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Welcome to Puerto Varas, a lakeside city full of adventures, and one of my favorite places in all of Chile! There are so many cool things to do in Puerto Varas — from waterfall-visiting and German town-hopping to kayaking, shopping, and enjoying chic restaurants!
My husband and I ended up in Puerto Varas on a bit of a whim — and it ended up being one of the highlights of our Chile Argentina honeymoon!
What makes Puerto Varas so German? In the 1850s, Germans were encouraged to move here to develop the land, and more than 200 families made the journey. (Note that this was LONG before World War II. These are not the same Germans who fled to Argentina post-World War II.)
We arrived in Los Lagos, Chile’s Lakes Region, after a few days in the Atacama Desert, and WHAT a contrast it was — rolling hills of farmland, old-fashioned timber houses, flowers everywhere, and the most lush, sweet-smelling air.
Puerto Varas is perched on Lake Llanquihue, with views of snow-capped volcanoes in the distance. Chileans come here for the easy access to the outdoors, as well as the culture — so you can go hard or take it slow.
I highly recommend renting a car to enjoy all that this region has to offer. But even if you’re coming in by public transit, you’ll find so much to love about Puerto Varas. Let’s take a look!
This post was published in April 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Riana Ang-Canning.
Best Things To Do in Puerto Varas, Chile
Explore the town center
There’s lots to do in the center of Puerto Varas. Start by checking out two churches, Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón, a 1915 Catholic church that overlooks downtown, and Iglesia Lueterana, a 1924 Lutheran church along the lake.
If you love to shop, Puerto Varas is home to lots of small boutiques and secondhand stores. If you love thrift shopping as much as I do, check out Loica Liquidadora, a beloved secondhand clothing store. If you need sports gear, there’s also a Patagonia shop in town!
One of the things that makes Puerto Varas stand out is its interesting architecture. My favorite was Casa Kuschel, one of the oldest houses in Puerto Varas, a gothic masterpiece that the Addams Family would love.
Another is Casa Gotschlich, a historic German home from the early 1900s. A…
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