Cerro Santo Domingo

By Lauren Yero

Cerro Santo Dominco is located in the heart of the historic center of Valparaíso, for which the city was named a Cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO. This part of town was the first piece of land developed by Spanish explorers, where they built a small square and church where before had existed a community of indigenous people called the Changos. The unassuming Iglesia La Matríz stands in the historic Plaza Matríz is the oldest in the city (the current building dates back to 1842, but the original church was built in this plaza in 1559).

At the foot of this cerro is the Port Market, where you can find fresh produce downstairs and get a cheap but delicious seafood lunch upstairs. A walk around this part of the city can be rewarding, but is also quite precarious for tourists, so take extra precautions with when you take out your camera and which streets you decide to turn down. There are several accommodation options here, but those unfamiliar with the city would do best not to walk around this part of town at night.