WHERE TO GO IN PUERTO VARAS
Plaza de Armas:
It is located near the waterfront and has a beautiful gazebo surrounded by roses, where cultural events are held throughout the year, such as musical meetings, craft fairs, Book Fairs and Dia del Kuchen (Kuchen Day) among others.
Piedraplen:
It corresponds to the docks of Puerto Varas, which was built by German settlers in late 1850. There are several, as they were the only connection of the city with other towns, through the navigation on Lake Llanquihue.
Currently in Piedraplen there is a Tourist Office, which is known as the Casa del Turista.
Monte Calvario:
Located in the high area of Puerto Varas and characterized since during Holy Week on the Vía Crucis is represented by small chapels. At the top there is an altar and a viewpoint that allows you to see a beautiful view of Lake Llanquihue and the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes.
Parque Philippi:
Built in 1951 and has a cross on its summit that has become one of the icons of Puerto Varas. Here we can enjoy a taste of the abundant native flora and a viewpoint with a panoramic view of the city.
Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales: (Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park)
It is located 50 kilometers from the city of Puerto Varas and it is famous for being the first national park in Chile. Inside this national park the beautiful Lake Todos Los Santos, the Osorno Volcano and the Saltos del Petrohué (Petrohué Falls) are found; as well as Cerro Tronador (Tronador Hill), that is located on the border with Argentina.
It has many trails to explore and observe the native flora of its environment with the presence of cinnamon forests, myrtles and coigües among others. Among the most famous are those of Los Enamorados, el Rincon de Osorno and Desolación y el Velo de la Novia. Among the activities that can be performed is rafting, kayaking, sport fishing, rock climbing, mountain biking and mountaineering.
Lago Todos los Santos: (Todos Los Santos Lake)
This lake is characterized by its beautiful turquoise waters, caused by the melting of glaciers, where the mountain range and the exuberant surrounding flora are reflected. Here is a dock where boat tours are done of their surroundings or catamarans sail to Peulla, on the road that connects Chile with Argentina.
In addition to this, it has a camping zone, cabin rentals and a nice sandy beach where dark sand beaches are located and you can take pictures and enjoy a landscape of breathtaking beauty.
Saltos del Petrohué: (Petrohué Falls)
They are waterfalls formed by the waters of the Petrohue River on their way to the Todos los Santos Lake. The waterfalls were formed by the presence of volcanic rocks of an ancient eruption of the Osorno volcano. They have viewpoints where you can observe a beautiful panoramic views of the falls and the landscape, such as the Puntiagudo Volcano.
Petrohué:
This is the main location in the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. It is located on the shores of beautiful Todos los Santos Lake and is a starting point to start to explore the natural surroundings. From here we can find ancient forests, exuberant vegetation such as ferns, as well as waterfalls and trails where all kinds of recreational activities such as sport fishing, hiking, rafting, climbing and much more take place.
Ensenada:
It is another of the rural locations in the commune of Puerto Varas, which is located 47 kilometers from the city. It is located on the east side of Lake Llanquihue and is surrounded by the Osorno Volcano on the east and the Calbuco Volcano on the south.
It is the starting point for various adventurous tourism activities in the area, like climbing the Osorno Volcano, rafting in the Petrohué River, kayaking the Lago Todos los Santos River, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking and many other activities. During the summer it is used as a nice bathing spot.
It has an infrastructure of tourist services and comfortable accommodations like cabins in all price ranges, plus restaurants to sample the local cuisine, such as fish and roasted lamb "on a stick" (al palo).
In this area, during the month of April, the "Fiesta de la Murta" is carried out, native fruit of the area that is used for medicinal and culinary purposes in all types of preparations.
Volcán Osorno: (Osorno Volcano)
The Osorno Volcano or Peripillán in huilliche language, is a stratovolcano with over 2600 meters of altitude, with a majestic cone visible from all locations that are located on the shores of Lake of the same name. It is opposite the town of Frutillar, being separated from it by the lake.
It has the Ski Center of Osorno on its slopes, allowing you to enjoy snow sports during the winter.
You can also do climbing towards its summit, which lasts about 6 hours and must be performed in the company of a local guide, always moving through the authorized paths, because it has dangerous cracks in the route to the summit. You must use suitable clothing for this tour, water, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent is highly recommneded, especially in the summer.
Lago Llanquihue: ( Llanquihue Lake)
It is the second largest lake in Chile with an area of 860 square kilometers and depths greater than 350 meters. On its banks are Puerto Varas, Frutillar, Puerto Octay, Ensenada and Llanquihue. It allows you to practice navigation, sport fishing, kayaking, swimming and all kinds of recreational activities.
Frutillar:
This beautiful city is one of the most beautiful in the south of Chile. It faces Lake Llanquihue and the Osorno Volcano and is surrounded by exuberant green forests. It has a nice dark sand beach and transparent waters, during the summer it becomes a bathing spot where water activities are done.
It has beautiful streets and gardens decorated with roses and beautiful European style houses. It is especially known for the presence of cafés and restaurants serving the best of German cuisine such as fruit strudels, kuchen, strawberry and raspberry jams, among other preparations.
It is famous for the Semanas Musicales de Chiloe (Musical Weeks of Chiloe) performed in the Teatro del Lago, a beautiful cultural center built in wood that allows you to observe a beautiful view of Lake Llanquihue while enjoying musical concerts of different styles, from classical music to modern jazz.
It has a beautiful pier decorated with wood and iron from where you can take beautiful pictures of the surroundings and observe the beautiful landscapes.
In addition, Frutillar has the Museo Colonial Alemán (German Colonial Museum) and its epic mill, where you can learn the history of the settlers who came to this city 150 years ago.
Puerto Octay:
In this town we can see the beautiful German architecture of itshouses, which now operate as lodging and entertaining peaceful streets. It features heritage buildings, the Museo del Colono a Chocolate Factory and Cheese House, where you can taste the delicious German-style snacks.
Puerto Montt:
This dynamic port is located in the Seno de Reloncaví. Its main economic activity is salmon farming and tourism. Among its attractions is the Feria de Angelmó (Angelmó Fair), the best place to enjoy fresh fish and seafood, plus purchase local handicrafts with beautiful and colorful fabrics.
Puerto Montt is the arrival point of cruise ships and the place from where ferries depart to the island of Chiloe, beginning the adventure of visiting the Chilean Patagonia.