Festival de la Cancion

Valentines Day

How do i get from Santiago to Valparaiso?

We get asked this question many times.
You can catch buses like Tur Bus to get here in Viña Del Mar or Valparaiso to catch a cruise docked in Valpo.
Here´s the link to Tur Bus in Spanish. If you don´t speak Spanish get your hotel staff or us to translate or use babelfish:)

Includes times and prices in Chilan pesos.

http://www.turbus.cl/default.aspx

Don´t forget to take some photos of Vina and Valpo on your way here..
OR you can get us to arrange your transfer from Casa Newen to Valparaiso Villa or vice versa and even stop on a wine tour on your way past Casablanca Vineyards!!

Life´s a Beach

ascensores in Valparaiso

Ascensores are elvators that overlook Valparaiso port city in Chile.
There are 15 around neighbouring Valpo, and most of them are the original ones too. Just which ascensor to choose?


The ascensor Espiritu Santo leads right up to the sprawling Museo a Cielo Abierto, a collection of murals both comissioned and spontaneous that have appeared on the walls of Cerro Bellavista in Valparaiso, they´re my favourite.



The most popular are asensores Bellavista, Concepcion and Alegre, but
Ascensor Los Lecheros has a charming if slightly delapidated view of the colourful houses on the hills.


Ascensor Artilleria has a view to the colourful shipping containers and sparkling Valpo port.

If you like them that much, we can take you on a tour of them!

Around our bed and Breakfast..

Hi,
We have had some enquiries asking about what we are near.
This is always an important factor for our guests to know if they will be staying somewhere near taxis, buses, shops, restaurants, grocery stores etc.
We are 1.5 hours away from Santiago, so on the way to Viña Del Mar...

.. we pass Casablanca Valley vineyards..beautiful, especially at sunset or in the morning.



We are situated on Errazuriz street..

..the same street as Quinta Vergara Park, where Palacio Vergara is.



Buses run through Errazuriz street and you can wait for a bus that goes to Reñaca and Concon on Albarez Ave, the street parallel to Errazuriz towards the city.



Cross the street and continue straight on Quinta street and you´ll find on the left, a feria artesanal (an undercover craft market) clothes, keyrings, notebooks, bags..



Keep walking down the street until you see the Cruz Verde pharmacy. Turn left.
There you will find the main street Avenida Valparaiso
and the taxis collectivos.

There you have Plaza Vergara and the Town church



the Municipal theatre and some shopping galleries,





supermarket (Santa Isabel), the Independent Cinema and the horse carriages




..and recently we discovered that we are 2 blocks from a lift with a view to the city!


Here is a map. Double click to enlarge

Eye on Vina Del Mar

Want to see whats going on in the main plaza, or check traffic before you set out today in Viña? Here´s a serveillance camera of the main spots including the Quillota bridge, Plaza Vergara and Av Argentina. http://www.scat-gv.cl/camaras/c01.html

Viña Del Mar Film Festival ends tonight

Tonight is the last night to catch screenings of international films at the Viña Del Mar Film Festival.
It started in a basement in the 1960s but now it is an internationally acclaimed indie film festival in Viña Del Mar. There are various films playing at three different venues throughout the city tonight and if you would like to go, you can go to this site if you know a little Spanish.
http://www.festivalcinevinadelmar.cl/
If you don´t, you can always ask us for assistance.

Ascensores just around the corner

We just found out there was one of those cute ascensores (lifts) just 2 blocks away from Valparaiso Villa Bed and Breakfast in Viña Del Mar! It was tucked away behind these trees.

The locals don´t think or look twice at it and use it like an elevator everyday to get to the neighbouring street because it has no viewing platform, but the view from the inside isn´t bad at all! Especially if you get lost..

If you want to get to know some history and get inside the Vergara Palace you´ve seen next door or Palacio Rioja in town, they are are offering free admission into these beautiful palaces from 10:00 to 13:30 and from 15:00 to 17:30 on the 30th of November this Sunday.

Also playing at noon the same day are some local theatre groups performing the story of the buildings first owners circa 1910.

Performance Times
Palacio Rioja 12.00
Palacio Vergara 12.00, 13.00.

Flower exhibition in Wulff Castle

If you´re a greenthumb, then you might be interested in a very pretty floral exhibition "La Palma y el Mar" (the Palms and the Sea) the magnificent Wulff Castle and the Floral Club in Viña are putting on from the 27th to the 30th November, Tuesday to Sunday 10am - 1.30pm then 3pm - 5pm. Free admission.

The exhibition includes roses, lillies, crysthanthemums, camelias and a photo exhibition of native Chilean flowers.



If you like, we can arrange for an English speaker to guide you through it.

Gearing up for the Silly Season

Christmas and New Year are almost here and we are gearing up for our busy seasons!


In Viña Del Mar and Valparaiso they has a huge fireworks display for New Years Eve along the coast that Chileans and Argentinians flock to come see. It´s always a good idea to book accomodation early if you want to catch it. The fireworks start very late at 12 midnight and then people go and party in Reñaca beach and nightspots.

The fireworks in Santiago city are not as popular as those on the coast but here is a link from Tripadvisor Forum so you can make up your own mind.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g295425-i7941-k1400988-New_Years_in_VDM-Vina_del_Mar.html

Hotspots for a good view, Valparaiso hills (Cerro Bellavista, Cerro Concepcion), Muelle Prat the port where boats come and go.

Welcome to our Blog!

We have finally got around to putting up a blog! Thanks for visiting us!

We have our bed n breakfast just up and running a few months ago now.

My sister Adda and her husband discovered this house while on a back street stroll, fell in love with it´s cosyness and decided to buy it. Since then, about 5 or 6 people have offered to buy it from us even while it was still under renovation! It means we were onto a good thing!

It´s a family business that has a bed and breakfast in Santiago called Casa Newen. This blog is a way of letting people know about Viña Del Mar which is a charming beach resort town and the goings on here from a local point of view.


We look forward to posting about insider tips on where to go, what to avoid, restaurants, events, festivals, and what to see and what´s on this lovely coastal town.