Reñaca is a popular and affluent area of beaches and

balneario A balneario ( Portuguese spelling: balneário) is an Iberian and Latin American resort town, typically a seaside resort, and less commonly along the shores of lakes and rivers or next to hot springs. In Spain, balneario typically only refers to sp ...

s in the

Valparaíso Region The Valparaíso Region ( es, Región de Valparaíso, links=no, ) is one of Chile's 16 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's second-highest population of 1,790,219 , and fourth-smallest area of , ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

. The city of Reñaca is located 20 minutes by car from the main avenue in Viña del Mar, both are connected to a long coast road called Avenida Borgoño, which has a bike path and pedestrian paths. Reñaca is both a residencial area for the upper-middle class and a weekend gateway for Santiago residents. In this mini city you can find the best pubs and restaurants, all with their own seal and distinctive gastronomy, as well as finding exclusive clothing boutiques and beauty salons, massage centers and exquisite ice cream Stores. Nightlife is 365 days a year, you can find discos and pubs. During the summer the house and techno houses open in front of the sea throughout the day, there are activities on the beach, beauty contests, surfing, rugby and beach volleyball.

Overview

Reñaca is at the northernmost extreme of the city of

Viña del Mar Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located within the Valparaíso Region, and it is Chile's fourth largest city w ...

and has been incorporated by it. To the north, along the coast road, is the area of

Cochoa The cochoas (from ''cocho'', Nepali for '' Cochoa purpurea'') are medium-sized frugivorous, insectivorous and molluscivorous birds in the genus ''Cochoa''. Their bright contrasting plumage patterns, sexual dimorphism and feeding habits made thei ...

and then the town of

Concón Concón is a Chilean city and commune in Valparaíso Province, Valparaíso Region. It is a major tourist center known for its beaches, ''balnearios'' (beachside resorts) and night life. Geography The commune of Concón spans an area of . It is ...

. It is a summer vacation area and receives a very large influx of tourists during the summer months. The tourist part of town is clustered around the main beach, which is referred to locally as "long beach". The lower part of the hill overlooking the beach is covered with residential buildings that sprawl up the hillside. These apartments are mostly owned by outsiders and remain empty during the March–November off-season. The town also extends eastwards up the valley through which the Estero de Reñaca flows, where the majority of the year-round population lives. The town has reached its housing capacity in the valley and has grown up the hillsides into the upscale neighborhoods of Los Almendros and Jardín del Mar. Reñaca has grown slowly but steadily over the years, from a very small community to a more self-sufficient town which lacks few of the commodities of a proper city. It is the home of

The Mackay School The Mackay School, a Chilean school located in Reñaca, Region of Valparaiso, Chile. Of Scottish origin; it was founded in 1857 by Scottish immigrants. It is considered one of the best academic institutions in the Valparaiso region. Currently i ...

, the first British school in Chile and one of the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere. It is an all-boys school. The Sagrado Corazón school is also a long-time resident and was a girls only school until 2007. Both schools arrived in Reñaca around 1965 and were the only schools in the town until the early nineties when a group of already established schools moved from Viña del Mar to the upper reaches of the north side of town. Landforms of Valparaíso Region Beaches of Chile Tourist attractions in Valparaíso Region Coasts of Valparaíso Region {{Valparaíso-geo-stub