Chile Guide
Valparaíso, Viña and the Central Coast
Quinta Vergara
Opening time: Daily 7am–6pm; closed on rainy days
The exceptionally beautiful park Quinta Vergara, filled with exotic, subtropical trees and surrounded by wooded hills, sits two blocks south of Plaza Vergara, across the railway tracks. Designed in the early days of the colony, this was the site of the casa patronal (main estate) of the Hacienda Las Siete Hermanas, owned by the prominent Carrera family. Around 1840, the hacienda was bought by a rich Portuguese businessman, Francisco Alvarez, whose wife – an amateur botanist – set out to fill her gardens with rare plants and trees. Their son, Salvador Alvarez, was a seaman and brought back species from his voyages to the Far East, many of which still survive in the immaculately maintained gardens. Besides exploring the groves, you can follow paths up the hillsides, or walk round to the amphitheatre where concerts are performed regularly, including the hugely hyped Festival Internacional de la Canción (International Music Festival). This kitsch pop music extravaganza locks millions of Chileans to their TV sets for one week straight every February, and is by far the area's biggest annual event. During this time, the traffic and the crowds are out of hand, and booking accommodation ahead is essential. Tickets for performances can be purchased at Ticketmaster booths inside the Feria del Disco – a chain of music stores. The festival is mainly thousands of teeny boppers screaming at their idols, and anyone over twenty will feel old, but it is also a great way to see Chileans celebrating.