Heroes monument
At the centre.
Arild Vågen — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Deensel — CC BY 2.0 · Deensel — CC BY 2.0 · Rjcastillo — CC BY-SA 4.0
Valparaíso's grand civic square, at the foot of the hills on the edge of the port, centred on the bronze Monument to the Heroes of Iquique, raised in 1886 to honour naval commander Arturo Prat and his crew in an 1879 sea battle, with a crypt below dedicated to their memory. Around the square stands the grand Chilean Navy headquarters with its European façade and clock tower, once the regional government seat, and other historic buildings from the port's golden age. Glass panels in the ground reveal remains of an old wharf. From the square Muelle Prat runs out to the water, where small boats offer short bay tours among the ships, showing the port, the city on its hills and sometimes sea lions. Nearby the El Peral funicular climbs to Cerro Alegre. The square is busy and lively by day. Valparaíso has street theft in quiet, steep lanes, so stay in busy places by day and take taxis at night.
At the centre.
Clock tower.
Bay boats.
Lower town by Muelle Prat, Valparaíso
Historic Quarter, Cerro Alegre and ConcepciónA unique port city climbing more than forty hills above a Pacific bay, in the ni6 minutes walk4.8
Valparaíso's Historic Funiculars (Ascensores)Valparaíso's emblem and its quirkiest transport: small wooden cars hauled by cab8 minutes walk4.6
Paseo 21 de Mayo and Artillery HillA promenade and lookout on the edge of Artillery Hill right above Valparaíso's p9 minutes walk4.5
Open-Air Museum of MuralsA museum with no walls or tickets in the lanes and stairways of Cerro Bellavista15 minutes walk4.1
La Sebastiana, Neruda's HousePablo Neruda's house in Valparaíso, on Cerro Bellavista, which he bought with fr22 minutes walk4.3A short bay boat tour from Muelle Prat, then the El Peral funicular up to Cerro Alegre and its colourful lanes.