Boat Tour through Historic Castro, Chile
The beating heart of Chiloé lies in the traditional stilt houses, grand churches and authentic craft markets of Castro. This city, a 16th century former stronghold of Chilean governance, was used as an entry point to capture the island as an extension of the mainland. The history and cultural influences surrounding Castro make for an adventure of discovery. To discover the island capital with its traditional stilt homes, our tour will follow the tides.
We will visit picturesque Yumbel Market, where the area’s most typical products are sold: chilote potatoes, giant garlic, basketry, fabrics and a variety of fresh seafood. Chiloe’s most characteristic landscape of colorful stilt houses will then delight us as we tour the charming main street with small craft shops and stores that have preserved their traditional wooden tile cladding.
We will visit the San Francisco Church, the capital’s main Catholic temple, declared a National Historic Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will also visit the coastal shipyard – where our own boat “Williche” was born – to see boats being built locally.
Finally, we will arrive at Nercón Church, a valuable testimony to the renowned Chilota School of Wood Architecture.