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Welcome to Frutillar, an exquisite German-flavored city on the shores of Lake Llanquihue within the Lakes Area of Chile. This was one in every of my favourite spots in Chile — I had no thought I’d take pleasure in it a lot!
Right here you’ll discover historic German houses and church buildings, a state-of-the-art live performance theater, scrumptious German meals and occasional tradition, and exquisite views throughout the lake with volcanoes within the distance.
So WHY is that this little German village within the coronary heart of Chile? It could possibly be plucked from Bavaria, with half-timbered homes galore, flower containers dangling from the home windows!
Within the 1850s, Chile invited Germans to settle within the Lakes District and domesticate the land. Greater than 200 households made the journey. (As soon as once more, I need to level out that that is DIFFERENT from the Germans who settled in Argentina post-World Conflict II. These Chilean Germans immigrated lengthy earlier than the Nazis existed.)
Lots of people go to Frutillar on a day journey from Puerto Varas, which is what I did throughout my time in Chile. However I liked Frutillar a lot, I truly assume the city can be an awesome place to base within the Lakes Area, particularly when you favor a quieter environment.
Waking up and strolling alongside the scenic Frutillar waterfront every morning can be an effective way to start out your day earlier than you head out and discover extra of the city. This might even be an awesome place to get some writing or inventive work completed — it’s so inspiring.
Let’s check out what Frutillar has to supply. I believe you’re going to like it right here.
This put up was revealed in August 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Riana Ang-Canning.
Issues to Do in Frutillar, Chile
Discover the Waterfront at Lake Llanquihue
The waterfront space of Frutillar, often known as Frutillar Bajo, is probably the most scenic a part of city. That is the place you must spend your time in Frutillar. Not solely does this space have beautiful views over Lake Llanquihue, it’s additionally the place you’ll discover a lot of the German buildings and affect.
Take a stroll down Frutillar’s elegant dock, which extends into the lake (with the traditional Volcano Osorno view within the background — assuming that you’ve a transparent day, as a result of I clearly didn’t!), uncover parks and seashores alongside the shore of Lake Llanquihue, and admire the German structure seen within the surrounding church buildings, cafes and houses.
This conventional space of Frutillar is the place you’ll discover the German Colonial Museum, Teatro del Lago, and a lot of the different vacationer websites in Frutillar. In the event you’re in search of a extra native, business and residential expertise, head inland to Frutillar Alto.
Go to the German Colonial Museum
An amazing place to start out with Frutillar’s German heritage is to go to the German Colonial Museum (Museo Colonial Alemán de Frutillar). Right here you may be taught the story of how German households got here to settle in Frutillar within the nineteenth century. Right here you may tour by means of a watermill, farmhouse and barn all set with interval furnishings to reconstruct what life would have been like for the German colonists within the 1800s.
The museum additionally features a household cemetery, landscaped park, native artwork gallery, and exquisite views over Lake Llanquihue and the Osorno Volcano behind it.
One factor that shocked me in Puerto Varas and the Lakes Area was how a lot colonialism is praised to this present day. It was a bit seeing plaques and sculptures in honor of colonialism, in truth. However in Chile’s case, celebrating colonialism appears to be about celebrating German heritage within the New World, with out saying something about how colonialism harms Indigenous communities.
The German Colonial Museum is a good first cease in Frutillar to grasp this mindset.
Attend a Present at Teatro del Lago
Teatro del Lago (Theater of the Lake) is a big stage theater and live performance corridor sitting on the banks of Lake Llanquihue in Frutillar. After 12 years of labor, it lastly opened in 2010 and may maintain over 1200 individuals throughout its numerous levels and rooms. Fairly spectacular for such a small city!
Yearly, Teatro del Lago hosts Frutillar’s largest music competition, Semanas Musicales de Frutillar (Frutillar Musical Weeks). This celebration of classical music occurs yearly round late January and early February, which might be a good time to go to Frutillar and soak up a present.
Exterior of Musical Weeks, Teatro del Lago remains to be busy with reveals, workshops and lessons. As a customer you may attend a efficiency — or go on a guided tour, eat on the Fuga del Lago restaurant, choose up a memento from the Tienda Teatro del Lago.
Eat German Meals
In the event you’re within the temper for schnitzel or sausage, you’ve come to the best a part of Chile! Because of Frutillar’s German historical past, this small city serves up a number of the finest German meals exterior of Germany.
I like to recommend El Membership Aleman de Frutillar for a hearty lunch in Frutillar. I liked their schnitzel, pork chop, and sauerkraut — however the potatoes stole the present! They had been cooked in cream, cheese, and bacon. Charlie and I simply may have eaten a second portion. The beer wasn’t half dangerous, both.
Restaurant Cocina Frau Holle is one other top-recommended choice for good German meals.
