San Carlos de BarilocheThe name Bariloche is probably a deformation of Vuriloche, one of the mountain passes that was used by the native tribes. Development of the town was closely linked to the forestry, agricultural, and cattle-rearing activities that grew at the same rate as its fame as a mountain resort.
In effect, it was its setting at the foot of the Andes, on the wonderful Nahuel Huapi lake, and surrounded by mountain peaks, lakes and forest, that converted this tiny village into the most important winter sports centre in South America, and a mecca for international tourism thoughout the year.
The 95,000 inhabitants recorded in the 2001 census bear witness to the tremendous growth of recent years, when this figure is compared with the figure of just over 6,000 who lived there in 1947.
Today the vast majority of the town’s income is derived from tourism, and in Bariloche are concentrated the most important hotel and leisure facilities in all Patagonia. It is, furthermore, the starting point for various tours of the Andean region of Patagonia. The town itself extends around the lake with extremely beautiful Alpine-style buildings, which have, however, been adapted to national tastes and are built of local wood. Worthy of note is the Civic Centre, a group of buildings consisting of the Municipal Administration Building the Tourist Office, the Post Office, Customs Building, the Francisco P. Moreno Museum and the Sarminto Library.
The Civic Centre was the work of Alejandro Bustillo, who was also responsible for the Llao Llao Hotel, possibly one of the mostbeautiful in the country, and the La Rambla and Provincial Hotels and Casino in Mar del Plata.
For many years Bariloche has been the tourist capital of Argentina for the young. Thousands of secondary-school pupils make their traditional end-of-course trip to this town which, unlike any other in the south, combines magnificent scenery an sports facilities with a bustling nightlife -there are plenty of discotheques where dancing the night away is the norm.
Cathedral Hill, only 16 km away, welcomes thousands of skiers every years; expert, professionals and beginners alike, since there are facilities for all. With 67 km of slopes and 2000 hectares of excellently maintained skiable mountainside, it is the most important ski centre in the southern hemisphere. It 32 different skilifts have a capacity of 20,200 people per hour, and even for non-skiers it is a wonderful sight to see all of this in action at the height of the season. The range of activities available to skiers includes the famous torchlight descents that take place at night. There are hotels, restaurants and bars right on the hillsides, with splendid glass-covered terraces where you can sit and calmly contemplate the scenery while enjoying the very best cuisine or simply drinking a coffee by the fireside.
Excursions
San Carlos de Bariloche is known as the Capital of the Southern Lakes, and when talking of this city you are talking of the most important international tourist centre in Argentina today. The excursions that start or end in Bariloche are many and varied, but all have one thing in common –they are extremely beautiful. Here we mention but a few
A tour through the Nahuel Huapi National Park can in itself be never-ending. It contains areas of wild beauty that even today are rarely visited, and which can only be reached if you are in the company of expert guides.
Anyway, if you do not have a lot of time, there are a number of tours that should not be missed, and which enable you to get a good idea of what the park is.
One of these is called the Small Circuit. After short journey along Bustillo Avenue, the first stop is at Campanario Hill, with its chairlift and rotating restaurant at the summit (1,400 m). Next comes the San Pedro peninsula , where the Regatta Club is; from near here you get a splendid view of the most famous island in the lake, Victoria Island.
One of the major attractions of this circuit is the Llao Llao Hotel, a magnificent building dating back to 1939 which dominates the landscape of the Llao Llao Municipal Park, with Tronador Hill and Puerto Blest as a backdrop. At this point you will only have travelled some 25 km from the centre of the city, but will have the impression that you have already discovered various new worlds. There are a number of different alternatives for continuing this circuit. One is to follow the trail that leads to Lago Escondido (Hidden lake), whit the beautiful Villa de Tacul, or alternatively you can continue along Bustillo Avenue to López Bay, crossing a bridge over the Angostura river which connects Nahuel Huapi Lake to Moreno Lake, and where there is a magnificent natural viewpoint. In front of you, the impressive López Hill and Montañez Cemetery.
The Southern Circuit leads along provincial route 258 to the area of El Bolsón, some 120 km from Bariloche. This is the first ecological municipality in Argentina, and has been declared a non-nuclear zone, it is one of the few places that remains unspoilt by the and of man. For many years now it has been a favorite haunt of craftsmen, who live and work there. Amazing nurseries and orchards can be visited, all cultivated without the use of agricultural chemicals. The Belvedere establishment is the only place in South America devoted entirely to the breeding of Anglo Rubian African dairy goats and Frisian dairy sheep; a local cheese is produced that is famous throughout the entire region. A truly-delicious local beer is also brewed.
The area around El Bolsón is well worth the trouble of reaching, trusting to luck along roads that are not easy and not always well surfaced. Places that should not be missed include the valle del Azul, the Cerro Lindo with its Tricolor Lake -there water passes through various shades of colour, ranging from violet to the most incredible greens and blues- and Perito Moreno Hill. Amigo Hill, which is almost entirely covered by a cypress forest, is a municipal nature reserve, and offers one of the finest views over the Village and its surroundings.The large Circuit is the one that follows the route of the seven lakes to San Martín de los Andes in Neuquén province. A journey of 250 km during which you can lake in the full splendour of this part of the Andean region of Patagonia. It is described in detail in the chapter Tourist Circuits and Areas of this guide.
