3 Best Sights in The Lake District, Chile

Step into the past at one of southern Chile's best museums. Besides displays of 19th-century agricultural and household implements, this open-air museum has full-scale reconstructions of buildings—a smithy and barn, among others—used by the original German settlers. Exhibits at this complex administered by Chile's Universidad Austral are labeled in Spanish and German, but there are also a few signs in English. A short walk from the lake up Avenida Arturo Prat, the museum also has beautifully landscaped grounds and great views of Volcán Osorno.

Culture in Frutillar, and the southern Lake District in general, nowadays follows the lead of Teatro del Lago, which hosts a year-round schedule of concerts, art shows, and film. Events take place every week, and the state-of-the-art building is considered one of the finest of its kind in the world. Even if you can't attend an event, it's worth a look when walking along the lakefront in Frutillar.

Packed with crowds in summer, the gray-sand Playa Frutillar stretches for 15 blocks along Avenida Philippi. From this point along Lago Llanquihue you have a spectacular view due east of the conical Volcán Osorno, as well as the lopsided Volcán Puntiagudo. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking