Advantages going to Santiago vs staying the day in Valparaiso Chile?

I see lots of comments on the forum about Valparaiso vs Santiago, but they all seem to be related to people either starting or ending their cruise in Valparaiso.

I will be on a 30 day cruise from Buenos Aires to San Diego in April and will be stopping for a day at Valparaiso.

Options are to spend the day in and around Valparaiso seeing the sights, doing some shopping, etc. vs spending the day on a bus tour to Santiago. I'm trying to decide which way to go.

Anyone with experience in both cities that might give me some thoughts, pointers, etc.

We spent three days in Santiago and one day in Valparaiso before leaving on a cruise to French Polynesia. The cities are entirely different. Santiago is a huge sprawling city with an impressive and wealthy business district, good restaurants, an impressive public transportation system, very interesting street art, and it felt very safe. Valparaiso is a port city built on hillsides, not as modern, a little gritty, but very interesting.

If I had only one day I would check out the walking tours of Valparaiso - we did the half day tour and it was fascinating and took us to places we would never have found on our own or with a motorized tour. Very impressive street art, colorful houses and infinite photo ops. If you take the waling tour ask the guide to take you to the Lutheran Church and ask for the vice pastor who is American and ex-merchant marine, and he will tell you the history of both the church (fascinating) and the graveyard of some 200 Americans that the church has restored. Although more edgy than Santiago we felt very safe. Valparaiso was one of the highlights of our trip

Going to Santiago means many hours of bus or car travel through a huge valley of vineyards - depending on traffic likely three to four hours. If you are a wine enthusiast there are many opportunities to stop and taste. But you will not have much time in Santiago.

Hope this helps a little

Thank you for your detailed thoughts...much appreciated.

We have also spent several days in Santiago plus short periods in Valpo and neighbouring Vina del Mar when disembarking (twice) and embarking (once). I generally agree with "airheadfan". Valpo/Vina and Santiago are both very interesting and well worth visiting. However, there is more than enough of interest in Valpo and Vina to occupy a full day. An excursion to Santiago & return would use up a good fraction of your day, even without stopping at a winery, and I think the time would be better spent in Valpo and Vina. Better to save Santiago for another trip when you can spend more time there.

John

Consider going to the wine country which is about an hour drive from Valparaiso. The views are beautiful.

I would not go to Santiago. It has nothing to do with my view but it is a 90 minute drive each way and the consensus always is it was nice but much too much to see in one day so it was rushed and tiring.

Keith

Thanks J-D and Keith1010...appreciate the response....the kind of info I was looking for.

We took a cruise out of Valparaiso in February and had a fantastic experience. We landed in Santiago and hired a guide (through Leo Cuzmar) who gave us an all-day tour around Santiago, then had a fabulous lunch at a small local place between Santiago and Valparaiso. We then were taken to a vineyard in Casablanca for a tour and tasting, followed by a driving tour of both Viña del Mar and Valparaiso ending at our hotel. Spent the night in Valparaiso and did a walking tour of the picturesque city before our cruise left the next day. Highly recommended!

We took a cruise out of Valparaiso in February and had a fantastic experience. We landed in Santiago and hired a guide (through Leo Cuzmar) who gave us an all-day tour around Santiago, then had a fabulous lunch at a small local place between Santiago and Valparaiso. We then were taken to a vineyard in Casablanca for a tour and tasting, followed by a driving tour of both Viña del Mar and Valparaiso ending at our hotel. Spent the night in Valparaiso and did a walking tour of the picturesque city before our cruise left the next day. Highly recommended!

Could you give me info. on how to contact Leo Cuzmar and did you have a guide for your walking tour of Valparaiso?

Thanks, Diane

We flew into Santiago and toured the city. The next day we visited two vineyards on our way to Valpariso. Saw the sights of Valpariso that evening and before boarding at noon the next day.

If I only had one day, I would definitely stay around Valpariso. As mentioned in a previous post, Valpariso is colorful and there is lots to see. Make sure you take several of the 9 or so trams that move people up and down the hillside. I would get a guide to make sure you see everything and stay away from the "less safe" areas.

Do not wear good jewelry in either city.

Valparaiso has a cultural oasis that's unique to all of Chile. Santiago is just another big city. If you're more into shopping then go to Santiago by all means, but at least to me, other than that, Santiago doesn't have much of touristic value to offer!

I totally agree. Valparaiso is unique. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site for a reason. With only one day's time, I would take a guided tour. The guides know where the acsensores are. We would never have found them on our own although we could see one from the ship.

Valparaiso has a cultural oasis that's unique to all of Chile. Santiago is just another big city. If you're more into shopping then go to Santiago by all means, but at least to me, other than that, Santiago doesn't have much of touristic value to offer!

Concur that, during a one-day port visit at Valparaiso, it makes much sense to spend the day touring the interesting and colourful Valpo area -- perhaps including adjacent Vina del Mar and preferably with a guide -- and not lose the better part of 4 hours on the highway to and from Santiago (2 hr each way). However, in our view, Santiago is a very interesting and generally attractive city with "much of touristic value" and of historic interest. Unfortunately, the short time that one could achieve in Santiago during a day trip from Valpo would not do justice to the city. Better to save it for a trip when you can start or end a cruise at Valpo (or, as we did this year, get off one ship, spend time in Santiago, Valpo, Vina, etc., and then board another ship).

John

My wife and I will arrive Valparaiso on Oceania Marina on December 28, 2013 and will stay in Santiago for a few days. We are interested in joining the Valparaiso walking tour, can you advise which tour agency offers this and what is the approx. cost.

AL

We spent three days in Santiago and one day in Valparaiso before leaving on a cruise to French Polynesia. The cities are entirely different. Santiago is a huge sprawling city with an impressive and wealthy business district, good restaurants, an impressive public transportation system, very interesting street art, and it felt very safe. Valparaiso is a port city built on hillsides, not as modern, a little gritty, but very interesting.

 

If I had only one day I would check out the walking tours of Valparaiso - we did the half day tour and it was fascinating and took us to places we would never have found on our own or with a motorized tour. Very impressive street art, colorful houses and infinite photo ops. If you take the waling tour ask the guide to take you to the Lutheran Church and ask for the vice pastor who is American and ex-merchant marine, and he will tell you the history of both the church (fascinating) and the graveyard of some 200 Americans that the church has restored. Although more edgy than Santiago we felt very safe. Valparaiso was one of the highlights of our trip

 

Going to Santiago means many hours of bus or car travel through a huge valley of vineyards - depending on traffic likely three to four hours. If you are a wine enthusiast there are many opportunities to stop and taste. But you will not have much time in Santiago.

 

Hope this helps a little

With one day I would tour Valparaiso. Santiago is very nice but I would go with Valparaiso with the one day.

There are beautiful wineries on the way if you have any interest in that. One of them is located in Casablanca about 1 hour from Valparaiso and on the way.

Keith