4Rent Argentina > Argentina Travel Guide > Bariloche
The city of San Carlos de Bariloche, also known as Bariloche, is one of the most popular cities in Argentina. The city of Bariloche is located in the province of Rio Negro, in the Patagonia of Argentina. Every year, Bariloche receives tourists from around the world, including those Argentine people that love this southern destination. Some of the main attractions of Bariloche are its mountain landscapes and the magical and indescribable natural beauties that you may find all year round.
In winter, the mountains of Bariloche are filled with snow and you have the chance of going skiing, as all snow lovers do. According to some specialists, Bariloche is seen as one of the most important ski destinations in the world. Despite the wintermania in San Carlos de Bariloche, during autumn, spring and summer seasons, the weather is really nice: the snow disappears and this gives place to a wonderful and colorful scenery filled with flowers, leaves and green areas that varies according to the season. During summer, the heat will allow you to sunbathe and go to the swimming pool, or to have a picnic under a tree; in spring, flowers will take over the landscape and you will meet a colorful and scented Bariloche; and, of course, Bariloche during autumn invites all trekking fans to walk around its mountains and lands while enjoying a unique landscape filled with colorful trees.
Thus, as you can imagine, Bariloche is perfect for tourists from 1st January, until the last day of the year.
Places to visit in Bariloche
Bariloche and its surroundings have lots of places to visit. One of the places that every tourist visits during their trip to Bariloche is its “civic center”. Here you will find medieval-style buildings, and some local style ones, that make Bariloche so peculiar and nice.
Another famous place to visit in Bariloche is the "Cerro Catedral”. Here in the Cerro Catedral you will find the homonymous ski resort, where thousands of people go skiing and enjoy other winter sports every year.
If you would like to go beyond the city of Bariloche, you may tour around the “circuito chico” [small circuit]. The “circuito chico” is a tour that begins and ends in the city center of Bariloche, but it goes around the Nahuel Huapi Lake. During your journey around the “Circuito Chico” in Bariloche, you will find autochthonous trees and unique landscapes, including “Playa Bonita”, “Bahía Serena”, among others. A few kilometers away from the city of Bariloche, you will find the "Cerro Campanario” [a hill] where you may hop on chair lift and go to the top. And a bit further, you will reach the Llao Llao Hotel, and the Llao Llao National Park, together with Villa Tacul and the “Lago Escondido” [Hidden Lake].
We could mention many other places to visit around “circuito chico” but there would be no place to the other beauties you may find in Bariloche.
For those who have more days in Bariloche and want to drive a bit more, there is the “Circuito Grande” [Big circuit]. This tour will take you further from Bariloche city. During this trip, you will find places like the "Valle Encantado" [enchanted valley], the “Mirador Traful” [a gorgeous viewpoint], Villa Traful, Puerto Arrayán, El Portezuelo, and Villa La Angostura, just to mention a few places to visit in Bariloche.
Moreover, there are other places you may go in Bariloche that are just as wonderful as the others, like the “Mirador Atalaya”, the “Cerro Otto”, the “Cerro Tronador” and hundreds of other options in Bariloche.
Where to stay in Bariloche
Bariloche has a great variety of accommodation options, and it adapts to all tastes and budgets. Those who´d rather stay in the city center of Bariloche will find lots of hotels, apart-hotels and inns of all categories and styles. Some of the places to stay in Bariloche that have been chosen by people in tripadvisor are: Cacique Inacayal Lake & Spa Hotel (4-star hotel), Blue Tree Hotel (4-star hotel), View Boutique Hotel (3-star hotel), Hotel Tirol (3-star hotel), among others.
Moreover, those who enjoy staying in the wild and being in touch with nature may choose to stay in a bungalow, cabin, camping or even a mountain refuge. Some of the places you may find in the outskirts of Bariloche are: Estancia Peuma Hue (4 stars), Cabanas Don Justo, Pailahue Lodge & Cabanas, among others.
A very famous hotel among national and international tourism in Bariloche is the Llao Llao Hotel, which is famous for its beauty and greatness. Still, besides the great Llao Llao Hotel, there are many other hotels in Bariloche of great beauty and outstanding service throughout Bariloche, with similar views and amenities.
As we have mentioned at the beginning, Bariloche offers a great variety of places to stay like hotels, hostels, apart-hotels, bed & breakfast, cabins, etc. that will make your trip a unique and unforgettable experience.
Where to eat in Bariloche
When it comes to eating, Bariloche has a great selection of dishes and places to eat. In Bariloche, those who would rather have the usual meals will find many restaurants that offer international and national dishes, like pasta, meat or whatever they want to have, without any rare additive. Likewise, those who want to taste some typical southern dish from Argentina, like the “curanto”, the patagonic lamb, a goulash (with some Argentine touches), trout, wild boar, deer, smoked cheeses, among many other delicious options, may do so. In Bariloche you will also find many sweet delicatessen, like a nice chocolate fondue (Bariloche is famous for its home-made chocolate), or maybe you may also try some of the many cakes or fruity spreads in one of the tea houses that Bariloche has. In many of these tea houses you will travel with the palate and sight, since they generally offer a great view…
Whether you choose a typical or non-typical dish, in Bariloche you may choose to accompany that with a nice Argentine wine, or with a yummy home-made beer. Some of the places you may go to eat in Bariloche are: Alto el Fuego (here you may have a delicious Argentine “asado” -roast-), La Salamandra Pulpería (a small and cozy place, with just a few dishes to choose from and have a great palatal experience), Butterfly (distinguished place with a great view); Cervecería Manush (for beer lovers); Bellevue, Salón de té and Rapa Nui: two tea houses where you may try some typical Patagonian sweet delicatessen, and some great home-made international options as well.
And the list of restaurants and places to eat in Bariloche continues, since it’s extensive and varied too. In Bariloche, you will find options for all tastes, including pizza and coffee places where you can grab a bite and continue touring around Bariloche and the many beauties it has to offer.
How to get to Bariloche from Buenos Aires
Bariloche is a very important city in Argentina; thus, it offers a great variety of options when it comes to reaching the city from Buenos Aires and other places in Argentina.
One of the most popular options for both national and international tourism is traveling to Bariloche by plane. The International Airport “San Carlos de Bariloche Teniente Luis Candelaria” receives a great number of flights from many cities of Argentina and the world. This traveling alternative from Buenos Aires to Bariloche is interesting mainly for its short length. Traveling by plane is fast and quick. Otherwise, if you choose to go by bus, you will find many companies that will take you, but the journey will be longer. Traveling from Buenos Aires to Bariloche by bus will take you more or less a day (maybe a bit less but it´s still a long journey).
So, before deciding how to go from Buenos Aires to Bariloche you should do the math, since sometimes the fares don’t vary that much and the benefit do.
Moreover, those who enjoy driving and would like to know the country while travelling to Bariloche may choose to go by car. There are many routes you may choose that will take you from Buenos Aires to Bariloche, including the great Route no. 40 (the famous Argentine route that crosses Argentina from north to south).
Whichever alternative you choose to go from Buenos Aires to Bariloche, it will be fine, since once you’ve reached the city and its surroundings, it will take you just a few seconds to fall in love with Bariloche.
