Castro is the capital of Chiloe Island located in southern Chile. It was founded by Spanish conquerors in the 16th century and remains one of the oldest cities in Chile. Notable attractions include palafitos, wooden structures built over the water, and the Church of San Francisco. The local cuisine features seafood, potatoes, and dishes cooked in holes in the ground like curanto al hoyo. The weather is cool and rainy year-round.

1. CASTRO
Capital of
Chiloe Island
LOCATION: It is located in the austral south of
Chile, in the tenth region of ‘Los Lagos’. It is in
Chiloe Island.It is the most famous town in
Chiloe, because Castro is the capital of the
island.
HISTORY:Castro is one of
the three oldest cities in
Chile. Spanish conquerors
took possession of this
archipelago.
So,
in
Quilquilhue
(mean
in
Huilliche language: the place where abound ‘costilla
de vaca’ ferns) they decided to establish the town.
Because it was a place easy to defend from enemy
attacks and they could find gold. The founder of
Castro was Martín Ruiz de Gamboa, who baptized
the river with his name and the town was called
‘Santiago de Castro’ in honor to Santiago apostle and
the Peruvian Viceroy Lope García de Castro.
TURISTATTRACTIONS:
‘Palafitos’: These are a
kind wooden cottages
built over the sea. These
are supported in wooden
pillars, which give them
a special structure. You
can see them in the
north
limit
and
southlimit of Castro.
‘St. Francisco church’is the
most famous church in
Chiloe, because of its size
and traditional celebrations
in honor to the ‘Nazareno’.
‘Churches’:UNESCO
established several churches
as Humanity Heritage in
Chiloe,
for
example
‘NuestraSeñora de Gracia’,
in Nercón; Chelín’s church,
among others.
‘Dalcahue’: It is a small
and beautiful place in the
bay,
really
near
to
Castrocenter (around 20
minutes to the north).
There you can know some of the typical culture of
‘Chilotes’. If you want to eat something you can go
there and delight your palate with many well-done
dishes. This is a famous place because of the soap
opera ‘La fiera’.
TYPICAL FOOD/DRINKS: There is a lot of
typical food, basically made of seafood and potatoes,
because these products are abundant in the whole
island.
‘Curanto al hoyo’: different
kinds of seafood, potatoes,
meat, lima beans, peas, and
dough made of flour and
potatoes with some pieces of
bacon in the middle (‘milcao’ and ‘chapalele’) that is
cooked in a hole on the ground, with hot stones in it
and covered by ‘nalca’ leaves (a kind of edible plant
which is native to the south of Chile) to keep the
heat.
‘Empanadas’: pasties
different foods, for
meat, seafood, cheese,
kinds of fruits as
currant.
filling of
example
and some
apple or
‘Barbecue’:
Usually
anentire lamb or bovine,
which is crossed by a
wooden stick and cooked in
a bonfire.

2. ‘Cazuelachilota’:
a
casserole made of lamb
meat, with potatoes,
different spices and a
sort of seaweed called
‘luche’.
WEATHER: The weather is oceanic and humid.
The temperature is around 11°c in average. It has a
rainy weather, as all the south of Chile.
‘Chochoca’: dough made
of flour and mashed
potatoes with some pieces
of bacon and pig butter. It
is rolled in a big wooden
stick and it is cooked on a
bonfire.
Contact us:
‘Murtado’: a sweet alcoholic
drink made of a kind of berries
called ‘murta’ and ‘aguardiente’.
UNICORNIO AZUL: 4
stars hotel. It is located in
the coastal zone of Castro.
The address is Pedro
Montt Avenue #228. The
prices are about $40.000 $55.000 CLP per night.
NIKLITSCHEK: 2 star
cottages. These are located
in ‘5 Norte’ Route, km 3,
on a small hill with a
beautiful viewed to the
ocean. The prices are
about $30.000 - $40.000
CLP per night.
‘Chicha de manzana’: It is
a sweet alcoholic drink
made of fermented apples.
‘Licor de oro’: Literally in English
‘Gold liquor’. Alcoholic drink made
of whey and ‘aguardiente’ (strong
alcoholic
drink,
English
translation: ‘burning water’).
ACCOMODATION:
-
Email: anngie.betancur@gmail.com
Phone: +569 56345734
*You can ask us for special offers.
PALAFITOS
LOS
PESCADORES: There
you can really know a
‘palafito’. It is located
in ‘Panamericana Sur’
on the bay. Prices are
around $40.000 - $65.000
CLP per night.