Starting point of the Carretera Austral and close to wonderful places to get to know the nature of the Chilean Patagonia, we recommend you things to do in Puerto Montt and surroundings based on our experience visiting the place.
Puerto Montt is the starting point of the so-called Carretera Austral, which runs for several kilometres south to the town of Villa O’Higgins, through national parks, glaciers, lakes and forests.
Although it is a stop-over city for most tourists on their way to Puerto Natales, Chiloe, Punta Arenas or the Carretera Austral, it is worth spending at least a day or two there, or even using it as a base to make excursions to Chiloe, Puerto Varas or the Osorno Volcano.
Below, we recommend the main things to do in Puerto Montt based on our experience touring the city.
🔎 Do you plan to visit places in the south of Chile? Check out our guide to travel to Chilean Patagonia with information on best times to visit, what to see and tips.
Table of Contents
1. Touring the centre of Puerto Montt and its coastline.
Puerto Montt’s waterfront is the meeting point for tourists visiting the city. One of its main sites is the Plaza de Armas, where the city’s tourist office and the emblematic church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen are located.
This small church was built at the end of the 19th century and stands out mainly for its façade made of local wood and its four columns. Inside, wood continues to be a major protagonist with larch as the main type.
On the waterfront you will find the Monument to the German Colonization, leaving a trace of the legacy of the Germans on the people of Puerto Montt. A five-minute walk away is the John Paul II Museum, which tells the story of the city’s history with objects from colonial times and major events such as the 1960 earthquake.
The Paseo Costanera shopping centre, besides being a modern shopping centre and one of the tallest buildings in Puerto Montt, has beautiful views over the bay and the Cordillera. Beyond shopping or not, it’s a good place to see the waterfront up close.
Finally, we recommend a visit to the Manuel Montt viewpoint, which can be easily reached on foot from the Plaza de Armas in half an hour, or by car or yellow bus. From the viewpoint there are breathtaking views of the entire waterfront of Puerto Montt. Also, for those who are going to do the Carretera Austral, there is the kilometre 0 sign, an icon to take a picture.
2. Visit Angelmó, a must to do in Puerto Montt
Continuing south along Puerto Montt’s waterfront you reach the Angelmó cove, a place that for us has become too touristy but where you can try home-made Chilean food at a good price in one of the kitchens that function as a large gastronomic market.
Here you can also see the stilt house architecture so characteristic of the island of Chiloe and even spot sea lions on the shore.
Specialities include ceviche, sopaipillas and curanto, all accompanied by pisco sour of course. Fish such as salmon and seafood are also fresh. If you have to choose a place to eat we recommend Del Mar a su Mesa, it is a small and simple place but with super abundant and tasty food.
Also in Angelmó, there is a sale of handmade cheeses, empanadas and local handicrafts.
The other option similar to Angelmó is Pueblito Melipulli, which sells handicrafts and cookery, although we prefer the first option.
3. Visit Tagua Tagua Lake and Cochamo
One of the excursions to do in Puerto Montt is to sail on the Reloncaví Estuary, visit the beautiful village of Cochamo and go through the forest to the Tagua Tagua Lake.
These landscapes of Chilean Patagonia are sure to leave you open-mouthed. The Tagua Tagua Lake stands out for its turquoise colour and for having a beautiful waterfall that flows into the lake and which can be accessed by embarking at Punta Canelo.
The village of Cochamo can be perfectly combined with a visit to the Tagua Tagua Lake. Nestled on the banks of the Reloncaví estuary, it has a church with architecture similar to that found on the island of Chiloe and many Instagrammable and adventurous sites.
Two places we recommend are the viewpoint between Volcanoes, which can be reached on foot from the centre of town in 45 minutes and has magnificent views of the estuary and the volcanoes. The other site is Coihue de los Columpios, a place that takes 30 minutes of walking to reach and where you can swing from a ravine overlooking the estuary and the high mountains in the background (very Instagrammable).
📷 Book the day trip from Puerto Montt to Tagua Tagua Lake and Cochamo here.
4. Take a trip to the island of Chiloé
Puerto Montt is a perfect place to make a base and visit the main attractions of the island of Chiloé such as Ancud, Dalcahue and Castro in one day.
Castro is known for the construction of the palafitte dwellings, pillars that sit on the water’s edge and support the colourful dwellings of the fishermen. The city is also home to one of the most famous churches on the island of Chiloé, the San Franciso church.
Dalcahue is even more famous than Caleta Angelmó as a place to taste the authentic food of the region, among which the caldillo de mariscos (seafood stew) stands out. The church Nuestra Señora de los Dolores is also worth a visit, with its traditional wooden church.
Finally, Ancud is another attraction to do in Chiloe. The old Fort of San Antonio is one of the jewels that remains from the Spanish colonial era. It is also worth a visit to the Plaza de Armas.
📷 One of the best excursions to do in Puerto Montt to Chiloe Island is the one that goes through these three cities: Castro, Dalcahue and Ancud and where you will see the traditional churches of the island.
5. Visit the Alerce Andino National Park
In this national park you will find the Patagonian forest at its best. It is ideal for trekking and hiking through forests of larch, lengas and coigües.
