Colorful Valparaiso
The beautiful Valparaiso, the “Jewel of the Pacific”, is known for its earthquakes and as being one of the homes of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. It is recognized worldwide as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you love history, street art, and bohemian life, Valparaiso is a must. Valparaiso is one of the graffiti capitals of South America.When visiting any Chilean city that stands beside the sea you cannot miss out on visiting the traditional fishing caleta. Valparaiso has its own Caleta Portales, a fishing town where you can go to taste the delicious dishes prepared in the restaurants that surround it.
One of the cultural icons of Valparaiso is this mythical mountain, which is surrounded by culture, the colors of street art, bars and restaurants. You can reach it through the elevator, located on one side of the Plaza Sotomayor. Cerro Alegre is a multicultural place, in every corner there are foreigners and Chileans making art in various ways.
To get to the Cerro Concepcion, take the elevator with the same name. Today the is one of the favorite places of tourists, with various viewpoints and restaurants.
Playa Torpederas is a ideal beach to escape from the city and world for a while and to go to rest, relax.
There are many lovely walks along the city’s beautifully designed paseos. Good walks include the Ruben Dario walk and the Carvallo walk, both which run along the city’s coastline and beaches. But to cross this beautiful city there is no better way to do it than in the traditional old buses that will give you a ride through the historic city center.
Lose yourself in a Chilean market. The city’s energies are on colorful display along the block-long Mercado Cardonal, as well as its cuisine. The ground floor houses fruit and vegetable stands that spill out on to the street, and the second-floor restaurants offer mouthwatering seafood dishes.
If you are down Playa Ancha way, make sure to stop at the Naval and Maritime Museum, guarded and directed by the Navy of Chile.
