Colonia Suiza
A small village founded by Swiss immigrants in the late 19th century, known for its timber cabins and handicraft markets. Its signature dish is the traditional curanto, meat and vegetables slow-cooked under hot stones.
Colonia Suiza lies about 25 km west of Bariloche at the foot of Cerro López. It was founded in the 1890s by a family of Swiss immigrants from the canton of Valais and is one of the earliest European immigrant villages in the Bariloche area. The village keeps its immigrant-era timber cabins and a small chapel, and now has tearooms, a brewery and craft shops. On market days (usually Wednesdays and Sundays, and more often in summer), the village square fills with stalls selling handicrafts, jams and smoked meats. Visitors can also taste curanto, the traditional dish of meat and vegetables covered with leaves and slow-cooked under heated stones, which must be ordered in advance, so arrive early. You can detour here while driving the Circuito Chico loop or take Bus No. 10. It is also one of the starting points for climbing Cerro López.
Opening hours
Daytime (market and restaurant hours per local announcements)
Nearby sights
- Circuito Chico
- Cerro Campanario
- Llao Llao Hotel & Capilla San Eduardo
- Llao Llao Municipal Park
- Cerro López
- Cerro Catedral
- Refugio Frey
- Playa Bonita