Translated, Valparaíso means “Paradise Valley”, a fitting name for this central Chilean city. This is Chile's seaport of most importance and is home to the National Congress of the country.
In the 19th century, the city played an important role as a stopover point for ships traveling between the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The city began to be known as “The Jewel of the Pacific” and often called “Little San Francisco”.
Valparaíso houses funicular elevators which are cable cars on a steep incline that the World Monuments Fund labeled one of the world's most highly endangered national treasures in 1996. the city, in 2003 was labeled a World Heritage site due to its natural beauty, historical importance and intriguing architecture. The city boasts beautiful cobblestone alleyways and a labyrinth of streets that adds to its charm.
There are many significant landmarks in this protected city including Iglesia de la Matriz, the courthouse, Sotomayor Square, 16 funiculars, Alegre Historical District, Bellavista Hill and several monuments. Finding places to tour and history to learn is never a problem in this city.
Valapaíso has a great deal of culture and stages an important festival that lasts three days every year that hundreds of thousands of people visit. The festival is concluded by a “New Year's by the Sea” brilliant firework show attended by millions of tourist and is considered one of the best in Latin America.
Nightlife in the city is said to be some of the best in the country. Students and sailors favor this harbor because of the great traditional nightclubs and bars. This is not only a fabulous tourist city full of old culture and history but it is also quite a college area full of excitement and energy. The best bars of the city are found on Cerro Alegre.
Santiago Wanderers are the local football team and they are the oldest team, professionally speaking, in Chile, founded in 1892. another sport practiced in the city is mountain biking and there is a race every February throughout the city, alleys and down stairs for people to compete in.
Visiting the “La Sebastiana” which was Pablo Neruda's house is considered a “must see” in Valapaíso. It is a four story home placed on a steep hill that overlooks the city and the great harbor. You can take a tour around the home and explore the grounds and it is considered one of the best locations to take photos of the city. Additionally, it is recommended to take a 15 minute train ride to the little beach town of Vina del Mar to walk around the beach and view the castle there.
The city of Valparaíso is voted one of the top 10 places to see in Chile for a reason. The views are beautiful, the air is clear and it is a paradise to learn about culture. The city is known for its artists and poets offering plenty to observe and a great place to shop. The hillsides are dotted with houses and churches that are so incredibly old, yet so well preserved to appreciate. You are guaranteed to fall in love with every inch of this wonderful city.