PUERTO VARAS TRAVEL GUIDE | Things to Do in Puerto Varas, Chile 🇨🇱

Welcome to Puerto Varas, Chile. This was our introduction to Chile's Lake District and it quickly won us over. Puerto Varas is a lakeside city that feels more like a town and though it is very hilly we found it surprisingly walkable and easy to explore. In this video we'll be sharing some of the best things to do in Puerto Varas like a boat trip on Lake Yanquiwe, an easy hike up Cerro Filipe, and a self-guided tour of the town's historic homes. We'll also highlight some day trips you can go on to places like Petrue Falls, Lake Todos Los Santos, and Osorno Volcano. Plus we'll give you some ideas of places to eat whether you're after a mimosa brunch, the best pizza of your life, or an artisanal ice cream shop. This is our travel guide to Puerto Varas, Chile. So hit that subscribe button and join us as we share some of the best things to do in and around town. Our exercise of the day pushing the stroller up Monte Calvario, Mount Calvary. This is uh this is how I earn my sushi guys. Apparently that's what's for lunch today so I am putting in the steps. Mount Calvary or Monte Calvario is a religious site in Puerto Varas. This hill has a series of stations that depict the passion of Christ, so it's a popular destination for pilgrims especially during Holy Week. And if you're just visiting for the views, there is a balcony where you can view Lago Jankiwe, Osorno Volcano, and the town below. Alrighty friends, so we are currently enjoying a self-guided tour visiting historic homes in Puerto Varas. Like this one right behind me. There are so many historic homes here and they are beautiful. They are these old wooden structures with shiplap exterior. They are very weathered. They look like they are frozen in time. And it's kind of cool because they have info points across the city with maps of where you can find these constructions. So we've got an example here. This one highlights 29 different constructions across the city. And we've just been coming across a lot of them naturally. We also have an info point here that talks about the different styles. You know, the simple style, the historical home, chalet, fourth generation, modern, commercial. There is a lot to see. This place has it all. I mean, what is really interesting about being here is that I feel like this has a frontier and rustic vibe. Yes. But there is also a lot of modern development as well alongside it. So it is kind of a fascinating blend. We also walked past Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. This church is one of the city's landmarks and can be seen from different vantage points across Puerto Varas. I didn't film inside because there was a baptism taking place. And then just down the hill you have Gruta de Lourdes, where I was kind of loudly trying to befriend the dog until I realized there was a man praying. So yes, lots of places of prayer and reflection across Puerto Varas, as you can see. Oh, pepperoni. Hello pepperoni. Beautiful pepperoni. Because we visited Puerto Varas in the middle of summer, there was a daily artisanal fair set up with various tents across different places in town. We were super impressed by the quality and the variety of goods, so if you're looking to do some souvenir shopping, check out the Feria de Artesanos. Audrey, look at the Meowsers. That's cute. Oh, and we went back. We went back. Yes, we've done like three loops through the artisanal fair and we decided we wanted to buy a little something to remember the trip by. Our baby has been taking off her shoes and socks and throwing everything inside the market. But look at this. It is a little bird with a traditional like cast iron wood burning stove and he's making tea and it just looks so cute. So this is going to be our memory of Puerto Varas. It reminds us of us making tea. I know. Not necessarily here but like in the Argentine countryside or just all over South America. I love it. Cerro Filipe or Mount Filipe sits on the north end of Puerto Varas and it offers hiking and mountain biking trails. It's not a particularly tall mount. It only stands 90 meters above Lake Tanquihue, but it was a good workout pushing the stroller uphill. The main attraction atop is a cross. Plus, you also have some lookout points and a play area for children. Aurelia. Alrighty, so we are walking down the hill here at Parque Filipe. Very steep on the way up. A lot easier coming down. Oh yeah, I will tell you that has been the workout of the trip so far. Yes. Especially pushing a baby up. So it took some effort to get here. So yeah, lots of families out bike riding. They also have dirt trails here that split from the main path. And then once you reach the top you have a few different vantage points where you can see the city and the