The following activities are often available in Valparaiso/Viña del Mar, offering opportunities for students to participate in and learn about Chilean culture:Breathe in the ocean air and feel the mist on your face as you take a boat ride through the bay and marvel at the beauty of the colorful Valparaíso hills from afar.Ride ascensores (cable cars) to the tops of Cerros Artillería, Concepción and Alegre for a picturesque view of the city from some of the highest points around. Each hill also has an artisan shop or cafe at the top or bottom of the ascensor entrance.Tour La Sebastiana, La Chascona and Isla Negra, homes to Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Each house has been converted into a museum displaying the esoteric collections of Pablo Neruda.Immerse yourself in Chilean culture at the Ex-Cárcel, a historical prison transformed into an artist's haven including a museum, theater, concert stage, dance classrooms, photo expositions, and a playground for children. For many Chileans it is a symbol of freedom.Experience the ocean breezes at the pier and boardwalk in Viña del Mar where kids can play on the beach while locals and tourists alike shop at the line of artisan shops and go fishing.Go back in time to explore the famous Quinta Vergara Park exhibiting the monuments of Nobel Poets Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda.Wander through the Museo Cielo Abierto, or Open Sky Museum, which started as an Art class of PUCV in 1969. The Art students, along with famous Chilean and international artists painted murals in the neighborhood of Cerro Bellavista.