Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Knowledgeable Swiss-run travel agency that sells guide-
books and maps of Chile, and can help you book passage
on the Navimag tour boat (see p.446). English and German
spoken.
Arabian Café
Fresia 354
T
45 443469. For those who've
eaten their fill of Chilean staples, this authentic Middle
Eastern restaurant offers falafel, hummus, tasty stuffed
vegetables and nicely grilled kebabs. Mains from CH$5000.
Daily noon-4pm & 7.30pm-midnight.
Cassis
Fresia 223, at Alderete
T
45 449 088. This trendy
café is often full; the clientele come not just for the free
wi-fi, but also for the filling multigrain sandwiches and
the impressive array of desserts. Try the crêpe cassis - a
pancake you'll have to excavate from under a caramel
brownie piled high with chocolate and
dulce de leche
ice
cream. Desserts CH$3200-4000. Daily 8.30am-midnight.
Ì
¡école!
Urrutia 592
T
45 441675,
W
ecole.cl.
Established vegetarian restaurant serving consistently
superb, hearty dishes made from local organic produce,
accompanied by home-made multigrain bread. Try the
sublime vegetable lasagne, or the yellow Thai vegetable
curry with quinoa. Mains from CH$4500. Daily 8am-11pm.
Latitude 39°
Alderete 324
T
09 74300016. Low prices
(mains from CH$1800), speedy wi-fi, cheap beer, happy-
hour deals and friendly service make this a justly popular
pit stop, with US comfort food ranging from Tex-Mex
tacos and breakfast burritos to burgers and fries. Daily
9.30am-11.30pm.
La Maga
Alderete 276, at Fresia
T
45 444277,
W
lamaga
pucon.cl. Sate all your carnivorous cravings here. While
not budget, this Uruguayan steakhouse really delivers
when it comes to expertly cooked
bife de chorizo
, and the
service is excellent. Steak from CH$9000. Daily noon-4pm
& 7.30pm-midnight.
Mama's and Tapas
O'Higgins 587
T
45 449002. A
well-established watering hole that consistently entices
a large clientele nightly with their excellent selection of
beers (from CH$1500), nightly drinks specials and not-
half-bad Mexican food. Sun-Thurs noon-1am, Fri & Sat
noon-2am.
Rap Burger
O'Higgins 619
T
45 443336. Decent Chilean-
style burgers (
churrasco
steak and crispy baps) from just
CH$3400 (or CH$3900 with fries and drink), with outdoor
seating.
Ì
Trawen
O'Higgins 311
T
45 412024. One of
the friendliest places in town, this offbeat restaurant
tantalizes your tastebuds with imaginative organic and
locally inspired dishes such as Antarctic krill (a bit like
tiny shrimp) and ricotta ravioli (CH$7400), excellent
wholewheat
empanadas
(CH$3200-3900) and filling
breakfasts (CH$4000-5000). Mains such as trout, steak
and venison CH$6000-9000. Daily 8am-11.30pm.
ACCOMMODATION
La Bicicleta
Palguín 361
T
45 444583,
W
labicicleta
pucon.com. The owners go out of their way to make you
feel welcome at this family-run hostel right in the centre of
town. You can organize all your tours, dine at the on-site
café and use the free internet; the only downsides are the
queues t
o the share
d bathrooms and the noise at times.
Doubles
CH$26,000
Camping Parque La Poza
Costanera Roberto Geiss 769
T
45 444982,
W
campinglapoza.com. Large, shaded
campsite near the lake with hot showers, a well-equipped
cooking hut/dining area, and a picnic table per camping
site. Popular with overland expeditions, cycling tourists
and ba
ckpackers
(it's the only site open year-round). Per
person
CH$4000
Donde Germán Hostal
Las Rosas 590
T
45 442444,
W
dondegerman.cl. Comfy beds in cosy rooms with rustic
wooden decor, a fully equipped kitchen, an inviting common
area with satellite TV and an in-house tour agency are just
some of the perks at this welcoming guesthouse. Walk four
blocks south of the centre until you see peo
ple relaxing
on
the outdoor terrace and by the pool. Doubles
CH$12,500
Hostal La Maison
Lincoyán 261
T
45 443138,
W
hostal
lamaison.com. Hosted by the friendly Franco-Chilean
Etienne, this justly popular budget option in a lovely
historic house has just two simple rooms with shared
bathroom. Guests share a living room with fireplace,
dining table and flat-screen TV, as
well as a sm
all kitchen;
breakfast extra CH$3000. Doubles
CH$20,000
Hostal el Refugio
Palguín 540
T
45 441596,
W
hostal
elrefugio.cl. This friendly, e
ciently run hostel has wooden
interiors, one clean eight-bed dorm and three private
rooms, as w
ell as a
kitchen an
d free internet. Dorms
CH$10,000
, doubles
CH$12,000
Tree House Hostel
Urrutia 660
T
45 444679,
W
tree
housechile.cl. Run by two knowledgeable, bilingual
Journey Latin America guides, this chilled-out hostel is
the place to organize all manner of outdoor activities,
particularly the volcano ascent, and get a good night's
sleep on the orthopaedic beds. Relax in the garden
hammocks,
or join i
in an impro
mptu barbecue. Dorms
CH$12,000
, doubles
CH$36,000
4
EATING AND DRINKING
Supermercado Eltit (daily 8.30am-10.30pm) is conve-
niently located in the centre of town on O'Higgins, with
a vast range of fresh fruit and veg, breads and pastries.
Cheap cafés and snack stalls cluster around the bus
stations on Palguín.
DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange
There are several banks with
ATMs and money exchange places along O'Higgins,
between Fresia and Ansorena, and a good exchange desk
inside the Supermercado Eltit (daily 8.30am-10.30pm).
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