Visit the Central Valley & Coast, Chile

When you have explored the city, make for the coast for a day, travelling through orchards and olive plantations to the seaside towns of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.

Valparaíso and Viña del Mar

Tumbling precariously down dozens of hills to the port, Valparaíso is a maze of colourful buildings, boulevards and viewpoints, best explored using its ancient funicular railways and ‘elevators’. Here you can visit one of the homes of Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda, who was inspired by the town’s melting-pot charm and eccentricity.

Viña del Mar, however, is a genteel and fashionable resort that has been the weekend retreat of rich Santiago folk for generations.

Zapallar

About two hours further north is the attractive and chic resort town of Zapallar, set on a curved sandy bay and backed by lush forests this is a perfect place for a stop of a couple of nights.

Our favourite hotel here is the Isla Seca, a friendly property with two swimming pools and good views of the ocean.