Viña del Mar

Over the Christmas holidays we took a short break from our hectic office life in Rancagua and went on a mini-vacation to Viña del Mar. Viña is a popular beach area west of Santiago on the Pacific Ocean. We arrived on Christmas Eve (Wednesday) and spent the next two days exploring the area. We walked a lot, experienced fine dining every day, and enjoyed the mild temperatures. One day we took the subway (Metro) to neighboring Valparaiso, a large harbor city adjacent to Viña. Its waterfront, steep hills, colorful row houses and unique history reminded us of San Francisco.


We arrived in Viña by bus. Buses are very comfortable and are an inexpensive way to travel from city to city. We stayed in a very nice motel a short distance from the beach. Across the street was a Metro station. There are lots of vendors and activities along the beach such as a Punch & Judy puppet showand horse drawn carriages. A popular Viña tourist site is the beautiful flower clock that keeps perfect time. The famous Rodin sculpture “La Defensa” is in front of a museum. A river flows through Viña and out to the sea. A high wall protects the city from the Pacific. We took a harbor cruise in Valparaiso. Valparaiso has many hills and winding streets and colorful buildings. There are lots of stairs to climb in Valparaiso, and instead of cable cars, they use ascensors (cable drawn slanting elevators) to get residents and tourists up and down the numerous hills for a nominal fee. The tiled surface in one of Valparaiso´s plazas is an optical illusion.