Planning a trip to Ancud

Getting There

By Bus -- Ancud has a central bus station, the Terminal Municipal, at the intersection of Avenida Aníbal Pinto and Marcos Vera; from here, you'll need to take a taxi to the center of town, or a local bus headed toward the plaza. Frequent buses leave from this station for destinations such as Castro, Dalcahue, and Quellón; try Cruz del Sur/Transchiloé (tel. 65/622265) or Queilén Bus (tel. 65/621140).

By Car -- Rte. 5 (the Pan-American Hwy.) is a well-paved road that links Ancud with nearly every city on the island. The paved highway ends just south of Quellón.

Orientation

Ancud is spread across a minor peninsula, with the Canal de Chacao to the east and the Golfo de Quetalmahue to the west; it is 27km (17 miles) from the Chacao ferry dock. The city is not laid out on a regular grid pattern, and its crooked streets might easily confuse anyone driving into the city. Avenida Aníbal Pinto is the main entrance road that funnels drivers into the center of town. Most attractions are located within several blocks of the plaza.

Visitor Information

Sernatur's office is on the plaza, at Libertad 655 (tel. 65/622800; fax 65/622665). It's open daily from 8:30am to 7pm during January and February; the rest of the year it's open Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, and closed on weekends.

Special Events -- From the second week in January to the last week of February, the city hosts the "Different and Magical Summer of Ancud." The event kicks off with classical music concerts and a 3-day food and folklore festival at the Arena Gruesa (third week in January) and a shore-fishing contest (second week of February), and culminates with a fireworks display, again in Arena Gruesa (third week of February). For more information, call tel. 65/628163 (municipal tourism information) or Sernatur (tel. 65/622800).