Resorts of Chile. Viña del Mar. Viña del Mar: "Tourist Capital

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Viña del Mar means "vineyard by the sea" in Spanish, but many Chileans simply call it "Vina". It is famous for its well-groomed parks and flowery streets, hence another name - "garden city". With a population of approximately 300,000 inhabitants, it is one of the most major resorts on pacific coast South America, therefore it is often called the tourist capital of Chile or the Chilean Riviera (the term "Riviera" is used in relation to the coast popular with tourists). Long white sandy beaches serve as the main attraction of this "garden city".

The history of Viña del Mar dates back to 1874, when the rich people of Valparaiso and Santiago discovered magic for themselves. summer holidays in this place. Since then, the city has remained the most popular place recreation of the Chileans visiting it during the summer during the peak season from December to February. Manicured lawns, more modern architecture and the sandy beaches of Viña del Mar, crowded with vacationers, are a striking contrast to the dilapidated streets of neighboring Valparaiso.

If you're tempted to take a dip in the Pacific Ocean, remember that Vigna is not heavenly. beach resort. Too cold water big waves not everyone will like it, which distinguishes the beaches of this resort from those in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. Unfortunately, the cold Humboldt current carries cold water from Antarctica along the coast of Latin America, which makes swimming conditions not very comfortable regardless of the season, even in the summer.

After visiting Viña del Mar, you can go to the famous ski resort Portillo (two hours drive) or the vineyards of the Casablanca Valley (45 minutes drive from the city). Apart from the beach, Viña offers a number of interesting festivals, the most important of which is International Festival songs. This is the largest music Festival Chile, gathering almost 30,000 spectators every evening. Another major attraction is the Viña del Mar Film Festival, founded in 1967, the first film festival for Latin American filmmakers.

Attractions Viña del Mar

Quinta Vergara Park

The name "garden city" is best explained by the presence of the magnificent Quinta Vergara Landscape Park. Once the park belonged to one of the richest families in Chile, Alvarez-Vergarov. The central place in the park is occupied by a palace built in the Venetian style (1906). With the onset of difficult times, the former owners sold it to the city municipality. The mansion now houses a museum with a collection of European paintings, as well as paintings by Chilean artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Every year in February, the park attracts music lovers who come to the annual song festival. Throughout the year he served great place recreation for tourists and residents of the city.

Next to Quinta Vergara Park is located main square Viña del Mar. Horse-drawn carriages waiting for tourists offer the most romantic way to explore the sights of the city.

flower clock

The famous clock is decorated entirely with fresh flowers and plants. Miss flower clock impossible, because they are located at the entrance to Viña del Mar from nearby Valparaiso. The watch mechanism was donated by Switzerland in 1962 in honor of Chile's hosting of the FIFA World Cup that year. The meticulously landscaped flower bed, complete with working mechanism and surrounded by exotic palm trees, has long been Viña del Mar's hallmark.

Ryouch Palace

The development boom of Viña del Mar began at the beginning of the 20th century, when it was chosen as a place of residence by the wealthy residents of Valparaiso. One of them was Fernando Rioucha, a successful banker who built a chic palace designed by the French architect Alfred Azancot in 1910.

Tourists can take a 30 minute tour and get an idea of ​​the lifestyle of the local elite in the early 20th century. Rich interiors are decorated with wood and stone carvings, expensive furniture was brought here from Spain and France. The palace, among other things, includes swimming pools, tennis courts, stables and a private theater, which regularly hosts classical concerts and theatrical performances. Fabulous landscape park emphasizes the beauty of this rich palace.

Casino

Built in 1930, the casino is one of the oldest gambling establishments in South America and worth a visit even if you are not a gambler. The interiors have undergone numerous renovations over time, but the façade has remained unchanged since the opening and retained its former charm. As you would expect from a resort town, Viña del Mar offers a variety of nightlife options, most of which is concentrated in the casino and the hotel built next to it.

Castillo Wolf

The German entrepreneur Gustavo Wulf migrated to Chile in 1881 and in 1908 built himself a house on the rocky coast of Viña del Mar. In 1917, an architect hired by him built a tower next to the house and connected it with a bridge, giving the building the appearance of a castle. Since then, the Castillo Wulf has become an iconic symbol of the city, along with the giant flower clock.

The city acquired the castle in 1959, in 1995 it was declared national historical monument Chile. The building now houses the Museum with an interesting collection of items relating to the glorious history of the Chilean Navy. It's nice to walk inside the building and observe the eccentric interior.

Renaka

Along the coast of Viña del Mar there are many good beaches, but the most popular of them is Renaca (about 6 km north of the city center). A large influx of tourists falls on the summer months (December-February). The two-kilometer Renaki beach is divided into five sectors. Renaka offers a wide range of excellent hotels, apartments for rent, shopping centers, restaurants and discos. Swimming, sailing, surfing, windsurfing are the main types of recreation. Thirty years ago all this land was covered sand dunes and forest, and today it is an important tourist and residential area with many new neighborhoods that have grown almost overnight.

