Discover Valparaíso : Neighborhoods of Valparaíso

In the shape of an amphitheatre, Valparaiso is located in a wide bay bordered by high hills, the cerros, through which streets, alleys, secret passages and other staircases go up to the tops. But here, it is difficult to get lost, the sea is never far! The locals divide the city into two parts: "el plan", and "los cerros". El plan, between the foot of the hills and the sea, corresponds to the centre of the city which borders the sea. Three main avenues run through the centre of the city: Errázuriz by the sea and Brasil, as well as Pedro Montt, the commercial artery par excellence. The cerros are the 42 hills to which the center is leaning, all of which have their own names. The most visited are the famous cerros Alegre and Concepción. We must not forget the entire waterfront, occupied by the port, where ships pass by and thousands of containers pile up.

The plan of Valparaíso

El Plan is the flat part of the city (as opposed to the cerros, the hills) and is where the public buildings and the vast majority of businesses are located. Its two main neighbourhoods are Barrio Puerto, the port area, and El Almendral, to the east of the former, the commercial area bounded by Edwards Street and Argentina Avenue. The history of Barrio Puerto begins with the creation of the city and the arrival of its inhabitants: it was the first sector of the city to be populated. Houses were first built around the church, and over time other buildings were added. When the city experienced its great expansion in the 19th century, the district became the core of the city, with the development of its commercial infrastructure. At the same time, the inhabitants moved to the cerros. This sector, which extends from Plaza Sotomayor to Plaza Wheelwright, is still considered today as the centre of the city.

Cerros

Since the colonial period, no consensus has been reached on the exact number of cerros that make up the city. However, it is often said that there are 42 cerros, all of them different, with their own social and urban characteristics and their own ways of community life, which stand to the south of the plan, overlooking the bay. Some of them have disappeared, others have been annexed, and among the most famous in the city are the cerros Alegre, Barón, Blanco, Bellavista, Concepción, Florida, La Merced, Mariposas, Miraflores, O'Higgins and Playa Ancha. Of course, all of them are worth a visit, although some of the cerros are not recommended for tourists (don't venture too far up into the heights exposing your camera or cell phone).