Bariloche, the Lake Region

Bariloche, Argentina

Surprisingly, I had never heard of Bariloche before I visited, but now it’s one of my favorites for scenic eye candy. This southwestern Andes mountain resort town is located in Patagonia which is the region south of Buenos Aires. A ski resort in the winter (our summer) and a beach getaway in the summer (our winter), Bariloche was founded by German settlers but residents include Swiss, Italian, and Spanish immigrants which creates a European feel. It has been called Little Switzerland based on the architecture, Saint Bernard dogs, and the famous, extremely yummy chocolate. Downtown Mitre Avenue is called “The Avenue of Chocolate Dreams.” Many of the shops have a Swiss chalet look while others have a surfer beach vibe. The small town is located in the center of the Nahuel Huapi National Park adjacent to the Andes and chock full of lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and extensive forests.

Hotel Cacique Inacayal

We arrive at our Hotel Cacique Inacayal, a boutique hotel, overlooking the Nahuel Huapi Lake. I am immediately smitten and dazzled by the twinkling blue cobalt water surrounded by mountain peaks. Lake views are omnipresent on every floor of the hotel including our room. The view from our room is gasp worthy (literally). Best of all, the view is constantly changing like a PowerPoint slide show.  Clouds and wind scuttle and shape new masterpieces with abstract cloud formations, and startling new shades of blue. A wooden platform outside our window beckons me to do a downward dog and other yoga poses. Breakfast (again with that dreamy view) was lucious selections of croissants and breads, egg dishes, cereals, and local fruits. The town is close and walkable. Professional and reasonably priced massages are available poolside.

Restaurante El Boliche de Alberto

Lots of scrumptious food in Bariloche, but one of our favorites was El Boliche de Alberto. There are three El Boliche de Albertos, all close to each other. We ate at the one one specializing in pasta, an unpretentious setting, but amazing food. Having been warned about the huge, daunting portions we split the homemade lasagna dripping in melted cheese and had enough left over for one more person. The homemade gnocchi was other diners’ first choice.  Dinner was around twenty dollars with wine, an inexpensive smooth Malbec. We arrived at 8:00 when it opened, and there was seating, but it filled up quickly.

Restaurante Familia de Caso

Across the street from our hotel is Familia de Caso, a restaurant specializing in steak (almost all are), but being surrounded by fresh lakes and rivers, we opted for the fresh trout sauteed in lemon sauce. Again we split the rather large portion. The trout was pink and tender and melted in our mouths. Even with the smooth Malbec, our meal came to under $30.

Things to Do in Bariloche

Better than the view from our hotel is the jaw dropping view from Cerro Capanario accessed by chairlift. A ski resort in their winter, but the ideal activity for April. The summit is around 1500 meters and is the perfect point for panoramic views. Several platforms provide different spectacular viewpoints–all breathtaking! Although we didn’t partake, climbing to the top is optional.

Getting There

There are several domestic flights a day to Bariloche from Buenos Aires. The Bad: The luggage weight allowance was less than our international flight which meant we were a few kilos over. Instead of paying at the counter, we were given a ticket we had to take to the payment counter that had a lengthy line. To avoid having to repeat this, we overloaded our carry-ons for our future flights. The Good: Security operates a little differently. Water bottles and other drinks are allowed through. They are also more lax on removing shoes and belts. All in all, a more relaxing process.

7 Lakes Day Tour from Bariloche