A Full Private Tour Of Valparaiso From Santiago (Standard)

This tour was incredible from start to finish! I’ve done private tours before, but I have never experienced one that was this customizable, reasonably priced, and genuinely stress-free. Julio and his son went above and beyond to accommodate every request, no matter how big or small, making the entire experience feel effortless. We felt completely safe, comfortable, and well looked after throughout the day. The tour itself was absolutely captivating. Walking through the hills and colorful streets of Valparaíso allowed us to experience so much more than just the city’s famous sights. We got to appreciate its beauty, learn about its history, and gain a glimpse into the everyday lives of the people who call these hills home. The breathtaking views overlooking the bay were incredible, and seeing the city from this perspective really brought the relationship between the hills and the harbor into focus. It was easy to imagine what life might have been like centuries ago, both for the Indigenous people who inhabited the region and during the arrival of the Spanish. The experience offered a meaningful appreciation of the area's history, culture, and enduring character. What truly made this tour stand out, however, was the personal touch. Julio and his son were phenomenal hosts, attentive to our needs and genuinely invested in making sure we had a wonderful experience. At the end of the tour, they even gave us small commemorative tokens, a thoughtful gesture I had never encountered on any of my previous tours. It was such a lovely way to conclude an already memorable day. If you’re visiting Chile and considering a private tour of Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, I cannot recommend Julio and his son enough! The combination of flexibility, affordability, hospitality, fascinating history, and breathtaking scenery made this one of the most enjoyable private tours I’ve ever taken. If you want to explore these beautiful cities at your own pace while feeling safe, comfortable, and genuinely cared for, this is absolutely the tour to book!

I rarely write reviews unless I have an exceptional experience worth commenting on and with Julio private Tours that is definitely the case. From the moment we were picked up at our hotel in Santiago by Julio and his son Matias (our incredibly talented driver!) we knew we were in really good hands! We spent the most memorable and magical day in their company in Valparaiso which included a spontaneous 9am visit to Emiliana Winery en route. Julio and his son have such a wonderful energy and synergy together~good humoured, inclusive, thoughtful,calm, funny and so knowledgeable and passionate about their country and history. We were shown Valparaiso through their eyes and didnt feel at all as if we were on a run of the mill tourist route plus Julio was very sensitive to our personal interests and was more than happy to seek out places that would interest us such as art galleries. The fish market was a highlight (including pelicans & sea lions)as was our beautiful lunch stop at La Concepción Restaurant overlooking the harbour.It was a gem of a place! Julios english is just outstanding as is his ability to communicate and he is without doubt a learned man of the world so we profited from all those gifts. Once our tour was over Julio took the time to write us an extensive email outlining other things we could do in Santiago on our own~very warm & generous~ above and beyond your usual tour company for sure We really hit the jackpot coming across Julio Private Tours and only wish we had more time in Chile in which to engage them for a longer period but now we know who to contact for next time! I would personally like to thank & acknowledge Julio for his service and for the unique experience he offered the four of us Australians.Unforgettable!

I can't say enough here to recommend Julio and Matias as tour guides. Our day with them ranks in the top 5 of all my vacation experiences to date. We truly got a feel for the local culture, including experiences personalized to our interests and preferences. The price is absolutely fair. We spent all day with Julio and Mati... even longer than we thought we would! If you're looking for a private, customized, enriching experience, don't hesitate to book this!

A very interesting insight into Valparaiso and the surrounding area, along with the valleys en-route. Julio, the guide, and Marty, the driver worked extremely well in partnership, they made the trip very interesting and good fun I have numerous food allergies, a special thanks to the extra effort in selecting a very nice place to eat which catered well for me I know Julio made a great effort with extra research to ensure this So, if you have special needs or interest please make sure you communicate this ahead of the trip to ensure they have the chance to deliver a fantastic day, which they did for us

Julio's two adult sons were our guides for a day long trip from Santiago to Vena del Mar and Valparaiso. We had a comfortable van. Our guides were personable spoke good English and were eager to modify the tour to suit our interests. We stopped at a vineyard (unscheduled) which was lovely. We had plenty of time to see the sites. Ate at a lovely restaurant (they arranged) with a stellar panoramic view of the harbor. Drove all over hilly Valparaiso. Minimal walking because some of us had limited walking abilities. It was a lovely day and I can strongly recommend Julio provate tours.