Cerro Castillo

Cerro Castillo has been the summer residence of the President of Chile since 1931. But most of all, this area is noticeable not by the presidential mansion, but by the Palacio Brunet palace built in 1923 (pictured). Since 1974, the building has been owned by the Carabinieri (Chilean police). In 2005, Palacio Brunet was announced national monument Chile. Cerro Castillo is the oldest part of the city with many other houses with interesting architecture.

New Year's fireworks

Viña del Mar is known for its wide panorama of fireworks on New Year's Eve, along with a similar show in the nearby city of Valparaiso. Fireworks are launched in a coordinated manner from platforms located in different parts of the bay. The city invests millions of dollars in such an event, and the show does not leave the audience indifferent; many tourists come to watch the colorful spectacle. New Year's fireworks Viña del Mar presented for inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records.

Viña del Mar - useful information

How to get there

To get to Viña del Mar from Santiago airport, you first need to take a bus at Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, which goes to the Terminal Pajaritos terminal (this is a bus terminal on the outskirts of Santiago, next to Pajaritos metro station, line 1). From here, buses leave regularly for Viña del Mar and other cities in Chile.

Two bus companies(Pullman and Tur Bus) operate flights to Viña del Mar. There is no need to apply in advance, just arrive at the Pajaritos terminal, go to the counter of the company you prefer (Pullman or Tur Bus) and purchase a ticket for the next flight.

Viña del Mar can also be reached from the main bus terminal capital Terminal Alameda, located near the metro station Universidad de Santiago de Chile (line 1). As a matter of fact, from here the bus goes to the Pajaritos terminal and then to Viña del Mar.

The trip takes about 90 minutes. Viña del Mar bus station is located in the city center, near Plaza Jose Vergara.

Nearest city

Listed world heritage UNESCO Valparaiso is located just ten minutes by metro from Viña del Mar, and a little longer by bus. local buses runs every 15 minutes between Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. Read more here.

There are no direct flights to Chile from Russia. To get to the cityViña del Maryou need to fly by plane to Santiago, the capital of Chile, and then by land transport (taxi, bus) to the cityViña del Mar. You can also get toValparaiso, and from there take the metro toViña del Mar in 15 minutes. 15 km from the citySantiago located minternationalSantiago Arturo Merino Benítez Airport / Aeropuerto de Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez(codeIATA:VAP).

Flight search engineAviasaleshelps its customers to buy cheap tickets by comparing airfare inSantiagoin 45 agencies, 5 booking systems and 728 airlines. You decide which airlinebuy plane tickets to Santiago , Chile. To find out the cost of tickets and flight schedules, use the search form.

Attractions Viña del Mar

flower clock(Reloj de Flores)

A clock made entirely of natural flowers is located near the railway station. They can be seen on the way to Caleta Abarca beach. In 1962 landscape designers cities came up with the idea of ​​a clock on the ground made of flowers; for this, a special clock mechanism was ordered from Switzerland. The dial of the clock in Viña del Mar is three meters in diameter and planted with bright colors, the clock hands show the exact time. The flower clock is the hallmark of the city.

Sotomayor Square (Plaza Sotomayor)

Piazza Sotomayor is the central square of Viña del Mar and serves as the main landmark in the city. This square is home to two of the city's main attractions: the Chilean Navy Building and the marble plinth to Arthur Pratt and the Pacific War heroes who died in Iquiki Bay in 1879. One of the most beautiful buildings on the square is Chile, built in 1906. The architect of this building was Ernest Urquieta. According to his project majestic building the navy was to surpass the government buildings in the center of Paris. Once the left side of the building was used as summer residence president.

Botanic garden (El Jardín Botánico Nacional)

The National Botanical Garden in Viña del Mar is one of the most beloved places for citizens and tourists. The botanical garden covers an area of ​​more than 60 hectares and is located on the outskirts of the city. More than 3,000 plant species are grown here. In the garden you can see the national symbol of Chile - the Lapageria flower. This flower is a vine with oval leaves and bright crimson flowers that are pollinated by hummingbirds. Visitors to the botanical garden turn their attention to rare plants, such as the insectivorous sundew, unusual varieties of violets with large blue flowers, and the Oxalis shrub with flowers reaching a height of two meters.

Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes)

The Museum of Fine Arts is located in the Vergara Palace. The museum exhibits expensive collections of classical works from the period of the 15th-19th centuries. The collection includes works by Rubens and Tintoretto. All major schools of painting and sculpture are represented here: Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch and English. Since 1941, the museum has been under the control of the local municipality. The museum currently owns one of the finest art collections in Chile.

Vergara Palace (Palacio Vergara)

Vergara Palace is located in Quinta Vergara Park in Viña del Mar. The owner of the palace was the founder of Viña del Mar, Jose Francisco Vergar. The palace in the Venetian Gothic style was built in 1910 on the same site where the first family mansion stood until 1906, which collapsed during an earthquake. Part of the furniture was brought to the palace from Europe. Quinta Vergara Park, which surrounds the house, grows various exotic plants that were brought from Asia, Australia and America. There are also marble sculptures in the park.

The National Botanical Garden, located in the Chilean city of Viña del Mar, can rightfully be called huge. It occupies an area of ​​more than sixty hectares on the outskirts of the city. Namely, thanks to the botanical garden, the city is often called the garden city.

