VALPARAÍSO

Ranging over a series of hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Valparaiso is surely Chile's most fascinating city.

Built up by generations of European immigrants during the second half of the nineteenth century, the city had its heyday around a hundred years ago when it was an inevitable stop for ships moving between the east and west coasts of the Americas.

The completion of the Panama canal marked the end of its rise, but not before Valparaiso became a major commercial financial centre, sheltering South America's first stock exchange and what is today the world's longest running Spanish-language newspaper.

Demand for space around the bustling port saw housing crawl rapidly up the steep sides of the surrounding hills to create a unique vertical city of staircases, balconies and the creaking wooden ascensores.

Since then Valparaiso has fallen on hard times as its many dilapidated buildings with the rusty zinc roofs and smashed plaster work bear witness.

But many believe the city could soon be about to recapture its former glory.

Renewed interest in its historical past, the rise in tourist numbers (particularly through the cruise ships which stop at the port) and relocation of Chile's culture ministry to Valparaiso have raised the possibility of the city's renaissance.

The declaration by UNESCO of a World Heritage Site, comprising of Valparaiso´s historic Cerro Concepcion neighbourhood and a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank should see the city fulfil this promise over the coming years.

Don't miss in Valparaiso

Riding the ascensores: The best way to see the city by exploring its fifteen wood-built lifts that link the businesses down below with the residential areas up the hill.

La Sebastiana: While Isla Negra concentrates on Pablo Neruda´s huge collections of everything from insects to ship figureheads, La Sebastiana, the poet's house in Valparaiso, is preserved much as what was when the Nobel prize winner lived here, reflecting the idiosyncrasies and habits of someone who was doubtless a fascinating character as well as a highly gifted writer.

Cruising capital

Just as Valparaiso once an inevitable port of call for sailing ships and steamships rounding Cape Horn, today the port is a major stopping point for cruise ships moving tourists from the tropical coasts further north to the frozen fjords and glaciers of southern Chile.

Running by the AGUNSA logistics and shipping group, the Valparaiso Passenger Terminal is the only purpose terminal for cruise ships on South America's Pacific coast.

An estimated 65,000 passengers from 38 ships are expected passed through its doors during the 2006-2007 season, which runs from late October to early April.

These included the Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2, the world's largest cruise ship.

The 4,200 square meter terminal is located two kilometres from the quays in rehabilitated former port warehouses.

As well as installations for customs, immigrations and Chile's farming inspection agency, the terminal has everything possible to make passengers welcome to Chile as smooth as possible.

These include telephone and internet facilities, an information desk with bilingual staff, luggage trolleys, free luggage storage, controlled parking, covered entrances to keep passengers out of the port's occasional inclement weather and a range of shops offering souvenirs, handicrafts, newspapers and magazines and Chilean wine as well as a comfortable cafeteria.