Bohemian Rhapsody

I’m in love with a dirty, gritty port city. Valparaiso, Chile - you’re the peanut butter to my celery.

As colorful as a box of crayons, this city is stacked up from the seafront, layer after vibrant layer. In its heyday, Valparaiso attracted European immigrants by the plane load, and earned the nicknames “Little San Francisco” and “The Jewel of the Pacific”.

Once the Panama Canal opened in the first half of the 20th century, Valpo’s golden age was over. Ship captains opted for the new northern route to avoid the risks associated with the Strait of Magellan. Wealthy families fled the city, taking their fortunes with them, and the port lost its importance as shipping traffic was fractured.

Today Valparaiso’s historic districts lure artists from all disciplines, and the city holds true to both nicknames of its past.

VERDICT: Mostly Harmless - but steer clear of funicular tracks.