I flew into Bariloche expecting a ski town. What I found was a chocolate-obsessed, beer-brewing, lake-surrounded mountain paradise that makes the Swiss Alps feel overpriced. Here's the week.
Flight from Buenos Aires (AEP to BRC, 2 hours, $120,000 ARS on Aerolineas Argentinas, about $120 USD). The approach into Bariloche is dramatic — the plane descends through mountains and you can see Lago Nahuel Huapi from the window, impossibly blue against green forested slopes.
Taxi from the airport to Centro: $9,000 ARS ($9 USD). Checked into a small hotel on Calle Mitre — the main street — and immediately walked into the chocolate situation.
Bariloche has 20+ artisan chocolate shops on a single street. Twenty. I started at Rapanui (largest variety, generous free samples), moved to Mamuschka (European-style truffles, smaller batches), and finished at Rapa Nui (the original, more traditional). A 500g box of artisan chocolates: $7,000-10,000 ARS ($7-10 USD).
I bought three boxes. No regrets.
Dinner at a parrilla on Mitre. Patagonian lamb (cordero patagonico) — slow-roasted, smoky, falling off the bone. $18,000 ARS ($18 USD) with a glass of Malbec. Argentines eat dinner at 9-10PM, which took adjustment. The restaurant was empty at 7:30 and packed by 10.
Rented a car ($30,000 ARS/day, about $30 USD) and drove the Circuito Chico — a 60 km scenic loop around Lago Nahuel Huapi and Lago Moreno. Free to drive.
Every turn reveals a new postcard. Seriously. I pulled over six times in the first 20 km. Punto Panoramico gives views of both lakes simultaneously. The Llao Llao Peninsula has a luxury hotel (Llao Llao Resort, rooms from $200,000 ARS) set against mountains. Bahia Lopez has a rocky beach where I sat and watched the water change color with the clouds.
Highlight: Cerro Campanario chairlift ($8,000 ARS, about $8 USD). Eight minutes up to what National Geographic rated one of the world's best views — a 360-degree panorama of seven lakes, Isla Victoria, and the snow-capped Andes. The confiteria at the top serves hot chocolate ($3,000 ARS) and pastries. I stayed for an hour.
Bariloche pioneered Argentina's craft beer movement. The "Ruta de la Cerveza" (Beer Route) stretches along Route 40 with 10+ breweries.
Started at Blest — Argentina's first brewpub (1995). Their Scotch Ale was complex and malty. Flights: $5,000 ARS for 4 tasters. The brewery has a window overlooking the lake.
Then Berlina (excellent IPAs, modern taproom with mountain views) and Manush (smaller, more experimental, the hazy IPA was outstanding).
I spent the afternoon alternating between breweries and viewpoints. The combination of world-class craft beer and Patagonian mountain views is something no other beer region offers.
Dinner at a cerveceria: wild boar (jabali) burger with a porter. $12,000 ARS ($12 USD).
Boat excursion to Isla Victoria and the Bosque de Arrayanes ($40,000 ARS, about $40 USD, full day). Departed from Puerto Panuelo at 9AM.
Isla Victoria is a forested island in the middle of Nahuel Huapi. Dense forest, short hiking trails, and a beach with water so cold it burns your ankles. The guide said Walt Disney visited the Arrayanes Forest and it inspired the forest scenes in Bambi. The myrtle trees (arrayanes) have cinnamon-colored bark that's smooth and cool to touch. Walking through the forest feels like entering a fairy tale — twisted trunks, dappled light, and silence.
The boat ride itself is spectacular. Nahuel Huapi's deep blue water stretches in every direction, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. In sheltered bays, the water turns emerald.
The big hike. Refugio Frey — 12 km one way through dense forest to a mountain refuge at the base of a cathedral-like granite spire reflected in Laguna Toncek.
Started at 7AM from Villa Catedral. The trail climbs steadily through lenga beech forest — ancient trees with moss and lichen covering every surface. After 3 hours, the tree line breaks and you enter an alpine landscape of rock, snow patches, and the laguna.
The refugio (mountain hut) serves coffee, empanadas ($2,000 ARS each), and cold beer ($3,000 ARS). I sat on a rock, ate an empanada, and stared at the granite spire reflected in the lake for 30 minutes.
The descent took 3 hours. Total: 10 hours of hiking, 24 km, and the best day of the trip. My legs disagreed.
A gentle day. Morning hot chocolate at Rapanui's cafe on Mitre ($3,500 ARS for a thick, rich cup with alfajores). Browsed the chocolate shops more slowly this time.
Afternoon drive to Lago Gutierrez (15 minutes south). A quieter lake than Nahuel Huapi, with rocky beaches and clear water. Found a spot with nobody else. Sat on rocks, read a book, dipped my feet in the absurdly cold water.
Dinner at The Beatles — a themed restaurant on Mitre (yes, really) with surprisingly good steaks ($15,000 ARS) and a collection of memorabilia that would impress even serious Beatles fans.
Drove the first section of the Route of the Seven Lakes (Route 40) toward Villa La Angostura — 80 km of paved road through forest, past lakes that range from deep blue to emerald to silver.
Lago Correntoso was the standout — turquoise water in a forested valley, so still it reflected the mountains perfectly. Lago Espejo ("Mirror Lake") earned its name. Villa La Angostura is a small resort town with chocolate shops and lakefront restaurants.
Returned to Bariloche by evening. Packed my chocolate (carefully) and prepared for an early flight.
This is critical: bring USD cash and exchange at the "blue dollar" rate. The official rate through ATMs and credit cards gives you 30-50% fewer pesos per dollar than the parallel rate. Exchange at "cuevas" (informal exchange houses) on Calle Mitre. Clean, new $100 USD bills get the best rate.
At the blue rate, Bariloche is absurdly affordable. Excellent restaurant meals: $15,000-25,000 ARS ($15-25 USD). Craft beer flights: $4,000-6,000 ARS ($4-6 USD). A full week including flights, hotel, car rental, and dining came to roughly $1,200 USD total.
Bariloche is the Swiss Alps at a fraction of the cost, with better chocolate, better craft beer, and better steak. The lakes are other-worldly. The mountains are imposing. The town is charming without being precious.
I came for a week and wished I'd booked two. The Ruta de los Siete Lagos alone deserves a full day, and I barely started it. Refugio Frey needs a follow-up where I spend the night. The breweries need a more thorough investigation.
Would I go back? I'm already planning the ski trip.
