VALPARAÍSO

• Population: 275,000 inhabitants

It is the capital of the region. Full of history and nostalgia, it is an architectonic and urbanistic phenomenon, with steep narrow streets blending styles and building techniques. One may say that this city has never been officially founded, as its inhabitants sporadically built it, climbing its mountains, turning them into anarchic groups of colorful houses that defy both gravity and vertigo. Valparaiso is a natural bay surrounded by a mountain range that reaches the sea and turns it into an amphitheater overlooking the Pacific. Its nightlife agrees with the spirit of the city. The visitor may find the mythical places devoted to coffee, wine, movies, boleros and tangos, in an atmosphere that mingles bohemian and nostalgic sensations. Another peculiar feature is its many cable cars that go up and down the low mountains, sometimes even invading the backyards of the houses that happen to be built across its itinerary, and from which beautiful sights of the bay and the sea can be enjoyed. Finally, we should mention the pleasure of its markets, with its typical flavors and the loud voices of the sellers. The market located in the port is worth visiting. This port is the first import and export center in the country and one of the most important in the American coast of the Pacific.