Valparaiso & Viña del Mar / WORTH THE TRIP ?

[@giovanni.ferrari]

wow the outro broke my heart I was born and raised in Valparaiso but I could not agree more with you that now the city is just a shell of what it used to be, thank you for your thoughts about it

[@Kristinahouwer]

That must be so sad to see, especially given your memories there which must be colourful and full of life. The comparison for you must be even more shocking than for people who visit it the first time . Thank you for watching 💙

[@EnzFab73]

Good lord. There are a gazillion things to do and see in both Valparaiso and Viña del Mar and up the coast to Reñaca, Cochoa and Con-Con. I was literally there in December/January and both were wonderful, vibrant, beautiful. Granted, not everyone is going to love these places but this video was incredibly lacking and unhelpful. And why compare it to anyplace? Chile is Chile, stop comparing them to other places and just enjoy the uniqueness of a place. Many Europeans and North Americans have gone to Valparaiso and LOVED IT, and I know since I live in Canada and have travelled there with my Canadian friends. It is all subjective.

[@Kristinahouwer]

Hi there , thanks for watching ! As I mentioned in the video and description , I know there’s more to do in the area.. this is just my first impression and my experience from a brief visit …and I’m always honest with my opinions :) If you rewind to the start, I even posted some of the positive feedback I read. As you said, it’s all subjective and I never called this video a guide. Have a great day !

[@diegorodriguez4252]

Appreciate your video. I’m sure you’ll get the, “it is amazing you don’t know what you are talking about” crowd. It is good to the other perspective. People have limited time and money to travel so make the most of it.

[@Kristinahouwer]

100% !

[@flyingfox8447]

I’ve always wanted to visit Valparaiso (and the places around Santiago) so I am a bit disappointed by what I saw in the video. Feels so eerie. I’ll still probably go though

[@Kristinahouwer]

You should go! This was just my experience and yours could be totally different. Also depends on things like weather/ time of year/ time of week etc. If you end up going, let me know what you thought, I’m very curious !

[@mayukhchowdhury9847]

Hello Kristina !! It hardly matters to me whether it’s worth a trip or not, as I am travelling the 🌍 through your vlogs, so to me all places are good. And the way you portray your vlogs, the worst of places too looks good. That’s the beauty of your presentation 🥰🤗

[@Kristinahouwer]

How fantastic to hear that ! I always try to show the best places and most memorable things to see/do but it’s also important to be honest which is why showing imperfect experiences matters too😊 thanks for watching as always !

[@scottman895]

As much as love street art, I agree that it looks like there is way too much and not everything is picturesque. At least some parts of the city looked quite nice though even though I'm sure the cloudy weather didn't help much. Awesome video!

[@Kristinahouwer]

You are spot on ! Thank you for watching

[@tadzio30]

You should watch other videos to appreciate better the street art, wich great! how ever ther are many vandalized with graffity. The city is very nice despite the weather.

[@zaidlutfi4824]

Don't quite think you'll see this in time... I'm going to Valpo and Vina from NZ, did you find these places safe ?

[@Kristinahouwer]

Very honestly , the atmosphere felt a bit creepy and nothing happened for me to feel unsafe but let’s just say that I preferred to walk around with my camera man than as a girl alone.

[@zaidlutfi4824]

@@Kristinahouwer thanks heaps :) I'll keep it in mind

[@michaelle7637]

You got to try the seafood dishes at Cap Ducal restaurant. Nice Vina de Mar.

