The southern part of Argentina is part of South America’s Patagonia region, and it’s known to be a dream destination for any outdoorsy person due to its landscapes, forests, nature preserves, national parks, glaciers, and wildlife. For the third leg of my Argentina trip, I headed to Bariloche, a town and major tourism center in that very region.

There’s a ton to like about Bariloche, and in my trip (so far), it’s been a standout. It reminds me of a quieter and less dense San Francisco, with its steep incline and chilly temperatures. Its European influences are undeniable and has helped shape its identity.

Downtown Area

Having your stay in this part of Bariloche means you’re right where most of the hubbub is. There’s a ton of restaurants and shops, in addition to some good views, and all of them are quite accessible on foot. Bariloche is quite active at any part of the day (especially during tourist season), and I felt safe walking around at all times.

The town is located right next to the absolutely massive Lago Nahuel Huapi, and from the water’s edge, I was treated to a grand view of the snow-capped mountains to the north and west, with plumes of clouds rolling in to grant an incredible atmosphere. I walked along the path from Skatepark Bariloche to Playa Centro. There are a number of seeming abandoned spaces and buildings, but they certainly didn’t deter people from coming here and hanging out. If you’re into people watching, this is a great place to do so.

As I moved south and thus into the heart of Bariloche, my calves got a decent workout, as I was walking on an incline. Centro Cívico is a good place to start if you want to get a sense of the city’s unique architecture, as there are a number of buildings in the area worth looking at. I saw a couple street musicians here, and while I didn’t visit the nearby museum, this appeared to be a solid spot to lazily relax in.

I’ll admit, most of the places in the Downtown area I went into were restaurants and a couple of shops, mainly those selling Patagonian goods. I provide details about some of these restaurants later in this post.

Circuito Chico

If you’ve scored yourself a rental car, then I recommend setting aside a half day or so to go on the Circuito Chico scenic drive. The route is just over 60 kilometers (including driving from and to Bariloche), and depending on what you like doing, you could easily finish it within a couple hours. For me, I prioritize panoramic views, landmark spots, and good eats, so I’ve provided some details about the places I visited below and (in the case of food) toward the end of this post. I chose to drive in a clockwise direction (it doesn’t matter in case you’re wondering), so the places below go in that order.

For the ultimate panoramic view of the Circuito Chico and the overall landscape, make it a priority to go on the Aerosilla Cerro Campanario. For the price of 12,000 pesos (for a round trip), I went on a ski lift up to the summit of a large hill, and from there, I headed to four overlooks from where I could see for miles and miles (or should I say, kilometers and kilometers) around. The best one is hell of a jaw-dropper, and it’s located on the second floor of a building housing a restaurant and gift shop; there, I took a panoramic video of the lakes, forests, and mountains at a minimum 270-degree angle.

I wanted some quiet time with a view, and I stopped at Chiado Restaurante & Casa de Te, a teahouse that overlooks a section of the Lago Nahuel Huapi. Their tea selection is very solid, and I ordered some darjeeling tea and - because it was chilly out - positioned myself at an indoor booth. I also ordered a chocolate pastry topped with pistachios, and as intensely sweet as it was, I enjoyed the flavors. The only unfortunate thing about this teahouse is that it doesn’t have WiFi, meaning that I ended up staying there for less than I was hoping for.

The Circuito Chico loops around half of Lago Perito Moreno, and Playa Sin Viento marks the spot where the route more or less cuts the lake in half via a bridge. For a nice, peaceful walk along the lakeshore, I parked my car just off of the road (there are ample opportunities to do so all around Circuito Chico) and walked down the trail. Just southwest of the bridge are a number of food trucks where you can grab a quick bite to eat or drink.

If you want a good panoramic view but don’t want to spend money (thus ruling out Aerosilla Cerro Campanario), the Punto Panoramico - Ciruito Chico is the spot for you. This outlook provides a 180-degree view from the west to east, showing off a good chunk of Lago Perito Moreno and even a look at the famous Villa Llao Llao across the lake. I would be mindful of what time you come here, though, as plenty of tour groups (thus crowds) make a stop here.

Bariloche is home to a well regarded beer scene, and Cerveza Patagonia is one of the more popular breweries in not only this region, but also Argentina as a whole, as I’ve seen their locations in every city that I’ve been to so far. For this reason, you may be reluctant to visit their Bariloche location located just off the Circuito Chico, but I think it’s well worth it. This location isn’t just a building; it’s like a small campus. From their parking lot, there’s a path that branches off to their main building, several “pop-up” like centers where they serve beer and food, and also a solid overlook with a view of Lago Perito Moreno.

As I began driving north, I stopped at outlooks located at Muelle Bahía López, Puente Arroyo La Angostura, and Mirador Bahía Lopez. All of these surround the point where Lago Perito Moreno and Lago Nahuel Huapi meet. As a general rule of thumb, anytime you see a sign saying “mirador” while driving, that means there’s an overlook coming up.

