In a mass of Germanic spires and gothic facades, the town of Valdivia rises from the reflective channels of the Cruces, the Cau-Cau and Calle-Calle confluences on the coast of central Chile. Its curious European veneer is the product of an immigration boom from Germany in the 19^th century, while its dramatic setting is thanks to the rising foothills of the Andes to the west and the sweeping fields of thick Douglas-fir forest and poplar groves that enfold the city on all sides. In the heart of town itself, travellers will discover a lively conglomeration of student bars and homely seafood eateries, where Pacific curanto steam on stacks of coal and packed empanadas flow from the holes-in-the-wall. The town’s landmarks such as the University, its main museums and the Jardin Botanico are centred on the Isla Teja, while boat tours along the Costanera are a good way to explore the riverside market. After dark, the streets around Calle Esmeralda take on a hedonistic vibe, while the casks of the Cerveceria Kunstmann brewery evoke the hoppy flavours of the Bavarian motherland. A wee bit out of town, and travellers can plan excursions to the Spanish fortresses of Niebla and Corral with their Valdivia tour guides.