Three days in Valparaiso or Santiego post cruise?

We have 3 full days and 2 nights after disembarking our cruise in Valparaiso late December. One day is a Sunday. The final full day ends when we have to catch a 10pm flight back to the USA in Santiago.

We are trying to figure out whether we should stay in S. or V. for those 2 nights, and how we should spend our 3 days. One day, we will be taking a wine country tour, and I'm thinking that would be best done on our final day so that it includes the transfers to Santiago and would keep our luggage with us. (Drop off at a restaurant, then take a taxi to the airport after dinner.) But maybe I'm totally wrong about that?

Anyway, we are 2 senior citizen couples, first time visitors to Chile. Enjoy dining out and staying in accommodations away from tourist centers. B&B's are often our choice when we leave the USA. We have reached an age where stairs and long distance walking are not comfortable. We love wine, ethnic foods, walking in local neighborhoods, feeling the culture and conversing with locals. Street and food markets are some of our favorite haunts.

After many years of travel, we are pretty much museum'd out, don't ever want to set foot in another art museum, and have limited interest in ruins of what was once a grand architectural building. We do minimal shopping. We do not speak Spanish, but are usually comfortable on public transportation even when we do not speak the language. None of us wants to rent a car (too stressful!)

Suggestions, please? Hotel recommendations are also most welcome.

Valparaiso is perfect for local flair, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We loved it. There is walking involved, but you can always tell the guide to minimize it, use the old fashioned tram and the escalatores.

Sorry, I have no recommendations for a guide nor a hotel because it was a stop over on our ship's itinerary.

We have been to Chile twice, which two separate Infinity cruises ending in Valparaiso.

We used SouthExcursions, which I highly recommend, however, make your own hotel reservations. http://www.southexcursions.com/

The first cruise in December 2011, we toured Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. Here was our itinerary:

Day 1

Valparaiso and Vina del mar city tour (4 1/2 hrs)

Pick up 08:30 at Valparaiso cruise terminal for city Valparaiso and Vina del Mar city tour,

here you will discover the exceptional beauty of Valparaiso, a centuries old port city recently declared a World Heritage by UNESCO. Prior to the construction of the Panama Canal (1914), the Port of Valparaiso was the most important in the South Pacific as ships from around the world called here once they crossed Cape Horn or the Strait of Magellan. Explore a labyrinth of streets that stretch over the many tiered hillsides facing the bay and see an antique funicular (wooden cable car elevator) used to transport the resident “Porteños” up and down. Enjoy the imaginative architecture and bright colors of the centenarian homes built by the first Europeans to settle here. Breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean await you at the "21 de Mayo" promenade and panoramic lookout point. Other city highlights include the La Matriz church, “Plaza Sotomayor” with its impressive Naval Heroes Monument, Ex-Governor’s Palace and the Justice Tribunal building. Contrasting the aged elegance of Valparaiso is the “Garden City” of Viña del Mar. Viña is renowned for its beautiful avenues lined with immense old trees, well-kept parks, popular resorts, long sandy beaches and holiday fun. Enroute to Viña, you’ll pass the Plaza Victoria, National Congress Building, and Santa Maria University. Upon arrival you’ll see the Viña "Flower Clock", impressive Presidential Palace, Brunet and Wulff Castles, and the posh Viña del Mar Casino and luxury hotel. Drop off at your Valparaiso Hotel

Price: USD 85 per person basis two passengers

Hotel San Martin, 4*, 1 Night:

Price: USD 115

HAB DBL NON SMOKING, No ocean view

Hotel Marina del Rey, 4*, 1 Night

Price: USD 95

HAB DBL NON SMOKING

Day 2

Santiago city tour (6 Hrs)

Heading towards Santiago, you’ll travel through the picturesque Chilean countryside including the famous wine-producing valley of Casablanca, here you can have the opportunity to try one of their most famous wines. In Santiago, you will travel to the historical center to see the Presidential Palace "La Moneda" and Constitution Square. You will also see the Ex-National Congress building and the Justice Tribunal buildings en route to the impressive Plaza de Armas (Main Square). Here, we find the Municipal Cathedral, Ex-Governor’s Palace, Main Post Office and National Historic Museum.

This tour finish at your Santiago Hotel.

*Santiago is located 120 km from Valparaiso

Price: USD 130 per person basis two passengers (wine tasting optional for USD 5 per person)

Hotel Diego de Almagro, 4*, 1 Night (located 5 min from Airport):

Price: USD 115

HAB DBL NON SMOKING

Day3

Transfer to the Airport on the 21st complementary by Southexcursions!!

We did not stay in Valparaiso, but did see the city to our satisfaction. We liked our hotel in Vina Del Mar.

Santiago is interesting, we spent one night there. Also, we had the stop at the winery on the way to Santiago.

Recommend Casas del Bosque winery.

Here are my reviews of both cruises.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=248878

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=94024

Both the Valparaiso / Vina del Mar area and Santiago are interesting and colourful places, but very different in size, characteristics, and terrain. Santiago is far larger, more diverse, and flatter. The wine region is more-or-less between Valpo and Santiago. To make best use of your time and to avoid any "backtracking", I suggest booking a tour of the Valpo/Vina area for your arrival day, staying in that area for the first night. Then book a transfer/winery tour from Valpo to Santiago for the 2nd day, stopping at a couple of wineries along the way, and spend the 2nd night in Santiago. You would then have the evening of day two plus day 3 in Santiago, with your Santiago hotel holding your luggage until it is time to go to the airport.