lake. And yeah, just really green and it is a lot cooler here. So first thing. One of the highlights of our visit to Puerto Varas was going on a boat trip on Lago Tanquihue. This is the second largest lake in Chile and what makes it special is that it is flanked by the Osorno volcano making it look like something out of a postcard. We decided to go for a sunset boat ride and it was oh so relaxing. We could see people out kayaking, windsurfing, and sailing. Plus, we enjoyed seeing Puerto Varas from a different perspective. I would say this is a must do activity in Puerto Varas if you have the time. Cheers. Yeah. Hi. Hi. Breastfeeding session on the boat. Guys, we are on a boat. We are doing an excursion. Wow, we are seeing the volcano. Sam is going out there to show you guys. So yeah, there is an excursion. It is about an hour and a half and it is on a boat called Pionero del Lago. The Pioneer of the Lake. And it is a beautiful way to see the volcanoes. They have three outings per day and we chose to do the last one of the day at seven PM. So it is summer here. It is still a bit early for sunset but it is just really nice. We're some nice golden light and enjoying the breeze and it is the perfect day because we just have blue skies. So you can actually go out on the deck and take pictures and enjoy the scenery. I'm kind of booby trapped over here nursing the girl but I would highly highly recommend this excursion. We really enjoyed it. I was kind of on the fence because we've done so many boat trips recently but this is well worth it I would say. Guys, it is just very relaxing. So chilled out here and really nice that they gave us a beverage too. I'm enjoying a nice glass of wine. And this is our second to last night here and I'm going to miss this place. Audrey and I have really enjoyed it. It has been great. Relly has too. And this is just one of the most relaxing and fun things you can do here. We're just chilling out to the max. Next, we walked along the lakefront and the Pablo Fierro Museum. This is one of the best known attractions in Puerto Varas but it's hard to describe because it's not your average museum. This space is the work of local artist Pablo Fierro and he has taken an old historical house and turned it into a work of art where anything is possible. This is a museum where you have to be willing to explore and the longer you stay the stranger it gets. You can walk through wardrobes, climb staircases that lead to art-filled rooms, you can sit down and play chess, you name it. Anything is possible in this museum. It is a window into Pablo's mind and he is also there on-site welcoming visitors. If you want to enjoy nature close to Puerto Varas, there's a very popular day trip that visits Petrohué Falls and Lake Todos Los Santos. Petrohué Falls is located inside Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park and this is where you can see the turquoise waters of Lake Todos Los Santos pouring over black lava from the Osorno volcano. You can then board a catamaran from the port in Petrohué and enjoy a scenic trip of Lake Todos Los Santos with volcano views which is something you don't see every day. We visited both places on our final day in Puerto Varas when we were leaving Chile to cross back into Argentina via the Cruce Andino, a tour where you navigate three lakes tucked in the Andes Mountains. Speaking of the Osorno volcano, there are tours that bring you to the ski resort on the volcano where you can ride the chairlift and enjoy the panoramic views. However, this was a little too heavy duty for us with a toddler, but it is a popular tour to consider adding to your itinerary. And then you have the beach. I was surprised by the number of people swimming and sunbathing because it was a cool day and I was wearing a fleece with a hood. But that's Patagonia for you. Another place we really enjoyed in Puerto Varas was Plaza de Armas in the late afternoon. This is the main square and it's a super lively spot that draws tourists and locals alike. There was live music, kids playing, street food, balloons for sale, and it just had a nice energy. We also happened to visit Puerto Varas during a big celebration to commemorate the foundation of the town, so there was a bit more going on because of that. Now let's talk about food in Puerto Varas because we spent a good chunk of our trip just eating. And a few of the restaurants I'm about to mention we visited multiple times. If you're craving pizza in Puerto Varas, you need to visit Mesa Tropera. This restaurant and microbrewery sits on stilts on the lake and does some of the best New York style pizza. We came back to this restaurant a second time to reorder the hot honey pepperoni pizza I'm about to show you. This looks amazing. Divine. I got New York style hot honey pizza. I