Si o si tienes que ir con Julio and his family!! Their made sure Chile exceeded our expectations. This was the second tour we were able to do with Julio's team and they went out of their way to make this last minute trip to Valparaíso run like clockwork. Me and my Father were presented a perfect itinerary and treated very warmly and patiently by our excellently prepared guide Matías. His flexible planning and local know-how allowed us to fit in a stop at Casa del Bosque winery after a stress-free and enriching tour in Valpo. I have nothing but a list of amazing things to say about Julio's tours. Julio and his family are so sweet, and its not hard to tell how much they value making their clients experience unforgettable. If you have any doubts don't hesitate to reach out as they are very responsive and professional

Fantastic day! Polite, helpful, knowledgable - our guide and driver were all these things! We loved our tour or Valparaiso and Viña Del Mar. Wine tasting in the Casablanca valley a final highlight of the day!

Valparaiso & Vina del Mar Private Tour With limited time is Santiago, we wanted an experienced guide to show us Valparaiso (UNESCO listed) & Vina del Mar. Well, we hit the jackpot. We cannot speak more highly of Julio. From our first contact, nothing was too much trouble. Julio put together an outstanding itinerary for the day taking us to all the highlights these cities have to offer. Down to the pier & market at Caleta Portales, the historic monuments at Vina del Mar, the sea lions at Renaca Beach. The street art of Valparaiso, a sumptuous lunch at La Concepcion, visiting Espacio Rojo. Expert commentary throughout our tour from Julio together with son's (Matias) expert driving. For our group of four, this was a delightful day full of surprises. Should you be in Santiago, looking for well thought out tours, we recommend Julio to you. You'll not be disappointed !

I actually did this tour a couple of years ago. It was absolutely incredible and Julio is the best! I highly recommend it!

Great tour. Wife and I enjoyed it. Very knowledgeable about the areas visited.

My husband and I had a wonderful day touring the Valparaiso bay with Julio and his son. We were on a pretty complicated trip in Chile and really appreciated being able to rely on Julio to plan our day based on our interests of seeing the coast, loving nature and wildlife and preference for walking and being active and basically let them show us what we would like. We had several very special experiences that we never would have devised on our own including the infamous fish market where we saw some pretty incredible feeding of pelicans and sea lions by the fishmongers (it was crazy, just feet from us), a wonderful lunch overlooking the sea, and of course the murals and more (Vin de Mar, etc). We especially loved Julio’s incredibly vast knowledge of pretty much anything that came up - geology, music festivals, mural historical roots, key industries and export from Chile, you name it. Very friendly easy going folks to spend the day with. We were very glad we prioritized this special day.

Very professional, insightful, and, most importantly, personable. Our tour was Santiago-Valpariso and back. Executed perfectly, with flexibility for our preferences. Any guide can get that part down. What was special about this tour was the cultural exchange between me, my wife, and Matías. Owner Julio did not attend. At first, this worried me. But, in the end, I can't imagine it having gone better, so if Matías comes alone, welcome it. Ask questions about more than the buildings. Share your story. And you will get more than you signed-up for (in the best possible way).

My wife and I travelled w Matias (driver) & Lucas, (tour guide) to the UNESCO world heritage city of Valparaiso on a perfect Chilean summer day. We stopped in the Casablanca valley at an organic vineyard and took advantage of the opportunity for a tasting, then it was on to Valparaiso/Vina Del Mar. As someone who usually likes to rent a car and drive myself, I was particularly grateful to take full advantage of the wine tasting, but also to not have to concern myself with navigating the narrow, hilly streets of the city. We saw an Easter Island statue gifted to the city, as well as an early Rodin statue, tons of street art and visited a fish market. Highly recommend this trip and these guides!

