Bohemian Chile

Or at least that's what I thought of Valparaiso.

This city, which used to be one of the most important ports in the continent (before the opening of the Panama Canal), is a unique blend of old buildings, bohemian houses and truly dangerous slums. Located in natural bay harbour and surrounded by house-crowded hills on which it's impossible to find any green spot, Valparaiso has managed to retain most of its charm.

One of the most distinctive features of the city are its "ascensores" (funicular railways), most of them built at the end of the XIX century. 15 of them are still working today, and the inclination of some of them is really spectacular (over 50% slopes). Unsurprisingly, this ancient mechanical wonders have been declared World Heritage Monuments by UNESCO.

My favorite area in Valparaiso are the Cerros (hills) Alegre and Concepción, where all the bohemian atmosphere of the city is concentrated. On these hills, old mansions have been converted into museums and abandoned houses have been restored attracting many students and artists that now live on them. There are nice restaurants, cozy cafés and chaotic bars, some of them with great views over the bay.

Unfortunately, Valparaiso also has the worst slums I've seen in Chile and, outside Cerros Alegre and Concepción, can be quite dangerous at night. I walked across some areas where I didn't even dare to take out my camera and in others I decided to leave instantly after entering them. High unemployment rate, following the city's decaying economy, and lack of police control are to blame for this situation. But even so, I had heard so many stories about Valparaíso being such a dangerous city that I had gone there prepared for the worst and, fortunately, I managed to avoid all troubles.

Although most of the people I met that had visited Valparaíso didn't seem to like the place, I found it very appealing and ended up spending there more time than I initially planned (as it's becoming the standard for my trip :) In fact, I think Valparaiso, being so different from the rest of the country, is probably one of the most interesting places to visit in Chile.