Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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El Bolsón
0294 / POP 17,000 / ELEV 300M
It's not hard to see why the hippies started flocking to El Bolsón back in the '70s. It's a
mellow little village for most of the year, nestled in between two mountain ranges. When
summer comes, it packs out with Argentine tourists who drop big wads of cash and dis-
appear quietly to whence they came.
In the last 30-odd years El Bolsón has been declared both a non-nuclear zone and an
'ecological municipality' (are you getting the picture yet?). What's indisputable is that
just out of town are some excellent, easily accessible hikes that take in some of the coun-
try's (if possibly not the world's) most gorgeous landscapes.
The town welcomes backpackers, who often find it a relief from Bariloche's commer-
cialism and find themselves stuffing their bellies with natural and vegetarian foods and
the excellent beer, sweets, jams and honey made from the local harvest.
Rows of poplars lend a Mediterranean appearance to the local
chacras
(farms), most
of which are devoted to hops (El Bolsón produces nearly three-quarters of the country's
hops) and fruits.
Motorists should note that El Bolsón is the northernmost spot to purchase gasoline at
Patagonian discount prices (although recent decreases in subsidies have seen the differ-
ence drop to around AR$1 per liter).
Sights & Activities
The principal landmark in town is the ovoid Plaza Pagano. Most services are nearby.
