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| Chile (Lakes Region) |
| Puerto Varas |
| Puerto
Varas, the charming 19th-century port town settled by German colonists. A
great vacation city in the Lake District, just a short ride north from
Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas has casinos, restaurants and hotels. Called the
city of roses, it stands beside Chile's largest lake, Lake Llanquihue.
Across the lake scenery is provided by two magnificent volcanoes. If you
are to see just one city in Chile this is it.
Citytour |
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| Ascend Phillipi Hill, which overlooks the bay and the city. The hill is also covered with intriguing native trees. Return to town and tour its principal streets and avenues, which boast painstakingly maintained lawns and gardens. | |
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in yet another bird's-eye view from Calvario Hill, then head out of town
on Costanera Avenue, which skims the edge of big, beautiful Llanquihue
Lake in constant view of the equally big and beautiful Osorno volcano.
Lake Llanquique |
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| Lago
Llanquique is the first of the great lakes between Chile and Argentina.
With its eastern skyline dominated by the perfect cone of Osorno volcano,
this is one of the most popular lakes for summer visitors. Puerto
Varas, the largest of the lakeside cities, boasts fine hotels and
restaurants, plus the whole range of tourist services. Along the
lake's western shore is Frutillar, perhaps the south's most Germanic town,
whose renowned "Music Weeks" draws international participants. A
lovely route runs along the southern side of the lake, passing numerous
beaches; after leaving the lake, the road enters Vicente Perez Rosales
National Park, Chile's oldest park and among its most beautiful.
Because of the spectacular natural resources found here, large areas have been declared National parks in order to preserve the remains of native forests which once covered the greater part of southern Chile, including pure stands of the emblematic araucaria, with its unmistakable umbrella shape, and the alerce, a conifer known to reach over 3000 years of age. The natural jungle flowered on this volcanic and porous soil, unique in the world for the quantity and variety of beautiful trees and plants, many of which are at present listed in international botanical studies. Forests of over 2,000 years, the oldest of the planet, housing the Araucaria, a prehistoric conifer is the queen of the heights along with the millenary Alerce (Larch), or great trees that burst into flower like the white Ulmo and the red Notro; or cascades of wild Fuchsias and unique Copihues. From all around, the volcanoes can be seen on the horizon. These are the highest pinnacles and represent a constant challenge for the most exciting adventures. Enormous masses of lava, most with perfect silhouettes, their cones always crowned with snow. Reaching over 3000 mt in height, some of them issue smoke from the great hole of their craters. When they become active, several of them erupt simultaneously |
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