Viña Del Mar is a city in the Valparaiso region of Chile, immediately adjacent to the city of Valparaiso. Together, they make up the core of Valparaiso urban area, which has about one million people, a quarter million of whom live in Viña Del Mar. This urban area is located about 100 kilometers or 90 minutes from the national capital of Santiago.
Viña Del Mar and Valparaiso are very different cities, despite being adjacent. Valparaiso is an old port city, with all that implies, and is mostly built on steep hillsides. Valparaiso is old, with winding streets and bohemian restaurants and bars. Viña Del Mar is known for being a sleek, modern tourist city. The streets, at least in the central area, are all laid out at right angles, and are wide boulevards with tree-shaded streets. Viña Del Mar is also home to a beach and boardwalk that stretches for almost two miles through town. The beach and ocean views make the city one of the major tourist destinations in Chile, both for national and international tourists, and there are many tall, very fancy hotels lining the beach in the city. Like many resort towns, there are other aspects to the city of Viña Del Mar than the sun and fun, but the most popular perception of Viña Del Mar is as a rich resort area conveniently close to Santiago.