Spare two days near Valparaiso
 

We have a couple of spare nights and days in Valparaiso on our way home to Australia. We'd like to find somewhere accessible from Valp for an overnight stay, returning late the next day to Valp. A tour is ok but we are happy to take a good bus or train (is there any train service north or south?) . Any suggestions of somewhere good to stay overnight perhaps 100/150km or so from Valp? Perhaps a nice coastal town with easy access from Valp? We really don't want Santiago, but a wine country visit does sound a bit appealing. Just noting that even without that Fri/Sat, we still have 4 nights in Valp, 2 in a hotel near the port, the other 2 up in the hillside.

Vina del Mar would be the logical choice. An upmarket beach resort an hour or so by bus from Valparaiso. We went there for the horse riding in the dunes outside of the town and really enjoyed it but really only passed through the town.

BTW is there any particular reason you are staying in two places in Valpo? Seems a bit of a hassle changing hotels in what is a relatively compact town.

"Vina del Mar would be the logical choice. An upmarket beach resort an hour or so by bus from Valparaiso. We went there for the horse riding in the dunes outside of the town and really enjoyed it but really only passed through the town."

Crellston, not sure where you are remembering. Viña is immediately next to Valparaiso and 10 minutes on the Merval urban train, not much more by bus. There are no dunes in the surrounds of Viña. Could you be thinking of Concon? Or Ritoque?

You are of course correct Huentutu. In my defence it was 9 years ago. Just re read my blog entry and what. Wrote there was that it was a small town further on from Vina - http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...9640/tpod.html

Sadly I didnt note the name of the town although I do recall the most amazing dunes running all the way down to a wide sandy beach. May you can identify from the photos in the above link?

Is Vina really that close to Valparaiso?

The dunes run from above the end of Concon up the coast. I think you may have been in either Concon or Ritoque. There was a small B&B and horse riding there but a few years ago the couple packed up and went south, Pucón I think. Looking at Tripadvisor I see Ritoque Expeditions doing rides on the dunes now. I don't know if it the original people or a new venture. Have a look at the photos and see if you recognize it.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...so_Region.html

Viña and Valparaiso are right next to each other. Really only Recreo between them. Both grew out enough to be very close.

Thanks for the good ideas. We have decided to spend 2 nights at a restored hotel down near the docks (for easy access to that area) then 3 on a hilltop hotel. Don't mind the shift. I think we'll spend a half day at Vina, a full day doing a Casablanca winery tour, and maybe go up to Concon for another full day if we can find a tour or bus/train to get us there. This is our 'resting up' destination before the 20 hour flight back home to Australia after a month around Patagonia, Ecuador and Colombia. Seemed a better choice for 5 nights than Santiago. Valpo has a very good reputation.

Huentutu, that does look very similar to the place where we went riding. I have a vague recollection from a few years ago that you ( or someone here) mentioned that the riding stable had their horses stolen so it could be the same people.

You could also head south to Isla Negra, there is the Neruda house and some beaches along the way. I took the bus but you could certainly drive if you are up for renting a car. There was a restaurant in town that was pretty good..on the beach side of the highway with patio seating in front, diagonal from the market

You no longer need reservations, but arrive early as you need to wait in line (closed Mondays).

http://www.fundacionneruda.org/en/is...rs-information

If you relocate, t lodging seems to be mostly in Algorrobo which has the look of a beach resort. I use booking.com for South America.

Personally I might just do a day trip.