Valparaiso, Chile

Situated about 120km (72 miles) northwest of Santiago, Valparaiso is the second biggest city in Chile and the Capital of the Region.

In 2003 Valparaiso was declared a World Heritage Site, due to its historical importance, natural beauty, original architecture and layout.

You will find many funiculars, known as 'ascensores' throughout Valparaíso. These are a way for local people to be taken to and from their homes high up in the picturesque hillside neighborhoods. Some of the 'ascensores' where built as early as 1883. These are a must do when you visit the city as you will get to see some amazing views from them as you go up.

Muelle Prat (Prat Wharf) can be found at the foot of the Plaza Sotomayor, the main square of Valparaíso. Muelle Prat is the only wharf where the public can closely watch the loading and unloading of the ships from a safe distance (if that's your type of thing). You will find a typical handicrafts market at this wharf and boat trips around the harbor can also be taken from here.

Arica, Chile

Arica is in the Northern Chile. It is a seaside resort town (170,000 pop): quiet, relaxed, safe, with several nice beaches and sun virtually every day of the year. The city of eternal spring is the northern gateway to Peru and Bolivia.

Arica spreads out at the foot of El Morro Hill, the site of a major battle of the Peruvian War (1879-83). Today, the hill is a national historic monument, complete with an open-air museum. The summit of El Morro affords excellent panoramic views, which survey the city, the ocean, and even the distant Atacama. Among adventure travelers, the city is best known as the starting point for excursions into the Atacama Desert. 

The Museo Arqueologicò San Miguel de Azapa, located a short distance out of town, gives an excellent introduction to the history of the area. Among its most fascinating exhibits are a collection of Incan mummies, whose bodies were perfectly preserved in the extraordinarily arid sands of the forbidding Atacama.
Also of interest in Arica is the San Marcos de Arica church, designed by the famed tower-builder Gustav Eiffel.