Lake Llanquihue, in southern Chile, is the second largest lake in the country. With an area of 860 km², this watershed marks the passage of culture, as river water reaches the lake and, through the river, travels to the sea. A unique destination where natural and cultural heritage flows and converges.
Since 2020, the towns and villages gathered around the basin of Lake Llanquihue are organizing themselves as a creative destination. The world of culture, the arts, the creative economy and the tourism industry come together, promoting and articulating the tourism offer linked to a rich array of initiatives and experiences that deepen the identity of the territory composed of the municipalities of Llanquihue, Puerto Varas, Puerto Octay and Frutillar.
The gastronomic offer is embodied by the 100K initiative, which brings together chefs, restaurants and gastronomic experiences committed to the creation of dishes made with local (obtained within a 100 kilometer radius) and seasonal products, highlighting flavors specific to the territory. As part of this, interested travelers are invited to collect products and learn how to cook exquisite dishes from top chefs. “The 100k fulfills three fundamental objectives: it promotes the development of local identity, reduces the carbon footprint and generates production chains, thus improving the competitiveness of the creative destination,” explains María José Mira, program manager of the Lago Llanquihue Creative Destination.
Music is another of the pillars of this destination, with a long musical tradition, reinforced by the recognition in 2017 of Frutillar as a Creative City of Music by UNESCO. At the level of the Lake Llanquihue basin, the Independent Music Network of Los Lagos (Redmill) is the articulating body that seeks to bring together musicians, creators and producers of the region and that, together with consolidated institutions such as Teatro del Lago, Combas, Camp Música Austral, Sello Música Actual, Semanas Musicales de Frutillar, Estación Rock, Piedrandina, Tronador, among others, seeks to promote music through festivals, workshops and music schools aimed at both beginners and professional musicians.
Handicrafts can be experienced in different ways: exhibitions and textile residencies in Puerto Varas and Llanquihue, or carpentry and shipbuilding workshops in Puerto Octay.
So many experiences and sources of inspiration to discover: https://lagollanquihuedestinocreativo.cl/