[@Kristinahouwer]

Great tip, thanks ! Hopefully next time 😃

[@AirShark95]

Everytime I go back to Valparaiso, I see it decaying even more. The memories of the city I had as a kid perhaps were rosier than they really were, but there's been a noticeable decline after the 2019 revolution. No longer do stores have glass streetfronts, everything is borded up and vandalized/graffitied. The night life has also declines as locals are no longer feeling as safe due to a rise in crime. And many run down buildings continue to remain dilapidated and decayed, especially those on Cerrano that were destroyed after an explosion years ago. The city has always had problems with crime and poverty, but it doesn't seem to get any better, if not, it's sort of getting worse. The pandemic surely didn't help either. But summer time is when the city can bloom and shine a lot more. That said, I have never seen a city with so much squandered potential as Valparaiso. It's very much the story of a city that wants to celebrate its heritage while embracing the promise that modernity and rejuvenation can bring, but in its indecision (due to weak local governance, and poor planning) it chooses neither. It's kind if sad to hear my father and his old friends reminisce over the golden age of Valparaiso when they were my age, young and full of life, just like the city they called home. I hope I get to see Valparaiso blooming again in my life.

[@Kristinahouwer]

Thank you for sharing your experience and I was sad to see it this way too but it must be an even more powerful experience for someone who remembers it in its glory. I hope to see it shining one day too ❤️

[@StanH1966]

I was in Valparaiso for 3 days and have to admit, my experience was the same. There are few places I've felt unsafe and unfortunately, both Valparaiso and Vina del Mar have a strange eeriness. A quietness that is unsettling. I'd venture out in the day, but because of the lonely, dark streets, I didn't at night. I was there over the Good Friday/Easter weekend, so many things were closed. Maybe another shot in the summer?

[@Kristinahouwer]

Thanks for watching and for your comment. Yes I’ve seen people have had different experiences - some like ours and others really liked it and didn’t feel unsafe/ weird in the places at all . Maybe summer is better, like you say !

[@tadzio30]

Hello, this is my first time watching your videos, but I can´t take this as a serios review or a comparison of the two cities. Mabe if you had spend several hours in each Valparaiso and Viña, you could have been more informative to the viewers.

[@Kristinahouwer]

Hey thanks for your comment. I agree, I wish I had spent longer in both ! 😘

[@matiasgarcia5655]

Kristina siempre hermosa y tus videos me encantan.

[@Kristinahouwer]

Gracias !!

[@5bellaful]

yes you have to be carefull there

[@Kristinahouwer]

Read the same thing from a few other people who have had bad experiences unfortunately 😞

[@VitaliySemionov.Astrakhan.ru..]

Добавлю о не очень хороших кварталах. У нас в новостях показывали районы Сан- Франциско, где на улицах много бездомных, наркоманов и прочих странных людей. И там такие проблемы с особой чистотой, что ввели " какашечный патруль" 💩. Я был удивлён, 😮 особенно названием! Впервые слышу о таком " патруле " ! Ещё добавили, что в городе наступил " Какакалипсис " ! Это было-бы смешно, если-бы не было так грустно! 😭

[@Kristinahouwer]

Da, eto glavnaya problema v San Francisco. Kogda ya tam bila 5 let nazad eto tozhe bilo😔

[@EyFmS]

Maybe you should change you title to...Valparaiso & Viña del Mar / WORTH THE TRIP DURING WINTER? People in Valparaiso during winter stay inside, the sea breeze is cold and it rains often...why would they go out if not only for work and buying groceries. Some points you make are valid for example the overwhelming number of graffitis which are misinterpreted by people as "street art"...there is a big different between murals which btw are beautiful and selfish acts of vandalism to get a 3 second moment of attention. There is a lack of people awarness to keep the streets cleaner is a known problem and measures are being taken to remedy the situation. In terms of the place being dangerous, well you have to be careful just like in any city around the world but then again Santiago is hands down wayyyyy more dangerous, there are every day cases of shootings, drugs and human trafficking, not counting the number of illegal migrant gangs making the situation even worst. Valparaiso use to be safer and more popular many years ago but we are talking about a time when the Panama Canal wasn't even a thing yet, luckly the future is in Asia and Valparaiso is a wide door to the pacific things can and will improve.

[@Kristinahouwer]

Hi thanks for your comment and for watching ! As I said in the video and in the description - this is just my personal experience and not a guide. I never claimed it was more or less dangerous than Santiago , I just shared how I felt whilst being there :). Have a great day and keep smiling 🥰

[@EyFmS]

@@Kristinahouwer You should give it another chance, hope you get to visit during summer and have better experience. Have a great day also and yes let's try to keep smilling ☺.

