Bariloche
or San Carlos de Bariloche to give it its full name is the main tourist town in
the Lake Disrict region of Argentina with a colourful tram that runs past the main square and a
distinctive European feel. The area attracted Swiss, Austrian and German
settlers with its fresh mountain air, snowy peaks and challenging hikes. Although
Argentina is famous for its wines, there are a surprising number of small breweries
in Patagonia and the craft beer bars in places like Bariloche add to its
Germanic feel.
This area
is famous for its chocolate and there are as many chocolatiers on the main
street in Bariloche as you would find in Geneva and the quality products are in
the same league. In Villa La Angostura the town seems to be in a permanent state of
Christmas with Santa Claus statues and images in shops and squares all year
round.
Twenty
kilometres from Bariloche is the ski resort of Cerro Catedral, featuring a
vertical drop of 1000 meters, close to 1500 skiable acres and 38 lifts. Catedral has a ski village where
skiers and snowboarders walk over to the neighbouring microbrewery for the après-ski
jollity. A more civilised experience is found at the Llao Llao hotel
which opened in 1940 and recently underwent renovations. The hotel
features an 18-hole golf course with 360-degree views of Nahuel Huapi National
Park. In fact, many people (like us) visit the hotel just to get a glimpse of
the stunning views and enjoy an elegant afternoon tea or meal at one of the
restaurants.
