Valparaiso, Chile

Located 75 miles northwest of Santiago, Valparaiso is an important Chilean seaport city on the Pacific Ocean. After its independence from Spain, it became the headquarters of the Chilean navy. The city became a magnet for European immigrants from Britain, Germany, and Italy in its golden age (1814-1914). They each created their own hillside neighborhood. The colorful neighborhoods compose Valparaiso’s National Historic district, a UNESCO world heritage site. Its economy weakened in the twentieth century but has seen a recovery in the twenty first with thousands of tourists traveling to this bohemian city to check out its colorful murals, houses and UNESCO heritage site.

We were picked up at our Santiago hotel by our guide for a day tour of Valparaiso and neighboring Vina Del Mar. We drove by avocado farms and vineyards. Our guide talked about a severe drought and lack of sufficient water bodies and filled us in on the history of the area. Once in Valparaiso, I was disappointed by fog and rain that prevented me from capturing the photos I had hoped to take. Nonetheless, I learned quite a bit from our guide about the city and enjoyed its uniquely eclectic vibe.

Reference Valparaiso on Wikipedia