The Pampas & the Atlantic Coast - Argentina - page 261

of outdoor activities to enjoy. The town is compact, with most services located on its
main drag, Av 3, three blocks from the beach.
In the 1930s merchant, inventor and nature lover Carlos Gesell designed this resort of
zigzag streets, planting acacias, poplars, oaks and pines to stabilize the shifting dunes. He
envisioned a town that merged with the forest he had created, but it wasn't long before
high-rise vacation shares began their malignant growth and the trees started to disappear.
Sights & Activities
For a totally different atmosphere visit Mar de las Pampas , an exclusive woodsy neigh-
borhood that's a 15-minute bus ride south from Villa Gesell's bus terminal. It has sandy
streets, expensive lodging (rented only by the week in summer) and upscale services - all
dropped into a pine forest. The beach here is less crowded, too. Beyond Mar de las Pam-
pas is Mar Azul , another (less exclusive) beach town.
Feria Artesanal MARKET
(crafts fair; Av 3 btwn Paseos 112 & 113) There's a nightly handicrafts fair from mid-December
to mid-March. Expect lots of handmade jewelry, carved wood, paintings and souvenirs.
The rest of the year it's a weekend-only event.
Muelle de Pesca FISHING
(Playa & Paseo 129) Gesell's 15m fishing pier offers year-round fishing for mackerel, rays,
shark and other marine species.
Windy SURFING
( 462616; www.windyplayabar.com.ar ; cnr Paseo 104 & beach) You can rent surf gear from
Windy, down on the beachfront.
Casa Macca BICYCLE RENTAL
( 468013; Av Buenos Aires; per hr/day AR$25/70) For bicycle rentals try Casa Macca. It's
located between Paseo 101 & Av 5.
Aventura Faro Querandí ADVENTURE SPORTS
( 468989; cnr Av 3 & Paseo 132; tours AR$150) Aventura Faro Querandí runs four-hour
tours in 4WD jeeps to a local lighthouse - a combination of hair-raising dune-bashing
and excellent photo opportunities.