Bariloche stands on the southern shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi, in the Argentine Andes, and the place has the look of an alpine resort that has been picked up and set in Patagonia. Chalets of wood and stone, chocolate shops, and a civic centre built from rough stone in the 1930s give it a Central European air, a result of Swiss and German settlers who came in the late nineteenth century and the national park authority that shaped the town's style. The lake is big and cold, with long arms reaching into the mountains, and snowy peaks stand on every side.
The city's backdrop is the Nahuel Huapi National Park, the oldest in Argentina, which grew from a gift of land made to the state in 1903 by the explorer Francisco Moreno. The park protects forests of southern beech and cypress, glacial lakes and volcanic peaks, and on the island of Victoria a rare grove of arrayanes, cinnamon-coloured trees with smooth, cool bark. The mountains above the town include Cerro Catedral, which has the largest ski area in South America, and the snow lasts well into spring.
The best-known road is the Circuito Chico, a loop of about sixty kilometres that runs west along the lake shore toward the Llao Llao Hotel, a large wooden resort built in the 1930s on a headland among the trees, then returns along another set of lakes. The road curves through forest and along the water, with views of islands and peaks, and viewpoints, such as Cerro Campanario, give wide panoramas. It is smooth and well-maintained, with moderate traffic that thickens in summer and in the ski season.
To the south, Ruta 40, the great Argentine road that runs along the length of the Andes, leads to El Bolsón, a pleasant hippie-flavoured town in a valley of orchards, beer gardens and craft markets. The road is fast and open, with long views and wind, and the surface is good. Volcanic ash from the 2011 eruption of the Puyehue volcano blew over this region and still shows in some soils.
Bariloche is large enough to have every service, with several fuel stations, mechanics and plenty of hotels. The chocolate is famous, and so are the lamb, trout and craft beer. The best seasons are December to March for riding, and the weather can still turn cold and windy at any time.