18 Best Sights in The Central Coast, Chile

Tired of the frenetic pace of Santiago, poet Pablo Neruda longed for a calmer place overlooking the sea, and he found it here in the house that Spanish architect Sebastián Collado began building for himself but never finished. Neruda bought it with friends in 1959 and restored the upper floors in his own eclectic style, complete with curving walls, narrow winding stairways, and a tower. The view from the house is spectacular, but the real reason to visit is to see Neruda's extravagant collection of thousands of diverse objects. The house is a shrine to his many cherished belongings, including a beautiful orangish-pink stuffed bird he brought back from Venezuela, a carousel horse, and the pink-and-yellow barroom stuffed with kitsch.

A 500-year-old stone moai (a carved stone head) brought from Easter Island guards the entrance to this archaeological museum. The most interesting exhibits are the finds from Easter Island, which indigenous people call Rapa Nui, such as wood tablets displaying ancient hieroglyphics. The museum, named for groundbreaking archaeologist Francisco Fonck—a native of Viña del Mar—also has an extensive library of documents relating to the island. Other fun but freaky exhibits include shrunken heads, insects, and all sorts of stuffed birds and animals.

Just north of the rock wall along Avenida Peru and flanked by the old Muelle Vergara is a stretch of sand that draws hordes of people from December through March. This is Viña del Mar's main beach, and it goes by many names the longer you walk: Acapulco, Blanca, Los Cañones, Marineros. It's great for swimming and people-watching as well as for exploring the artisan fair nearby. Amenities: food and drink; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

This steep 40-meter (131-foot) funicular, built in 1902 and named for Queen Victoria of England, who died a year earlier, connects Avenida Elías near Plaza Aníbal Pinto with the very popular Cerro Alegre. Once atop the hill, you'll come out to a small plaza where you can swoosh down a small metallic slide if your inner child so desires.

South of Algarrobo, El Quisco is a long beach of pale sand guarded on either end by stone jetties. In the middle of the beach is a boulder with a 15-foot-high, six-pronged cactus sculpture perched atop it. South of the beach is the blue-and-yellow cove, where boats anchored offshore create a picturesque composition. Easily reached by all forms of transportation, the beach is packed on sunny summer days, when tourists outnumber quisqueños (locals) about 10 to 1. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Just north of town a white arch announces the tiny family-friendly Balneario Las Salinas beach area, a crescent of yellow sand that has the calmest water in the area. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Valparaíso's main wharf, Muelle Prat, bustles with activity. Vendors hawk their offerings, from trinkets and snacks to face painting and temporary tattoos, and owners of the dozens of bobbing lanchas (small boats) dwarfed by enormous cargo ships call out departure times for the next tour of the bay. At 4,000 pesos, a half-hour tour is a great way to experience the activity in the port, see a spectacular view of the city, and even get a close-up view of a sea lion colony. Here you'll also find a tourist information office and a row of souvenir shops.

Within the Palacio Lyon, one of the few buildings to survive the devastating 1906 earthquake is this small but interesting natural history museum. With a focus on land and sea animals, it's a good place to take children.

One of Concón's most popular beaches, Playa Amarilla's yellow sand and relatively calm waters make it a favorite with families, many of whom own or rent apartments in the stair-stepped high-rise buildings across the street. The street-level promenade makes for a nice stroll and a beautiful spot to sit and watch people, or the sunset. There are plenty of options for eating, ranging from kiosk snacks to formal dining. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets. Best for: sunsets; swimming.

One of Viña's most popular beaches, smack in the center of town, Playa Caleta Abarca's golden sands are crowded with sun worshippers in midsummer, making it a great place for people-watching. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards. Best for: swimming.

Vacation apartments keep creeping closer to the beach, which gets its fair share of sun worshippers in summer. There are two ways to reach Playa Grande: through the town, following Avenida Teniente Merino, or through the gated community of Santa Augusta. Amenities: food; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

The beige sand of this nice beach stretches northward from town for several miles. The surf is usually rough—though beautiful—and therefore not apt for swimming. It's a great place for a long walk on the beach, and you'll often see people fishing. Massive condominium complexes scattered along the beach spill hundreds of vacationers onto it every summer. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunset; walking.

At the northern end of town is the sprawling gray-sand Playa La Boca, named for the boca (mouth) of the Aconcagua River, which flows into the Pacific here and sometimes makes the water murky. The long, regular curl to the waves makes it a favorite spot for paddleboarding and beginning surfers (there are numerous places to take lessons along the beach). The southern end has a large parking lot with prices that vary throughout the year, and the northern end has a children's park and horse and kayak rentals. There's a very long stretch of seafood restaurants in between. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; walking.

The most popular beach in town is tiny Playa San Pedro; a statue of Saint Peter in the sand next to the wharf marks the spot. It's small, but the waters are surrounded by a rocky barrier that keeps them calm and good for swimming. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Up the hill from Caleta de Zapallar is this plaza. Translated as the "Rough Sea Square," the park has a nice ocean view and a playground. In January and February, there are often mule rides for kids as well.

Most Chilean cities have a Plaza de Armas that serves as the center of urban life, but Valparaíso has this, the "Victory Plaza," which dates back to the early 19th century. It was once the favored venue for bullfights and public executions, but today it's a lovely park graced by a large fountain. The fountain is bordered by four female figures representing the seasons and two black lions that look across the street to the neo-Gothic cathedral and its unusual freestanding bell tower.

Lose yourself on the paths that wind amid towering araucaria and other well-marked trees on the grounds that contain one of Chile's best botanical gardens. An amphitheater here holds an international music festival, Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar, in February. There is also an arts-focused kids’ museum, Museo Artequin, which is highly interactive.

Built for the 1962 World Cup, this functional flower clock has been tick-tocking away for six decades. The botanical landmark is not only one of the most photographed sites on the Central Coast; it's helped Viña del Mar foster a reputation as La Ciudad Jardín ("The Garden City").