I chose this tour company because of their excellent reviews, and they completely lived up to the hype. From the very beginning, their communication was fast and responsive. I mentioned that I love photography and had a specific list of places I wanted to visit in Valparaíso. They immediately invited me to send over my custom Google Maps walking route and assured me they would make sure we covered everything. That level of flexibility and personalization really stood out. They picked us up right on time, and even when I needed to change the schedule last minute, they were incredibly accommodating and easy to work with. When we arrived, Julio was amazing. He’s extremely knowledgeable and truly knows the city like the back of his hand. His son was the driver, and together they made such a friendly, welcoming team. It honestly felt like exploring the city with old friends. Julio shared fascinating history, stories about the murals and neighborhoods, and so much local insight that we never would have learned on our own. It was a perfect private tour. We never felt rushed and had plenty of time to wander, explore, and take photos at our own pace. He even arranged a front-row ocean view table for lunch, which was such a thoughtful touch and made the day feel extra special. You can tell he’s very well respected locally and takes great pride in what he does. Everything was seamless from start to finish. I highly recommend this company if you’re looking for a personalized, private tour with someone experienced, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about Valparaíso.

My recent trip to Santiago Chile was highlighted by 2 days exploring Chile’s central coast with the exceptional tour group Julio Private tours. They curated a day with nature- visiting the Humboldt Penguins in Cachagua and a fascinating visit to a unique Alpaca Farm. Day 2 was spent visiting Valparaiso by private boat and exploring the artistic influences and history of this city. I could not have arranged these wonderful days on my own. We saw Chile through the eyes of wonderful local guides who would never settle for a mediocre tour! Every hour brought new surprises! It was exceptional in every way!

We had a great day on our Full-day, private tour of Valparaiso & Vina del Mar f/ Santiago. Lucas picked us up in our hotel lobby, driving a clean, comfortable, air-conditioned van. He was very friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating, tailoring the day to our interests. We would definitely hire Lucuas again!

My husband and I really wanted to experience Valparaiso and Viña Del Mar during our recent stay in Santiago. I’m so glad we trusted a private tour with Julio tours to take care of all the details so we could just soak in the quintessential Chilean experience. We enjoyed every moment, from the multiple opportunities to experience the bay- including geology and marine life background- to a behind the scenes tour of the fish market and how Chileans value the many fruits of the sea. I can’t believe how many things we got to experience, including a relaxing lunch overlooking the bay, coffee, an art gallery, funicular, learning about the murals and historic quarter,and a couple of museum stops. All that without having to worry, about parking, directions, admission fees and waiting in lines. Can’t say enough about Julio Private Tours.

The day trip from Santiago to Valparaiso was an outstanding experience. We did the private tour and it was well worth the cost. Our driver and guide was Lucas. We could not have had a better person to lead us on our tour. Lucas tailored the tour to our needs. He was very informative and showed us all the highlights of Valparaiso and made sure we had photos of all the Instagrammable sights. He made great conversation during the ride each way. My recommendation is to book this tour and ask for Lucas. A+++

We took two tours with Julio's company - a half day city tour of Santiago on the day we arrived (a great thing to do do between arriving early in the morning and not being able to check in to the hotel until 3 PM) and then a full day tour to Valpo and Viña Del Mar the next day. Both were excellent. His son Lucas did the city tour and catered it to what we wanted to see. He was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Julio and his other son Mathias were our guide and driver the next day. They too were fantastic and took us to excellent sites. I cannot recommend Julio Private Tours more highly when in Chile!

We had the BEST day with Lucas from Julio Private Tours! He picked us up at our hotel in a nice, clean SVU and took us to Valparaiso with a stop in Vina Del Mar. As a guide, Lucas could not be better - he knew so much about Chile and the area which he shared with us in a fun way. He knew everything from animals, to flora, to history, to geography and more. Most importantly to us, he was incredibly kind and thoughtful. First, he took the time to ask about our interests so he could tailor the agenda for the day. Next, as my husband is aging and gets tired more easily, he incorporated breaks and easier walks to make the day just perfect. Lastly, he made great recommendations for food and activities for the rest of our stay in the area. Could not recommend him enough!!!! Book!!!