Take pleasure in German Chilean Espresso and Cake
You may’t go to Frutillar with out having fun with a little bit of “kaffee und kuchen” — the German afternoon custom of having fun with espresso and cake. Within the Lakes Area, they name this kuchenes (koo-KAY-nays), a German-Spanish mash-up that at all times made me smile!
All all through Frutillar, you’ll see cafes and eating places providing kuchen. There’s nothing higher than having fun with an apple strudel with a view of Lake Llanquihue!
I liked a restaurant referred to as Casa Rosalba. It’s a stroll to the western fringe of city and up a hill, the place you’ll have some good views of the city. Stroll inside and also you’ll be delighted by the comfortable environment!
Charlie and I shared an apple strudel and a cheesecake with our two coffees, and it was such a pleasant approach to chill out in between all our exploration.
Different cafes to take a look at in Frutillar embrace Coffeehaus Frutillar, Cafe Herz, and Cafe Almendra. If I had stayed in Frutillar a couple of days, I’ve little question I might have tried all of them!
Stroll the Edmundo Winkler Park Path
The Edmundo Winkler Forest Experimental Centre or Reserva Forestal Edmundo Winkler is a 33-hectare nature reserve situated in Frutillar. It was constructed to assist research and shield the wildlife of this area of Patagonia.
Inside the reserve you’ll discover a scenic strolling path that ought to take about 40 minutes to finish. (And it’s simply previous Casa Rosalba, so simply carry on strolling!) The path is properly signposted, appropriate for kids and affords a cool take a look at the range of species residing in Chile’s forests.
Go to Close by Cities
There are fairly a couple of small cities dotted round Lake Llanquihue which you could simply go to from Frutillar. Two I like to recommend trying out are Puerto Octay and Llanquihue.
Puerto Octay is a few 20-30 minute drive north of Frutillar and can be identified for its German structure and historical past. The identical German households who moved to Frutillar within the nineteenth Century additionally settled in Puerto Octay.
There’s not so much to do in Puerto Octay, nevertheless it has a very nice vibe. Stroll the city for a bit, and ensure to climb the hill close to the cemetery for panoramic views of the lake and city. We had terrific meals at Restaurant Willhause (I liked the salmon!) and occasional and cake at Cafe Meson Carpintero, which served the perfect flat white I had in Chile.
Heading south, Llanquihue is a 15-25 minute drive from Frutillar. That is the place the Maullin River meets Lake Llanquihue, which means there are many water actions and scenic waterfront views on this metropolis. You’ll nonetheless discover German homes, delicacies and historical past right here too.
Spend a day in Llanquihue strolling alongside the lake and exploring seashores, like Playa Los Cisnes, exploring the totally different church buildings and historic buildings within the space, and heading out on the water through kayak or fishing boat.
Go to Puerto Varas
Many individuals go to Frutillar as a day journey from Puerto Varas, as did I, however there’s no cause why you may’t do the reverse! In the event you favor to base within the quieter and smaller city of Frutillar, I extremely suggest spending a day or two in Puerto Varas — one in every of my favourite locations in all of Chile.
Wander the city middle the place you’ll discover historic church buildings, cool boutiques, wacky museums, and German-inspired buildings. Hike or bike up Cerro Philippi for an awesome view over the lake and volcanoes, or simply chill out on the lengthy, easy lake seashores.
In the event you haven’t had sufficient schnitzel, kuchenes, and German beer, Puerto Varas has loads of that — but when there’s one place you must eat in Puerto Varas, it’s Mesa Tropera, a pizzeria and brewery. So many Chileans instructed us to go to Mesa Tropera, they usually weren’t fallacious. It was the perfect pizza I had in Chile!
Learn Extra: Finest Issues to Do in Puerto Varas, Chile
Drive Round Lake Llanquihue
From Frutillar, you’re properly positioned to go to lots of the different locations of curiosity round Lake Llanquihue. I extremely suggest you go to these spots by automobile, as they’re not tremendous accessible by public transit. Take a day to drive across the lake; it’s beautiful-easy driving!
Petrohué Falls is a should go to web site on Lake Llanquihue. Right here you’ll see highly effective, chute-style waterfalls with the towering Osorno Volcano within the background. Be sure you time your go to for a transparent day so you may get the perfect view of the volcano!
Talking of Volcán Osorno, you may truly stand up shut and private to one in every of Chile’s most energetic volcanoes (although it hasn’t erupted since 1869). You may go to the volcano on a day tour, ski on the Osorno Volcano Ski Middle or head out on an in a single day guided climb.
Each Petrohué Falls and Volcán Osorno are a part of Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales. Vicente Perez Rosales Nationwide Park is Chile’s oldest nationwide park and covers 2,530 km². Along with Petrohué Falls and Volcán Osorno, the nationwide park can be house to the well-known inexperienced Lake Todos los Santos and two different volcanoes, Tronador and Puntiagudo.
