Chile Forum

otravers wrote:How rough is Valpo? In the wrong places, you can get robbed a knife or gun point in broad daylight.

On the bright side, you probably have to actively try to get to those wrong places. If you're careful, you probably won't have any troubles in Valpo (I've gone there most weekends for the past 1 year plus and had no problems), if you're not careful, you probably will have troubles.

chile-expat wrote:On the bright side, you probably have to actively try to get to those wrong places.

Drift without paying attention for just a few blocks in the wrong direction...

Agreed. All of the historic zone around the Iglesia Matriz, Mercado Puerto, and Plaza Euchaurren is dangerous and you could definitely get held up. And this is supposedly a draw for tourists.. It's easy to get to, highly marked, in the Plan, and the policeman stationed 24/7 in the plaza who I went to talk to (after a girl got her camera ripped off while it was wrapped around her wrist and thumb) told us never to come back.

Mira tu.

Overall Valpo is somewhere you visit, not somewhere you live. You should see it. It is a very interesting city, just would suggest you go with someone that knows their way around a bit and keep your eyes open. On the other hand, there are people that kind of like the living dangerously factor.

I'm going to have to disagree. Valpo is not the safest city, but I think it's being represented here in a worse light than is appropriate. Sure people get mugged or pickpocketed and it's possible to get a knife pulled on you, but with some caution, in my experience, it's no worse than any major city in the U.S.

chile-expat wrote:I'm going to have to disagree. Valpo is not the safest city, but I think it's being represented here in a worse light than is appropriate. Sure people get mugged or pickpocketed and it's possible to get a knife pulled on you, but with some caution, in my experience, it's no worse than any major city in the U.S.

Right, I think the point was that the places where you need to be careful are not clearly delineated from the places where .. well that's the thing, you always need to be careful in Valpo. It's not like any major city in the US; it's like living on the fringes of or in a bad part of any major city. Maybe nothing bad ever happens to you personally, but chances are you know at least a couple people who have had something happen to them. Once you've lived there for a while you know where to go and where not to, and if you DO decide to go into those areas you at least do it with previous knowledge and preparation, as opposed to someone new to the city or a tourist.

After 4 years in Valpo/Viña I've been picked pocketed, felt up, woken up to a knife in my face in my apt, and assaulted. Honestly these are things that would not have happened had I lived in El Golf, much less if I had lived in the States.

The OP was asking for true grit, so that's probably why he's getting just the nasty side.

If you're American, I would liken it to living in New Orleans. Or the Wicker Park/Humboldt Park/Ukranian Village areas in Chicago if you're going to the nicer, rehabbed areas of Valpo. Think Chicago Southside otherwise. In New Orleans, if you've lived there (please note I say lived, not visited) the level of safety can change from one block to the next. I used to live in the French Quarter on Bourbon Street and felt perfectly safe stumbling home all the way through the crowds of rowdy college kids and tourists or down quieter streets like Chartres or even Decatur. But I knew better than to try and skip over to Burgundy or N.Rampart by myself. That's a 2 block difference and there's a police station on N. Rampart but you still don't go for strolls at night around there on your own. Of course there's lovely areas where I never worried for my safety. Valpo is much the same way to me. So much more personality and culture to be found, the gritty kind, not the clean and polished look of a well groomed city, but the earthy grace of a city that's seen good times and bad and can still smile about it. I'm lucky though, that I have family there. They tell me where to go and yell at me repeatedly where I shouldn't Cerro Concepcion, Cerro Allegre are quite nice and higher end. I like to play in el Cerro Baron

I lived in Vina for 6 months and went to Valpo 2 nights a week usually and never had any real problems. You hear of things happening but most parts are not significantly more dangerous than most big cities.

Think Chicago Southside otherwise.

Ouch that is harsh. I would not say it is that bad.

The only way to determine your fav between these two very different cities is to visit, spend 6 months in each...both have any hidden trasures and its all down to what floats your boat

Yes, definitely places you don't wanna be at in Valpo at night, unless you - I.M.O. - want to court trouble if that's your thing. Hey, I've known people like that.

Zulu789 and I did some wandering around town; I think we scared the locals more than vice-a-versa, being that we two large mammals outweighed the average Chilean guy by about 40 or 50 pounds each and are also about 5 inches taller than the average local guy. We never had any problems. But then we look kinda scary.

Could be said for any place: I think how you carry yourself and how you look plays a big part in the "thought" processes of a potential mugger/robber, if you look like a lost wide-eyed tourist you're pretty much perceived as prey. If you look like you're more trouble than it's worth a punk will move on to an easier target. I've seen that personally, a guy sizing us up and deciding against it. And that's pretty much the crime in Valpo, targets of opportunity for petty theft, purse snatches, muggings etc.

The danger might be overblown, but, yes, there is some crime danger.

You know...ive lived in valpo and vina for over 18 months...not long i know but in valpo i have walked the streets alone with 2 VERY expensive cameras round my neck and I keep my watch on which is also worth a few bucks to somme greedy thief...even down at the old port...ive been walking everywhere down there and no problems...Im from Glasgow so maybe I have a radar for that stuff...if anyone looke the wrong way or looks at my cameras i just stare them down...if you act like a tourist then they might target you...if they approach and you face off with them and show them your willing to go a few rounds then they back off...I find some strong eye contact with them, not from behind glasses does the trick...for me, they hype of valpo violence is just that HYPE..if you scare easy at night, dont like loud noise, dont like street dogs and require a stepford lifestyle then valpo aint for you...if you want to experience some alternative reality in another country...give it a go..for me...its too noisy...the dirt and the yooung punkie kids acting fast..its no big deal...its a city....an old port city...there pretty much generic