La Sebastiana
House of the poet Pablo Neruda on a hillside, now a museum. Its colourful rooms, furniture and collections are arranged to follow Neruda's own tastes, with wide views of the bay.
Valparaiso
UNESCO lists this hilly port city, which has old funicular lifts, street art and colourful houses.
Attractive locations
Palacio Baburizza
Art Nouveau mansion on Cerro Alegre, now the city's fine arts museum. The collection and the old rooms give a glimpse of the port's wealthy past.
Artillería Funicular
Historic funicular railway that climbs one of the hills from the lower town, taking passengers to a lookout over the harbour and bay.
Plaza Sotomayor
Large formal square beside the port, surrounded by grand old buildings including the navy headquarters. A monument to naval heroes stands at its centre.
Open Sky Museum
Outdoor art route of painted murals covering walls, stairs and houses on Cerro Bellavista, a free and colourful way to see the city's creative side.
Historic Quarter of Valparaíso
The hillside historic quarter of the port, with steep lanes, colourful tin-clad houses, funiculars and sea views over the bay. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Isla Negra (Neruda's House)
The seaside village where the poet Pablo Neruda built a house filled with ship parts, shells and curios, now a museum. The rugged beach lies just in front.
Airports
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport SCL
It is about 87 km in a straight line from Valparaiso.
Scams and safe taxis
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan17.1 °C2 mm
- Feb17.4 °C1 mm
- Mar16.8 °C4 mm
- Apr15.0 °C9 mm
- May13.8 °C45 mm
- Jun12.6 °C55 mm
- Jul11.8 °C47 mm
- Aug11.8 °C42 mm
- Sep12.2 °C13 mm
- Oct13.1 °C12 mm
- Nov14.4 °C6 mm
- Dec15.8 °C3 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Dec. Wettest months: May, Jun, Jul.
Costs
Prices here are about 48% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
festival
New Year's Eve fireworks (Valparaiso)
The fireworks above the bay are South America's biggest.
festival
New Year's Eve fireworks (Valparaiso)
The fireworks above the bay are South America's biggest.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 133. Ambulance 131. Fire 132.
local government
Carabineros de Chile emergency line 133
Helps with: Chile's national police emergency line, for crimes, robberies, assaults, traffic accidents and other incidents that need immediate police action. The page says it is open every hour of every day.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Chile reporting an emergency that threatens people's safety. The page calls the service free and confidential.
Phone: 133
local government
TurismoAtiende (Sernatur, National Tourism Service)
Helps with: Help line of Chile's national tourism service for travellers. It gives advice by phone, WhatsApp or email. The tourism site says to also tell your embassy if you lose your passport.
Who qualifies: Visitors travelling in Chile, including foreign tourists.
Phone: +56 2 2731 8337
Email: [email protected]
ngo
Cruz Roja Chilena (Chilean Red Cross)
Helps with: Chile's national Red Cross society. Its website lists local branches, volunteering, blood donation and a training centre. The page shows only head office contact details.
Who qualifies: People in Chile who need the Red Cross; contact the head office or a local branch listed on its site.
Phone: +56(2) 2783 4100
Email: [email protected]
Address: Avda. Santa María 0150, Providencia
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Chile
Helps with: The UN migration agency, working in Chile since 1954. It supports migration management and crisis response, including help for people displaced by wildfires.
Who qualifies: Migrants and displaced people in Chile, and government partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +56 2 296 33 710
Address: Matilde Salamanca 736, Providencia, Santiago de Chile
embassy
Foreign consulates in Chile (official list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy or consulate. The Chilean foreign ministry's online consulate site links to a list of foreign consulates in Chile by country flag.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.
local government
National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (SENAPRED)
Helps with: Chile's national disaster agency, responsible for earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires and volcanic eruptions. The number listed is its citizen service office, not an emergency line.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Chile wanting information about disaster risks or alerts. For urgent danger call the police on 133.
Phone: 600 586 7700
Address: Av. Beauchef 1671, Santiago