Fantastic from start to finish. Going to the Emilio Vinyard was a special treat. Valparaiso was awesome, especially the visiting Pablo Naduro home and the fish market. We are so pleased with the entire day and so happy we took this tour.

The guide and driver were wonderful but the company has a pre-planned commercial arrangement with the winery and lunch restaurant that were disappointing

We spent a day touring Valparaíso and visiting the Casas del Bosque vineyard with Julio Private Tours, and it was one of the highlights of our trip to Chile. From the start, Julio and Matías were incredibly kind, flexible, and attentive. What stood out the most was how they adapted the tour in real time. As they got to know us better, they adjusted the itinerary to match what we enjoyed most. Their warmth, knowledge, and pride in their country made the experience feel personal rather than just another tour. We learned so much, laughed even more, and left with a genuine connection and deep appreciation for Chile. If you are visiting, do not hesitate to book with them. You will not only see the best of Chile, you will experience it through the eyes of people who truly love what they do. ¡Que viva Chile y que viva México!

In short: This tour was overpriced, under-delivered, and felt like a complete afterthought. We would strongly caution others to look elsewhere. For the premium price we paid, we expected a high-quality, informative, and professionally guided private tour — especially given this company’s reputation and positive reviews. Unfortunately, what we received was far from it. First, despite expecting Julio himself (as advertised or implied), we were handed off to someone from his team who functioned as both our driver and guide. Let me be clear: this person was not a qualified guide in any meaningful sense. The tour lacked structure, direction, and basic storytelling. We learned virtually nothing about the history or culture of the places we visited. There was no narrative, no depth — just superficial commentary. The low point came in Valparaíso, a city rich in culture, history, and street art — yet we were not even shown the iconic mural district with the famous staircases. We had to find those on our own. That alone speaks volumes about how unprepared and unengaged our “guide” was. We ultimately asked to be given free time just so we could break away and join other tours on our own. My husband and I have taken only private tours for the last 10 years, all around the world, specifically to deepen our understanding of the places we visit. This was, without exaggeration, the worst private tour we’ve ever taken. Julio did offer a small refund of $80 USD, which we appreciated, but frankly, it doesn't begin to make up for the missed opportunity. We traveled a long way and invested considerable time and money into this experience, and it fell dramatically short of even basic expectations.

If you commit to a full day excursion, I highly recommend this tour! What an amazing experience in Valparaiso - from the beginning we were picked up promptly at our hotel and enjoyed Julio and his son’s company, learning so much about the area. Every stop was a delight - my favorite was the seafood market, and the sea lions did not disappoint!

What a great way to see more of Chile with Julio Private Tours! Especially if you have limited time and want to get out of Santiago to see the beautiful coast. Julio arranged a full-day for us to visit Valparaiso and Casablanca Winery with an extensive itinerary. He met our group at our hotel and made sure everyone was comfortable and enjoyed every moment until we were returned to our hotel. When two of our guests were delayed due to their flight cancellation, he made sure the rest of the group was taken care of and the tour went off as planned. Seeing all the sights and learning more about the area and history. We will be using Julio Private Tours again in the future and highly recommend this service to anyone hoping to get more out of their sight-seeing.

We had a wonderful day with Julio seeing the sights! He picked us up at our Airbnb when he said he would. He had a great itinerary which he adapted to our interests, exceeding our expectations. The day included breaks for food at really good restaurants and cafes. Julio is a warm and generous host!

Julio was an amazing Guide, very knowledgeable and always looking out for our family with great care and concern. In addition to Valparaiso & vina del mar, we had a bespoke tour to Portillo and Museo del Antiguo Convento. At the last minute when there was issue with our original plans in Portillo, Julio was quick to adjust our tour to accommodate a previous request to visit the Paidahuen Archaeological Park which was not possible earlier based on our original schedule. His son Mathias was our driver and kept us in safe hands. Together, they made it a wonderful day out for both our private tours and more importantly, they made wonderful friends with their warm welcome to us!