[@VitaliySemionov.Astrakhan.ru..]

В последний момент успел посмотреть! Остальное завтра!⏩

[@Kristinahouwer]

😎

[@briantravelman]

Always admire an honest review. I visited in 2017 during their winter and had the same impressions, and was glad I ended up going with a tour. I went to that same art district you went to which is one of the only nice areas of town and was thinking the same thing, "Where are all the people?" Someone summed it up perfectly, "Valparaiso is a slum". The square by the port with the blue building was also nice, but we only walked a few hundred yards further and accidentally ended up in a bad neighborhood where many tourists had gotten robbed. I was so glad we ended up not going by ourselves and spending the night. There were probably a dozen attractions listed in my guide book and almost all of them were in sketchy neighborhoods. This city was on my South American bucket-list and I was very disappointed. As for Viña, IDK which part of the city you went to, 'cuz we didn't get taken to any of those places. There's nothing but marijuana smokers and homelesses. We went to see the church while the rest of our group was in the garden and started getting harassed by a sketchy man who looked like he wanted to rob us. Santiago, even though it also has problems, was the most pleasant of these three cities. I've been to many parts of the world and Chilean cities were probably the shittiest I've seen, despite how much they boast. I don't regret visiting Valparaiso, because I know it would pester me if I didn't, but after visiting I would advice future travelers to skip these two cities. I feel bad for all those hippies who book a 3 month stay in Valparaiso. This city deserves the title of "San Francisco of the South" How this is an UNESCO site is beyond me.

[@Kristinahouwer]

Wow it’s so interesting reading such mixed reviews of the places - both online and even on this video! I agree with you - it’s good to see everything to make an informed decision, but probably not places I’d recommend or visit again.

[@diegorodriguez4252]

Appreciate the info. I’m thinking about a vacation to Chile after X-Mas. Figure 10-12 days. I know some must do places, but others not so sure. Based on what I’ve seen from Valparaiso and Vina de Mar, meh. Probably not worth the time and money. Nothing I haven’t seen in many places before and frankly it doesn’t look as nice as others I’ve been too. Most of us have limited time and money so I appreciate when I hear the “cons” of a place. Too many in the travel business just push “everything is amazing”. It is tiresome.

[@VitaliySemionov.Astrakhan.ru..]

Привет! Комментарии уже пропадали 3 или 4 раза. Было даже такое- пишу, он пропал, пишу второй раз, опять исчез! Написал под другим видео- всё в порядке, сохранился. Приходится перепроверять за Ютубом. 🤬👺

[@Kristinahouwer]

Kak stranno 🫣

[@Ester-uc8wc]

For your information: it is more dangerous where there are people.

[@Kristinahouwer]

It was a joke 😘

[@CaptainPond]

Didn’t say what month! 😂

[@Kristinahouwer]

same month as it was published

[@gllrm2110]

You only went to a hill in Valparaiso. you definitely missed the best. well scared tourists are like that

[@Kristinahouwer]

I’ll have to go back then 😊 thanks for watching !

[@VitaliySemionov.Astrakhan.ru..]

Остальное в следующий раз! До завтра!🕐

[@Kristinahouwer]

Do zavtra !😃

[@tyyg9469]

Judging a place because there is a lack of people and sunshine that day is a bit unfair. Not something they can control. imho, I hate tourists and would have enjoyed it more by myself😊

[@Kristinahouwer]

Exactly , that’s why every place deserves a visit anyway so that you can form your own opinion regardless of what you see and read online 😃 thank you for watching and have a fantastic day ! 💙

[@tyyg9469]

@@Kristinahouwerwe took a tour of these cities from our cruise in port of San Antonio and throughly enjoyed the experience. Maybe you went during the wrong season. Like going to the beach during the winter and complaining why there’s no people or sun

[@DudeOnTravel]

i don't think i would want to be there

[@Kristinahouwer]

Let’s just say I much preferred Santiago de Chile 😅