Valparaíso - Chile’s Capital of Cool

Our visit to Santiago coincided with the Christmas holiday. It was naive of us to think Christmas would have no substantive disruption while traveling in a predominantly Catholic country. After our walking tour around Old Santiago, our tour guide, Carlos, pointed out that Chileans took public holidays very seriously. Most businesses begin shutting down early on Christmas Eve. While public transportation would only be moderately affected, almost all restaurants, even convenience stores, would be closed. The only places open would be hotel restaurants, which must be reserved far in advance for their overpriced pre-fix holiday dinner. Carlos framed it as the Chileans’ respect for workers’ rights. “Santiago will be a ghost town!” he proclaimed.

When I asked Carlos about the best way to spend Christmas Eve here, he suggested looking into the seaside city of Valparaíso. The seaside is a popular tourist getaway for Chileans and foreigners alike, making it more likely that more restaurants would be open during the holidays. Just an hour from Santiago, Valparaíso is Chile’s legislative capital and the second-largest metropolitan area. Partly because of its status as one of Chile’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Valparaíso was already on my travel bucket list. But I can’t say I knew much about the city except for its Bohemian vibes.

To make the most of our day, we started early from Terminal Pajaritos on the west side of Santiago. The roundtrip reserved seating ticket for the 70-mile journey costs only 12,000 CLP per person. The inter-city buses in Chile are a cut above the buses in the United States. The ride was comfortable, with comfy oversized seats. As we approached the coast, the scenery changed completely. From the weather to the vegetation, this place reminded me of coastal California, and there was a sense of strange familiarity. I could tell immediately that Valparaíso would be my jam.

Valparaíso’s bus terminal is located at the city’s eastern edge. The dilapidated station does not reflect Valparaíso’s status as the second city. The surrounding neighborhood was vibrant but not particularly charming at first glance. With only limited time, we immediately jumped on a local bus toward the historic center. Over the centuries, the city developed along the coastline and expanded over the steep hills. I was impressed by the city’s grand architecture from the bus windows, albeit in varying states of decay. It was obvious the city had gone through some tough times in recent decades.

The Hero of Iquique Monument on Plaza Sotomayor.

Our first stop was the Plaza Sotomayor, the city’s ceremonial gateway. Maybe because it was a holiday, the square was eerily quiet and felt like a film set. In the middle of the square is a gleaming neoclassical memorial: The Hero of Iquique Monument. It commemorates Chile’s loss in the Battle of Iquique in 1879, which was part of the larger Pacific Wars with Peru and Bolivia. Even though Chile ultimately triumphed in the Pacific Wars, the battle was made famous by the death of national hero Arturo Prat, who proudly stands at the top of the monument. Hidden below it is a crypt holding his remains. The stationing of ceremonial guards around the clock demonstrates Chileans’ reverence toward Prat.

Edificio Armada de Chile has been the headquarter of the Chilean Navy.

Anchoring the far end of the square is Edificio Armada de Chile. Its over-the-top Renaissance Revival style is said to be inspired by the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. When inaugurated in 1910, the building was the center of Valparaíso’s administration and an important civic space where extravagant balls were frequently held. The palace was also used as the presidential summer palace and received foreign dignitaries, including Fidel Castro. As its current name suggests, the building is now the headquarters of the Chilean Navy. Since Valparaíso is Chile’s biggest port, it was also natural that it has the country’s most important naval base.

When the Chilean military staged a coup in 1973 against President Allende, the Chilean Navy took center stage, and Valparaíso became the first town to be occupied. Understandably, Augusto Pinochet, a military director, seemed particularly fond of Valparaíso. He built his summer residence in nearby Viña del Mar. Pinochet relocated the national parliament here from Santiago in 1987 in the name of decentralization. Even though some parliamentary functions have recently relocated back to Santiago, Valparaíso remains the legislative capital. I suspect such a move was a tactic to insulate the legislative functions from potential disturbance from the public.

One of Valparaíso’s most famous nicknames is “Little San Francisco.” Aside from the mild Mediterranean climate, Valparaíso must also navigate the hilly topography. Given the limitation of flat lands along the shore, the city had no option but to build higher up. Rather than making its citizens hike up the steep hills, the city constructed over thirty funiculars. Unlike the cable cars in San Francisco, they are incredibly affordable and are part of residents’ daily commute. Sadly, only seven are still operational today. Most funiculars were privately owned. Over the years, mismanagement, earthquakes, and limited revenue led to the abandonment of many funiculars. Many residents urged government takeovers to keep them operating.

