Things to see and do in Quintay

If you want to get away from the city of Valparaiso but stay near the coast, then Quintay is a lovely daytrip. In the old days the village was know for whale fishery and the ballenera had around thousand employees. The plant closed down in 1967 and is now being transformed into a center for sustainable fishery. Most people, however, know Quintay for its scenery and great fish restaurants. Most of them are good value but we appreciated La Serena in particular for its price/quality, excellent service and its hilarious English menu. From Quintay there is a road to Playa Grande, a beach we absolutely recommend. There are some hotels and apartments in the distance but they don’t spoil the amazing scenery.

Getting to Quintay

Near Valparaiso’s main bus terminal you’ll find the office of “Buses de Quintay”, located on the corner of Chacabuco with 12 de Febrero. This company travels to Quintay every couple of hours and the ride only takes about 60 minutes. The bus will drop on the ‘main square’ or let’s call it an open space and your walk down will take about 10 minutes. Doesn’t matter how you walk, you’ll find your way to the port easily. The same bus company will take you back home so check departure times because Quintay is somewhat isolated. If you miss the bus in Valparaiso, you can check for “colectivos” going to Quintay, they leave from the same block and leave as soon as they have enough passengers. Check the colectivos on the square if you want to go to Playa Grande.