Despite the fact that Valparaiso is one of the top day trip destinations for visitors to Santiago, after nearly 7 months of living here, we still hadn’t made the trip. If we had been visiting Santiago for a week, we no doubt would have made the excursion right away, but living here made it seem less urgent. Instead, we opted to spend our weekends exploring the city, hiking in the Andes and taking various weekend trips to destinations further outside the city limits.
With spring on the horizon, though, we decided we needed it was time to move this trip up the priority list. We had heard so many great things about the quirky charm and colorful streets that make Valpo unique. So, with a free weekend and a sunny forecast we decided it was time to finally explore it for ourselves.
The drive from Santiago to Valparaiso is just under 1.5 hours along Ruta 5, and takes you through the Casablanca wine valley. We passed from smog to fog to clear, sunny skies as we made our way toward the Pacific coast.
Since we were only planning to stay for the day, we parked our car in an underground lot near Plaza Sotomayor, and set off on foot to explore.
Valparaiso was once South America’s biggest and most important port city and still remains one of the most important ports in the South Pacific. As such, it has a rich history. The city boasts the first Stock Exchange in Latin America, Chile’s first public library and the world’s oldest, continuously operating Spanish language newspaper, El Mercurio.
The opening of the Panama Canal hit Valpo hard, and many of the wealthy families that called it home left the city in the second half of the 20th century. The city fell on hard times, but has managed to re-invent itself, becoming a haven for artists and students.
As you walk through the winding, steep city streets that expand upward from the port, you can feel the resilience and vibrance. Houses are painted in bright colors, and nearly every wall and staircase serves as a canvas for local street artists. It’s easy to lose track of time simply wandering through the streets and taking it all in.
Valparaiso is definitely a little grittier than Santiago or the neighboring beach cities. As we walked we saw evidence of a city cobbling together it’s resources, though not always in the most efficient manner. Powerlines shoot out in all directions, tangled together to adapt to the changing needs of the city, and many of the city’s older homes and buildings, despite being brightly painted, haven’t been well maintained. Sticking to the more frequented hillsides and alleyways, we felt very safe, but were warned by others not to wander too aimlessly through the city, especially if it’s obvious that you’re a tourist.
After exploring Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, we stopped for lunch at a seafood restaurant called Cafe Turri. We sat on the restaurant’s large patio overlooking the Pacific and enjoyed Machas a la Parmesana (baked clams covered in parmasean cheese) and Chupe de Jaiba (a baked crab pie), both of which are extremely popular along the Chilean coast. We have also heard great things about Paste e Vino if you’re in the mood for some upscale Italian food.
After lunch, we wandered through a few more colorful side streets, and then decided to make a trip to one of Pablo Neruda’s homes, which has now been converted into a museum. It was a bit of a walk, but it was a bright, sunny day so we didn’t mind taking our time to get there.
The home itself, named La Sebastiana, is as unique and quirky as the poet was. It is tall and narrow, with each of it’s 5 levels serving a different purpose. We made our way form the elaborate entryway, through the living quarters and to Neruda’s study. Neruda loved to entertain, and the house’s main level boasts incredible views out over the city and the port from his large dining table. It was an interesting excursion, and a great vantage point from which to take in the whole of Valparaiso. Unfortunately, photos aren’t allowed in the house, so I can’t share any images here. I guess you’ll just have to come and see for yourself!
After making our way back down the hillside, we returned to Plaza Sotomayor, picked up our car and started the trip home. As we drove through the Casablanca valley, we decided it would be a nice detour to make a stop at one of the vineyards. Although we have been enjoying the perks of living in the midst of one of the world’s best wine regions, we haven’t had a chance to visit any of the vineyards here in Chile yet. We decided on a quick stop at Casas del Bosque to check out the grounds and scout out the area for a return visit.
On our way to the vineyard, we passed a hand painted sign advertising a Gran Rodeo Oficial. Needless to say, we were intrigued. After a quick walk around Casas del Bosque and with a few bottles of wine in our trunk, we doubled back past the Rodeo and decided to stop and see what it was all about.
When we arrived, they appeared to be taking a break, so we found seats in the medialuna (the half moon shaped grandstands), grabbed a couple empanadas from the food barn and waited. About 30 minutes later, several pairs of huasos, Chilean cowboys, entered the arena on horseback. After a quick warm-up period, the riders lined up along the backside of the medialuna, and a bull was let into the ring.
There was a small section at the back of the arena, and the riders began here, by running the bull back and forth a few times. When they were ready, a gate was opened and they entered the main area where they rode around with the bull between them, demonstrating their skill to control the bull and guide him to several predetermined spots around the ring.
Mind you, we had absolutely zero idea what was happening while we watched. All we could figure out was that the riders were trying to guide the bull, and the announcer would intermittently shout out “1 punto bueno!” or “1 punto malo”, apparently awarding points for some kind of skill that was demonstrated.
There is a little controversy among Chileans at the moment regarding the Rodeo. While it has been a tradition in the south for years, many people don’t like the way the bulls are treated during the competition. After guiding the bull around (guiding is probably putting it lightly, the bull is not being easily controlled), the riders end their demonstrating by pinning the bull against a wall, often with great force.
I won’t add any commentary about the merits of the rodeo itself, but it was definitely an interesting experience and a good ending to our day outside the city.
Wow, this place must be so fascinating!