San Carlos de Bariloche

The city of San Carlos Bariloche, usually shortened to just Bariloche, is located in Argentina’s Río Negro province. Nestled in the foothills of the Andes, the city, when on Argentina tours, is situated on the southern shore of Nahuel Huapi Lake, surrounded by Nahuel Huapi National Park.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the location of the city was an important pathway through the Andes, connecting Chile and Argentina. This pathway was used by Spanish conquistadors and later, by Jesuit missionaries. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Argentine government took control of the area and immigration of white settlers began. The foundations of the modern city were laid by Austrian and German settlers and the city was officially founded in May 1902. With the arrival of a railroad in the 1930s, the town began to grow as a tourist destination.