Why Honeymoon in Bariloche
It offers mountain scenery without the hard edges of southern Patagonia. The wind is gentler than in El Calafate, the forests are thick with cypress and coihue trees and there is a proper town with good restaurants a short drive from your lodge.
It also has the most famous hotel in Argentina. The Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, designed by architect Alejandro Bustillo and rebuilt in its current form around 1940, sits on a hill between two lakes with Cerro López rising across the water. Even if you stay elsewhere, a drink on its terrace is a ritual.
The range of activities suits couples with different energy levels. One of you can hike to a mountain refuge while the other reads by the lake. You meet later for trout and a bottle of Patagonian Pinot Noir. Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina's oldest, surrounds it all.
When to Go
December to March is summer, the best time for hiking, kayaking and lake swims for the brave. Water stays cold year-round, but sunny days reach the 70s and the long evenings are made for dinners outdoors. January is busiest, when Argentine families arrive on vacation.
April brings autumn color, with the lenga forests on the mountainsides turning red and gold. It is quieter and cooler, a lovely time if you do not need warm weather. November is spring, with wildflowers and occasional chilly days.
July to September is ski season at Cerro Catedral. Mid-July, when Argentine schools break for winter vacation, the town fills up with student groups. Late August and September offer better snow and calmer crowds.
May, June and October are the in-between months, with rain, closed trails and fewer services. Choose them only for low prices.
Where to Stay
The Llao Llao peninsula, about 25 km west of town, is the classic honeymoon base. The Llao Llao Hotel & Resort has lake-view rooms, a spa with an indoor-outdoor pool and a golf course with mountain views. Smaller lodges and cabins nearby offer more privacy at lower prices.
The road west of town, Avenida Bustillo, is lined with hotels and cabins at numbered kilometer markers. Places around Km 5 to Km 20 give you lake frontage while keeping town within a short taxi ride.
Villa La Angostura, about 90 minutes northwest, is a smaller, polished village on the north shore of the lake. It suits couples who want quiet and boutique lodges in the forest.
Staying in downtown Bariloche puts you near restaurants and shops but rarely on the water. For a honeymoon, the lakeshore is worth the extra drive.
Romantic Things to Do
Take the chairlift up Cerro Campanario late in the day. The summit terrace looks over Nahuel Huapi, Lago Moreno and the Llao Llao peninsula in one view. Cerro Otto has a cable car and a revolving café for a similar panorama.
Drive the Circuito Chico, a loop of about 60 km that passes beaches, viewpoints and the Llao Llao hotel. Stop for lunch and a pint at the Cervecería Patagonia brewery overlooking the lake.
Catch a boat from Puerto Pañuelo to Isla Victoria and the Arrayanes Forest, where cinnamon-barked myrtle trees grow along boardwalks. Rent a double kayak on a calm morning. Hikers can tackle the trail to Refugio Frey, a mountain hut beneath granite spires.
With a full day, drive the Seven Lakes Road north to San Martín de los Andes. The route passes lake after lake, best done in summer with plenty of photo stops.
Getting There and Around
Flights from Buenos Aires take a little over two hours to Bariloche's airport (BRC), with several departures a day in high season. The airport is about 20 minutes from town and 40 minutes from the Llao Llao peninsula.
A rental car is the best way to see the region. Roads are paved around the lake and on the Seven Lakes route, though you should drive carefully on mountain curves and watch for winter ice. In summer, the Circuito Chico is also popular by bike, rented in sections.
Without a car, taxis and remises (private cars) cover town and the lakeshore. Local buses run along Avenida Bustillo. Boat trips leave from Puerto Pañuelo near the Llao Llao.
To continue into Chile, the Cruce Andino combines boats and buses across lakes to Puerto Varas over a long day. The road crossing through Villa La Angostura is faster.
Food and Drink
Bariloche eats like a mountain town. Smoked meats, trout, wild boar and slow-cooked Patagonian lamb appear on most menus. Fondue and Swiss-style dishes nod to the Swiss and German immigrants who helped build the town.
Chocolate is the local religion. Shops along Calle Mitre, including Rapanui and Mamuschka, sell boxes of handmade bonbons and thick hot chocolate. Rapanui also makes ice cream. Plan a slow tasting crawl after lunch.
Craft beer took off here early. Several breweries along the lakeshore road have gardens and terraces. They are the local version of a winery visit. For wine, look for Pinot Noir and Malbec from the Río Negro and Neuquén valleys to the east, a cooler-climate style than Mendoza.
Dinner runs late, like everywhere in Argentina. Reserve on weekends and in January.
Honeymoon Tips
Avoid the second half of July unless you enjoy crowds of teenagers on ski holiday. The town calms down in late August.
Pack layers in every season. Summer mornings on the lake can start in the 40s before warming up. Mountain weather changes fast.
Book the Llao Llao or a lakefront lodge well ahead for January, February and the July ski weeks. Ask for a lake-view room specifically, since views vary a lot within the same property.
If you are flying on to El Calafate, check for direct flights in summer. Otherwise you will route back through Buenos Aires, which can cost most of a day.
Do not skip a sunset from the water. Many boat operators and kayak outfitters run late trips in summer. The light on the peaks across the lake is worth the chill.
