Frontera | Concha y Toro

In recent years, the principal seaport of Chile has undergone a real boom, marked by a proliferation of small hotels, sophisticated restaurants, pubs, discotheques and various other establishments. In spite of this the principal charm of Valparaiso is based upon its rusted melancholy that positions this city as one of the most singular destinies worldwide. Even more so at night!

It’s always been said that one never stops knowing Valparaiso. There are so many hills, sights to see, a labyrinth of streets that, inevitably everyone ends up getting lost. Valparaiso has always had the charm to vary, change, and at the same time surprise. And that bar is it new? This house wasn’t like this before, was it? Every time you visit Valparaiso you end up wondering about such things! Suddenly you realise that, even though only a few months have passed since your last visit you are confronted by a changed city.

Perhaps it’s because we only live and hour and a half away by car, from Valparaiso that we tend to forget it. Upon returning it’s almost like the first time you’ve been there. More now that this city is passing through a notable resurgence, now the Port is full new hotels, bars and restaurants that cause love for this city to resurge.

Three, four years ago, staying in Valparaiso was difficult. Apart from classic hotels such as Brighton and Prat – a hotel typical of a Raymond Chandler novel – there were many family hostels, the attractions of the city far outweighed its pitiable hotel choice. But things have changed! If one wants to have a fun filled weekend, something you can count on in Valparaiso it means, at least, two nights of drinks and parties. All of which should start in one of the warm friendly Bed & Breakfast hotels and then moves on to other places in the city.

People had told me about several hotels: the Ultramar, situated on Cárcel Hill (Tomás Perez 173) a small hotel with an 1900 Italian façade: a boutique hotel a few blocks away from the home of celebrity Pablo Nerudo -‘Sebastiana’– and the proud Baburizza Palace; a real jewel soberly decorated with small objects that are reminiscent of pop art. Another alternative is Casa Latina located on Concepción Hill (Papudo 462); everything is more or less minimalist, except for the awesome view of the bay. Complementing this list are places such as Puerto Natura, on Bellavista Hill, which is distinguished by its offer of reiki and mud baths. It’s also close to places such as the Open Air Museum with its beautiful murals and the amazing house of the Valparaiso Foundation, directed by the untiring Todd Tempkins, a North American who came to Chile to teach literature and who today manages the principal institution which is dedicated to the restoration and protection of the architecture of the city, which was recently declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It was more or less like this that my weekend commenced at what, I believe, is one of the best alternatives: The Somerscales, a hotel in a restored home situated on Alegre Hill, where once lived a famous painter of seas and wildlife. This explains why there are so many paintings that touch your feelings. This is the effect that Valparaiso has on you; it inspires you to breath deeply, with your chest fully inflated, you feel like a marine that has just escaped with his life after sailing around Cape Horn and later arrives to. . . Valparaiso. . . The Paradise, something that, at least in the night, is not only a Myth.

Now let’s see. I am at my hotel, and the first item on my agenda is a satisfying aperitif, for this there are many places to go. Or better still several aperitifs to have. In my case, first on the list was a goblet of wine in the Vililo Café (Almirante Montt 448), a place in which you can choose which long play record you want to listen to. Yes, long play records! Another option is to taste the avocado pastry; a strange but delectable house specialty. This is only for those with strong stomachs. Other places to partake in a glass of wine are Café Turri on Conception Hill (Templeman 147); a large white hotel with gigantic pillars and an ancient bar. Here it’s just as easy to feel that you’re in Athens as Valparaiso.

Finally, end your tour just when the street lights are coming on, you must go to the Minicine-Bar, Valparaiso My Love, located on the same hill (Papudo 612). What is its charm? Well, drink some more wine! Watch 16mm movies generally old documentaries, impossible to see anywhere else. These films form part of the curious film archives of this local. These films have become the favorite of artists such as Raúl Ruiz, by far the best Chilean cinematographer.

Well then, with sufficient petrol in the body, it is time to search for a good mixture of combustibles. It is time to dine! Today it’s not easy to make such a decision in Valparaiso. If you listen to Carlos Reyes, an expert who has published a culinary guide for the city, you must go to The Caruso, a fish and sea food restaurant in which the consumé is on the house. Apart from this you can savour succulent crab pastry or a delicious tuna filet. On my first night I opted for the Filou de Montpellier, a restaurant that offers home cooked French meals. You must taste the Magellan Lamb. Keep in mind that there is also the Pasta and Wine Restaurant on Concepción Hill (Templeman 352) which in a short time has become one of the best eating places in Chile. How could I forget the Coco Loco, a rotating restaurant (Blanco 1781) that in 80 minutes gives you a complete panorama of Valparaiso. Possibly this is the best option for. . . the second and last night.

The point is that it’s still the first night. Now it is time to shake your bones, and Valparaiso has many places where you can do just that. It only depends on your likes, your energy, and how much seafood you have eaten. What was my choice? Well, as best as I can remember, first on the list was Piedra Feliz, a Pub on Echaurren Street, located across from a celebrated rock from which many port people have committed suicide. I don’t know Lisbon, but it has been said that both Lisbon and Valparaiso have the air of an eternal and intense melancholy. But listen, if there’s something that Valparaiso has too much of its joy! Apart from the dozens of discos and pubs along Echaurren, there is also Ecuador Street. This is a narrow and winding street that’s lined with discos such as Mr. Egg and The Locomotor, places in which you can dance to the rhythm of the most recent hits.

What else? The other places are more classical: La Playa, or J. Cruz, which is full of old dolls and thousands of trinkets that are worthy of the best Flea Markets. Of course there’s also The Cinzano in the Anibal Pinto Plaza. By this time, even if you do or don’t speak Spanish, you end up singing one after another classic of the city. For example, ‘The Jewel of the Pacific’, the famous Valparaiso hymn, a song that speaks of the eternity of this city and its addictiveness.

One thing is sure: in Valparaiso the night never ends, neither do two! It’s for this reason that one always wants to return to Valp, as the locals affectionately call it. More than money, what is most important is a good aspirin for your headache. You will not be able to forget.