We spent 3 nights prior to volunteering and 7 nights afterwards in the vibrant and colourful city of Valparaíso (or Valpo as it’s known).
Based on first impressions, it’s not the most beautiful place; the actual centre is dirty, chaotic and loud – all the hallmarks of port city, but it really is a city of two halves. This central area, ‘El Plan’, is flat and functional, but then there are the ‘Cerros’ (hills) which have so much charm – every street makes you want to take the camera out. There are a great number of Cerros and it would take a lifetime to explore every single one (as well as impossible to navigate your way around them), we tried our best though! The Cerros are connected to the lower part of city by a series of rickety old funiculars which provide an interesting and original way to explore.
Valparaíso is a haven for graffiti artists and pretty much every building is artistically decorated. The city is essentially a free, outdoor art gallery! This adds to the already colourful houses with a backdrop of the Pacific to make some stunning views and photos.
We stayed in a lovely old house with lots of character and huge windows where we spent a lot of time playing cards and drinking local (and cheap) red wine. Our walks around the hills were dotted with lots of stops to drink the famous Pisco Sour (a type of fruit brandy from Chile or Peru, depending whether you ask a Chilean or a Peruvian!) and eat some beautifully fresh ceviche – we felt these were deserved as we did a lot of walking up and down the hills.
We also took a trip to the neighbouring city of Viña del Mar, the “garden city”, as it’s known. It is a resort aimed at rich Santiago-dwellers and it could not have been any more different to Valpo – it had clean streets, high rise hotels and a long stretch of beach. Though we thought it lacked the character of Valparaíso, it was perfect for a day trip and a chilled afternoon on the beach.
Next stop: a long trip south to Patagonia!!!
Josh & Lisa in South America 