For a much less fashionable waterfall expertise than Petrohué Falls, head to Salto Las Cascadas on the japanese facet of the lake. Right here you’ll drive to a makeshift car parking zone after which stroll down a 30 minute dust path till you attain a tall, skinny waterfall. Entrance is by donation.
How A lot Time to Spend in Frutillar, Chile
Most individuals come to Frutillar, Chile for a day journey or a half-day journey, which is sufficient time to see the highlights of the city. All I had was half a day, and that labored for me, although I do know I might have been happier spending extra time there.
However I believe Frutillar would make an awesome base to discover Lake Llanquihue and the bigger Lakes Area, so long as you could have a automobile rental. It could possibly even be a superb various to basing in Puerto Varas, and it’s a lot smaller and quieter than Puerto Varas.
In the event you would reasonably spend a couple of day in a pleasing little city than a busier metropolis like Puerto Varas, Frutillar could possibly be an awesome choice for you. It’s somewhat bit farther from websites on the east facet of the lake, like Petrohué Falls and Salta Las Cascadas, however every little thing remains to be inside driving distance.
How you can Get to Frutillar, Chile
The great, village-like a part of Frutillar price exploring known as “Frutillar Bajo” on the map, and is true subsequent to the lake. Frutillar Alto is an even bigger, extra industrial space that doesn’t have a lot vacationer worth.
In the event you’re primarily based in Puerto Varas and have a automobile, it’s a few 30-minute drive to Frutillar, and the route consists of freeway and tolls. Sadly, there isn’t a small street that goes all the best way across the lake; the freeway is quick and simple, although.
It’s also possible to take a public bus to Frutillar, which is able to take about an hour.
It’s also possible to e-book a day tour to Frutillar and Llanquihue from Puerto Varas, which is straightforward and offers you tons of exploration time.
The closest airport to Frutillar and the Lakes Area is El Tepual Airport in Puerto Montt. From the airport, it’s a really nice 45-minute drive to Frutillar.
And when you’re planning on discover the lakes of Argentina as properly, it’s a 4.5-hour drive from Puerto Varas to Bariloche, Argentina. This route is served by vacationer shuttles in Puerto Varas.
As soon as in Frutillar, you may simply get round on foot. However when you’re primarily based right here for days, I strongly suggest renting a automobile to finest discover the Lakes Area and attain the entire little gems that aren’t as accessible by public transport.
The place to Keep in Frutillar, Chile
Most individuals do a day journey to Frutillar from Puerto Varas or different close by cities, however I believe it’d be so good to spend a couple of nights right here. In the event you’ve determined to remain in a single day, listed here are a number of the top-rated lodging choices in Frutillar.
- Prime-Rated Luxurious Resort in Frutillar: Resort Frutillar is an immaculate Alpine cottage set on the shores of Lake Llanquihue. Inside you’ll discover rustic picket accents, scrumptious breakfast, and sort employees. There are furnished flats when you’d like a bit more room.
- Prime-Rated Mid-range Resort in Frutillar: Amadeus Resort Boutique is a beachfront property providing easy and shiny cottage-style rooms and an exquisite breakfast within the morning.
- Prime-Rated Funds Resort in Frutillar: Hospedaje Brisas de Frutillar is a homestay in Frutillar with a lush backyard, primary rooms, a welcoming host and breakfast every morning. Word that this lodge is situated in Frutillar Alto, a few 10 minute drive from Frutillar Bajo — the extra scenic a part of city on the lakeshore.
- Discover offers on extra accommodations in Frutillar right here.
Finest Time To Go to Frutillar, Chile
Frutillar is a pleasing place to go to year-round. Although you may count on extra vacationers throughout Southern Chile’s excessive season (December to March) and colder days with extra rain within the off-season (June to September).
To steadiness the crowds and the climate, you could need to purpose for shoulder season, particularly when you’re planning an extended journey to totally different components of Chile and/or Argentina. Charlie and I visited Chile from late November by means of mid-December, and we loved good climate for probably the most half, from the Atacama Desert within the north to Patagonia within the south.
Nevertheless, there’s a superb cause to go to Frutillar in the midst of excessive season — and never only for the higher climate. Frutillar is called the Metropolis of Music because of Semanas Musicales de Frutillar (Frutillar Music Weeks), a classical music competition that takes place yearly between late January and early February. That is a tremendous time to go to and catch a efficiency on the Teatro del Lago.
Is Frutillar Value It?
I completely liked my time in Frutillar — it was one in every of my favourite components of the Lakes District (which, in flip, was one in every of my greatest surprises and favourite components of Chile). It’s completely price coming to Frutillar on a day journey, and even staying for a couple of days when you’d like.
I hope you could have probably the most great time in Frutillar! It’s a particular place in Chile.
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Have you ever been to Frutillar? Share your ideas!
