Valparaiso: Hilly Technicoloured HillTown

Yesterday we took a day break from the bustle of Santiago and headed about 2 hours by bus to the ocean coast town of Valparaiso. It is a bustling city port which is nestled in the foothills of the Andes and overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

City buildings climb the hills painted bright colours and a lot of them with excellent views to the harbour, the ocean and the beach city of Vina del Mar in the distance. Most of the buildings are clad in metal siding and are painted everything from yellow, blue, pink and every colour inbetween. Graffity seems to be comissioned as it covers many walls in beautiful multi-coloured scenes.

Hills and the buildings covering them are accessed via funicular-like elevators that have been running for over 100 years. You pay about 20cents for a ride up or down the elevators and exploring the city by foot and elevator, turned out to be an excellent and enjoyable day. The city is quirky and has proved to be one of our favorite excursions to date.