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When to Go Chile's Lake District is accessible any month of the year, but the weather and scenery in the spring (November and December) are particularly spectacular.
Getting there Temuco is a 75-minute flight from Santiago, the Chilean capital. Because claiming bags and renting a car at the pocket-size airport can be accomplished in about five minutes, a midmorning departure on LAN Airlines, Chile's national carrier, will get you to downtown Temuco in plenty of time for lunch. Most car-rental companies service Temuco and Puerto Montt, so one-way rentals are not a problem and will involve no extra charge. You can choose between the Chilean-based Econorent (chile-travel.com/econorent), Avis, and Budget, among others. Return flights to Santiago from Puerto Montt are available throughout the day; although they are listed as almost two hours in length, they run shorter.
Where to Stay Hotel Antumalal Km. 2, Camino Villarrica Pucón, Villarrica; 56-45/441-011; antumalal.com; doubles from $224.
Great ValueHotel Licarayen 114 San José, Puerto Varas; 56-65/232-305; doubles from $95.
Where to EatCafé Haussmann 394 Calle O'Higgins, Valdivia; 56-63/213-878; lunch for two $12.
Cappuccini Teatro del Lago, 1000 Avda. Philippi, Frutillar; 56-65/ 422-900; wine and cheese for two $16.
Dane's Cafe-Restaurant 441 Del Salvador, Puerto Varas; 56-65/232-371.
Don Raul Palafitos de Angelmó, 2nd fl., stand No. 7, Puerto Varas; no phone; lunch for two $12.
Huerto Azul 341 Camilo Henriquez, Villarrica; 56-994/441-606; snack for two $4.
Kunstmann Cervecería 950 Rte. T-350, Valdivia; 56-63/292-969; lunch for two $40.
La Maga 125 Calle Freisa, Pucón; 56-45/444-277; dinner for two $60.
La Pampa 0155 Avda. Caupolican, Temuco; 56-45/329-999; lunch for two $35.
Merlin 0605 Imperial, Puerto Varas; 56-65/233-105; dinner for two $70.
T+L Tip
Telefónica Chile publishes the most complete guide to the region, TurisTel 2007: Sur (Ediciones guías & rutas); find it at Chilean airports and bookstores. Even if you can't read Spanish, the detailed maps and star ratings for attractions make it well worth its $13 price tag.
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