Julio and Mathias gave us a fantastic tour of Valparaiso. They were on time, kept the tour moving and the route made seJulio and his team are organized, knowledgeable, courteous, professional, and pleasant. I usually don't really enjoy tours all that much, but at the end of the day I was a little sad it was over, but I learned lot and was happy. It was just a lovely day. Thank you Julio and Mathias!

Julio and his Son provide the two of us on an amazing personal tour of Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar. We also requested a stop at a winery and they provided us with an amazing experience. I could not recommend Julio and his Son enough! Their knowledge and experience made for a VERY memorable trip. Thank you both!

Julio and his son are a fantastic team. Coordination was perfect and customized to our interests. Julio went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience.

Julio was on time, friendly, and spoke excellent English. We enjoyed a wonderful day with him. His son was our driver and was very safe.

What a wonderful experience. We had just flown overnight and we were picked up by Julio and his son and they treated us so well. Our day was full of adventure great sites fantastic history and their own personal touches on our trip. Thank you so much for such a wonderful experience and an introduction to such a beautiful city. You made us want to come back and be ambassadors to Chile. We will recommend this trip and tour to all of our friends and family.

We could not have asked for anything better than the day organized by Julio and his son Mathias (sorry if I did not spell that right). They both did everything possible to make the day memorable. We feel very fortunate to have had such a great guide and driver.

Wow!! Julio and his son picked my friend and I up this morning at the airport after an overnight flight that started in Orlando, then Panama, and finally to Santiago. This was a dream tour. The knowledge, passion, story telling of the Chilean history was outstanding. I have never been on a more amazing tour such as this! I would love to bring my family here and have Julio be our guide. He showed us so much. We were able to immerse ourselves in the culture, went to the fish market, ate authentic Chilean food, and walked the streets of Valparaiso. Just wow!!! Thank you for an unforgettable day!

Julio was a very friendly informative guide (with impeccable English) and Mateo was a very safe driver of a comfortable vehicle for the journey. They were very flexible and accommodated my restricted mobility. Valparaiso was fascinating and we enjoyed the winery tour and wine tasting on the way home. Thoroughly recommend this tour with Julio.

We spent the day with guide Julio and his son and our driver Mattias on a full day private trip to Varparaiso. It was an amazing adventure. Julio knows the area well and is easy to talk with. We loved walking through the fish market and even got up close and personal to some sea lions. Julio set us up to get lunch at a great seafood restaurant. It was a jam packed day which we loved. We got to walk the promenade along the coast, see the flower clock, and had an amazing tour of the art murals. Having both a guide and a driver really facilitated the journey. Do not hesitate to this tour with Julio. It is money well spent!

This was a wonderful experience. Julio was wonderful guide. I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys a more personal tour instead of a large group.

I cannot recommend Julio and his team highly enough. From early discussions and planning to develop an itinerary specific to our taste to the day itself. Everything was perfect. We actually had Alvaro as our guide for the day but his knowledge and determination to give us a wonderful day was outstanding. Who knew for example that just around the corner from the Easter Island Head (Moai) was an original Rodin sculpture. If the day wasn’t amazing enough Julio had secured for us the best table in the best restaurant for lunch. What an amazing day. I cannot recommend this tour highly enough.

There are no words to describe the excellency of this tour! Matias, our driver and guide, went beyond our expectations! He is very reliable, courteous, knowledgeable, excellent driver and guide. The advantage of this private tour is that you can modify it to your needs! We visited thoroughly Viña del Mar and Valparaiso with walking tours in these two towns plus sightseeing tours. I highly recommend this tour! We were extremely satisfied with this wonderful experience. Feel confident to book this tour with Julio Private Tours! You will be extremely satisfied as we were.