While perfectly safe and a world better than the cable cars of Chiatura, Valparaíso’s rickety funiculars feel like a thrill ride. The two most popular funiculars are Ascensor El Peral and Ascensor Reina Victoria. Both were designated the National Monument of Chile and provide access to the picturesque Concepción Hill and Alegre Hill. Under UNESCO's protection, these hills and the port area below comprise the Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso. We had commanding views of the port and naval base from the belvedere. Thanks to the excellent weather, we could see the nearby resort city of Viña del Mar. The views here may not be as picturesque as San Francisco, but I oddly enjoyed the grittiness and industrial character of Valparaíso.

Following the 1671 sacking of Old Panama, these neighborhoods were significantly fortified. The area was initially occupied by military personnel and the Order of Saint Augustine friars. It was not until the 19th century that these hills became urbanized. It was the golden age of Valparaíso when it was the largest Pacific port in South America. Until the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, Valparaíso was the largest Pacific port in South America, earning it the reputation as the "Jewel of the Pacific.” But like Punta Arenas in the south, the city went into a precipitous decline once the trade was rerouted through Panama.

Valparaíso is so delightful on a beautiful day.

Being the main port of Chile, Valparaíso was also the historical port of entry for European immigrants. Wealthy English, German, and Yugoslav 8immigrants began to settle on Concepción Hill and Alegre Hill. The higher grounds of these hills afforded them fresh air and views away from the bustle of the port below. Like San Francisco, these neighborhoods were laid on a grid and felt decidedly residential. Reflecting the city’s wealth, there are a plethora of grand mansions. The most prominent among them is Baburizza Palace.

Built for the prominent Zanelli family, the eclectic mansion has numerous fanciful Art Nouveau details, balconies, bay windows, and turrets. In 1925, Italian-Croatian businessman Pascual Baburizza, an avid art collector, purchased the building. In fact, the red-and-white dotted decorations on the exterior are a tribute to the Croatian coat of arms. The city later purchased the building and converted it into an art museum and school of fine arts. The bequeathed collection from Baburizza, which includes works of many prominent Chilean artists, formed the core of the museum collection. The museum's interior is said to be one of the most impressive in Chile.

Walking around the neighborhood, we were mesmerized by the architectural diversity. It was fun to see so many different architectural styles coexisting within such a small area. From German stick-style buildings to Gothic carpenter-style townhouses, the buildings are fancifully colorful. They represent the cosmopolitan history of this port city. The colors and architecture pop against the deep blue sky thanks to the fantastic weather. The city may have lost some of its luster, but I was surprised by how well-kept these buildings were. Because of the holiday, the area was nearly deserted, and it only added to the melancholic sublimity.

As a city of new immigrants, Valparaíso has many different religious denominations. Roman Catholic Church has always had a dominant position in the country; protestants were historically discriminated against in social life. Chilean laws banned all other faiths until 1865; non-Catholic weddings and baptisms were not recognized. Due to Valparaíso’s large expat population, the local English managed to construct an Anglican church despite the ban. The Anglican Cathedral of Saint Paul (1857) became the country’s first protestant church. However, it did not happen without a substantial public outcry from the city’s Catholic majority. A few blocks away is the German Lutheran Church of the Holy Cross. The design is unmistakably Central European and is said to have the first protestant bell tower in South America.

The postcard-perfect view of Concepción Hill.

This section of the city appeared largely abandoned on Christmas Eve, so it was difficult to see how bustling this touristy neighborhood would generally be. Judging from the plethora of cafes, shopping boutiques, and restaurants, I can’t help but wonder how much of the neighborhood’s original residential ambiance remained. Luckily, there were still a few restaurants open in the early afternoon. Restaurant la Concepción was a delightful find; the back terraces offer excellent vistas toward Viña del Mar. Judging from all the diners around us, we were all super grateful for the lovely meal. We knew this would be our only meal for the day.

For most people, the most intriguing aspect of Valparaíso is the abundance of murals in the historical quarters. Valparaíso’s murals date back to the 1940s when Chilean diplomat Pablo Neruda, a Valparaíso native, introduced Mexico’s muralist traditions to his hometown. A Nobel Prize for Literature winner, Neruda was intimately aware of the power of murals and how they could enrich the city's cultural life. I have also heard that when Neruda was running for president of the Communist Party of Chile, he asked his supporters to paint something representing the working class instead of writing his name all over the wall. Over the years, they created a style called B.R.P.

