Aboard Silver Wind with Silversea Cruises
Cruise Overview
Valparaíso's dramatic topography—45 cerros, or hills, overlooking the ocean—requires the use of winding pathways and wooden ascensores (funiculars) to get up many of the grades.
The slopes are covered by candy-color houses—there are almost no apartments in the city—most of which have exteriors of corrugated metal peeled from shipping containers decades ago.
Valparaíso has served as Santiago's port for centuries.
Before the Panama Canal opened, Valparaíso was the busiest port in South America.
Harsh realities—changing trade routes, industrial decline—have diminished its importance, but it remains Chile's principal port.
Most shops, banks, restaurants, bars, and other businesses cluster along the handful of streets called El Plan (the flat area) that are closest to the shoreline.
Porteños (which means "the residents of the port") live in the surrounding hills in an undulating array of colorful abodes.
At the top of any of the dozens of stairways, the paseos (promenades) have spectacular views; many are named after prominent Yugoslavian, Basque, and German immigrants.
Neighborhoods are named for the hills they cover.
With the jumble of power lines overhead and the hundreds of buses that slow down—but never completely stop—to pick up agile riders, it's hard to forget you're in a city.
Still, walking is the best way to experience Valparaíso.
Be careful where you step, though—locals aren't very conscientious about curbing their dogs.
Niebla is a small village on the banks of the Rio Valdivia where Chile’s Corral Bay meets the Pacific Ocean.
Today Niebla is a beach resort, but in 1671 it was a defensive fortress built by the order of the Viceroy of Peru to prevent attacks against the town of Valdivia by pirates and corsairs.
Niebla is well-known for its lively markets, the remains of the colonial fortress declared a National Monument in 1950 and restored in 1992, and a museum dedicated to its history.
Nearby is the charming river port city of Valdivia, where cultural influences from the native Mapuche, Spanish settlers, and German immigrants have blended.
For most of its history, windy Puerto Montt was the end of the line for just about everyone traveling in the Lake District.
Now the Carretera Austral carries on southward, but for all intents and purposes Puerto Montt remains the region's last significant outpost, a provincial city that is the hub of local fishing, textile, and tourist activity.Today the city center is full of malls, condos, and office towers—it's the fastest-growing city in Chile—but away from downtown, Puerto Montt consists mainly of low clapboard houses perched above its bay, the Seno de Reloncaví.
If it's a sunny day, head east to Playa Pelluco or one of the city's other beaches.
If you're more interested in exploring the countryside, drive along the shore for a good view of the surrounding hills.
The slopes are covered by candy-color houses—there are almost no apartments in the city—most of which have exteriors of corrugated metal peeled from shipping containers decades ago.
Valparaíso has served as Santiago's port for centuries.
Before the Panama Canal opened, Valparaíso was the busiest port in South America.
Harsh realities—changing trade routes, industrial decline—have diminished its importance, but it remains Chile's principal port.
Most shops, banks, restaurants, bars, and other businesses cluster along the handful of streets called El Plan (the flat area) that are closest to the shoreline.
Porteños (which means "the residents of the port") live in the surrounding hills in an undulating array of colorful abodes.
At the top of any of the dozens of stairways, the paseos (promenades) have spectacular views; many are named after prominent Yugoslavian, Basque, and German immigrants.
Neighborhoods are named for the hills they cover.
With the jumble of power lines overhead and the hundreds of buses that slow down—but never completely stop—to pick up agile riders, it's hard to forget you're in a city.
Still, walking is the best way to experience Valparaíso.
Be careful where you step, though—locals aren't very conscientious about curbing their dogs.
Niebla is a small village on the banks of the Rio Valdivia where Chile’s Corral Bay meets the Pacific Ocean.
Today Niebla is a beach resort, but in 1671 it was a defensive fortress built by the order of the Viceroy of Peru to prevent attacks against the town of Valdivia by pirates and corsairs.
Niebla is well-known for its lively markets, the remains of the colonial fortress declared a National Monument in 1950 and restored in 1992, and a museum dedicated to its history.
Nearby is the charming river port city of Valdivia, where cultural influences from the native Mapuche, Spanish settlers, and German immigrants have blended.
For most of its history, windy Puerto Montt was the end of the line for just about everyone traveling in the Lake District.
Now the Carretera Austral carries on southward, but for all intents and purposes Puerto Montt remains the region's last significant outpost, a provincial city that is the hub of local fishing, textile, and tourist activity.Today the city center is full of malls, condos, and office towers—it's the fastest-growing city in Chile—but away from downtown, Puerto Montt consists mainly of low clapboard houses perched above its bay, the Seno de Reloncaví.
If it's a sunny day, head east to Playa Pelluco or one of the city's other beaches.
If you're more interested in exploring the countryside, drive along the shore for a good view of the surrounding hills.
Cruise Itinerary
Aboard Silver Wind
Launch Year: 1995 Length: 155 Width: 21 Currency: USD Capacity: 274 Crew Count: 239 Deck Count: 6 Cabin Count: 148
Break new waters with Silver Wind.
A major upgrade in December 2018 saw Silver Wind looking better than ever. A second refurbishment in November 2021 saw her benefitting from a strengthened ice-class hull and made her one of the most adaptable ships in our fleet. Still timelessly elegant, still luxuriously relaxed, Silver Wind’s improved cruising versatility means she can whizz from Polar Regions to iconic ports with fluid ease. Whether you want to get up close and personal to penguins in Antarctica or laze on the golden sands of the Caribbean, get ready for a wealth of diverse destination experiences aboard Silver Wind.
Refurbished in November 2021, Silver Wind is an intimate yet spacious ice-class ship that offers one of the best luxury expedition cruise experiences there is.
Silver Wind Facilities
Silver Wind Includes
Cabin Details
Silversea’s suites offer one of the highest space-per-guest ratios of any luxury cruise accommodations. All Silversea suites have ocean views, and most include a private teak veranda so that you can breathe in the fresh sea air simply by stepping outside your door. And regardless of the ship or suite category, all guests will be pampered with the personalised services of an attentive butler. For a truly personal experience, customise your suite with an abundance of thoughtful options and luxurious amenities from Bulgari toiletries and personalised stationery to a bar with your favourite wines and spirits. Settle in with a complimentary movie or choose instead to simply watch the ocean swim by. You can even have dinner in-suite served course by course by your butler. Then, when it’s time to retire, curl up beneath Egyptian cotton linens and a fluffy duvet, with your choice of nine different pillow types. The ultimate in luxury cruise accommodations, Silversea’s suites are your home away from home.