More than 3,000 species of plants grow in the garden, both exotic and native. Here you can see Laparezia, the country's national flower, which is a perennial liana with oval leaves and bright crimson flowers, which are pollinated by the smallest hummingbirds in the world. Also, visitors to the National Botanical Garden in Viña del Mar will definitely pay attention to such plants as the insectivorous sundew, the Oksalis shrub with yellow small flowers, reaching a height of up to 2 meters, and varieties of violets unusual for Europeans with large blue flowers.

Cultural Center Viña del Mar

The Viña del Mar Cultural Center is a cultural institution located in the Carrasco Palace. One Chilean rich man built this palace at the beginning of the 20th century, but for a number of reasons he himself never settled in it. The palace was sold to the municipality almost immediately after construction.

On this moment the palace itself and Cultural Center, located within its walls, is a popular vacation spot among citizens and guests of the city. Many cultural events take place here: interesting conferences, thematic exhibitions, various concerts and even theatrical performances. In addition, the palace also houses a library with a rich collection of books.

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Reñaka beach

Reñaca Beach (Reñ aca) is perhaps the most famous in Viña del Mar. It is located in the northern part of the city and is the main tourist attraction during the summer.

The entire tourist part of the city is focused on five sectors of the beach. The hill overlooking the coast and a smooth descent to the sea is built up with small mansions and country houses that are customary to purchase local residents how it is customary for us to acquire dachas. During the tourist season they are usually empty.

In the northern part of the valley on the banks of the stream is a small student town. East End The beach with an ascent to the valley is built up as much as possible and is a tourist center where life is in full swing. All restaurants, clubs and other entertainment are located here.

The embankments of Regnac are famous for their restaurants. They are famous for their seafood cuisine and the cheese and bacon starters served on the flat mother-of-pearl shells that the coast is famous for.

central square The city is called Plaza Sotomayor. It has long been the main landmark in the city. Here are the two main attractions of the city - the building of the Chilean Navy and the monument to Arthur Pratt and other heroes of the Pacific War.

In the center of the square is the marble pedestal Monumento a los Heroes de Iquique and, in fact, the mausoleum of Arthur Pratt and other heroes who died in Iquiqui Bay in 1879. The white pedestal is decorated with four sculptures along the edges and the main one on the central pedestal.

Another attraction of the square, which you involuntarily pay attention to, is the building of the Chilean Navy. The Chileans themselves are very proud of their fleet and army, so the building fully reflects the idea of ​​national pride and state power.

Designed by Ernest Urquieta in 1906, it was supposed to surpass the government buildings in the center of Paris, which were the basis of the project. Once the left wing of the building was used as the summer residence of the President. Now the majestic building of the maritime department confirms the fact that Valparaiso is still the main base of the Chilean fleet.

Museum of Fine Arts Viña del Mar

The Viña del Mar Museum of Fine Arts is housed in the Neo-Gothic Vergara Palace, built after the devastating earthquake of 1906 as the residence of the wealthy Vergara family. The museum has a collection of classical works from the 15th to the 19th century, which includes excellent works by Rubens and Tintoretto.

All major schools are represented here: Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch and English. The building itself passed into the hands of the local municipality in 1941. Thanks to subsequent donations and its own acquisitions, the museum's collection has been greatly enriched and can now rightfully be called one of the best art collections in Chile. Another highlight of the palace and museum is the beautiful parquet floor of complex design.

Errázuriz Avenue

Errazuriz Avenue is one of the main thoroughfares. It starts in the eastern part of the city near the metro station Bar n and goes along the coast to the port of Valparaiso.

It goes around the foot of the Bellavista hill, on which one of the most prestigious areas city, also known as the Parisian Quarter.

Its end point is located on Plaza Sotomayor, which is essentially the center of the city.

Membrillo Fisherman's Wharf

The Membrillo Fishing Pier is located in the largest port in the Playa Ancha area. This is a favorite place for tourists who walk along the embankments, piers and coast throughout the day. Life in Caleta El Membrillo does not stop at night, coloring the pier with bright lights reflected in the water.

Fishing activity originated here in the colonial era, when the Indians settled in these places, forming small fishing communities. Now the Membrillo pier is not only one of the most successful places for fishing, but also cozy place with numerous restaurants, taverns and cafes.

Every year on June 29, the feast of San Pedro is held here, in honor of the patron saint of fishermen. A lot of boats decorated with wreaths and flower garlands sail through a small bay, sailing competitions are organized between the bays of Quince and Portales. On the shore, in honor of the holy image of the protector, a holiday is organized with dancing and singing.

Avenue La Marina

La Marina Avenue is one of the longest streets in the city, which essentially connects Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. Most beautiful place is located on the coast, where the avenue runs almost along the line of the Pacific Ocean, past Castillo Ross and the most luxurious hotels in the city.

It is on this avenue at the entrance to the city that the famous flower clock is located. business card for all Viña del Mar guests. Along the avenue, you can quickly reach the beach of Caleta Abarca, distinguished by its rocky shores and quiet coves.

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