Trelew

By Meggan Rau

Trelew, located 70 kilometers south of Puerto Madryn, is the largest town in the Chubut Valley, and serves as a good base point for visiting the various surrounding attractions in this area.

In 1865, seeking freedom from English persecution in their native land, 165 Welsh settlers sailed to Patagonia. Upon landing, these early pioneers headed south in search of drinking water, and eventually established themselves in the valley of the Chubut River. Here, with help from the indigenous Tehuelche, these Patagonian Welsh developed an irrigation system, cultivated the land, and eventually became a thriving agricultural community.

The town of Trelew was founded in 1884 as a result of the Welsh community’s need for a method to transport their agricultural products from the Chubut River to Puerto Madryn. In 1886, the Central of Chubut Railway was constructed to transport these goods, and Trelew, which served as the railway’s starting point, eventually became the center of communications and transportation for regional commerce in the area. Trelew, meaning “Lewis Town” in Welsh, is named for Lewis Jones, founder of the railway system and also considered founder of the town.

The town has maintained much of its European identity. One can still hear Welsh, in addition to Spanish, spoken in the streets of this cheerful, bustling town. In addition, every year in October, Trelew celebrates its Welsh roots with the Eisteddfos de Chubut, a festival of Welsh art, song, and dance.

The Egidio Feruglio Paleontologic Museum, considered to be one of the best museums in Argentina, is located in Trelew. Here, visitors can see dinosaur bones, including those of the biggest vertebrate ever to live—Argentinosaurus, as well as other prehistoric Patagonian fossils at this popular destination.

Other points of interest include the Museo de Artes Visuales, the lush Plaza Independencia, and for pinguino enthusiasts, there’s the penguin colony located 107 kilometers south of town at Punta Tombo.