Valparraiso

Chile Valparaiso and Vina del Mar

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Valparraiso

When is the best time to visit Valparaiso?

Valparaiso and Viña have a hot dry summer and cool winters with some rain. Spring and autumn (Sep - Oct and Apr - May) are pleasant times for a city visit; summertime (Dec - Mar) the best time for the beaches which can be crowded with visitors.

For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.

What language is spoken in Valparaiso?

The main language spoken in Valparaiso is Spanish.

What currency do I need in Valparaiso?

The Chilean Peso is the main currency used in Valparaiso. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs using a UK credit or debit card. Limits may be lower than your UK bank allows. There are also many banks and money exchanges (casas de cambio) where you can exchange US dollars cash; rates for euros and sterling are harder to find and frequently poor.

What is the time difference between Valparaiso and UK?

The time difference between Valparaiso and the UK is GMT -4 hours. Sometimes daylight saving is observed in the summer, from Sep-Oct to early March.

What places combine well with Valparaiso?

Santiago, vast multi-layered capital, 106 km (2 hours by road); a stay at one of the vineyards in the Colchagua, Maipo and Casablanca valleys, 177 km by road.

How do I get to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar?

It takes approximately 2 hours to drive from Santiago to both Valparaiso and Vina del Mar.

What are the festivals and cultural events in Valparaiso?

New Year: Valparaiso: 3 days of festival attended by over a million visitors, with a firework display on the bay.

International Music Festival: Viña del Mar, a week in Feb. This event once attracted stars of international renown, nowadays it is more a showcase for aspiring Latin American pop stars. 

If you still have questions, please contact us and one of our Travel Experts will be happy to help.

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Alex
    Alex Walker - Travel Expert

    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

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