Talca, Maule, Chile

Not my favourite city. What I like best is the grid refernce street names: all numbered from 1 at the Plaza de Armas in directions perpendicular to north, east, south and west. It´s perfect if you do not have a map, but you need to know that the bus station is at 3 Sur y 13 Oriente and the railway station at 2 Sur y 11 Oriente, because there are no street names posted. Also, you have to walk up to 2 Sur to get to the railway station, as there is no crossing closer.

Sernatur is superb and friendly in getting you to the right places you´d rather be. The best cafe´s are in the pedestrian mall on 1 Sur, east of the lifeless Plaza de Armas.