Introduction to Castro

146km (91 miles) S of Ancud; 99km (61 miles) N of Quellón

Castro is spread across a promontory on the eastern shore of Chiloé, midway between Ancud and Quellón. It is the capital of Chiloé, and Chile's third-oldest city, with about 29,000 inhabitants. Visitors to the island often choose Castro as a base for its central proximity to many attractions. While not the most architecturally charming of towns, Castro's shores are nonetheless interesting for their rickety homes on stilts, known as palafitos, and the main church painted as colorfully as an Easter egg.