Concepción
19-21 September 2006
(Concepción Photos)

Concepción is a pleasant little city, located near the Pacific on the Bio Bio River, which gives its name to the region. With a population of about 220,000, it claims to be the Chile's third largest city. The countryside up the coast and inland from Concepción is beautiful and largely unspoilt. Other than this and the mine tour in Lota, there is not much to recommend it to the traveler and hence there is not much in the way of budget accommodation.


Following the recommendations in my guide, I found a little B&B right across the street from the university, opposite the "Facultad de Ingeneria" (Engineering) coincidentally. Silvia Uslar, the owner, (and the name of the B&B) charges CL$10,000 (US$18.50) a night. Pricey, yes, but it was very comfortable and quiet. I stayed two nights.


Like Valparaiso, Bio Bio too has its own shiny, new suburban railway. The Chileans appear to be reopening previously abandoned lines. Maybe, one day these isolated railway services will join together to form a proper national network.