If you’re into your street art, head to Valparaiso now!
Valparaiso has a sort of dystopian appeal.
The town itself is a little run-down and sketchy once the sun goes down but that’s only because it’s difficult to see the beautiful street art that lines each street and most buildings.
Each street is enclosed by buildings at least
three stories tall and it’s easy to loose yourself in the maze of roads and pathways that wind throughout the town.
Vantage points
Valparaiso is a town on many levels.
It’s possible to take a cable car up to each of the levels and finally to a vantage point to over look the city.
However, in my opinion, if you’re fit and able, it’s much better to wind your way up the hillside by foot. This way you won’t miss out on the hidden gems of art along the way and you can walk the same footsteps that the artists took and see the journey they took to complete their work.
Once you reach the top, the rooftops and walls will be illuminated by artwork and patterns of all different shapes, shades and colours. Each piece of art telling a different message.
Eating and sleeping in Valparaiso
We decided to stay in the tourist area of Valparaiso because of recommendations to avoid the more ‘sketchy’ areas of the town. This meant paying slightly higher than planned accommodation costs and also that the restaurants nearby were pricier – around £8 for vegetable pasta.
We also bought delicious empanadas from Empanadas Famosas. If you try to visit this cafe be quick because there’s always a queue and they sellout pretty quickly!
I also found vegan chocolate ice-cream in a ice-cream parlour. That’s right, not just a fruity (and usually delicious) sorbet, but real chocolate ice-cream <3. Plus, I stumbled upon a vegan chocolate brownie in a little cafe near our hotel. If you’re vegan keep your eye out for the tasty treats Valparaiso has to offer! #balance.
