Viña del Mar and Concón

Why it's worth the trip

Because it brings together beach, city promenade and seafood along a short stretch of coast, and because almost all of it is reachable on public transport.

Landscape

It is not one continuous beach. Viña del Mar is a seaside city with wide avenues, gardens and a life of its own. Reñaca, to the north, is a hillside of apartment blocks above a long beach that concentrates the summer crowd. Concón, further on, changes register: protected dunes, rocky shores, small fishing coves and a strip of fish restaurants that is its signature. Covering all three is a sequence of short coastal legs, not a single walk, and that distinction is what decides how you plan the day.

• Coast

What the trip could look like

An unhurried coastal day: morning in Viña, afternoon working north to Concón, lunch facing the sea.

An idea of how the day would go.

Worth knowing

• The Concón dune field is a protected area: some sectors are signposted and others must not be walked on.
• In summer and on public holidays traffic between Viña and Concón clogs up; public transport is usually faster.
• The Pacific is cold year-round; plenty of people go to the beach without swimming.