Located near Villa Llao Llao is Parroquia San Eduardo, a Catholic chapel made out of stone and timber that has been standing since 1938. It actually shares the same architect, Alejandro Bustillo, as Villa Llao Llao.

Day Out on the Water

In researching for my trip, I read that one activity that many tourists partake in when in Bariloche is going on a day trip to Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes and Isla Victoria, both of which are located on Lago Nahuel Huapi a ways north of the town. My new friend Eugenia connected me with local tour agency, Margarita Stuke Turismo, and upon visiting them, I was able to secure a boat tour for the next day for a price of 90,000 pesos.

The boat tour to these two locations is organized by Cau Cau, and their boats launch out of Puerto Pañuelo, located near Parroquia San Eduardo. I was told to arrive at the dock by 9:30am. When I arrived, I paid 17,600 pesos for the national park admission fee in addition to a tax. After I returned, I also paid a parking fee for my car.

After a nearly 30-minute boat ride, we arrived at Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes, known for its namesake arrayán trees, which bears a chestnut brown-colored bark and branches that almost contort and twist outward. We were given less than an hour to hike on a looped trail of wooden walkways that take us through the park. The trail is approximately 1 kilometer long, and people of all ages should be capable of finishing it. I intentionally powered ahead of everyone else in my group, and doing so gave me enough of a head start so that I could enjoy the tranquility of the woods.

After we returned to the boat, we headed to Isla Victoria, which was about another 30-minute ride. The island itself is quite large, and we were given about an hour and a half to either explore the island on our own or be part of a group tour. I identified the trails I wanted to go on, but I got lost, so I sheepishly joined an English-speaking tour group - which wasn’t a decision that I ended up ruing, as our guide explained how the island is home to a variety of local and foreign flora and fauna, many of which were introduced by various people over the years such as sequoia trees, wild boars, and more. It was quite educational, and as much as I would have liked more time exploring the island, I enjoyed it.

The Eats (and Drinks)

LIKED: Lomo de ciervo a la plancha en reducción de Malbec con espinacas a ala crema (grilled vension filet mignon with a Malbeck reduction sauce and creamed spinach) from Jauja Restaurante y Parrilla.

LIKED: Morcilla (blood sausage) from Jauja Restaurante y Parrilla.

LIKED: Javali á caçadora com batatas rústicas (hunter-style wild boar with rustic potatoes) from Cervecería y Restaurante Gilbert.

LIKED: Empanada de cordeiro (lamb empanada) from Cervecería y Restaurante Gilbert.

LIKED: Trucha beurre blanc con puré de arvejas y quinoa (trout beurre blanc with pea puree and quinoa) from La Casita Bariloche.

LIKED: Sweet and sour shrimp from Restaurante Huang Ji Zhong Chang Kuan.

Bariloche has an excellent food scene. While I found no shortage of parrillas (Argentinean BBQ spots) and cafes, this part is well regarded for its regional dishes, which has been shaped by European immigrants including the German and Swiss. Some of these regional dishes that I tried included venison at Jauja Restaurante y Parrilla, wild boar at Cervecería y Restaurante Gilbert (which is located between Punto Panoramico - Circuito Circo and Cerveza Patagonia’s Bariloche location), and trout at La Casita Restaurante Bariloche. I saw that Bariloche had a fairly highly rated (take that with a grain of salt since it’s based off of Google reviews) Chinese restaurant, so I couldn’t help but dine at Restaurante Huang Ji Zhong Chang Kuan, which I found to be solid.

If you have a sweet tooth and love chocolate, then you’re right where you need to be. Bariloche is famous for its chocolate, and there’s a great abundance of chocolatiers. The two biggest ones are undoubtedly Rapanui and Mamuschka, which are located on the same block. Their selection of chocolates are undoubtedly impressive, and both sell ice cream (Mamuschka’s ice cream parlor is located in another space - right next to Rapanui). I also visited two smaller but well regarded chocolate artisans named La Chocolaterie and Benroth Chocolates, and I was impressed by what I found.

LIKED: Pilsen (right) at Cervecería y Restaurante Gilbert.

LIKED: Kolsch pinta (left) at Manush Central.

As I mentioned earlier, Bariloche has a great beer scene, and I enjoyed what I drank. I enjoyed my pilsen at Cervecería y Restaurante Gilbert, and ditto for the Scotch pinta at Manush Centro - which was conveniently located right across from my hotel.

Travel Tips:

Car rental rates in Bariloche are surprisingly low, and in my opinion, having one is an absolute must, especially if you seek to maximize your time in the area. Public transportation is available in the form of buses, but from what I saw, they don’t come by too often. For what it’s worth, driving in Argentina is fairly straightforward, though I had to be very wary of pedestrians and jaywalkers. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but a lot of roads in Argentina are one-way, so I had to rely quite a bit on Google Maps when navigating to make sure I got on the correct road. I also appreciated the fact that a good number of traffic signals had countdowns for how long a light remained in red, yellow, and green.

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