An alternative tour of Valparaíso: sightseeing from the “O”

A good deal of arm-waving, a few hundred pesos and you’re off, sailing through the heart of Valparaíso’s quirky and colorful hillsides.

The retro-style “O” bus – also known as the 612 – may just be the best authentic tour of Valparaíso, with breathtaking views of the ocean, up-close encounters with the iconic architecture, and a route that takes you past some of the city’s prime attractions. Hop aboard, hold on, and try to imagine what it would be like if this was your daily commute.

Just a few steps away from Valparaíso’s bus terminal and Plaza O’Higgins, the “O” will be idling noisily along Avenida Argentina, waiting to pick up passengers for its sojourn into the hills. This is the entrance to the city: noisy, urbane, and crowded with fruits and vegetables every Wednesday and Saturday during Valparaíso’s best outdoor market. Clamber aboard, drop your coins into the driver’s outstretched hand, and snag a seat on the right side of the bus, where you’ll be treated to unsurpassed views of the port city.

After the broad avenues and modern feel of the Valparaíso downtown, you’re treated to a whole different side of the city as the “O” ascends Avenida Francia and then Avenida Alemania. Here, the densely-packed Valparaíso hillsides swell with detail – the pastel houses clinging to the hillside, the front doors that open onto rooftops, the nearly-perpendicular flower beds, the forlorn soccer ball kicked irretrievably down below.

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After a few minutes you’ll pass La Sebastiana, the third house of Chile’s beloved poet, Pablo Neruda. The house, along with his two others in Santiago and Isla Negra, has been converted into a museum and accepts visitors every day of the week except Mondays. If you’re planning to stop for a look around, be sure to reserve an English-language guide ahead of time (here). Or, continue on into the heart of Cerro Bellavista, one of Valparaíso’s lovelier and more bohemian hill-top neighborhoods that is home to an open-air museum, the Museo al Cielo Abierto.

After you pass the Bismarck plaza, a tiny affair with unparalleled views of the ocean, the bus takes you right under the nose of one of Valparaíso’s most unique attractions: the former-jail-turned-cultural-center, the Ex-Carcel. The Ex-Carcel is currently under a multi-million dollar remodel that will convert it into one of the region’s most cutting-edge performance spaces, but the historic cemetery around the corner is a perfect place for a reflective mid-morning stroll overlooking the ocean.

As the “O” takes you past Valparaíso’s Cerro Alegre, your trip can take one of two turns: either hop off the bus and wander downhill, where you’re sure to stumble across some of Valparaíso’s very best restaurants and cafés; or continue aboard the “O,” which descends back to sea level and the historic center before swooping up into Playa Ancha’s mansion-lined streets, ending up at the Playa Ancha cemetery.

By Jackie Seitz for Chile.travel
Published by The Santiago Times