San
Carlos de Bariloche, or simply Bariloche, is the winter and
summer playground for vacationing Argentines and the second
most-visited destination in the country. The city sits in the
center of Nahuel Huapi National Park and is fronted by an enormous,
irregularly shaped lake of the same name. Bariloche's grand
appeal are the many outdoor activities, sightseeing drives,
boat trips, great restaurants, and shopping opportunities here.
Visitors could occupy themselves for a week regardless of the
season.
The
city itself embodies a strange juxtaposition: an urban city
plopped down in the middle of beautiful wilderness. Unfortunately,
Argentine migrants fleeing Buenos Aires, an ever-growing tourism
industry, and 2 decades of unchecked development have left a
cluttered mess in what once was an idyllic mountain town. Bits
and pieces of the charming architecture influenced by German,
Swiss, and English immigration are still in evidence. But visitors
to Bariloche are sometimes overwhelmed by the hodgepodge of
ugly apartment buildings, clamorous discos, and the crowds that
descend on this area, especially from mid-December until the
end of February and during ski season in July. Yet drive 10
minutes outside town, and you'll once again be surrounded by
thick forests, rippling lakes, and snowcapped peaks that rival
those found in alpine Europe. If you're looking for a quiet
vacation, you'd be better off lodging outside the city center,
on the road to the Llao Llao Peninsula or in the town of Villa
La Angostura. On the flip side, Bariloche offers a wealth of
service.
