Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt - what a fantastic first introduction to the beautiful country of Chile!
VPuertoaras is a gorgeous, cosy wee town situated on the shores of Lake Llanquihue. Also known as the 'city of roses', it's German heritage still shows in it's architecture and German - Chilean traditions. I just wish we had longer to enjoy this beautiful spot!
Chile is the second largest salmon producer after Norway, the industry employs 70,000 people and is key to the country's economy.
We were lucky enough to be hosted dinner at our hotel Cabanas del Lago and the salmon we were served was the best I have ever tasted!
Puerto Montt is 20 mins from Puerto Varas and is the closest airport. It is a port city overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and from here we flew north with magnificent views across the Andes to Chiles largest city and capital, Santiago....
Last stop before we are homeward bound.....Santiago!
Jaime our host from South American Tourist Office has been so excited to finally show off his hometown of Santiago!
It was a fleeting visit, but I can see why, I absolutely loved this city and it exceeded my expectations by far!
Beautiful food, tree lined streets, artwork and a mix of colonial and modern architecture.....Santiago is the capital and largest city in Chile, the outskirts are surrounded by vineyards and in the winter you can ski in the morning and be at the beach in the afternoon!
We took a walking tour of the city, combining the main sights along with stories from an amazing tour guide about Chile's culture and history. Exploring the center of Santiago with stops at the Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Lucia Hill, the Central
Seafood Market, and Plaza de Armas Square, the Financial District, the Presidential Palace and the Paris-London
neighbourhood.
