The Best of Valdivia

Transportation
Public transportation is abundant and frequent in Valdivia. There are fours types of public transport:

Bus (longer distance buses), micros (city buses), taxis, collectivos (shared taxis).

Micros cost $350 pesos and run until around 10 pm. They circulate on most routes every 15 to 20 minutes.

Collectivos are $400 pesos until the evening when the price goes up. They usually circulate until midnight. While collectivos look like taxis, they travel established circuits and will not drop you at your doorstep.

Taxis are abundant and relatively cheap. Rates vary depending on the line. Check the front windshield for minimum rates. Make sure the driver uses the “taximetro” when you get in or you will be overcharged. If they tell you it is out of order, be wary. Taxi metros are the law and it is unlikely that it is broken. Tipping is not customary.

Safety
Valdivia is relatively safe and you can feel secure walking the streets in day light hours. However, as in all cities, walking alone at 2 am is not recommended. The cost of a taxi or collective is a small price to pay for your security.

Day 1:

FISHMARKET, MUSEUMS AND BOTANICAL GARDEN

After having breakfast at Airesbuenos, go to the Fish Market, where fishmongers peddle their catch of the day and pelicans, cormorants, and fat sea lions wait for scraps. The market is a delight, and there you can find several opportunities to boat around the city's delta. Prices varies from boat to boat and in each season, so we recommend you ask first for different prices and river tours before choosing a boat.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Directly across from the fish market, on the Isla Teja, you will find some of the best museums and gallery in Chile. The modern art museum (Mac) occupies the ruins of an old brewery destroyed in the 1960 mega earthquake. Exhibitions are displayed in the old brick tunnels that once served as beer cellars.

Historical Museum Mauricio van de Maele of Valdivia

Next door to the MAC, overlooking the privileged, waterfront site of the Calle Calle River, and surrounded by a beautiful and neat park you find the Historical Museum Mauricio van de Maele of Valdivia.

This museum has been declared a National Historical Monument. It is also known as the Andwandter House and is a good example of neoclassic design. The facade has a porch with three lowered arches, tin composite roof and native wood paneling.

This expansive building houses exhibits of the three main ethnic groups which form the regional identity; Indigenous people, Spanish and German settlers.

The collections exposed revolve around the first Americans who dwelled in the temperate forests 12,000 years ago, the early and steady Hispanic presence which determined the character of the City of Valdivia and the impact caused by the German colonists who arrived in these lands after 1850.

The vast collection is thanks to the valuable contribution made by the well-known historian and anthropologist Mauricio van de Maele.

The Hispanic-Creole settlement from the XVIII century onwards is recreated on the ground floor, where it is possible to see furniture, relics, ornaments and documents from those days.

On the first floor, there is an important exposition of the archaeological history of the central South of Chile. From the stained-glass windows, the contact with the Indians and the Spaniards and the cultural contribution made by the mapuche-williche inhabitants is clearly imprinted. Also, the precious collections of silverware, pottery, textiles and basket-making corresponding to the archaeological site Pitrén (300 A.D. - 1200 A.D.) and the Valdivian Style (1400 A.D. - 1800 A.D) can be observed. This exhibit tells the story of the potter societies from the beginning of the Christian age to the XIX century.

Museo Rudolph Philipi

By the Calle Calle River shore, on the Island of Teja, a traditional German house historically known as "Schüler House" was dismantled, moved and later on rebuilt for its conservation, is today's Rudolph Amandus Philippi Exploration Museum. Directed by the University Austral of Chile, this museum shows the amazing collection of this naturalist who dedicated his life to the study of nature.

All three museums are are open from 10 -1:00 pm and 4-7:00 pm daily except Mondays when they are closed.

Botanical Garden

Cross the “Pedro de Valdivia” bridge (the one by the fish market), walk one block and take a right (there is a gas station right there) and you will enter the Campus of the Universidad Austral de Chile. In the campus there is a beautiful botanical garden with species from all around the world. It’s a wonderful walk in all seasons. And its free!

Also on the University Campus you can find the Fundo Teja Norte which offers horseback riding. Call first to make sure they are open. Near the Fundo Teja Norte is the Arboretum run by the Forestry Faculty of the UACh. Luis, the caretaker used to offer free midnight olfactory tours of the arboretum. Identify the trees by their scent!

