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Plaza Colombia
The charming Plaza Colombia is a charming plaza, especially great for children, located in the main restaurant area of the city, where you can start your tour off with a delicious meal at Rincón Austríaco . Continuing along the same street, you will reach the local Casino . If you are in a gambling mood, you can try flinging your hard-earned pesos at the fruit machines or the roulette table, but don't get carried away. Now that your pockets are almost empty, (or full, depending on your luck) leave the Casino and walk south to Valparaíso Avenue. The commercial center of the city by day, at night it transforms into a huge street theater with buskers, clowns, mimes and other performers. Stroll a while through the crowds and enjoy the shows. From here, you can take a walk down to the coast to one of the popular beaches in the area, like Playa Marisol and Playa Los Marineros .
Reloj de Flores (Flower Clock)
Start the tour at the famous Reloj de Flores (Flower Clock) , with its multi-colored floral decorations centered around a huge time-piece donated by Switzerland in 1962 during the world cup of soccer held in Chile that year. Nearby is Caleta Abarca cove , a rocky section of coastline, battered by foaming waves. Moving north along the coast, you will see on the right-hand side the old Ross Palace, which now houses the Arabic Union Club. Depending on the time of day, you can stop there for refreshments. A bit further up along the coast there is a wonderful vantage point to stop and take in the ocean next to Wulff Castle . The castle is home to the Maritime Museum, open every day except Monday. Just inland from here can be seen the Palacio Presidencial , the President's official summer house, perched on top of Castillo Hill with a magnificent garden running down the hillside. If the flag is raised, President Lagos is at home.
If you are feeling tired after so much walking, maybe it is time to abandon the pedestrian world for a while, and take a Victoria . These are horse-drawn carriages which regularly leave and return to Plaza Vergara, and their prices can often be negotiated with the driver.
Playa Los Marineros
This tour is perfect for those who like to feel the caress of a fresh sea breeze on the face. Start at the stretch of beach called Los Marineros (the Sailors). Los Marineros comes to an end by a large rock, on the other side of which begins Borgoño Avenue and Salinas beach . Small and protected from the coastal winds by a large containment wall, this is a good place for families looking for somewhere safe to go swimming with the children. A couple kilometers further on, you will find the Sea Lion Promontory . You can spend hours watching these fascinating beasts, so sluggish on land, yet so adept in the water, their mournful howling drifting up from the rocks and waves.
After a long stretch of rocky, beach-less coastline, the huge Oceanic Rock looms up into the sky. Even though it has been declared a Nature Sanctuary, the place unfortunately looks dirty and unkempt, thanks to the litter left behind by many of its visitors. In Chile, the culture of respecting and protecting the environment is still in its infancy. Taking a last look back towards Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, before they disappear behind the rocks, carry on north-bound.
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