An unmissable Valparaíso highlight is a tour of the city’s street art. There’s a difference between plain old graffiti and street art, and Valparaíso illustrates this point. Even if you don’t go on an official tour, the city’s streets are alive with art, so you’ll find plenty of it without even trying. Cerro Bellavista has an open-air museum, and Avenida Alemania presents a beautiful mix of artistic styles along the street.

Valparaíso is a city with a lot of history, which is reflected in its buildings. Strolling around the city, you’ll spot the National Maritime Museum, assorted churches, and La Sebastiana Museum House — all worth a visit. La Sebastiana was the home of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, and not only does the quirky, eclectic museum boast a beautiful city view, it also has collections of old maps and paintings.

Whether you’re wandering through the streets, looking at cheerfully painted houses, or walking around the harbor looking up at the city’s many hills, there’s always something beautiful to admire. Valparaíso was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003 thanks to its nineteenth-century colonial architecture, along with the city’s distinctive amphitheater-like structure as it climbs onto the hills. The Natural History Museum, in particular, is an excellent example of the city’s colonial-style architecture, as it was modeled on a Victorian house with bow windows and columns.