Things to do in  Bariloche

Stretching over 1.8 million acres, Nahuel Huapi National Park is Argentina’s oldest national park. Centered around the region’s largest lake, Nahuel Huapi, and encompassing the popular resort town of San Carlos de Bariloche, this enormous park offers mountain and forest hikes, and the opportunity to cruise the lakes.

Within the parameters of Nahuel Huapi National Park, you’ll find Belfry Hill (Cerro Campanario—a 3,442-foot (1,050-meter hill that reveals what are said to be the best views in Bariloche. From the hill summit, see San Pedro Peninsula, Lake Moreno, the Llao Llao Peninsula, and several snow-capped mountains.

Rising 11,660 feet (3,554 meters), Tronador Hill (Cerro Tronador) is Bariloche’s highest mountain. It sits on the border between Argentina and Chile, nestled between two national parks. The mountain’s name comes from the Spanish word for thunder, a reference to the rumbling icefalls from the area’s seven glaciers, which are audible from a safe distance.

Victoria Island (Isla Victoria)—the largest island in Nahuel Huapi lake—lies at the heart of the eponymous national park. The island is characterized by rugged coastline, volcanic black-sand beaches, and pine forest, and features a backdrop of snow-capped peaks; all of which make it one of the most picturesque spots in Argentina’s Lakelands.

Capilla de San Eduardo (San Eduardo Chapel) is one of Bariloche’s most-loved buildings. Established in 1938, the neo-Gothic chapel was built from local stone and cypress logs, and designed by Alejandro Bustillo, the same architect behind the Hotel Llao Llao next door. The chapel lies within the Nahuel Huapi National Park and offers excellent views inside and out.

With its tufa-brick façade, slate roof, and wooden balconies, the Bariloche Civic Center (Centro Cívico) pays homage to the town’s German and Swiss heritage. Dominating the central square, the complex is classified as a National Historic Monument and offers great views of Nahuel Huapi Lake.

The glittering lakes of Nahuel Huapi, Espejo, Correntoso, Villarino, Falkner, Machónico, and Lácar are the star attractions of the aptly named Road of the Seven Lakes (Ruta de Siete Lagos). Running through the heart of the Patagonian lake district, the 65-mile (108-kilometer) drive is one of the most spectacular in Argentina.

With a surface area of 210 square miles (338 square kilometers) and extending over the Chilean border, Nahuel Huapi Lake is Argentina’s largest. At the heart of the Lakeland region, visitors come to explore the beaches, islands, and lakefront towns of Nahuel Huapi against a backdrop of the Andes Mountains.

Glacial Mascardi Lake lies within sprawling Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina’s oldest national park. On land, visitors can admire several peaks of the Andes Mountain range, hike along trails, and soak up the sun on one of the beaches that lie along its shore, while water activities include swimming, boating, kayaking, and fishing.

Arrayanes Forest (Bosque de Arrayanes), named after the rare Arrayán trees that grow along the northern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake, is Los Arrayanes National Park's star attraction. Covering more than 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) along the Quetrihué Peninsula, it’s a picturesque spot for hiking and wildlife watching.

With its waters that teem with fish, Lake Gutiérrez is one of the most popular day-trip destinations from the northern Patagonian city of San Carlos de Bariloche. Situated within Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina’s oldest protected land, it’s an excellent spot for a day of water sports and fishing.

Otto Hill (Cerro Otto) is a mountain that stands on the outskirts of Bariloche. With several activities and attractions in addition to the cable car ride up, sweeping vistas, and 360-degree revolving mountaintop restaurant—the only one of its kind in Argentina—Otto has turned what was formerly just a lookout point into a tourism center.

Glacial Lake Moreno (Lago Moreno) lies in the Río Negro province of Argentina, near Bariloche. It covers more than 4,000 acres (1,618 hectares), and its waters are warmer than other lakes in the area, making it a popular destination for water sports and swimming. Along its shores are two small resort towns, Colonia Suiza and Villa Llao Llao.

Arrive at Lopez Hill, and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve wandered into an Alpine wonderland. Snow-capped mountains, crystal-clear lakes, world-class mountain bike and hiking trails, and mountaineering routes that number some of the best in the world are all here to be discovered. Plus, Lopez Hill is home to many local chocolatiers, adding further to the European atmosphere.

The snow-blanketed peak looming on the horizon south of Bariloche is the 7,800-foot-high (2,388-meter-high) Cathedral Hill (Cerro Catedral), one of the city’s most memorable landmarks. A paradise for hikers and site of a popular ski resort, the mountaintop affords spectacular views over the Lakelands.