History

The abbey was birthed in 1146 when a small group of 17 monks initiated the establishment. As it grew in both size and wealth, but the French revolution let to its downfall. The abbey experienced all styles: from Gothic to Neoclassical… to destruction. Of course, as we can all agree, the ruins of the abbey along with nature and the hills behind it form a romantic scenery. Well, that’s what Victor Hugo thought as well!

Anyway, enough about the past – let’s jump into the now. 

The abbey today

The abbey is easily reachable, both by car (free parking!) and by public transportation (encouraged). Read more here. Tip: take your picnic along and eat it within the walls of the Villers Abbey – Picnic places are provided! 

Dogs are allowed too, as long as you keep them on the leash.

Hiking around the Abbey

This area does not only offer you to see the majestical ruins, but also nature. There are tons of walking routes around the abbey and I tested one of them: a 9,5-kilometer hike in the forest that surrounds the Villers Abbey. My friend found hiking inspiration through the Cirkwi app: not most user-friendly but it has amazing routes available.

Kind reminder: always stay respectful towards nature & heritage sites. Keep your dog on the leash, don’t liter and stay on the path.

Cheers!

More inspiration for the South of Belgium.

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How to get there?

You can take a micro/bus towards Curauma. From the Sotomayor square, you could take bus number 001, 002 and 901 (or you can check the number of the busses through Google Maps). Try to follow your actual location on your online maps, or ask the bus driver to let you know when you get to Avenida Curauma Norte. Once at the town of Curauma, get off at the (only and) big roundabout. From there on, you can walk towards the park and start your journey.

Depending on your arrival time you could decide to walk along the lake and then walk towards the waterfall, or immediately head there. I’d recommend you to download MAPS.ME application on your smartphone. The application clearly shows you the possible paths within the park. The waterfall is named ‘Salto Del Agua’.

Once you’ve reached the viewpoint of the waterfall, you’ll be able to hike down. I’d like to make it very clear that it’s not the easiest hike, it’s very steep and slippery, full of rocks and tree roots. Also, the way up is a serious challenge as you’ll have to be able to climb over the big rocks again. I used the roots of the trees to help to pull myself up. It’s heavy but it’s worth it! Consider it as a small adventure. I don’t recommend this hike for people who do not feel fit. It’s also perfectly possible to enjoy the landscape from the viewpoint, without hiking down.

In order to get back to Valparaiso, you’ll have to head back to the main road and the roundabout. There, you can take several buses back. Just check with the driver.

Budget:

• +/- 1000 CLP to pay for the bus
• … that’s it there is no entrance fee for the park

Tips:

• Bring enough water & lunch/snacks.
• Leave on time from Valparaiso (approx. 10 am).
• Walk through the park towards viewpoint: easy.
• Hike from viewpoint towards the base of the waterfall: hard (wear suitable clothes: walking shoes, comfortable pants, …). Avoid hiking alone.
• If you’re planning beforehand: don’t pay for a tour, you can perfectly do it without a guide!

Safe travels! Love, Joyce

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