In effect, it was its setting at the foot of the Andes, on the wonderful Nahuel Huapi lake, and surrounded by mountain peaks, lakes and forest, that converted this tiny village into the most important winter sports centre in South America, and a mecca for international tourism thoughout the year.
The 95,000 inhabitants recorded in the 2001 census bear witness to the tremendous growth of recent years, when this figure is compared with the figure of just over 6,000 who lived there in 1947.
Today the vast majority of the town’s income is derived from tourism, and in Bariloche are concentrated the most important hotel and leisure facilities in all Patagonia. It is, furthermore, the starting point for various tours of the Andean region of Patagonia. The town itself extends around the lake with extremely beautiful Alpine-style buildings, which have, however, been adapted to national tastes and are built of local wood. Worthy of note is the Civic Centre, a group of buildings consisting of the Municipal Administration Building the Tourist Office, the Post Office, Customs Building, the Francisco P. Moreno Museum and the Sarminto Library.
The Civic Centre was the work of Alejandro Bustillo, who was also responsible for the Llao Llao Hotel, possibly one of the mostbeautiful in the country, and the La Rambla and Provincial Hotels and Casino in Mar del Plata.
For many years Bariloche has been the tourist capital of Argentina for the young. Thousands of secondary-school pupils make their traditional end-of-course trip to this town which, unlike any other in the south, combines magnificent scenery an sports facilities with a bustling nightlife -there are plenty of discotheques where dancing the night away is the norm.
Cathedral Hill, only 16 km away, welcomes thousands of skiers every years; expert, professionals and beginners alike, since there are facilities for all. With 67 km of slopes and 2000 hectares of excellently maintained skiable mountainside, it is the most important ski centre in the southern hemisphere. It 32 different skilifts have a capacity of 20,200 people per hour, and even for non-skiers it is a wonderful sight to see all of this in action at the height of the season. The range of activities available to skiers includes the famous torchlight descents that take place at night. There are hotels, restaurants and bars right on the hillsides, with splendid glass-covered terraces where you can sit and calmly contemplate the scenery while enjoying the very best cuisine or simply drinking a coffee by the fireside.
Excursions
San Carlos de Bariloche is known as the Capital of the Southern Lakes, and when talking of this city you are talking of the most important international tourist centre in Argentina today. The excursions that start or end in Bariloche are many and varied, but all have one thing in common –they are extremely beautiful. Here we mention but a few
A tour through the Nahuel Huapi National Park can in itself be never-ending. It contains areas of wild beauty that even today are rarely visited, and which can only be reached if you are in the company of expert guides.
Anyway, if you do not have a lot of time, there are a number of tours that should not be missed, and which enable you to get a good idea of what the park is.
One of these is called the Small Circuit. After short journey along Bustillo Avenue, the first stop is at Campanario Hill, with its chairlift and rotating restaurant at the summit (1,400 m). Next comes the San Pedro peninsula , where the Regatta Club is; from near here you get a splendid view of the most famous island in the lake, Victoria Island.
One of the major attractions of this circuit is the Llao Llao Hotel, a magnificent building dating back to 1939 which dominates the landscape of the Llao Llao Municipal Park, with Tronador Hill and Puerto Blest as a backdrop. At this point you will only have travelled some 25 km from the centre of the city, but will have the impression that you have already discovered various new worlds. There are a number of different alternatives for continuing this circuit. One is to follow the trail that leads to Lago Escondido (Hidden lake), whit the beautiful Villa de Tacul, or alternatively you can continue along Bustillo Avenue to López Bay, crossing a bridge over the Angostura river which connects Nahuel Huapi Lake to Moreno Lake, and where there is a magnificent natural viewpoint. In front of you, the impressive López Hill and Montañez Cemetery.
The Southern Circuit leads along provincial route 258 to the area of El Bolsón, some 120 km from Bariloche. This is the first ecological municipality in Argentina, and has been declared a non-nuclear zone, it is one of the few places that remains unspoilt by the and of man. For many years now it has been a favorite haunt of craftsmen, who live and work there. Amazing nurseries and orchards can be visited, all cultivated without the use of agricultural chemicals. The Belvedere establishment is the only place in South America devoted entirely to the breeding of Anglo Rubian African dairy goats and Frisian dairy sheep; a local cheese is produced that is famous throughout the entire region. A truly-delicious local beer is also brewed.
The area around El Bolsón is well worth the trouble of reaching, trusting to luck along roads that are not easy and not always well surfaced. Places that should not be missed include the valle del Azul, the Cerro Lindo with its Tricolor Lake -there water passes through various shades of colour, ranging from violet to the most incredible greens and blues- and Perito Moreno Hill. Amigo Hill, which is almost entirely covered by a cypress forest, is a municipal nature reserve, and offers one of the finest views over the Village and its surroundings.The large Circuit is the one that follows the route of the seven lakes to San Martín de los Andes in Neuquén province. A journey of 250 km during which you can lake in the full splendour of this part of the Andean region of Patagonia. It is described in detail in the chapter Tourist Circuits and Areas of this guide.
