Chile travel blog by Mark Berman -
October 2017
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For a traveller Puerto Montt is a gateway and presents a number of options to get to other destinations! Those destinations are likely to be one of the
following: 1. By bus to Bariloche in Argentina (although a bus to Bariloche is a shorter trip from Osorno northward). 2. A bus and ferry combination trip to
Chiloe Island to visit Castro and Ancud. 3. A ferry journey down to Chaiten and the Carretera Austral road. 4. A flight 2hrs south to Punta Arenas or a flight
1hr 40mins north to Santiago. I stayed in Puerto Montt twice on this trip, firstly coming from Valdivia (3hrs bus) and afterwards going to Puerto Varas
(20mins bus). The second time coming from Puerto Chacabuco to Quellon (Chiloe Island) by ferry and over to Puerto Montt by bus and ferry from Ancud (2hrs)
and afterwards flying south to Punta Arenas. The City In Front Of The Water
The city of Puerto Montt is layed out in front of the water. Starting at the bus terminal at one end all the way
across to the Ripley shopping center which is in the city center. The cheaper hotels are across the road from the bus terminal and there's food around this
area also. Along from the cheap hotels is the park of old trains and cranes, the skateboard park and kids playground area. 5 bronze busts stand in a row in
front of the sea, the middle one being of Bernardo O'Higgins (1778-1842), a Chilean independence leader. It's a pleasant stroll along the waterfront in
Puerto Montt. As you move in the direction of the center is the huge monument of 2 lovers, a man and woman sitting together holding hands. The pier is a
popular place to sit and relax and see views of the cityscape around. On the other side of the road is the tourist office, plaza and various monuments. A
bust of the city's founder Vicente Perez Rosales (1807-1886) and the very important monument in respect to the first German immigrant families who arrived
in Puerto Montt on the 28th November 1852 on the boat named Susanne. The Monument of the German Colonization is in tribute to the 100's of German citizens
who in 1852 arrived to settle in the shipyard of Melipulli. The monument depicts a German family of 4 arriving and being shown by local native Juan Currieco
(and his dog) the path to follow. The plaza has a tiled dolphin fountain and many tiled animal seats, the cathedral (1896) is on one side. Across the road
is the huge Municipalidad building (government buildings). Nearby is the Diego Rivera House of Art (1964). Through the years the art house has housed and
shown not only the work of local and national painters but also that of other artists in areas such as engraving, photography, sculpture, ceramics, theater,
dance and music. The Diego Rivera House of Art was donated by the Mexican people after the earthquake of 1960 destroyed the previous art house called La Casa
de Botes. Another 'house' on Puerto Montt's tourist circuit is the antique Casa Pauly (1930), however the place is not in great condition and there's really
nothing to see. A better sight is the Jesuit church - Iglesia de los Padres Jesuitas and the historic blue university beside it - Universidad de los Lagos.
The Tablon del Ancla Restaurant in the city center has interesting decorated windows with paintings of characters similar to that of Colombian artist Fernando Botero.
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Street art of 2 people in a horse and cart and woman walking in Puerto Montt.
Bird in the water with reeds, tiled seats in the Puerto Montt plaza.
Large mural of a woman on a building-side in Puerto Montt.
Central city Puerto Montt, the waterfront, the Ripley shopping center and tall buildings on the right.
