Valparaiso is the second largest city in Chile and the largest deep-water port and major foreign trade port on the Pacific coast of South America, located 119 kilometers from the capital Santiago, with a drive of about 2 hours.
Valparaiso was founded in 1536, originally an Indian village, and became a Spanish colony in the 16th century. Due to its location on the west coast of the Pacific at the upper part of the Strait of Magellan, before the opening of the Panama Canal, it was an important port connecting South America and Europe.
This period was also the golden age of Valparaiso, attracting a large number of immigrants from Europe to settle here. These immigrants mainly came from Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Italy, making the city’s culture rich and diverse, earning it the title of “Pearl of the Pacific.”
The golden era of trade in Valparaiso ended with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, as ships no longer needed to detour through the Strait of Magellan, significantly reducing the importance of the port, which led to a major economic downturn for the city.
Valparaiso is famous for its colorful urban architecture and graffiti. Because the houses are privately owned, residents decorate the roofs and walls according to their own preferences, giving the hillside city a vibrant array of colors, complemented by various exaggerated graffiti, embodying a typical magical realism style of South America.
The funicular system in Valparaiso connects the residential areas on the hills with the commercial areas by the sea. The first funicular began operation in 1883 and continues to operate today. In 1996, the World Heritage Committee announced that the unusual funicular system (steeply inclined) of Valparaiso was one of the world’s 100 endangered historical and cultural treasures.
In 2003, UNESCO awarded the city of Valparaiso, Chile, the title of “Heritage of Humanity.”
Today’s itinerary: After breakfast, head to Valparaiso, the site of the Chilean Congress, and visit the Naval Warrior Monument at Sotomayor Square. Then enjoy a Western-style buffet lunch. In the afternoon, proceed to visit the garden city of Viña del Mar and see the replica of the Easter Island Moai. Afterwards, follow the coastline back to Santiago, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Pacific Ocean.
Figure 2.3: The headquarters of the Chilean Navy and the monument to the War of the Pacific.
Figure 4: Once a bustling financial center, home to the oldest stock exchange in all of Latin America, now in decline.
Figures 5-15: The colorful city built on the hills, the port, and the graffiti.
Figures 16-18: The seaside of the new city, Cañon Beach.
