Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
337
Police
For emer gencies, dial
&
101.
The f ederal polic e station is at A v. San
Martín 915 (
&
02972/428249
); the pr ovincial polic e station is at Belg rano 635
(
&
02972/427300
).
Post Office
Correo Argentino
is at the corner of General Roca and C oronel Pérez
(
&
02972/427201
).
Taxi
Eco-taxi
(
&
02972/428421
) has a stand at Plaza San M artín.
Telephone & Internet
The fast est c omputers ar e at
Cooperativa T elefónica,
Capitán Drur y 761, open fr om 9am t o 11pm, wher e y ou can also make phone
calls. One half-hour of I nternet use c osts less than $2 (£1.35).
WHAT TO SEE & DO
San Martín de los Andes's heritage is in agricultur e, cattle, and logging, all of which ar e
carefully display ed at the
Museo de los P rimero P obladores,
J. M. R osas 750 (no
phone), open on Tuesday and Friday afternoons only. Now San Martín is heavily geared
toward tourism; accordingly, its streets are lined with shops selling ar ts and crafts, won-
derful regional specialties such as smoked meats and cheeses, outdoor gear , books, and
more. There is a lovely crafts market open most afternoons in the central plaza. Visitors
will find most shops on
Avenida San Martín
and
General Villegas.
For regional special-
ties and/or chocolates, tr y
Ahumadero E l C iervo,
G eneral Villegas 724 (
&
02972/
427361
);
Mamusia,
S an M artín 601 (
&
02972/427560
); or
Su Chocolate C asero,
Villegas 453 (
&
02972/427924
). For ar ts and crafts, tr y
Cooperativa De Ar tesano,
Av. San Martín 1050 (
&
02972/429097
), or
La Ov eja Negra,
Av. San Martín 1025
(
&
02972/428039
).
San Martín is a mountain town geared toward outdoor activities. If you're not up to a
lot of physical exertion, take a stroll down to the lake and kick back on the beach. Alter-
natively, rent a bike and take a slow pedal around town. Pack a picnic lunch and head to
Hua Hum.
The vast
Parque Nacional Lanín,
founded in 1937, is the third-largest national park
in the country. It has 35 lakes, as w ell as thick forests, abundant wildlife, and an extinct
volcano. The park is still home to mor e than 50 native Mapuche communities.
Just up the hill abo ve town, the quaint and cozy
Arrayán Tea House
, Circuito
Arrayán, Km 4 (
&
02972/425570
), has the ar ea's best vie w. B uilt at a clearing in a
cypress forest in 1938 b y Renee Dickenson, a spirited y oung British woman, the house
today maintains the same style that first charmed local r esidents. During the '40s and
'50s, this was the hot spot in S an Martín, on the old r oad to Bariloche. Today it's open
afternoons for exquisite teas, coffees, and pastries, and for lunch and dinner with a r es-
ervation only. Take a taxi up for $5 (£3.40) and walk do wn.
The
Red Bus
(
&
02972/421185
) runs city tours on a double-decker bus that helps
orient visitors and gives a glimpse into the town's history. Tours depart daily at 10:30am
and 4:30pm from the Plaza San Martín. The tour costs $12 (£8.20).
11
Tour Operators & Travel Agencies
Both
Huemul Turismo,
Av. San Martín 881 (
&
02972/422903; www.huemulturismo.
com.ar), and
Pucará,
Av. San Martín 941 (
&
02972/427218;
pucara@smandes.com.
ar), offer similar tours and prices, and also operate as trav el agencies for booking plane
tickets.
