Viña del Mar: Difference between revisions
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[[image:vina_del_mar_beach.jpg|thumbnail|350px|right|Coast of Viña del Mar]] |
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'''Viña del Mar''' ("Vineyard by the Sea" in Spanish), also known locally as '''La Ciudad Jardín''' ("Garden City" in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]), is a thriving coastal city in central [[Chile]], in the [[Valparaíso Region of Chile|Valparaíso Region]]. The population stands at 318,489 ([[April 24]] [[2004]]), making it Chile's fourth largest city. It is best known as a tourist and beach destination (with multiple beaches including [[Reñaca]], Las Salinas, Miramar, Casino, and others). One of its key attractions include a gambling [[casino]] and a yearly music festival ([http://festival2006.canal13.cl/2006/html/ Festival de la Canción de Viña del Mar.]) The city also hosts a yearly [[Association of Tennis Professionals|ATP]] [[tennis]] tournament in [[clay court]]s. |
'''Viña del Mar''' ("Vineyard by the Sea" in Spanish), also known locally as '''La Ciudad Jardín''' ("Garden City" in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]), is a thriving coastal city in central [[Chile]], in the [[Valparaíso Region of Chile|Valparaíso Region]]. The population stands at 318,489 ([[April 24]] [[2004]]), making it Chile's fourth largest city. It is best known as a tourist and beach destination (with multiple beaches including [[Reñaca]], Las Salinas, Miramar, Casino, and others). One of its key attractions include a gambling [[casino]] and a yearly music festival ([http://festival2006.canal13.cl/2006/html/ Festival de la Canción de Viña del Mar.]) The city also hosts a yearly [[Association of Tennis Professionals|ATP]] [[tennis]] tournament in [[clay court]]s. |
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Revision as of 04:36, 17 October 2006
Viña del Mar ("Vineyard by the Sea" in Spanish), also known locally as La Ciudad Jardín ("Garden City" in Spanish), is a thriving coastal city in central Chile, in the Valparaíso Region. The population stands at 318,489 (April 24 2004), making it Chile's fourth largest city. It is best known as a tourist and beach destination (with multiple beaches including Reñaca, Las Salinas, Miramar, Casino, and others). One of its key attractions include a gambling casino and a yearly music festival (Festival de la Canción de Viña del Mar.) The city also hosts a yearly ATP tennis tournament in clay courts.
Viña del Mar is located some 110 km north-west from Santiago de Chile (less than two-hours' drive), and borders with the port of Valparaíso to the south.
Viña del Mar was declared a sister city in 1971 by Sausalito, CA. As you can find a square called Viña de Mar in Sausalito, CA, you can find Sausalito stadium and Sausalito lagoon in Viña del Mar.
Viña del Mar was one of the four host cities of the 1962 football (soccer) World Cup. It is home to CD Everton, a soccer team who plays in the Chilean Premier division and who took their name from the great English team of the same name.
City landmarks
Visitors and locals enjoy the parks and water fountains of the city, including a large clock with its numbers made up of flowering plants. The Valparaiso Sporting Club horse racing track is another major landmark. Jardin Botanico or Parque del Salitre is a rather large botanical garden on the outskirts of the city, originally designed and planted by an entrepreneur who got rich from exploiting saltpeter resources in northern Chile. A few buildings from the 1800's still remain after multiple earthquakes that have destroyed most of the old areas of the city. Most of the older buildings that remain are located along Libertad avenue, Quillota street and Quinta Vergara, a rather large park in the middle of the city.
The city's gambling casino is the oldest in Chile and also the most visited and luxurious. In 2002 a hotel was annexed to the 1930 building, resembling the architectural features of the original building.