Argentina is a massive country filled with mouth watering steaks, endless bottles of wine, and incredible scenery. When I was there, it was the final leg of my backpacking trip, and I knew of a few places I absolutely had to visit: Buenos Aires and El Chalten. Because of the mere size of the country it seemed silly to fly over the entire Patagonia area, so I started investigating other towns in the Patagonia region and stumbled upon Bariloche.
This ski resort town is a haven for hiking, incredible gelato and chocolate, and all outdoor activities. The town is charming with Swiss styled architecture and truly feels like a European experience with Patagonia landscapes. A visit here in summer will include beautiful walks along the beach, endless hikes near by, and scents of freshly crafted beer and chocolate filling the air.
I stayed here for one and half weeks, working at a family run hostel for a few days, and exploring on my own for the others. The town itself is tiny and super walkable, with little shops full of souvenirs, a decent selection of restaurants, and a beautiful town square facing the water.
The nearby hiking is only a bus away and most hostels are super helpful on which buses to take to get to the glorious hiking and views. My first weekend there, I went on an excursion to go bike riding. Renting the bikes was super easy and there is an easy to follow loop that stops at various lakes and beaches, ending at a brewery. The bike loop was gorgeous with trees shading you during your ride and offering various turn offs with private beaches and views. We rode past the famous Llao Llao Hotel, which is a giant property and a super luxurious spot to stay. We ended at Cervecería Patagonia, which was the most gorgeous spot to soak up the sun, mountain views and a craft beer.
My days there were spent with walking along the water, watching people enjoy their Mates, eating all the chocolate I could consume, and exploring the town. One day a friend and I visited Colonia Suiza, which personally I think is a place you can easily skip, but a nice spot to get food. Again the surrounding area is so gorgeous you can pretty much find a hike anywhere and the crystal blue water ensures you will be enjoying some amazing views.
Another day, I did a gorgeous hike that led to some of those jaw dropping Patagonian mountains. Refugio Frey is a stunning winding hike that leads you an epic view of a lake and Narnia inspired mountains. The hike has a few routes and is decently long but not difficult. Once we got to the top, I soaked up the views, practiced my Spanish with a new group of friends, and munched on some alfajores. I cannot recommend this hike enough and gives you a great first look at the Patagonian region.
Another day, I had the luxury of getting driven around in a car by a local who my friend was staying with via Couchsurf. He took us on the same loop I had biked on, and we did a couple nature walks, stopped in Colonial Suiza for the biggest cake chow down of my life, and ended the day on a beautiful beach to watch the sunset. Because I was there in December, I got to experience the unique event of celebrating Christmas in summer. The town’s square had a singing performance and lighting of the Christmas tree which was magical under the Argentinian sun.
Bariloche was a perfect little getaway, offering loads of outdoor activities, incredible views everywhere you walked, and a great little town with lots of restaurants and bars for all occasions. Lots of travelers only think of Patagonia as El Chalten or Puerto Natales, but Bariloche cannot be missed. The region is full of so many views and feels less touristy then other areas of Patagonia.
Have you ever been to Bariloche or Argentina?
Hailee Boyle Social Media Management 