First visit to anywhere in South America. We spend the first couple of days in Santiago and on the third day took a trip to Valparaiso on the coast.
Santiago
Late start to the day, a Sunday, in Santiago. Las Condes is an upmarket area where a lot of banks and law firms are based. This area is also locally called ‘Sanhatten’.
After breakfast we decided to walk from out hotel to the San Cristóbal Hill, where the 22 meter tall statue of the Virgin Mary of immaculate conception is overlooking the old part of Santiago.
InterContinental in Las Condes
The streets were rather empty, maybe because it was a Sunday, end of school holiday or because there was a large bicycle event that day with lots of roads closed of for the family fun event. Many of the roads are lined with trees, which provide shade and make the city a much nicer place.
The walk took just over an hour with beautiful views over the city, except it was rather hazy on the hot and dusty day, so the views into the distant mountains were limited.
View from San Cristóbal Hill.
The main attraction is the 22 meter high statue of the immaculate conception. Also a church, open-air mass area and memorial of the pope’s visit are on top of the hill.
In front of the statue of Mary and church.
On the way down we took the ‘funicular’, passing the Santiago Zoo and walked in the Bellavista neighborhood with its many bars and restaurants catering for students, hence cheap beer and food is everywhere. Time to do something about our thirst…
Beer is sold in 1 liter bottles in most bars on bohemian 'Pio
Nono' street.
On Monday we joined a free walking tour, starting from the Plaza de Armas. Unfortunately the main square was all boarded up for remodelling work.
The Cathedral of Santiago.
The tour over the next 4 hours (1 hour for lunch) took us past the Old Congress Building, Supreme Court, Government House, Stock Exchange, Opera House, Santa Lucia Hill, through the Lastarria neighbourhood which is the new art and cultural area, across the Forestial Park to Plaza Italia and from there through the Bellavista neighbourhood with all its bars and eateries catering mostly for students and is the biggest party area in Santiago.
The Government House (Presidential Palace)
Santiago Stock Exchange
Richard, Wichit and Wayne
The German fountain in the 'Parque Forestal'
At Plaza Italia
Casa de Pablo Neruda. Museum and former house of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician.
Day trip to Valparaiso
Day trip to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar / Concon with some vine tasting on the route.
Vine tasting
Our first stop was at the Emiliana organic and bio-dynamic vineyard in the Casablanca valley. The one hour-long tour was a brief introduction into how they use nature to help producing organic vines; various plants to attract bees and other insects to and away from the vines. Chickens and lamas are also part of the managed process.
Click here for Emiliana’s interactive vineyard.
Of course the tour was followed by a wine tasting.
Two whites + two reds = two happy faces!
Wine tasting after an interesting tour explaining the organic & bio diverse wine production.
Valparaiso
After another hour, we arrived in the harbour city of Valparaiso. The town lost importance as a port and declined from the 1930’s until fairly recent. There are still many areas, whilst still in need for some restoration, showing the past splendour.
View overlooking Valparaiso.
Old time charm...
Hotel 'Palacio Baburizza'
Justice takes it rather casually with the traditional blindfold (impartiality) and scale (balance)...
Armada de Chile
Old with new...in this case it works (at
Plaza Sotomayor)
.
Plaza Sotomayor with the 'Monumento a Los Heroes de Iquique'.
Vina del Mar / Concon
A short drive north along the coast, the resort town of Vina del Mar, passing Pelican and Sea Lion colonies to Concon where we had a simple seafood lunch.
Pelican rock
Sea Lions
The only statue taken from the Easter Island which belong to Chile.