Originally part of the colonial Hacienda Las Siete Hermanas, Viña [1]’s famous public park and performing arts venue passed through the hands of the Carreras, one of Chile’s founding families, before being sold to Portuguese businessman Francisco Alvares, whose granddaughter Mercedes married José Francisco Vergara, the founder of Viña.
Spectacularly landscaped, thanks to the Alvares family’s propensity to import exotic tree species from their extensive overseas travels, Quinta Vergara’s grounds feature the Venetian-style Palacio Vergara (1908), which replaced the original house destroyed in the 1906 earthquake; within the palacio, Viña [1]’s Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum, Errázuriz 563, tel. 0322/269431) is open 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 3–5:30 p.m. daily except Monday. Adult admission costs about US$1.10, while kids pay half.
The 15,000-spectator Anfiteatro (amphitheater) at the quinta is the principal venue for the annual Festival Internacional de la Canción (International Song Festival), as well as other concert events throughout the year. There is no admission charge to the grounds, entered from the south end of Calle Quinta and open 7 a.m.–6 p.m. (7 p.m. in summer) daily.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/chile/-chilean-heartland/vina-del-mar