Pablo Neruda's Valparaíso: The Poet and the Port
Pablo Neruda — Chile's Nobel Prize-winning poet and one of the 20th century's greatest writers — had a profound relationship with the Valparaíso-Viña del Mar coast; his house La Sebastiana in Valparaíso is the most personal of his three homes
Viña del Mar's Nightlife and Festival Culture
Viña del Mar's nightlife — centred on the Casino Municipal and the beach strip — is the most active in Chile outside Santiago; the February Festival de la Canción transforms the city into the musical capital of Latin America for one week each year
Casablanca Valley: Chile's Cool-Climate Wine Country
The Casablanca Valley — 30 km from Viña del Mar, influenced by the cold Pacific — is Chile's finest white wine region; the morning fog, the cool temperatures, and the proximity to the ocean produce Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay of international quality
Viña del Mar: Chile's Garden City by the Sea
Viña del Mar — Chile's premier beach resort, 120 km from Santiago — is called the 'Garden City' for its flower-lined boulevards, its parks, and the famous Reloj de Flores (Flower Clock); the Casino Municipal and the Pacific beaches make it the most visited destination in Chile after Santiago
Viña del Mar and Valparaíso: Twin Cities by the Pacific
Viña del Mar and Valparaíso — separated by 10 km — are Chile's most visited twin cities; the contrast between Viña's manicured beach resort character and Valparaíso's chaotic, colourful, bohemian port identity defines the character of both places
Viña del Mar Seafood: The Humboldt Current's Bounty
The cold Humboldt Current that flows along Chile's Pacific coast produces the world's most productive fishing grounds; the seafood of Viña del Mar — sea urchin, abalone, centolla crab, and machas — is among the finest in the world
Reñaca and the Chilean Pacific Surf
The beaches north of Viña del Mar — Reñaca, Con Con, and Maitencillo — have Chile's most consistent Pacific surf; the cold Humboldt Current generates powerful, regular waves that support a serious surf culture along the Chilean coast
Quintay: Ghost Whale Factory and Pacific Coast Village
Quintay — a fishing village 35 km south of Viña del Mar — has one of the most unusual historical sites on the Chilean coast: a well-preserved whale processing factory (abandoned in 1967) and a sea lion colony on the adjacent rocks