4 Best Sights in The Central Coast, Chile

Viña del Mar's central square, Plaza Vergara is lined with majestic palms. Presiding over the east end of the plaza is the patriarch of coastal accommodations, the venerable Hotel O'Higgins, which has seen better days. Opposite the hotel is the neoclassical Teatro Municipal de Viña del Mar, where you can watch a ballet, theater, or music performance. To the west on Avenida Valparaíso is the city's main shopping strip, a one-lane, seven-block stretch with extra-wide sidewalks and numerous stores and cafés. Some of the city's stateliest mansions lie on the streets just back from the plaza.

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.

Valparaíso's impressive Plaza Sotomayor serves as a gateway to the bustling port. The Comandancia en Jefe de la Armada, headquarters of the Chilean navy, is a grand periwinkle building that rises to a turreted pinnacle over a mansard roof. At the eastern end of the plaza the Monumento de los Héroes de Iquique honors Arturo Prat and other heroes of the War of the Pacific. At the southern end, the Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio often hosts art exhibitions. A crafts and products fair also happens weekly during the warmer months. Beware of traffic in the middle of the square; cars and buses come suddenly from all directions. 

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.