Visit the city of adventurers, a stopover for navigators rounding Cape Horn. Walk along its main avenues (Francía, Brasil, etc.) and squares (de la Victoria, Simón Bolívar, Sotomayor), or take in its main landmarks (the central market, “casa Matriz”, the Catholic University, Congress, the naval museum).
Its old funiculars still climb the 45 hills surrounding the city, and the houses on stilts clinging to the slopes of these “cerros” (hills) give the city its vibrant colours. Also stop by the “21 de Mayo” lookout on a route that, starting from the port, takes you up to the heights of these legendary spots, offering an exceptional view over Valparaiso Bay.
Continue on to Viña del Mar, the city's upscale residential area and the seaside resort favoured by the people of Santiago. Its carefully maintained subtropical vegetation, with palm trees and banana trees, has earned it the name “garden city”. Horse-drawn carriages pass by the fine late-19th-century mansions built along the river and the beach. Besides its stretches of white sand, the city has numerous parks and interesting museums housed in restored old buildings. Chile's national botanical garden displays regional plants and exotic species across 61 hectares.