Thank you Julio for a wonderful day tour to Valparaiso. Upon your timely arrival to pick us up from our hotel you explained what the day would entail. After a scenic ride to the coastline from Santiago, our first stop was a vibrant and interesting fish market. Many of the fisherman and their families knew Julio and were more than happy to show us their catch of the day, making us feel very welcome. We then visited a few interesting spots around town, your knowledge of the history there was great. Our main plan for the day was to visit the colourful buildings and see the artwork on the houses in this area, we weren't disappointed. Julio knew the roads well and once parked we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around the area. Julio also recommended a wonderful local restaurant for lunch, Café Del Pinter, which we really enjoyed. Thank you again for your professionalism, friendliness and for making our day so joyful. Kim & Rod

We spent 8am - 7pm with Julio and his son on a full day Valparaiso (Fish market, Walking tour, Funicular) Casablanca (2 wineries and a fantastic lunch), and a drop off at SCL for our flight home. Julio was very professional, knowledgeable, punctual and we had a fantastic day! We were even able to squeeze in an impromptu trip to a Chilean Rodeo (lucky timing). I would highly recommend Julio!

Santiago and Valparaiso are very interesting with Mucho History Our guide Mauricio was fantastic, knowledgeable and perfect English. We learned a lot from his history knowledge and he kept the conversation going most of the time

We had a wonderful private tour of Santiago and Valparaiso with winery tour. Julio was reliable, prompt and so knowledgeable about his city. His driver Matis was superb! We left as friends but felt like family! Highly recommend Julio!

We had a truly excellent tour of Viña Del Mar and Valparaiso with Julio. His passion for and knowledge of these destinations was clearly evident and his relationships with everyone along the way — fishermen at the market, parking operators, restaurant owners, etc. — means your trip will be as smooth as possible, practically ensuring the best table for lunch at Valparaiso’s most acclaimed restaurant for example. And Julio was just a wonderful, friendly guy. I want to emphasize that if you’re visiting Santiago and thinking twice about whether you should visit Valparaiso, stop thinking and GO! I found the town absolutely beautiful and unlike any other town I’ve visited on the planet (and I travel extensively). Julio will expertly guide you through beautiful streets filled with architectural gems and street art and I can guarantee you will be comfortable at all times.

Julio and his son were wonderful guides and they took us to the markets, to lovely places to eat and all around the city. We had a great time. Totally worth it. We were with Julio for 3 days and toured Santiago, Casablanca wineries, Maipo wineries, I totally recommend whichever wineries he takes you to, they are beautiful, and less touristy and more personal. We had an amazing time in Chile with Julio. You will love him. He takes such great care of his clients. He’s a lovely man. Thank you Julio.

We only had one full day in Santiago and are glad we chose this tour. A very charming and professional father and son duo, Julio and Matheo listened to what we liked and didn't like and customized the tour to meet our needs. I highly recommend this tour.

Julio and driver, Mathias, picked me up on time. Excellent driver and guide. Had wonderful tour of both Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar. Very different types of cities so be sure you see both. They were very knowledgeable and polite. English was good. Answered all my questions. I forgot something I had purchased in their vehicle. When they discovered that, they brought it back to my hotel. Julio even answered questions that I had after they dropped me off at hotel. No hesitation in recommending.

Julio has made the tour to Valparaiso such a memorable experience for us. He is very accommodating with our requests including dropping our luggage on the day to the next hotel we are moving to. He also sent through clear instructions beforehand and provided lunch recommendations and helped with making the reservation. Julio speaks perfect English and has lived abroad. He took us to the Valparaíso’s most iconic spots, from the vibrant street art in the hills to its historic port area, sharing fascinating insights throughout the tour. His passion for the region was evident, and it truly enhanced the experience. We could tell that Julio is well known and liked by the locals. During the tour he even got picked up by the local TV station for a quick interview, which goes to show that his knowledge of the city is well recognised. Julio’s son, Mathias, was the driver for the day and I must highlight that his driving skills were nothing short of extraordinary. At one point, we found ourselves stuck in a particularly challenging traffic jam, but he navigated out of it with such precision and skill that it left everyone in awe. Not to mention how he managed to drive through the tight alleyways in Valparaíso, despite the tight spaces and tricky maneuvers. I joked with Mathias that he could double as a stunt driver in Hollywood! Throughout the journey, his calm, confident driving made us feel completely safe. If you're looking for a memorable and well-organized tour from Santiago to Valparaíso, I highly recommend Julio and Mathias. Their dedication, expertise, and incredible driving skills made this experience unforgettable.