Once upon a time in Switzerland
Living a normal everyday life, we - Claudia and Beat Zbinden - married in August 1993. One month later, after having sold all our belongings, we left for the big trip. We cycled around half the world, crossing Europe, India, Nepal, Tibet, China, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Patagonia. Learn more...
Why Villarrica
Two and a half years on the road is a long time and we got tired of biking and traveling. It seems that the Patagonian wind had blown too strong and we liked Villarrica, the place where we had stopped. Instead of going back to Switzerland we decided to settle down in the Chilean Lake District.
La Torre Suiza
It was a very quick decision to open up a hostel for travelers, and soon the right house had been found: La Torre Suiza in Villarrica. We want to provide what we were always looking for during our travels: a cozy home away from home, a place where you can relax and meet fellow travelers in a nice and pleasant atmosphere.
Future
The initial plan was to stay a couple of years in Chile and then move on. But one thing is for sure: plans are for architects and not for travelers. We're a family now and have lived here in Villarrica for the past decade. Our daughter goes to school, and it seems we're going to stay a bit longer than planned.