Temuco
Temuco is a commercial center for Southern Chile and has little to offer the tourist. Nobel Poets Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda both lived in Temuco for some time.
Get in
Temuco is located 675 km from Santiago. The city has an inter-regional bus station called "Rodoviario" and an airport called "Manquehue Airport". It also has an inter-rural bus station near to city center.
By bus
The city is connected to the rest of the country by the "Panamericana" or "Ruta 5" highway. From Santiago there are many bus companies that offer different levels of transportation service.
By plane
- 1 La Araucanía International Airport (ZCO IATA). This is the fastest and most expensive way to get into Temuco. There are regular flights from Santiago.
Get around
Near to city center there is an inter-rural bus station. Temuco is connected with almost every town in the Araucania region and schedules are well known by locals and these are available in the places where gets the tickets.
There are also private bus companies that have their own bus stations. For example "Buses Jac" offers regular trips to Pucón, Villarrica, Lican Ray, etc.
For traveling into the city there are buses called "Micros" and it is highly recommended to carry cash to pay the ticket (especially coins with the exact amount of money that costs the trip).
See
Do
- Visit Ñielol hill.
- Visit the Mercado Municipal de Temuco.
- Visit the Plaza de Armas de Temuco and the Plaza Teodoro Schmit.
- Visit the Germán Becker stadium.
Buy
The town square is nice and the market is good for wooden handicrafts and wool shawls.
Eat
- Restaurante Rapa Nui, (on Aldunate near the central market). This local favorite has the best Churrascos and Completos and Chilean "family food" in town. It is always very clean, and service is promt, and the prices always reasonable. Ask any local in Temuco for "Rapa Nui" and they'll get you there.
- Restaurante Las Tranqueras, (in front of the Hotel Dreams). It's expensive but has good food.
Drink
Sleep
- Terra del Sur. This hotel is at the end of Bulnes street across the small bridge. It's close to the city center and very comfortable and has a swimming pool, sauna and Turkish bath (sauna and Turkish bath only for men - though they will let guests of both sex use them after hours). CLP$30,000 per night.
Go next
- Pucon, from where a wide range of outdoor activities are available.
- Curacautín is a small town one hour and a half from Temuco, from where the Parque Nacional Conguillío can be reached by the northern entrance. Other nature activities are available.