The lake
Chile's second largest.
littletroll — CC BY-SA 3.0 · M M from Switzerland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · W. Bulach — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ermell — CC BY-SA 4.0
A calm promenade on the shore of Lake Llanquihue, Chile's second-largest lake, facing the Lake District's finest view: the perfect white cone of Osorno volcano beside jagged Calbuco, rising above the wide blue water. The waterfront has paths for walking and cycling, gardens of the roses the town is known for, benches and a small pier. Behind it stand old wooden houses built by nineteenth-century German settler families, and a red-and-white wooden church on a hill that has become a town landmark. The town has cafés serving German kuchen, restaurants and shops, and is a comfortable base for trips to Osorno volcano, the Petrohué falls and Frutillar. From Cerro Philippi above town there is a panoramic view over the lake and volcanoes. The best times are sunrise over the lake or a clear day when both volcanoes show. Southern Chile is often rainy, even in summer, so bring a rain jacket.
Chile's second largest.
Wooden heritage.
Panoramic view.
Lakefront promenade, central Puerto Varas
On clear days, usually best early in the morning before clouds gather, as the area is often rainy.