San Carlos de Bariloche

In 1670, Nicolás Mascardi, an Italian priest, founded a Jesuit mission on the shores of Lago Nahuel Huapi. Mascardi had previously engaged in missionary activity in Chiloé and had gained notoriety for the exorcisms he practiced on the Mapuche. In 1673, Mascardi was attacked and killed by Tehuelche (another indigenous population based in Patagonia) during one of his “exploration trips” to the southern Andes. Lago Mascardi (~25 kilometers south of Bariloche) is named after the priest and a graphic stained-glass window in Bariloche’s Catedral Nuestra Señora del Nahuel Huapi depicts his death.

The modern settlement of Bariloche developed in the late 19th century from a shop named La Alemana, established by well-respected Chilean (of German ancestry) Carlos Wiederhold. The settlement attracted immigrants from Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Italy, and Chile. In 1934, the city was connected with the rest of Argentina by railroad; before that, commerce had been largely reliant on sea traffic via the Chilean city of Puerto Montt. Downtown Bariloche was also redesigned around this time to be more similar to European alpine towns, giving it the unique architectural style seen today. With these design and infrastructure improvements, the tourism industry burgeoned, and Bariloche became a popular vacation hub for Buenos Aires elite.

In 1995, former-Nazi officer Erich Priebke was found in Bariloche by an investigative news team.  Priebke had escaped to Bariloche in the aftermath of WWII and had served as the director of the city's German School for many years. Some authors and historians claim that Adolf Hitler and his partner, Eva Braun, actually escaped from Berlin to the Bariloche area as well.

Today, Bariloche is well-connected by air, rail and road transport, making it an ideal launch pad for the Bicycle Patagonia Tour. The city prides itself on its proximity to outdoor adventure and artesian luxuries, craft beer and chocolate. There are loads of shops and restaurants especially around the Centro district where Mitre Street is packed with tourists. The Bariloche International Airport (BRC) is located about 15 kilometers east of downtown while much of the more charming accommodation options are located west of downtown.