we made it back from Peru in one piece. We would both like to thank you for organising a fantastic trip. Absoloutely loved the sights, the culture, the people and especially the food.... As you know, there is so much more to Peru than Machu Picchu.
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Founded in 1542, Valparaiso is a fascinating port and UNESCO world heritage site nestled amongst colourful hills some 1½ hours’ drive from the capital Santiago. Home to Chile’s National Congress, the city leapt to prominence during the 19th century as a major stopover point for the transatlantic trade route that took ships via the Straits of Magellan at the tip of the continent through to the Pacific coast of the Americas. Sadly the construction of the Panama Canal at the turn of the century stripped the once “Jewel of the Pacific” of its lifeblood and left a city scape of crumbling mansions and monuments.
Today, however, Valparaiso has made a startling recovery. Huge investment has breathed life and colour back into the original architecture and once more, historic funicular trains (8 in all) link the lower city port with the surrounding hillsides. Loved and admired throughout the ages, a vibrant social and art scene has followed suit. Valparaiso is renowned for its bohemian atmosphere reflected in Pablo Neruda’s La Sebastiana house and the city now boasts some of the finest boutique hotels, restaurants and galleries in all Chile.
Outside the city, the famous coastal resort of Viña del Mar is a short distance away while charming fishing villages and beaches line the length of the neighbouring coast. Inland, the hills are green with rolling vineyards while Cerro Campana National Park, first climbed by Charles Darwin in 1834, rises up from the coastal range offering visitors breathtaking views of both the snow-capped Andes and Pacific Ocean.
Tucked amongst Valparaiso’s cobbled streets atop Cerro Alegre hill, the Hotel Zero is a charmingly restored, three-storey townhouse, and delightful boutique hotel dating back to the turn of the...
Tucked amongst Valparaiso’s colourful hills with captivating views across the bay, Casa Higueras is a charmingly restored 1920’s mansion and beautiful boutique hotel. Perched on “Valpo’s” iconic...
Sitting in a privileged position right on the Paseo Atkinson, one of Valparaiso’s most famous walkways, the Hotel Manoir Atkinson is a colourful, family-run guesthouse that has been painstakingly...
we made it back from Peru in one piece. We would both like to thank you for organising a fantastic trip. Absoloutely loved the sights, the culture, the people and especially the food.... As you know, there is so much more to Peru than Machu Picchu.
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