Across from the campus is the Parque Saval which has a beautiful lotus pond, wood sculpture park and canopy rides.

Day 2:

Niebla, Corral & Isla Mancera

These three villages at the mouth of the bay were largely destroyed after the 1960 earthquake (on record as the strongest earthquake ever recorded). There's little left from that era, but what did survive were the relics of the 17th-century forts that once protected Valdivia from intruders, and a visit to these ancient relics, and the coastal views, makes for a very pleasant half-day trip -- especially on a sunny day.

There's enough to do and see to keep you occupied for a day, and Chile's famous microbrewery Kunstmann, is on the way back to town. Niebla lies 18km (11 miles) from Valdivia and is home to the Castillo de la Pura y Limpia Concepción de Monfort de Lemus (tel. 63/282084), a defensive fort founded in 1671 and renovated in 1767. It's open from November to March daily from 10am to 7pm, and April through October from 10am to 6pm, closed Monday. The fort is carved partially out of rock and features details such as cannons and a powder room, as well as a small museum. The town itself is mostly a hodgepodge of seafood restaurants (the best are in Los Molinos though) and tiny houses with the most privileged views anywhere in Chile. There is a good beach for a stroll; enter to the left of the restaurant Las Terrazas

To get there, take the micro number 20, at Ave. Alemania and García Reyes. The trip takes about 15 minutes. The micro costs 350 pesos. You can go as well with a ferry. Ask for prices and tours at the fish market.

Across the bay sits Corral (take a water taxi to get here from Niebla) and the area's first and most powerful fort, the Castillo San Sebastián de la Cruz, built in 1645 and reinforced in 1764. The city itself is a picturesque jumble of brightly painted wooden homes and fishing boats, an old German colony that never really recovered from the tidal wave that wiped out most of the town. To get to Corral, take a tour boat from Valdivia during high season, or take a ferry from the fishing dock just before entering Niebla (let your bus or taxi driver know you're getting off there- ask them to let you off at the “Muelle de Niebla”). The mock soldier battle that once was the highlight of this attraction has been put on hold due to overenthusiastic actors mishandling gunpowder and shooting themselves in the feet; it remains to be seen if the ritual will continue anytime soon.

Either on the way to Corral or on the way back, ask to be dropped off at idyllic Isla Mancera (and ask to be picked up again!) for an easy stroll and a visit to the fort Castillo de San Pedro de Alcántara (tel. 63/212872). You can also go directly to Mancera from the Muelle in Niebla. The bucolic island is beautiful on its own. There are no cars on the island and you may be surprised by the flock of sheep that roam the island! The fort is open from November 15 to March 15 daily from 10am to 7pm, and Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm the rest of the year. It was built in 1645 and restored in 1680 and again in 1762 to house the Military Government of Valdivia. Inside the grounds are the crumbling ruins of the San Francisco Convent and an underground supply room. It is possible to walk the circumference of the island in 20 to 30 minutes, and there is a site for picnics with great views.

Day 3:

Punta Curiñanco

This is our preferred park. Located on the coast, it is one of the few untouched examples of the Valdivian Rainforest left. To reach the park you will need to take the micro to Curiñanco that leaves daily at 10:00 am from the Calle Yungay, located to the left of the Pedro de Valdivia Bridge. There is also a bus that leaves at 11:30 but it is best to ask for the timetable as it tends to change depending on the season.

The bus stop for the park is the last one so you can not get lost since the bus ride ends there. From Valdivia it takes about 40 minutes and the scenic bus ride follows the River Calle Calle and then the Pacific Ocean coast. From the moment you get on the bus, you can enjoy beautiful scenery. Try to get a seat on the right side of the bus for the best view.

Once you get off the bus at the last stop, just on the right, there is a black iron gate that is always open. Go through the gate and you will see varias little houses. Marcelo lives in the blue one and he is the park caretaker. For 1,000 pesos he will open the park for you. Once in the park, take the path on the right which takes around the entire park. The trail will take you past varios types of vegetation until you reach the old growth forest called Bosque Olivillos. This forest located on the coast is thousands of years old. Continue the trail where you will find four fantasic vista points where you can rest and contemplate the immense beauty of this and the vast ocean

Among the vast array of flora and fauna of this park is the Darwin Frog which is nearly extinct. It looks like a dry leaf and can only be found in the fall. Be careful not to step on one when walking!

