The Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaiso has seen better days, and now seems just an echo reminding visitors of its heady history as an important stop for seafarers en route to and from Cape Horn. The early 20th century was cruel to the city. First, in 1906, a massive earthquake destroyed large parts of the city (it was a cruel year for cities on the Ring of Fire in the Americas; San Francisco, California, had been destroyed four months earlier). Valparaiso rebounded and rebuilt, ready to welcome back visitors, only to be bypassed in trade by the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. After visiting Valparaiso, I can't help but picture it as a suitable setting for Charles Dicken's Miss Havisham.

Perhaps I am not giving Valparaiso its due; I did only have a half day to visit the city, and I took part in a tour from Santiago, trying to take advantage of limited time to see as much as possible. The tour started in the upper part of the historic district, and we walked past fine wooden houses, many covered with murals. For every mural, though, there was just as much graffiti. I'm not sure if the graffiti was new, as part of the consistent protests against the Chilean government found in Santiago and other major cities, or whether it had been there for a while. Wandering down the streets, I enjoyed the overlook near the Lutheran Church of Santa Cruz, which offered views of historic buildings and the Reina Victoria funicular. I also appreciated the colorful historic mansions along the Mirador Paseo Atkinson, overlooking the now modern harbor. If I weren't with a tour, I would have loved to meander through the neighborhoods longer. Still, in the time I had on the way down Cerro Concepcion to Plaza Sotomayor, I felt like I got a glimpse of what the glory days of Valparaiso must have been like. I just wish it felt more alive today.

Logistics: Valparaiso is a mere one and a half hours from Santiago by bus or private transportation. The city is built on a hill, so it may be better to start near the top and work down (or put the funiculars to good use).