PRONOUNCED: CHILL-OH-EY
Visit Castro -- one of the most interesting cities on Chiloé Island. The town is largely built of abundant local woods, and many houses are elaborately shingled in intricate designs. Even the cathedral is a beautiful, vaulted structure crafted of local hardwoods. The forest and the sea are the source of livelihood and much more in this rustic outpost. Chiloé Island sits about 1/3 of the way up the length of the country of Chile. It is about 100 miles long and about 40 miles wide, and it's unique within the country of Chile. First settled over 7,000 years ago, the island has seen its fair share of changing populations since that time. It was the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in the 1600's which really shaped and changed the culture and the look of the island. There are now over 150 wooden churches scattered across the island and 16 of these were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition, there are colorful houses on stilts in the main city of Castro; there are penguins, ponies, and even a tiny species of deer.
