Valparaíso

Valparaíso is just a two hours busride away from Santiago. The city is located on several hills (Cerros) next to the Pacific ocean and it used to have an important harbour until the Panama canal was established. Because of the beautiful setting on the hills and the colourful houses Valparaíso is popular by poets, painters and would-be philosophers. The whole of Valparaíso is an Unesco heritage site. Though being a harbour city makes it a little rough around the edges as well.

'Valpo' is famous for its street-art and beautiful murals can be seen around every corner. I joined a graffiti tour to see some of these murals and to learn about the graffiti art on the Cerro Concepción and the Cerro Alegre. After the tour I went with some other backpackers to the Cerro Polanco where in 2012 an international graffiti festival was hosted. The open air graffiti museum on the hill kept my camera busy.