Valparasio is only a short trip away from Santiago. Looking up at the surrounding hills from the waterfront you are met with brightly coloured buildings and houses sprawling across the mountain. I have met a few people on my trip who have lived in Valpo (mostly Americans and an astonishing large number of architects) who have all gave it glowing reviews. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site too. Personally I was not blown away with it on first impressions. It was a bit cramped, parts looked near run down, and has a very 'old town' feel. It reminded me a bit of old town in Edinburgh. Full of little lane ways and stairways running between old tenement buildings.

During our time we managed to complete a walking tour of the city setting off from Sotomayor Square. As the city is quite hilly there are several ascensores to save you walking a hundred or so steps. Some are still working while some have been out of commission for a while. Obviously the first one we wanted to go up was out of commission. It had since been taken over by several stray cats! The Lonely Planet guide book had lied to us yet again. Once we did manage to get up the stairs the neighbourhoods of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion did have a bit more charm than those down in the center of town. Small restaurants and cafes were at every street corner.

Typical housing structures do not exist in Valpo. Due to the lay of the land every house is different and some exteriors were made from corrugated iron sheets. Again due to its hilly topography one minute you are walking on a footpath then you round the corner it turns into a great promenade with spectacular views of the streets winding down the hillside towards the Pacific Ocean.

As we were stuck on time we decided on an organised tour of the Chilean Lake District. Unfortunately we had to cut our time short in Valpo as the tour was leaving from Santiago the following day. There was a lot of things left to see in Valpo and the nearby town of Vina del Mar. The city's relaxed vibe and cafes made me want to stay. Alas, this was not the first time that I had to leave a place due to time constraints. It will give me more of a reason to come back and visit the region again.