Reñaca is a popular area of beaches and balnearios

Balneario

Balneario is a Latin American seaside resort, although they may also occur along great lakes, rivers and at hot springs. In Spain balneario typically only refers to spa town resorts. Whatever the case these resorts offer recreation, sports, entertainment, food, hospitality and safety services,...

 in the Valparaíso Region

Valparaíso Region

The V Valparaíso Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of , the region is Chile's second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region...

 of Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

.

Overview

Reñaca is at the northernmost extreme of the city of Viña del Mar

Viña del Mar

Viña del Mar , is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists. The city is Chile's main tourist attraction. Known as "La Ciudad Jardín" , Viña del Mar is a Chilean Municipality located...

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

Cochoa

The cochoas are medium-sized frugivorous, insectivorous and molluscivorous birds in the genus Cochoa...

 and then the town of Concón

Concón

Concón is a Chilean city and commune in Valparaíso Province, Valparaíso Region. It is known as the Gastronomical Capital of Chile and is a major tourist center known for its beaches, balnearios and night life.- Geography :...

. It is known mostly as a summer vacation area and receives a very large influx of tourists during the summer months (December-February). The tourist part of town is clustered around the main beach, which is referred to locally as "long beach" and is divided non-physically into five sectors (1-5). The lower part of the hill overlooking the beach is covered with somewhat unique staircase residential buildings that sprawl up the hillside. These apartments are mostly owned by outsiders and remain empty during the off-season (March-November). The town also extends eastwards up the valley through which the Estero de Reñaca flows, it is here that 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 neighborhoods of Los Almendros and Jardin 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. As expected of a summer resort town, there is a great gama of wonderful hotels, apartment rentals, lively nightlife activities and excellent seafood and international cuisine restaurants.

It is the home of The Mackay School

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 fifth region...

 the first British school in Chile and one of the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere. It is an all boys school. The Sagrado Corazon 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. The Universidad del Mar also recently built a very large campus on the northern side of the stream valley.