Back in Valpo!

My first trip to Valparaíso was in April 2018, back when I was living in Chile for the first time as part of my Year Abroad. It's hard to believe that it was almost five years ago! That trip was a very spontaneous one that I decided to take after my plans for that weekend didn't work out as expected, but it turned out to be one of the best travel experiences of the year. I took a bus there on my own and then joined a group walking tour once I'd arrived, and had a really amazing day seeing the sights of this iconic, Bohemian city. I remember telling myself that I would come back before the semester was over, but so much happened in the rest of the semester that I never found the time.

So, since I moved back to Chile last February, I've been saying to my partner Claudio that we should go to Valparaíso together, and on our way home from our great weekend in Papudo, we finally did!

I wanted to see the touristic highlights that I'd seen on my first visit, but I also wanted to explore some new areas. So we started out in the Playa Ancha part of the city, further west than I'd been previously. This isn't quite so obviously photogenic as Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, but it has some colourful historic buildings, interesting street art, and great views over the ocean.

Afterwards we went over to Cerros Alegre and Concepción and saw the beautiful buildings and amazingly-decorated staircases this area is famous for. It was really fantastic to be back there again, and to see what's changed and what's stayed the same. Some of the street art is the same as it was five years ago, but some of it's gone now and there's been some new stuff added since then. 

I also like to think that my photography has improved since 2018, and that I've been able to get some nicer snaps this time!

It was a bit of a workout to walk up and down Valpo's many steep streets! But fortunately, in one place there's a handy slide you can use to get from one level to the other. It was very fun to whizz down it!

And finally, what trip would be complete without meeting a lovely cat? We were really happy to meet this gorgeous and extremely friendly ginger kitty while exploring the city!

In conclusion, I really enjoyed visiting Valparaíso for a second time, and it was made even more special by the fact that this time I was there with Claudio. Actually, Claudio wasn't that keen on the city before, because it has a bit of a reputation for being dangerous, but he also thoroughly enjoyed the trip. There's a Bohemian atmosphere in Valpo that is hard to show in photos or describe through writing - it's just something you have to experience in person, which really makes it a unmissable destination. We'll definitely be back in the future!