Valdivia.
Your next chapter?

Overview

Valdivia has been called the “Pearl of the South” and the “Beer Capital of Chile". Thanks to its public spaces, order and cleanliness — in addition to nature, gastronomy and culture — it has positioned itself in the 21st century as one of the best cities to live in and visit in Chile.

Understand

Valdivia is the capital of the Los Ríos Region and the province of Valdivia. It is 850 km south of Santiago at the confluence of the Calle Calle, Cau-cau and Cruces rivers, and 15 km from Corral Bay. In 2017, Valdivia had a population of 150,000 people.

It was founded in 1552 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, under the name of "Santa María la Blanca de Valdivia". It was one of the first cities to be founded in Chile. During the colonial era, it was considered "the key to the southern sea", a strategic enclave for access to the Pacific Ocean. Fortifications were built to protect it from enemy attacks or attacks by indigenous people in the area.

In 1960, the city, along with the rest of southern Chile, was affected by the most powerful earthquake recorded in human history, which reached 9.5 on the Richter scale. The event is known in Chile as "Valdivia earthquake".

Climate During the summer months (December, January and February) the average temperature is about 17 °C (63 °F), while in winter the temperature descends to 8.5 °C (47.3 °F).

Get in

A 3-hr ride from Puerto Montt for approx 9,000 to 15,000 pesos, depending on the ride type (Bus "Clasico" to "Salon Cama") and operator. 10-12 hr from Santiago, 15,000-25,000 pesos.

If coming from Southern Chile (Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas or Osorno, for example), take Ruta 5 highway till you reach the town of Paillaco, then turn right on the cloverleaf exit that links the main road with Ruta T-206. You'll reach Valdivia after 1 hr of driving. If coming from Northern Chile, your best option is taking the exit to the right on the cloverleaf intersection that connects Ruta 5 to Ruta 202. All entry and exit points are signposted. Toll booths abound, so plan ahead.

Get around

Most of the city is fairly walkable, though if you need to go somewhere like Teja Island, it is recommended to take a cab. Uber, InDrive and Didi also operate in town. Buses have a regular schedule up until 20:00 for most destinations. Extensive system but somewhat difficult to navigate if you're not local; Google Maps and Moovit offer updated info about bus lines and destinations but the most updated info is available through the "Red Regional" App. Under rebranding as part of the "Red Regional de Transporte" "Colectivos" (or shared taxis with fixed routes) are also helpful for navigating the city. Always best to ask the driver for directions. Inquire with the bus driver.

See

The town has a cool little fish market by the river side where you can feed sea lions and pelicans with titbits or snacks that you can buy from the fish mongers.

Take a stroll through General Lagos St. There's a nice selection of German-styled houses that have been preserved in the past years and most if not all of them, have a plaque indicating the erection date and the current usage of the house.

Do

Loads of tour operators offering boat tours to various ruined 17th-century Spanish forts. The cruises stop and allow you to explore the ruins or walk in the forests. Most tours go to the Pacific Ocean at Corral and stop for a 30-minute visit here. Tour lasts about 5 hours. Tour guide narration in Spanish only. The boats depart from the same area as the fish market.

FicValdivia. In October the city's annual film festival FicValdivia is held which is regarded internationally by many as more important than the Santiago Film Festival due to its diverse range of programming including quite a lot of experimental cinema.

Museum lovers have an impressive selection of places to visit while in town. Traditional museums for history and culture focused-folks would be the Museo Historico y Antropologico Maurice Van de Maele, located on Teja Island. Built in the site of the former Andwanter family house, it's a good starting point to understand the history and culture of the region and the city as well. . If your interests lie on the subject of telecomunications and technology, a stop at the Museo de las Telecomuncaciones, might be of your fancy. . And if you feel like learning about the flora and fauna of the region, don't skip a visit of the Museo de la Exploracion R.A. Philippi, with its selection of information on those subjects, you're bound to find something new.

Hiking To see the trails of the region, consult OpenStreetMap, which many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz use.

A good opportunity for a day or 2-day hike is the nearby .

Reserva Costera Valdiviana Trail (green). Distance: 40-50 km, mostly flat. Duration: 2-3 days. Grade: Easy to medium. Recommended: comfortable boots and strong cloths against the spike bushes along the trail.This is a picturesque trail which leads through lush and beautiful eucalyptus forests for most of its first half along Sendero del Diablo and Sendero Colun. Later you will cross the dune towards Playa de Colún and along the beach there. The last 10-20% of the trail is along the beautiful coast with cliffs and grassland.

Buy

Marzipan and German desserts at Chocolateria Entrelagos (downtown-at one block from the central square). Another good option is Chocolateria Peumayen, located almost next-door to Entrelagos Charming trinkets with illustrations of the cities Sea Lions. You can find those at the Mercado Artesanal, right across from the Feria Fluvial in Arturo Prat Av, nearby the river and Schuster Pier. Beer lovers have a nice option at BeerStore Valdivia (302 Los Robles Av, at Isla Teja) for some local beer souvenirs and brews.

Eat

During January and February there's a feria at Niebla on the coast. Seafood stalls and folk music and dancing until 23:00. Delicious empanadas de mariscos and other asado and seafood. 40 or 50 food stalls and free entry provide a great evening of entertainment. Buses run to and from Valdivia and at closing there are several buses available.

A typical dish is Curanto. This is a large serving of steamed shellfish served with a boiled sausage, boiled chicken leg, and potatoes. It is not always on the menu but try looking for restaurants with a large sign on the sidewalk or in the window that states "HOY CURANTO".

Restaurant Pastas Trigo. Home cooking

Restaurant Comidas Caseras Caupolican.

La Ruta Culinaria. serves simple but excellent lunch.

Restaurant Yang Cheng. Long-established Chinese restaurant with an extensive menu.

Villa Santa Clara Restaurant. A really nice and secluded place in Niebla. "Parillas", fine wines, fresh fish and a very fair priced "Buffet de Mariscos" (shellfish) on Friday nights. The restaurant is situated in a pleasant garden with Cabañas nearby.

Drink

Valdivia is popular in the region and throughout Chile for its draught beer, cerveza artesanal. Some of these beers are famous beyond the borders of the city. So, the city is a good place to go to a pub.

Cerveceria Nothus has opened their own beer bar in the traditional Barrio Regional (close to the Hospital Regional de Valdivia) at Santa Maria St. Cervecería Kunstmannfor those who love beer you can visit the restaurant in the factory, 10 minutes from the centre. There are dozen places for dancing or drinking in "Calle Esmeralda", a short central street.

Sleep

Accommodation in Valdivia is generally more expensive than other destinations around, like Pucon or Puerto Varas.

Airesbuenos, García Reyes 550, in the centre of the city. It’s affordable and clean. It is run by new management now and feels more like a business rather than a hostel to relax. Hostel Prat, 595 Prat, with a great view of the Calle Calle river (it's across the street) is convenient to the bus terminal and to downtown. The rooms are a bit dark and the beds have seen better days and the bathrooms are small. Friendly staff and a good breakfast. 20,000 pesos. Hotel Dreams, Carampangue st. is also recommended but a bit on the expensive side.