of Chile, this World Heritage Site has long inspired painters and poets, who flock to its narrow winding streets and picturesque fishing wharves. Our pick of the best places to stay in Valparaiso will ensure that you're right in the heart of this vibrant city. With its creaky historic elevator-cars running up and down the hills, steep, art-covered stairways, crumbling mansions, colourful street art and non-stop nightlife, this is a city of soul and passion.
Valpo, as the locals call it, is married to the sea. From the wharves of the port you get a real taste of marine life, with its population of sailors and dockworkers forever in flux; seafood markets abound, and in the early hours of the morning you can watch the fishermen landing their catch-of-the-day.
The city has few historic sites to visit, and while this can be a sign of a lack of culture, it is surely a blessing in Valparaiso, as the entire city is a kind of open-air art gallery, featuring some of the finest street murals in South America.
It is a city best explored on foot and getting lost. Follow stairways snaking around dilapidated mansions, alleyways decked with charmingly shabby chic restaurants, secluded art galleries and cute cafes. If you're hungry, be sure to wander around Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion, where some amazing new restaurants have opened in recent years.
You can't go to Valparaiso without riding in an Ascensores - a rickety old wooden tram-like car - that runs up and down the steep hillsides. It is the perfect way to see the city in all its gritty glory: up on the Mirador del Cerro Artilleria, you gain a spellbinding panoramic view of the city and coastline.
So whether you're partying into the early hours, riding an Ascensores or eating Chorrillana while watching the fishermen drag their wares to market, you will fall in love with this wonderful city. Use our pick of the best places to stay in Valparaiso below, and start planning your trip...