One of the jewels of the national park is the Triangulo Lagoon, although to get there you have to hike for an average effort of about six hours. If you are going to do this trail, we recommend you to start early in the morning, to take breaks and finish during the day.
If you are lucky along the way you will see the grey fox and birds such as the condor and the black woodpecker. If you need more information, check the park’s opening hours and prices on the official Conaf website.
📷 The Alerce Andino National Park can also be visited with a day trip from Puerto Montt.
6. Take a trip to Puerto Varas
Like Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas is also heavily influenced by the German colonists who settled in the region. They have left their mark on the church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a building that looks more like any region of southern Germany than Chile, with its reddish roofs, large clock and many large windows.
In the centre, you should also visit the Pablo Fierro Museum. Attended by the artist himself, it is very curious from the outside how the typical architecture of this part of Chile blends with the representation of a fishing boat. Inside, mostly antiques and drawings by the artist are exhibited.
In addition, the walk along the waterfront of Lake Llanquihue is one of the most beautiful in Chile, along with the one in the city of Frutillar. A place that blends the calm waters of the lake, the waterfront restaurants and the view of the volcanoes.
📷 With this tour you can visit the main attractions of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas in one day.
7. Visit the Osorno volcano and the Petrohué waterfalls.
Undoubtedly one of the must-do excursions in Puerto Montt and its surroundings is the ascent to the Osorno volcano and the Petrohue waterfalls, both located in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park.
Both can be visited with an excursion from Puerto Montt or by car. Finally, you will reach the ski centre, from where you can continue the vertiginous climb up the wall of the volcano by chairlift up to an altitude of 1750 metres.
What about the views at this altitude? Simply breathtaking, where you can see the mountain range, the Llanquihue lake and even the Calbuco volcano.
In the same national park is another of the wonders of Chilean nature: the Saltos de Petrohué, deep blue waterfalls that follow one after the other. There are three trails for walking and it is accessible even for children.
On both visits we recommend that you bring warm clothes and a mackintosh, as the weather here is changeable and it tends to rain a lot. At the Osorno volcano and the falls there are cafeterias where you can eat and drink, although you can bring your own bottle of water.
🔎 See our article on how to visit the Osorno volcano and the best tour to do it.
8. Start the Carretera Austral
If you have the time and want to go deep into Chilean Patagonia, Puerto Montt is officially the most important place to visit. start of the Carretera Austral runs for 1,200 kilometres to Villa O`Higgins, between asphalt and gravel roads, passing through national parks with hanging snowdrifts, glaciers, lakes with curious rock formations and fjords.
It is in itself a visit to be made by car in at least two weeks, stopping at the villages along the Carretera Austral. There is the option of a short day trip from Puerto Montt, visiting the villages at the beginning of the Carretera Austral, which is recommended if you are not going to make a trip through this area.
How to get to Puerto Montt
Getting to Puerto Montt by plane
Puerto Montt airport has daily flights to the capital Santiago, Punta Arenas, Balmaceda, Temuco and Puerto Natales only in summer.
If you are flying into Puerto Montt or flying from here to the southern tip of Chile or Santiago, you can book a transfer from your hotel to Puerto Montt airport here.
Getting to Puerto Montt by ferry
A good alternative to return from the far south of the country is by ferry from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt. The ferry company Navimag performs the trip only in high season, with a duration of 4 days, departing from Puerto Montt on Saturdays and returning from Puerto Natales on Wednesdays. It is a trip to enjoy the Patagonian landscape.
🚢 Check timetables and prices on Navimag’s official website.
Getting to Puerto Montt by bus
Puerto Montt is well connected by bus to nearby towns such as Puerto Varas, Valdivia or Osorno. Even from the capital Santiago you can go by bus to Puerto Montt, although the trip takes about 11 hours.
You can even get to Puerto Montt by bus from some Argentinean towns like Bariloche in a six-hour trip.
Puerto Montt is also an excellent alternative to rent a car and explore the surrounding area on your own.
Where to eat in Puerto Montt
In addition to the aforementioned restaurants in the Angelmó cove, we recommend these two restaurants in the centre of Puerto Montt:
- Cirus Bar: a harbour-style bodegón, where you can eat authentic Chilean food. You can order empanadas and sopaipillas as a starter, then eat their famous guatitas or try the paila marina. The dishes are plentiful.
- El Fogón de Pepe: a bit more expensive than the previous one, but nicely decorated and with excellent cuts of meat to eat. If you want a bite to eat, we recommend you try the deer sausages and the “papas fogoneras” (fried potatoes).
Where to stay in Puerto Montt
Three alternatives for all budgets to stay in Puerto Montt:
- Ibis Puerto Montt: of the international hotel chain, is mid-priced with simple, clean but not very comfortable rooms. The good thing is that it is located on the waterfront in the Port neighbourhood.
- Hotel Gran Pacifico: if you want more comfort, ocean views from the rooms and a privileged location in the heart of the city centre, we recommend this option.
- Islanet Hostel & Bar: for backpackers or people on a budget. No luxuries, but all very clean and with excellent service.
- Casona Alemana: for those looking to stay outside the city of Puerto Montt. A spacious garden surrounds the old manor house, which inside maintains its period essence with wood as the main element. The rooms are simple.
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