can smell the sweetness. Oh, and we're sharing. I got the pepperonis, the shrimp one, so the best of both worlds. I'm just using my hands. Oh, yeah. Get after it. How is that? Wonderful. Wonderful. They gave us the option of going with the classic dough. Here they call it fermentada, fermented, or the sour dough. We went with classic and I love the spicy honey. You can just smell the sweetness, the aroma of the honey, but then you get the kick. It's delicious. So glad we got two pizzas. We were thinking of getting a salad. That would have been a mistake. Yeah, it would have been sad. Just sad. So good huh? So guys, I got the Camarones and the funny thing is it translates to the shrimp that fell asleep. Yeah. Take a look at the big plump shrimp there. It's funny because the name is Camaron que se duerme and it's kind of an expression like if you snooze you lose. You know, the shrimp fell asleep, so he lost. I just took a massive bite. Chew that pizza and tell us. That is gourmet delicious pizza. It's the first pizza we've had on our trip. It just tastes so good. I'm so glad we came here. We were actually going to go to a steakhouse for lunch. It wasn't open, so we walked across the street and came here. The pizzas are phenomenal. It's just an excellent location. The views here are spectacular and my gosh I'm in my happy place right now. Time to head back down now. It had been a while since we had sushi, so when we realized there was a Japanese restaurant down the street from our accommodations, we knew we had to go. This is Izakaya Yoko. We decided to get one of their sets and I'm not going to lie, we're pretty obsessed with salmon. So we chose the set that featured everything salmon. Grilled and raw presented different ways. It hit the spot and we devoured every last bite. The next restaurant we visited is called Aurelia. And yes, we chose to eat here because it's our daughter's name. This is a bistro and grill that does fancy dining. Sam got the bife de chorizo, a classic steak that he paired with pastelera de choclo, that's this creamy corn dish you see here. Meanwhile, I opted for the boeuf bourguignon and I ordered it because on the menu it says Aurelia style. No idea what that means, but again, I picked it based on the name. I got it with a side of potatoes and yes, Relly did also try some. Next up, let's talk about Casis Café. We ate here three times, so you could say this was our go-to café in Puerto Varas. We only filmed one of those meals and that was the mimosa brunch. We started with their classic torta amor, a layered cake with dulce de leche or manjar, cream, and raspberries. And that was followed by a granola bowl with yogurt and mixed berries, a shakshuka pan with simmering tomatoes, onions, peppers, and poached eggs, two scone sandwiches, one with smoked salmon and the other with ham and cheese, plus two pastries, a delicious coffee, and a tall glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. And we can't forget the mimosas. It was a feast of a brunch. I ate quite a bit of ice cream in Puerto Varas, but Pudú is the only place that made it into this video. This was good ice cream. Pudú does artisanal ice cream and every flavor I tasted was divine. I like rich and creamy ice cream and this place offered precisely that. Plus, their flavors were inventive. So Sam is having Chirimoda. My favorite fruit in Peru. I didn't know they had it in Chile. And also Manjar Plada de Nado. It's the brand of the manjar. It's like a caramel spread. Yeah. Am I getting ice cream? Yes, you are girl. Recommended by a friend. Yes. In Argentina. Thank you, Dana. And I have the coconut and also cherry with yogurt. And this restaurant is called El Barista. We ended up here by chance after multiple restaurants we tried were completely full. We were hungry, a little bit cranky, and this place saved the day with a plate of fish and chips and a bowl of shrimp risotto loaded with cheese. Crisis averted. Risotto. Baby likes risotto. Baby likes risotto. How is it for you? So for my main I got the risotto with shrimp and mushrooms. I've got a little mountain of cheese there in the middle. It's going to melt into the risotto. Let's try it. Very creamy. Lots of plump shrimp. Lots of cheese. We were hungry after all the walking. Oh my. We walked a lot. Yeah. I got fish and chips. That's a very very generous portion. I'm looking forward to trying a bit of that too. I am tempted. Oh my gosh that's good. Just what I feel like having today too. And that is our travel guide to Puerto Varas, Chile. We hope this video gave you some ideas of what there is to see and do, day trips you can go on, and places to eat. Lastly, if you enjoyed this video we invite you to give it a like, subscribe, and join us for more adventures across Patagonia and beyond. Tata.