Is a tour guide better to have than do on your own in valparaiso and vina del mar?

[jtb123]

We will be staying Vina del mar of 4 days pre cruise. Is it better to have a guide of the areas or is it easy enough to do on your own?????

 

We will be flying in to Santiago and need transportation to vina del mar. Suggestions???

[owl61]

While I am not normally a tour guide person there are a couple of good tour guides in the area who are inexpensive so I suggest you hire one for a day to explore Valparaiso. It can be done for as little as $50 per couple. Check the Valparaiso forum at www.tripadvisor for specifics. You may also want to do a wine country tour for one day as well.

You can take a public bus from Santiago to Valpa/Viña for very little $. Many comfortable, large suitcase holding buses do this trip daily. I am not sure how hard or easy it is to go from the airport to the bus station.

[greatam]

We will be staying Vina del mar of 4 days pre cruise. Is it better to have a guide of the areas or is it easy enough to do on your own?????

 

We will be flying in to Santiago and need transportation to vina del mar. Suggestions???

 

I thought you were spending some time in Santiago per your previous post??? If you really have 4 days, I would rent a car. If you can drive in Southern California, you can drive in Chile (looks just about the same as around San Luis Obispo). Rosselot has one way car rentals from Santiago to Vina. Then you can do your own wine tour, go up the coast North from Vina, maybe even drive to the Andes (ski area/white water raftng) from Santiago. Lots to do. And while a guide might be nice for one day in Valpo/Vina, there is truly a lot that you can do on your own. The horse drawn carriages, the trolley, the funiculars, etc. are all easily accesible on your own. The casino, the beaches, the flower clock, etc.

[New Jersey Pat]

OWL61

 

Have had conflicting information on using the bus from Santiago to Valpariso. Read that the bus station is crowded and confusing and reports of stolen luggage. What is your opinion on the ease and safety of taking the bus?

[navgal]

Yes, especially in Valpo it's a good idea to have a guide. It's a wonderfully unique city but some parts are grittier than others. Michael the Pirate is an ex-pat German who speaks perfect English. He is inexpensive and can show you a Valpo no else can. His website is myvalparaiso.com

I loved my day at Isla Negra and my day in Valpo with him. He took us into friends' homes - like a professional magician's house, a politicians unlived-in mansion, to great views and he filled us in on all the history and architectural wonders. We rode ascensors and buses, walked old town, etc. My $25 was well spent. Mention Andrea to him. He probably remembers my obsession with Neruda.

Andrea

[owl61]

OWL61

 

Have had conflicting information on using the bus from Santiago to Valpariso. Read that the bus station is crowded and confusing and reports of stolen luggage. What is your opinion on the ease and safety of taking the bus?

It has been years since I took the bus between Valpa and Santiago. It seems to me all bus stations have a sprinkling of seedy types. I don¨t recall Santiago being particularly unsafe, but things do change. I guess it depends somewhat on your physical state/ vulnerability. I just wonder how easy or hard it is to go from the airport to the bus station.

Can confirm the positive report on Michael mentioned above.

[jtb123]

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions. GREATAM-we have decided to spend the 4 days in Valparaiso and Vina del mar instead of Santiago per your and others suggestions. We will take a tour of Santiago fropm the airport before going to our hotel in Vina del mar.