These murals became a popular expression of dissent during the military dictatorship. Chilean and foreign artists would show up in the middle of the night to create works despite the threat of the death penalty. The winding, narrow streets of Valparaíso allowed artists to walk in secrecy. After the return of democracy, most Chilean cities legalized street art, but only with strict advance permitting from the local government. Acknowledging the unique heritage of free expression, Valparaíso agreed to give the artists full reign as long as they had permission from the property owners. The city encourages the proliferation of murals and understands their economic value for tourism. Local businesses actively invite artists to decorate their walls. These artists became local celebrities, and friendly rivalry among well-respected muralists developed.

Streets artists here don’t need a large blank wall to express thselves.

We signed up for a walking tour at the last minute to get the most out of our visit. While the tour was not exclusively about the murals, I was most interested in learning about the meanings behind some of Valparaíso’s iconic murals. The murals in Valparaíso are genuine works of art; they were far from the graffiti you would see in New York or London. We were hard-pressed to find random graffiti. Although the tapestries of murals may seem somewhat chaotic at first glance, each work is cleverly laid out and always comes with social commentaries. There appeared to be no regulation on style, color palettes, and subject matters.

The most famous mural here is entitled We Are Not Hippies… We Are Happies. Painted on the disused communal staircase at the intersection of Templeman and Lautaro, this small mural was created by Brighton-based artist duo Art+Believe in 2014. The piece is a clever wordplay on the stereotypes of Valparaíso imposed by the people of Santiago and has been beloved by locals and visitors alike. When the mural was defaced in 2017, the locals came together to recreate the piece.

Many murals are collaborative works. This one on Templemant Street was by Victor Castello, Daniel Marceli, and Mila Balboa.

With a dizzying array of murals all around us, it was great to have our guide Roxane tell us some of her favorites. When it came to murals, the most famous street was Pasaje Gálve. It was accessible through a colorful staircase that featured lines from the Calle 13 song Latinoamérica. This winding, narrow lane has the highest concentrations and is known for its artistic caliber. The kaleidoscope of colors and hues seemed jarring at first. A walk down the lane demonstrates why Valparaíso easily beat out other places known for their street arts, such as Sao Paulo or Bueno Aires. In the age of social media, Pasaje Gálve may be the city’s best advertisement. It was clear this was the most touristy section of the city. One of its biggest attractions is a three-story concrete slide that connects two street levels, a great source of joy for all ages.

Since most murals in Valparaíso have overtly socialist, anti-colonial outlooks, they were sure to ruffle some feathers. Naturally, figures such as Donald Trump and George W. Bush frequently appeared in many of these murals, and Roxane felt the need to apologize to the American guests in advance. Among the more well-known and prolific street artists here are Charquipunk (Sebastián Navarro), Inti Castro, and Moro Pichilaf. Roxane particularly liked the collaboration between & Daniel Marceli and Charquipunk. Their works feature various Andean birds prominently and carry many subtle undercurrents in Chilean society.

Our favorite muralist in Valparaíso is Danny Reveco, possibly the most political artist in Valparaíso. A multimedia artist, Reveco is most known for his mural When Chile Ended, which depicts the Chilean history of social unrest. There is plenty of violence, yet with a comedic flare. The scene described would surely drive anti-woke crusaders crazy. On the other hand, they would probably enjoy the strangled Mickey Mouse. The mural was vandalized several times by far-right groups. We were lucky enough to see Reveco in action. For anonymity, he always wears a face shield made from recycled fabric. He really looked like an elusive rebel, right?

Roxane explained that although Valparaíso may be the epicenter of street art, most artists passed through here by leaving their marks, but it was tough to keep them here. Most artists inevitably moved to Santiago. We were happy to see over a dozen artist studios and galleries around the historic center. This might be the best place in Chile to pick up a few pieces of affordable artwork. It was a shame that most were closed during our visit. One of the few open galleries we visited was Heredia Galeria Taller. This gallery/studio has a wide array of original works by local artists. We would have picked up a few pieces if it had not been for our onward trip to Atacama and Patagonia.

Artisanal prints at Orégano Salvaje Taller Galería.

Despite the holiday closure, we were very grateful for Valparaíso. The entire city is essentially an open-air art museum. I may have come here for the city’s UNESCO designation, but it was the edgy energy of this capital of cool that impressed on us. Dare I say visitors should favor Valparaíso over Santiago? Who wouldn't enjoy escaping the urban sprawl of the capital? In hindsight, we would have loved to spend two full days here to soak up the intoxicating ambiance and have a brief rendezvous at Viña del Mar. I would not hesitate to return for my next visit to Chile. It might be fun to be here for the annual Red Bull Valparaíso Downhill Race.

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