Chile’s soulful port apart
Executive summary by darmansjah
Generations of creative pilgrims have been hooked by Valparaíso’s weathered
beauty and bohemian vibe. Travelers have followed suit, coming for the romantic
allure of its 42 cerros (hills) that ascend sharply from the water.
Stacked high with faded mansions, 19th-century funiculars, and battered
cobblestones, Valparaíso stands in contrast to the glitzy Viña del Mar resort
town to the north. As Chile’s
vital harbor, it retains the signature grittiness and edge that often endow
ports. But Valparaíso is also welcoming a boom of eateries serving inventive
Chilean fare, quirky bars offering hoppy microbrews, and antiques-packed
B&Bs.
Pablo Neruda, whose former home, La Sebastiana, still lords over Cerro
Bellavista, wrote Valparaíso-inspired verse: “I love, Valparaíso, everything
you enfold, and everything you irradiate, sea bride … I love the violent light
with which you turn to the sailor on the sea night.” A meander through its
tangle of steep alleyways and stairways reveals eye-catching street art and
ocean views from pedestrian passages that hug the slopes. Then a cool breeze
comes off the Pacific, night falls, and silhouettes of hills appear against
darker skies, infusing Valparaíso with poetry that seeps through its every
pore. —Anja Mutić
Travel Tips
When to Go: November-March (Southern Hemisphere summer)
Relevant Dates: The city is packed at the end of December
for the raucous Carnaval de Valparaíso, culminating in a New Year's Eve
fireworks show over the harbor.
Where to Stay: Book a bay view room or suite in a restored
Cerro Alegre mansion-turned-boutique hotel like plush Casa Higueras or
family-run Hotel
Acontraluz.
How to Get Around: Use buses, trolleybuses, and shared
taxis (colectivos) for local travel, and Metro Valparaíso, called Merval, for regional trips. Ride
the remaining (about 15) funky funicular railways (ascensores) up to
hilltop neighborhoods.
Where to Eat or Drink: Wander among the fresh fruit,
vegetable, flower, and fish stalls at El Mercado Cardonal (closed Sundays),
then head upstairs to any of the market's small, affordable seafood
restaurants. Grab beer and chorrillana (a local fried steak, egg,
potato, and onion concoction) at a traditional port pub like Bar La Playa on
Calle Serrano.
What to Buy: On weekends and during holidays, browse
through rare and secondhand books at Feria de Antiguedades y Libros La Merced.
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