Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Bariloche
0294 / POP 109,300 / ELEV 770M
Strung out along the shoreline of Lago Nahuel Huapi, in the middle of the national park of
the same name, Bariloche (formally San Carlos de Bariloche) has one of the most gor-
geous settings imaginable. This, combined with a wealth of summer and winter activities
in the surrounding countryside, has helped it become, for better or worse, the Lake Dis-
trict's principal destination.
The soaring peaks of Cerros Catedral, López, Nireco and Shaihuenque (to name just a
few) - all well over 2000m high - ring the town, giving picture-postcard views in nearly
every direction.
These mountains aren't just for gazing, though - excellent snow coverage (sometimes
exceeding 2m at the
end
of the season) makes this a winter wonderland, and a magnet for
skiers and snowboarders.
In summertime the nature buffs take over, hitting the hills to climb, hike trails, fish for
trout and ride mountain bikes and horses.
There's so much fun to be had that this town has become the destination for Argentine
high school students' end of year celebrations. And if all this wasn't enough, Bariloche is
also Argentina's chocolate capital and the only thing that approaches the amount of store-
front window space dedicated to fresh chocolate is the infinite number of peculiar gnomes
of all sizes and demeanors that is sold in nearly every shop downtown.
Officially founded in 1902, the city really began to attract visitors after the southern
branch of the Ferrocarril Roca train line arrived in 1934 and architect Ezequiel Bustillo
adapted Central European styles into a tasteful urban plan. Bariloche is now known for its
alpine architecture, which is given a Patagonian twist through the use of local hardwoods
and unique stone construction, as seen in the buildings of Bustillo's
centro cívico
(civic
center).
The flip side of Bariloche's gain in popularity is uncontrolled growth: in the last two
decades the town has suffered as its quaint neighborhoods have given way to high-rise
apartments and time-shares. The silver lining is that many accommodations have re-
mained reasonably priced.
