Valparaiso Local History

During Diego de Almagro's expedition around South America in 1536 two of his ships stopped by in the present bay of Valparaiso and the area was proclaimed as the bay of Santiago. Two centuries passed with little or no development until finally in 1802 the town of Valparaiso was proclaimed.

Things moved slowly until the gold rush and building of the railway link to Santiago greatly boosted the importance of the port town and by 1880 the population exceeded 100 000. The opening of the Panama Canal greatly reduced traffic to the port in the early 20th century. Following the Second World War, things have improved thanks to the growth of Chile Industry and today the port is one of the most important on the west coast of the continent.

Valparaiso Attractions

Top Attractions

Valparaiso Restaurants and Bars

Valparaiso Restaurants

Cafe Turri This restaurant is reportedly one of the best in the city. The entire experience is enjoyable as it includes fine food, scenic views and good service. The restaurant is situated in a converted house of which it occupies three floors. The speciality is seafood although the menu includes an assortment of meat and poultry dishes. Reservations are recommended here; the address is Celle Templeman 147. The restaurant is open daily fro lunch and dinner.

La Columbina This superb dining establishment features three floors that includes a tearoom, a pub and a fine dining restaurant with linen tablecloths and fine antiques. A wood fire oven and live music add to the ambiance and makes for a memorable experience. The address is Pasaje Apolo 91.

Coco Loco For a truly memorable dining experience this restaurant comes highly recommended. It features a revolving dining area underneath a glass dome allowing great views of the city. This is definitely one of the more upscale trendy establishments in town and includes a menu that specialises in seafood although beef and chicken dishes are also available. The address is Blanco 1781; the restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily.

Valparaiso Bars & Clubs

Cinzano While in Latin America, you should know that you are in the home of the Tango and this nightspot is but one of the places where you can enjoy the vibe of this timeless dance. The club hosts dinner dances and live music in an early 20th century ambiance.

La Piedra Feliz Located at Errazuriz 1054, this club has wooden dance floors and a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The live music arrives in the late evening from Tuesdays to Sundays which really gets the place really gets going.

Bar Emile Dubois Situated at Ecuador 144, this interesting bar come disco is named after the first Chilean to die of capital punishment. The drinks here carry this bizarre theme with names like 'strangulation' and 'murder'.

Valparaiso Tours

Looking for organised tours in Valparaiso?

• Wine & Valparaiso & Vina del Mar
• Wine Tours Casablanca Valley