Pucón: Itineraries

A Top Day in Pucón

Pucón is not for the tepid and weak - each day beckons a new adrenaline rush to get the ticker pumpin'. Over coffee at Trawen, I'd flip a peso coin to decide the day's delivery method of high-octane adventure: climb Volcán Villarrica and stare into its lava-and-sulfur spitting crater; or charge paddle-first into class IV and V whitewater rapids on the Upper Trancura River. You'll need to refuel at some point, so lunch at ¡École! awaits, both for sustenance and to completely uproot your misconceptions about vegetarian cuisine. In winter, spend the afternoon strolling down Fresia St, Pucón's chicest address for artisan jewelry, cozy Patagonian wool sweaters and other handicrafts actually worth buying. In summer, head straight to Pucón's beautiful black-sand beach on Lago Villarrica, full of so many perfectly-bronzed bodies, it can rival Miami Beach in February. For dinner, it's right back to Fresia. If I'm feeling carnivorous, I'll stop in for succulent Uruguayan-style steaks at La Maga followed by a decadent dessert at Cassís. The nightlife won't get going until around midnight, so a brief nap back at the hotel might be in order to prepare for a late night at Mamas & Tapas, Pucón's top see-and-be-seen spot for a cocktail. Don't drink too much, though; a new adventure lurks come morning.

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