The Chilean port city of Valparaíso looks back on a turbulent history. For a long time it was considered one of the most important transhipment points for goods on the American continent, before the dictatorship and earthquake plunged Valparaíso into a crisis. With democracy, the artist scene returned to the city at the beginning of the 1990s and has shaped it ever since. The charming Valparaíso impresses in two ways: With its brightly colored houses, which seem to cling to the steep hills, and its narrow streets, which also shine brightly with street art. While little of the city's creativity can be felt down at the harbor, it is concentrated in the alleys on the hills, the so-called Cerros. Murals and graffiti can be found on every wall, on lanterns and even on landings. The districts on the Cerros Alegre and Concepción are particularly colourful. Here, admirers of street art should simply let themselves drift through the network of alleys. Almost every work is worth stopping at for a moment. Everywhere you look in Valparaíso, the walls of the house are decorated with ornate murals that rank among the finest street art in America. Most of them are now created at the request of the city or homeowners, as street art has now become an indispensable part of Valparaíso.