Tarapoto is way off of the ‘gringo trail’. The city is in the Amazonian cloud forest region and is surrounded by waterfalls. However, what stood out the most is the small town of Lamas, 35 minutes away.
This colorful little town is famous for its European-style medieval castle, which is totally out-of-place in the Amazon forest. Instead of just being a cheap replica for children, this 5-level tall castle was meticulously built with fine attention to detail.
There are sculptures, carvings and emblems decorating the interior rooms and exterior grounds, and they make you feel like you’ve just stepped into the Renaissance period.
Interestingly, the Castillo de Lamas was built by a rich Italian businessman who wanted to build something that had great sentimental value to him. Since then, the castle has been known as ‘The Castle that Saved the Town’ because it created jobs and brought in tourists.
