About the Locations
Excursions and Adventures (PDF)
Within the name “Valparaíso” is the Spanish word for paradise, “paraíso”. Study abroad there this summer and you’ll agree that the name fits! “Valpo” is a city of astonishing beauty. Located on the Pacific Ocean in central Chile, it enjoys a temperate climate, charming architecture, a fascinating maritime history, and the richness of both European and indigenous culture.
UNESCO has designated Valparaíso a World Heritage Site (Patrimonio de la Humanidad ). Get to know this picturesque city’s plazas, parks, monuments, museums, and harbor, and you’ll soon see why. Enjoy world-class seafood, and ride the many ascensores , vertical “cable cars” which take one to the top of Valpo’s Cerros (hills). They’re exciting!
Valparaíso and its smaller sister city, lovely Viña del Mar, are our “home base”, but we will also make many excellent excursions. Some of these include Puro Caballo, an equestrian center. There, we will learn about the Chilean horse and el huaso chileno (the Chilean cowboy). We will visit Santiago, vibrant capital of Chile; the towering Andes Mountains; Chile’s world-famous vineyards; take an excursion to a ranch where alpacas are raised (you haven't lived until you've played with a baby alpaca); and a day learning about Chile's rural economies.
We will eat and work with families striving to maintain their traditions by growing vegetables, making honeys and jams and exporting flowers. We will be treated to a morning of traditional indigenous life, lovingly presented by a native Huilliche lady. For the outdoors lover there’s hiking through Parque Nacional La Campana (explored by none other than Charles Darwin during his history-changing journey on the Beagle). You can horseback ride on the ocean in Con-Con, surf some of the world’s greatest breaks, ski and snowboard in the Andes, or just enjoy one of the prettiest, most spectacular sunsets you’ll ever see right in our hometown, Viña del Mar. There is so much more to tell, but this will give you an idea of the completeness of this program.
