In case you missed it, we spent our first day in Valdivia eating chocolate, drinking beer and watching sea lions fish for handouts.
Step Four: Get to Niebla
We caught the number 20 bus from the bus stop at the corner of Avenida Alemania and Garcia Reyes (there’s only one) to the last stop at the terminal in Niebla. We read that Niebla was considered a “resort,” which mostly means that there are some campgrounds and other accommodation out that way. We were keen to get some lunch before heading to the breweries later in the day and passed many restaurants along the way. But we believe the best place to eat was just steps from the bus terminal.
With so many food stalls at the market in Niebla it was hard to choose what to eat.
Locals enjoy a beautiful afternoon at the Niebla market.
The Encuentro Costumbrista is an open-air food market where families were gathered on a Saturday afternoon to enjoy delicious food and beer. Stall after stall offered everything from empanadas to handicrafts. We took our cue from the locals and bought a couple of beers to enjoy while we decided what to eat.
All the food is handmade by pleasant locals while you wait.
These delicious seafood empanadas had a delicate and surprisingly spicy filling.
At around four o’clock the entertainment started. A woman in full costume with an excellent voice sang songs for an hour on the big stage in the middle of the grounds. We noticed other performers arriving but had to leave so we could move on to the rest of the local attractions.
Grilled meat is cooked perfectly and served on a skewer stick.
A favourite dish is fresh shellfish, chicken, pork and potato wrapped in a net and boiled, served with a cup of soup and lemon wedges.
Step Five: Hit the Breweries
There are about four cervecerias on the road between Valdivia and Niebla. We passed one with a gnome motif and another right next to it. Gnomes are best known for hanging out in fertilizer, so we thought it best to avoid them. Next came the orange coloured signs of Salzburg brewery. Germans are known for their good beer, so Austria couldn’t be far off, right? The helpful server gave us a free sample of four beers, with our favourite being the Tzar Stout at a very tasty 7.5%. It turns out that Salzburg is based in a town called Frutillar further south.
With so many beers available, it’s worth it to do the tasting at La Cerveceria Kunstmann.
It was still light out, so we decided to walk to the famous Kunstmann brewery. We resorted to walking in the ditch by the side of the road because it was a nice afternoon. We were joined by a black dog that had been chilling out at Salzburg. We thought he was just lonely as he kept charging ahead and turning around to check on us, but by the time we reached La Cerveceria Kunstmann he’d already hurried behind a fence at the brewery. It seems he was the one leading us to the glory of more beer…and how glorious it was! Nine different types were tried and all were delicious in their own unique way!
Small groups of people can order a giant column of their favourite brew. It’s essentially a tap at your table.
Bungas wanted to let you know that his favourite was the Unfiltered Lager, with the Bock and Gran Torobayo right up there as well. The cerveceria also serves hearty German-style food. We ordered a mixed meat platter from the starters menu and some spaetzle; it was the perfect accompaniment to our beer and provided excellent value for money. We couldn’t even finish it all (and we ordered the smallest size).
German sausages, steak, chicken, french fries and bacon-wrapped dates – oh my!