Given the OP's problems with stairs and extended walking, it would seem best to book local tours for both day 1 in Valpo/Vina and day 3 in Santiago. I believe that various tour providers offer similar tours, but we used "About Chile" for such tours in both cities, and also for the transfers between the two (on one transfer with winery tour), and we were happy with them. In both Valpo and Santiago, for very modest prices, they provided a small van with both driver and English-speaking guide. When we wanted to walk, the driver would take the van to an agreed meeting point so we could walk with the guide one-way, e.g., in Valpo, drive to the top of one of the steep hill, walk downhill, meet the van at the bottom. In Santiago, drive to one side of the most congested downtown / historic area, walk with the guide for a few blocks through that area, meet the van and driver on the other side. In Santiago, there is a good subway system that we used extensively during our several days there, but I do not recall any alternative to using stairs in the subway stations, so in the OP's case a local tour may be a better bet. I understand there is also a HoHo bus in Santiago, but we did not use that.

In Santiago, we stayed at the Orly Hotel in the Providencia district. It is a smaller, very comfortable but non-ostentatious place popular with cruise passengers. There is a (small) elevator to the upper floors. Good breakfast included. Very helpful English-speaking front-desk staff. Located in safe, walkable district with many restaurants (and close to subway, if that is practical for you). The Orly Hotel and About Chile tour provider work closely together, though no doubt other tour companies would also pick up or drop off at the Orly.

For two of the several related previous threads, see

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2055660

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1874608

However you decide to allocate your time, enjoy your stay in these interesting places.

John

Both the Valparaiso / Vina del Mar area and Santiago are interesting and colourful places, but very different in size, characteristics, and terrain. Santiago is far larger, more diverse, and flatter. The wine region is more-or-less between Valpo and Santiago. To make best use of your time and to avoid any "backtracking", I suggest booking a tour of the Valpo/Vina area for your arrival day, staying in that area for the first night. Then book a transfer/winery tour from Valpo to Santiago for the 2nd day, stopping at a couple of wineries along the way, and spend the 2nd night in Santiago. You would then have the evening of day two plus day 3 in Santiago, with your Santiago hotel holding your luggage until it is time to go to the airport.

 

Given the OP's problems with stairs and extended walking, it would seem best to book local tours for both day 1 in Valpo/Vina and day 3 in Santiago. I believe that various tour providers offer similar tours, but we used "About Chile" for such tours in both cities, and also for the transfers between the two (on one transfer with winery tour), and we were happy with them. In both Valpo and Santiago, for very modest prices, they provided a small van with both driver and English-speaking guide. When we wanted to walk, the driver would take the van to an agreed meeting point so we could walk with the guide one-way, e.g., in Valpo, drive to the top of one of the steep hill, walk downhill, meet the van at the bottom. In Santiago, drive to one side of the most congested downtown / historic area, walk with the guide for a few blocks through that area, meet the van and driver on the other side. In Santiago, there is a good subway system that we used extensively during our several days there, but I do not recall any alternative to using stairs in the subway stations, so in the OP's case a local tour may be a better bet. I understand there is also a HoHo bus in Santiago, but we did not use that.

 

In Santiago, we stayed at the Orly Hotel in the Providencia district. It is a smaller, very comfortable but non-ostentatious place popular with cruise passengers. There is a (small) elevator to the upper floors. Good breakfast included. Very helpful English-speaking front-desk staff. Located in safe, walkable district with many restaurants (and close to subway, if that is practical for you). The Orly Hotel and About Chile tour provider work closely together, though no doubt other tour companies would also pick up or drop off at the Orly.

 

For two of the several related previous threads, see

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2055660

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1874608

 

However you decide to allocate your time, enjoy your stay in these interesting places.

 

John

We stopped at the Orly Hotel in Santiago in Dec 2011. The elevator was broken. Just hope it doesn't happen to you. We didn't stay at Orly.

We stopped at the Orly Hotel in Santiago in Dec 2011. The elevator was broken. Just hope it doesn't happen to you. We didn't stay at Orly.

It was fine in March 2013. However, there is just one elevator, so there is a bit of a risk. -- John

We stayed a night precruise in Valpo at the Acontraluz Boutique Hotel in March. Charming, comfortable, with great service, and we were able to reserve a first floor room with a private verandah looking out over the city and the Pacific.

In Santiago, I have stayed twice at the Radisson Plaza Santiago and absolutely love it. Here is my latest review: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294305-d306864-r199675716-Radisson_Plaza_Santiago_Hotel-Santiago_Santiago_Metropolitan_Region.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

Hi,

I've just spent 3 days in Valpo. Used Tours4tips for excellent walking tour, and stayed in Hotel Acontraluz. The hotel has about 8 good restaurants within 5 minutes walk, although it will be slightly longer on the return, uphill leg!

And do enjoy a wonderful long lunch at one of the vineyards en route to the airport. We had a wonderful tour and transfer with Michael, At winetoursvalparaiso.cl. very knowledgeable and attentive. Visited Casas del Bosque, House and Emiliana.

Public transport is pretty easy, with buses, trolleybuses and funiculars, plus very cheap taxis.

Watching dawn or sunset over the ocean - Santiago can't offer that, although it has a lot to offer, too. By the way, the Orly has 3 or 4 good restaurants in the same or next block.

Enjoy.