Bariloche: Puentes Destination Guide

Perhaps the most well-known tourist destination in Patagonia, Bariloche is located on the southern shores of the Lake Nahuel Haupi in the western extreme of the Rio Negro province. Surrounded by majestic mountains and lakes, it is the preferred vacation spot for many Argentines. It originated as a German colony with more connections to Chile than to Argentina. As it was so remote and disconnected from the rest of Argentina, it wasn’t until the arrival of the railroad in the 1930s that it really began to flourish as a city. The charming city center was designed to have the appearance of a traditional European central alpine town. All year round, Bariloche offers a picturesque and diverse setting for travels and adventures.  



HOW TO GET THERE

A short two hour flight from Buenos Aires, Bariloche is set against the Andes Mountains in the Lake District. You can choose to fly from the in-city domestic airport Aeroparque Jorge Newbery or the international airport Ezeiza on a traditional airline like Aerolineas Argentinas, take a low cost flight from El Palomar, or take a 20-hour bus ride from Retiro bus station.  We recommend staying at least 2 to 5 days, depending on your itinerary.



WHERE TO STAY

Bariloche has a wide range of types of accommodations, from low cost hostels and cabins to high end hotels and houses. You can search on AirBnB, keeping in mind the location and accessibility of the place that you reserve. You could also check out Selina, which is centrally located and offers different room types, as well as amenities and a co-working space. If you´d like a botique hotel experience, take a look at this list of the “best boutique hotels in Bariloche.”



WHAT TO DO

  • Rent a car and drive the Siete Lagos, explained below.



WHERE TO EAT

DON’T FORGET THE CHOCOLATE!

Bariloche is famous for its delicious chocolate. Make sure you take the time to stop by some of these great chocolatiers for a bite:

  • Rapa Nui: Avenida Bartolomé Mitre 202

  • Mamuschka: Avenida Bartolomé Mitre 298

  • Abuela Goye: Felix Camilo Goye 23482; Avenida Ezequiel Bustillo Km. 25


How to get around

Buses: There are buses that connect all of Bariloche. But “ojo!” - they do not run that often, so be prepared to wait. You can only use your SUBE card for the bus; no cash payments.

Remises: In Bariloche, you can contact a “remisería,” which is a private company of registered drivers, to request a car called a “remise” to take you wherever you need to go. Remises charge you based on the distance and, if you have a wait time more than ten minutes, based on the wait time. If you need a remise at a certain time, try calling or messaging a few hours in advance and see if they can let you schedule a remise for a certain time; sometime this will do this, and sometimes they will not. It’s suggested to use remiserías that are close to your departure location so that you won’t be charged extra for the remise to come to pick you up, as well as then take you to your destination. Recommended remise companies include the following, and you can also search for “remisería” in Google Maps to find nearby remises:

  • Remises Patagonia (in Melipal neighborhood at kilometer 4): WhatsApp +54 9 2944 96 5218; phone +0294 444 3700

  • Remises Centro (downtown): WhatsApp: +54 9 2944 14 6600

  • Remises Nahuel (downtown): phone +0294 443 5007

  • Remises Auto Jet (downtown): WhatsApp +54 9 2944 50 6167

Taxis: If you are downtown, you can either go to a taxi stop (“parada de taxi”) or hail a taxi on the street. If you don’t know where a taxi stop is, ask a local store owner where the closest “parada de taxi” is. Taxis in Bariloche are white with a blue roof, a sign on the roof that says “taxi,” and a circle sign on the driver door and front passenger door that says “taxi” and has the taxi’s registration number. Taxis charge based on a meter that is located above the front passenger seat. Cash pesos only.


WHAT ELSE

Other nearby destinations to consider visiting are El Bolsón, Parque Nacional Los Alerces, Villa La Angostura, Junín de los Andes, and San Martín de los Andes. For those who prefer to connect with nature outside of city of Bariloche, El Camino de los Siete Lagos (The Seven Lakes Road) is a lovely excursion. Beginning about an hour north of Bariloche, it’s a 65 mile stretch of the National Route 40 in the province of Neuquén that joins the towns of San Martín de los Andes and Villa La Angostura, which hosts the Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes that has 12 hectares of an “Arrayanes” forest. El Camino de Los Siete Lagos owes its name to the seven lakes that can be seen along its route: Lácar, Machónico, Falkner, Villarino, Lago Escondido, Correntoso, and Espejo. The route can be enjoyed simply by observing as a passenger in a bus or rental car, or better yet, by making stops along the way to camp and hike. It’s the perfect place to appreciate the typical characteristics of the Patagonian Andes region: extensive forests, snowy hills, and crystal clear lakes.

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