Valparaiso & Viña del Mar tour: Colorful hills, coastal stops

Two coastal cities in one day: funiculars, hilltop neighborhoods and the Pacific

A private tour from Santiago to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar with hotel pickup, covering the colorful hills of Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre, funicular rides on El Peral and El Concepción, the Naval Museum, and a walk along Viña del Mar's beachfront. Your guide provides commentary in English, Spanish or Portuguese and adapts the route to your pace and interests.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Valparaiso and Viña del Mar

• Depart hotel in Santiago early morning
• Travel 120 km to Pacific Ocean
• Stop to taste chicha and alfajores
• View llamas and Casablanca Valley
• Arrive at Viña del Mar
• Visit Quinta Vergara and Plaza de Armas
• Stop at FONCK Museum and Municipal Library
• Walk along Av. Peru beach
• See Casino and Flower Clock
• Travel to Valparaiso
• Visit National Congress and Plaza Sotomayor
• Ride 21 de Mayo funicular viewpoint
• Explore Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion
• Visit San Luis square and Av. Germany
• See Pablo Neruda's house and bookstore
• Visit Plaza de los Poetas
• Lunch (on own)
• Return to Santiago

The experience

The day starts at your Santiago hotel around 7:30 or 8:00 am with a 120 km drive toward the Pacific. You cross two mountain ranges (the first through a 3 km tunnel where the Curacaví Valley opens up), and stop to taste chicha liquor and local alfajores, then climb to about 1,600 meters in the Coastal Range to see the Casablanca Valley, known for Sauvignon Blanc production. This drive frames what you're heading toward: a port city and a beach resort built into hillsides, each with its own rhythm.

Viña del Mar comes first. You visit Quinta Vergara, where the Viña del Mar Festival brings major performers each February, then the Fonck Museum with an original Easter Island sculpture and a Rodin piece in the Municipal Library. A walk along Avenida Perú takes you past the Casino and views of Cerro Castillo, where the Presidential Summer Palace sits, and the Flower Clock: a mandatory stop before moving on to Valparaiso. The contrast is immediate: Viña del Mar is ordered and manicured. Valparaiso is a maze of steep streets and painted houses stacked on hillsides.

In Valparaiso, you pass the National Congress and Plaza Sotomayor, then ride the 21 de Mayo funicular up to a viewpoint over the port (paid separately). The real heart of the tour is Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre, where you use the El Peral and El Concepción funiculars (El Peral ticket included) to navigate the steep terrain and see the Anglican and Lutheran churches, the promenade at Atkinson, and the neighborhoods where artists and writers have settled. You walk through San Luis square, known as the 7 Corners, and head up Avenida Germany to La Sebastiana, Pablo Neruda's house, perched on the hill with a bookstore and craft shops nearby. The Plaza de the Poets holds sculptures by Neruda, Vicente Huidobro and Gabriela Mistral. Lunch happens on your own in front of the Pacific, and you return to Santiago between 6 and 7 pm.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup from Santiago.
• El Peral funicular ticket in Valparaiso.
• guide commentary in your choice of English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• stops at Quinta Vergara, the Fonck Museum, the beachfront in Viña del Mar, Cerro Concepción, Cerro Alegre, La Sebastiana and the Plaza de the Poets.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (20 to 80 years) · Youth (17 to 18 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Chiletourfun

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese, so you get detailed commentary in whichever language you're comfortable with. The private format means you set the pace through the steep neighborhoods and can linger at viewpoints or skip stops if something else interests you more: useful if you're visiting for the first time and want to absorb each city without rushing.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (17 to 18 years); Child (6 to 12 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the drive time from Santiago to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar?

The journey to the coast is 120 km and takes roughly three hours each way, crossing two mountain ranges and stopping to taste local food and see the Casablanca Valley vineyards on the way down to sea level.

Do the funicular rides up the hills in Valparaiso cost extra?

The El Peral funicular ticket is included in the tour price. The 21 de Mayo funicular in Valparaiso, which takes you to a viewpoint over the port, is paid separately by you at the time.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Lunch is not included and is on your own. You stop in Viña del Mar in front of the Pacific Ocean, where you have time to choose where to eat before heading to Valparaiso.

What happens if I want to spend more time in one place or skip a stop?

The private service lets you adapt the itinerary to your preferences and pace. Your guide will work with you to adjust the route and timing as the day unfolds.