Some forty hills packed around a bay, painted tin houses clinging to the slopes and old funicular elevators creaking their way up: Valparaíso is recognizable at first glance. Ships dock in the commercial port, at the foot of the city, and shuttles take passengers to the Muelle Prat terminal, from where everything begins on foot. Many itineraries present the call as Valparaíso-Santiago, but the Chilean capital lies more than 100 km inland; we'll come back to that, as the choice deserves some thought.

Plaza Sotomayor, the first stop

A few steps from the landing opens Plaza Sotomayor, a large official square dominated by the blue building of the Chilean Navy and the monument to the heroes of the naval Battle of Iquique. A tourist kiosk hands out maps with walking routes, a valuable starting point. All around, the port district keeps the airs of its heyday, when the harbour was a major stop for Cape Horn sailing ships, before the Panama Canal diverted the shipping routes. This history of sailors, bankers and European immigrants has left a centre listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Going up by ascensor

The main pleasure of the call comes down to one simple act: going up. A handful of century-old funicular elevators still operate, rattling wooden cabins that hoist passers-by to the heights for a few coins. The Ascensor Concepción, the oldest in the network, drops its passengers at Paseo Gervasoni and its balconies facing the bay; the Ascensor El Peral leads to Paseo Yugoslavo and the Palacio Baburizza, now a fine arts museum; the Artillería, near the terminal, climbs to Paseo 21 de Mayo and its bird's-eye view of the port cranes. Each ride up leads to a different urban balcony, and that is how the city lets itself be understood: level by level.

Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre

Between funiculars, Cerros Concepción and Alegre are best explored at a leisurely pace. Stepped lanes, brightly coloured Victorian façades, murals that change over the years, cafés set in former merchants' homes: these two hills hold the soul of the city. Street murals and viewpoints follow one after another with no set plan, and that's just fine. Higher up the slopes, La Sebastiana, the house of poet Pablo Neruda, stacks its oddly shaped rooms like a ship run aground in the city; its windows frame the bay better than any lookout. Stay in the busy heritage areas, keep valuables on board, and the day will go smoothly.

And what about Santiago?

Many passengers embark or disembark here, and excursions to Santiago do exist. Let's be frank: the round trip takes more than three hours of driving in total, leaving limited time in the capital. For a one-day call, Valparaíso itself offers more, with its seaside neighbour Viña del Mar as an easy add-on, a few minutes away by taxi. The capital is best kept for those extending their trip before or after the cruise, for a night or two between the Andes and the vineyards.

Port of call at a glance

On the way back, from the deck, the hills light up one by one at nightfall, and the amphitheatre of tin and colour takes on the air of a stage set. Pablo Neruda wrote that Valparaíso had never combed its hair, and the compliment still holds: the city remains dishevelled, alive, unpredictable. That is exactly what makes you want to climb its stairs again next time.