Valparaíso

An eventful and poetic city, undoubtedly, our jewel on the Pacific. This one is a Port with history, excitements and surprises. Its evident excesses invites you to believe you can do whatever you are inspired to.

The mixture of its hills with narrow steep streets, colorfull houses and elevators offered at sunset on the Pacific Ocean is a scenary that makes this city unique.

General Information

Valparaíso city, the capital of the V Region is on the Pacific coast. Situated 120 kms. Norhwest from Santiago. The Region surface is of 16.396.1 square kms.

How to get there It has two ways of direct access. The first entry is by route 68, which ends in the well-known street “Santos Ossa”. The second is by “Camino La Pólvora”.

Both ways connect Valparaiso Port with Santiago city. From Santiago to Valparaiso it takes a one and a half hour drive.

Valparaíso can also be accessed from Viña del Mar by “España” Avenue, comercial buses, cars and trucks that go to the port use this entrance.

Climate
Valparaíso has a Mediterranean climate, with a long dry season in summer, between October and April, and cold and rainy winters, between June and August. Between May and August, the average temperature is 11.4ºC. In summer the average temperature is about 17ºC. Tmperature at the coast in summer is lower than in the valleys, while in winter the coast is warmer than the valleys.

The temperature has not wide variations. Between May and August, the average temperature is 11.4ºC. In January the average temperature is about 17ºC. Anyway, the temperature in the coast in the summer months is lower than the temperature in the valleys, meanwhile in winter the coast is warmer than the valleys.

Travelling Around
This region has two airports, one is Torquemada in Viña del Mar and Mataveri in Easter Island. Torquemada has been closed for about two years. National or foreign passengers who choose the air route must arrive through Santiago’s airport that is the nearest one. Many tourist arrive by sea in cruises coming from different parts of the world.

The cheapest option is by bus, from Santiago, or other cities. There is a Bus Station.

The best way to travel inside Valparaíso and Viña del Mar is by local buses or “micros” and “taxis colectivos”, that are cars that have rutes similar to local buses, but are shared by few people, this helps in the abrupt geography especially in the hill areas.

To visit the inner parts of the region, the best way is taking the urban train MERVAL, it travels between Valparaíso Port and “San Francisco de Limache”, and goes through Quilpué, Villa Alemana and Peñablanca towns.

Valparaíso History

Discovery
Juan de Saavedra was the first who explore the Chilean coast looking for a Spaniard ship that was anchored at Quintil Bay. There he discovered a beautiful landscape, warm weather and peace, and was enchanted by it.

Between the hills and the beach there was a valley, where “Changos” originary people live, these expert fishermen were the first inhabitants of Valparaiso.

Foundation
Pedro de Valdivia, Conqueror of Chile, said: Valparaíso will be the Port for this land and for Santiago. This is known as the official foundation of the city and was on September 3rd 1544.

During the first years the Port had little importance but with time it was transformed in a commercial city and as it became more important it needed military support to protect it from pirate invasions and pillages. A well known incident happened on December 4th of 1578 with the arrival of the pirate Sir Francis Drake to the Port.

First Years
The XVIII century was important for the city development, but only in 1811 Chile recognized Valparaíso as a city.

Those were changing times for the newly independent Nation. Valparaiso played a relevant role as a military fort as well as calling for an independent liberation. This protagonic role transformed it in the second important city, after Santiago, and the neuralgic center for Chilean and southamerican communications .

In the XIX century Valparaiso became the major Naval and commercial centre of activity on the Pacific Coast of South America.

The Port had progress and transformations. It was pioneer in several developments; here started the first telephonic line, one of the first railroad lines in the country, the first elevators, Firemans Company and Constructions of civic and commercial settings. The city soon had electric and gas lights systems.

Valparaiso citizens are known for their unique characteristic, influenced by: the steep geography, its settlement, the architecture and the variety of foreigners that arrived. It was the result of commercial activities coming from abroad. At the beginning foreigners stayed for a few days, with time they stayed for longer time and finally many of them settle in Valparaíso and built their houses in the hills with their own styles.

The largest colonies were the English, Italians, Spanish, French, German and United States people. Every one contributed with different aspects of their own cultures.

These cultural diversity made of Valparaíso a Cosmopolitan and bohemian city, a focus for artist, intellectuals and poets.

Nowadays
Information provided by 2002 Cense showed a total population in Valparaíso Region of 1.539.852 inhabitants, that is the 10.1% of the country. Valparaíso has been recognized for UNESCO as Humanity Heritage Place. The city has received funds from this Institution to repair and rebuilt several areas.

Nowadays, Valparaíso is one of the most important cities in the country.