If you go to Curiñanco during a weekend, do not hestitate to stop by the restaurant “Terrazas de Centinilla” where they serve the best crab empanadas with a spectular view of the ocean. It is located at the where the road turn to gravel. The owner is called “Pato” and is full of local antedotes.

Day 4:

Punucapa:

This adorable rural village is situated on the Santurio de la Naturaleza. You can visit the Chicha factory, beer brewery, colorful cementary, a hundred year old wooden church and if you visit in the summer, you can enjoy typical Chilean cuisine at the feria costumbrista.

You can get there by a boat that leaves daily from the mercado fluvial every day of the year. There is one that leaves at 1:30 but the timetable varies. Just ask during you visit to the mercado fluvial.

Day 5:

Parque Oncol

Oncol Park (Spanish: Parque Oncol) is a natural reserve located 32 km from the city of Valdivia, Chile. The park has an area of 7.54 km² of which most lies on Cerro Oncol (715 m), the highest peak of the Valdivian Coast Range, but is only 5 km from the coast. Oncol Park is located in an area of 15 km² of continuous Valdivian temperate rain forest. From the peak of Cerro Oncol it is possible to see Llaima Volcano, Villarrica Volcano and even Mount Tronador on the international border of Chile and Argentina. The park is property of the wood pulp enterprise CELCO.

Buses to Oncol leave from the tourist information office located to the left of the bridge Pedro de Valdivia, at 10:00 am. Ask for schedule. It takes 40 minutes to get to the park, and the bus comes down to Valdivia by 7 pm. They offer canopy activities and the price of the bus ride plus entrance ticket is $ 8.000. Canopy has an additional cost.

Rainy Days in Valdivia

The abundant forests that surround Valdivia depend on the rain to the disdain of some. Valdivia has many activities for rainy days. The university has the Cine Club if you prefer independent films. Don't forget that we have diverse selection of dvd's to choose from in the hostel too. There is also a Blockbuster video shop nearby.

Most of the shopping pavilions are covered and the mall next to the hostel has Pacific gym and movie theater. There are also lots of “ropa americana” (used clothing stores) throughout the city where you can find quality “imported” clothing at discount prices.

The city operates a heated swimming pool and sauna at the Picina Aqua. Dreams hotel has an indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna and offers great massages. You can book a two hour session which includes massage for 20000 pesos. You can also book a reiki session for 10,000 with Mauricio 879661434. There is also the casino which charges an entry fee of $2000.

Libros Chiloe is the one of the best book stores in town. They offer a good selection of books in Spanish and English. Caupolicán 410. 

Libreria de Valdivia also has a good selection of books in various languages.  They also sponsor readings, check their website for more information.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 19:45 A 20:45 there are Kundalini yoga classes at the UACh extension building on General Lagos. Drop ins are welcome. Call for more information 7-8977707 There is also a Centro de Yoga Sadhana at Caupolicán 532 3ºpiso Of.305 : Valdivia : Chile

There a variety of restaurants and bars in Valdivia. What better way to spend a rainy afternoon than with a nice glass of wine and a good book. You can take a ride to the top of Dreams hotel to have a drink and enjoy a spectacular view of Valdivia.

There is a bowling alley and pool hall in downtown Valdivia. Be sure to check the Universidad Austral website to see if there are any expositions or lectures open to the public.

Nightlife

With over 14,000 university students in Valdivia, the night life is lively and diverse. Our website has a complete list of recommended locales. For one stop shopping, visit Calle Esmeralda, just three blocks from the hostel which has a variety of nightclubs, restaurants and bars ranging from El Legado Jazz club to a cafe con piernas (men's club) and La Rumba, which has Women's Thursdays featuring a male Burlesque show. Blue Queen is the local gay bar located at 111 Ave Alemania. They have a different event every night to entertain EVERYONE.

Dreams hotel has a nightclub, considered by some to be the best dance club in Valdivia however, there are plenty more to choose from, most are walking distance from the hostel.

The Ultima Frontera is a favorite gathering spot located in front of the Igelsia San Francisco at the corner of Yerbas Buenas and Perez Rosales