Regarded as Chile’s Riviera, Viña Del Mar competes with another Chilean town, Le Serena, in becoming the country’s tourist capital. Viña has become a constant reminder of where Chile is headed. Developed in the 1870’s as an exclusive residential and summer home of the rich, Viña now houses casinos and luxury estates, including the Presidential rest house built along parks and gardens, with streaks of beaches and sport facilities of all kinds. Amid all these modern amenities, the city remains Old World, with colonial houses adorning its beautifully landscaped parks in Quinta Vergara, which nestles the Museo de Bella Artes, a turn of the century mansion-museum.
Known locally as La Ciudad Jardin (The Garden City), Viña boasts of a multitude of pristine beaches including Reñaca, Las Salinas and Miramar. High-stakes gambling and horse racing are key attractions to tourists, as well as the city’s famous music festival, the Festival Internacional de la Cancion de Viña del Mar.
The summer months of January and February mark a high season for Viña when holiday vacationers from the nearby Santiago join an eclectic mix of visitors from all over the world to savor the town’s cultural life made more vibrant by exhibits and festivities of all sorts. Chileans love their flowers and has large botanical gardens on the outskirts of the city. Visitors also enjoy looking at the large flower clock, the Relo de Flores, with its numbers made up of assorted flowers and small plants.
A romantic way of circling the city and see old buildings is via Victoria, Chile's traditional horse-drawn carriage. Colonial houses can be seen in Avenida Libertad and Quillata Street. The large park located in the middle of the city is the Quinta Vergara, where tourists and locals enjoy brisk walks and sidewalk cafes.
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