Vina del Mar 'the Garden City', is one of Chile's most fashionable beach resorts . Its attractive homes, manicured lawns and golden beaches make it an attractive holiday destination.One of the most famous beaches in Chile, Renaca Beach, is also in the area. The neighboring town, Valparaiso, is a world heritage site and one of South America's most charismatic and historic ports.
Here you will find luxurious estates, waterfront hotels, parks and gardens, social clubs, a municipal casino and theater, sport facilities, beaches, horse racing, lively nightlife and fine dining. The resort towns of Zapallar, Concon, Cachagua and Renaca are nearby. | Vina has a pleasant Mediterranean climate.Vina offers a variety of hotels from budget to five star.A favourite with the tourists is to tour Vina Del Mar 's tranquil streets via the Victoria, the region's traditional horse-drawn carriage. Travour offers online booking for Vina del Mar Santiago Tours. Some of the major attractions of the city are:
Palacio Rioja:
This French-style palace, built in 1906, houses an environmental museum and a cinema. Some of the spacious rooms are used for meetings. According to local hearsay there is even a resident ghost wandering about the place.
Quinta Vergara:
Vina del Mar's founding family, the Vergara family, used to live at the Quinta Vergara. They built their house there and the whole Quinta(estate) was their garden. The Quinta has many Chilean trees and flowers. The house now houses the museum of fine arts, initially based on the family's fine collection of art, with some interesting paintings from this century.
The Flower Clock:
One of Vina's landmark is the flower clock. It's a large clock facing the Pacific Ocean. Viewed best from high above, this working clock is made entirely of live flowers and plants. During your Vina del Mar Chile tour a visit to view the Flower Clock is a must.
The Vina Festival:
Vina's international song festival is an annual attraction. It's usually held during the third week of February and lasts five evenings. |
The festival consists of many Latin American and some European performers competing for the "gaviota de plata" (silver seagull). Concerts by established, well known Latin artists from all over the world are also held. The show is held in the Quinta Vergara .
Fonck Museum of Archeology and Natural History:
It is a classic archeological and cultural palace and a museum. Garments and other remains dating back to Chile's prehistory, Araucanian silverware, pre-Columbian pottery, samples of fossils, minerals, preserved insects and stuffed animals are exhibited in the museum. The museum also has the only Easter Island Muai on South America's mainland.
Vina del Mar's Casino:
It is Chile's first and most active Casino and on par with many international houses. The dress code is formal. It's usually crowded after 8pm and open until 7am. The Casino has nice gardens and a great view of the Pacific Ocean.
National Botanical garden:
Bordering Viņa del Mar's industrial zone is this oasis of vegetation, covering an area of 40 hectares with more than 800 species of flora. This park serves both an educational and scientific purpose, and has stony paths, ponds and woodlands.
Vergara Pier:
The old pier is popular not only for its location but also for its impressive crane. Inaugurated in 1938, it was first used in the loading and unloading of coal. In 1983 it became a tourism center.
This structure is located next to the beaches 'Acapulco' to the south, and 'El Sol' (the sun) to the north, and has facilities such as restaurants, tearooms and discos during the high season. Next to the pier, there is a group of crafts stands selling hand made traditional items.
Derby Day:
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It is a faithful recreation of the famed English horserace held at Ascot since the 18th century.Derby Day has been held in Via del Mar uninterruptedly since the late 19th century. The event normally takes place on the first Sunday of February. The venue is the sumptuous Sporting Club building.
Travour offers tour booking and travel packages for Vina del Mar Chile Tours.
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