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Getting Around Valdivia

» Chile

Chile, located in southwestern corner of South America, shares a border to the north with Peru, to the east with the Andes together with Bolivia and Argentina, to the west lies the Pacific Ocean and to the south, the Drake Sea. With more than 4,000 km of coastline from Arica to Cape Horn, Chile exhibits a rugged and mountainous landscape with various types of climates and a diverse flora and fauna. It has more than 16 million inhabitants with a density of 22 inhabitants/km2. The official currency is the Chilean peso and the capital is Santiago de Chile, a modern metropolis with more than 5 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish.

» Valdivia

Valdivia is a scenic and traditional city in the south of Chile, founded by the Spanish conquerors on February 9th, 1552 and christened with the name of Santa María la Blanca de Valdivia. It currently has a population of about 155,000 inhabitants, and is located only 15 km from the coast. It has a maritime temperate climate, abundant rain during the winter and a relatively dry summer season. At the time of the Conference (beginning of February) there is abundant sunshine, with maximum temperatures which can reach more than 30°C during the day and 15°C at night. Valdivia is located at a latitude of 39º48’ South, longitude 73º14’ West, and about 850 km (530 miles) south of Santiago. It is the capital of the newly created (2007) “Region of the Rivers”, appropriately named due to the presence of numerous rivers. It is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia, Cau–Cau, Cruces and Angachilla, among other beautiful navigable rivers.

» Valdivia Activities

The city of Valdivia is one of the most beatiful destinations to visit in the south of Chile. It is famous for its historical background as well as its present-day gastronomy. There are a number of tours of interest within and around the City for the visitor.

For a walking tour through the city we suggest you start by visiting the attractive Schuster wharf (close to CECS) and its river market which offers the best seafood in the area, as well as a wide range of natural products grown locally. These can all be enjoyed in several restaurants near the market. The Tourist Office next to the market can provide further information on Valdivia and its surroundings. It is then only a short walk to the central plaza of Valdivia with its cathedral and shops.

If you want to know how Germans used to live in Valdivia in the middle of the nineteenth century when they started arriving in the region , you can take a tour to the Museum of History and Anthropology "Maurice Van de Maele", or walk through the historic streets of the city which have kept their original German architecture.

After tasting the typical gastronomy of the area, we also suggest crossing to Isla Teja over the traditional Pedro de Valdivia Bridge, where you will find the Prochelle house and park.

Finally, do not miss the chance of visiting the Botanical Garden, located inside the Universidad Austral de Chile, where you can observe the native flora of the region in a peaceful natural environment along the river Cau Cau.

» Sailing Valdivia

With over 155 miles of navigable rivers, Valdivia has the largest river basin in Chile, with more than seven rivers that drain the area.

Starting from the Schuster wharf near the Tourist Office, numerous excursions by boat are offered to the islands and local communities.

In the towns of Niebla, Corral and Mancera, you can visit fortifications that served as headquarters for the defense and sovereignty of the islands under the Spanish crown.

The city also offers the visitors tours of historical attractions along with its old style architecture, as well as museums, parks, kayak or boat rental or sailing around on romantic small vessels.

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