22 pistes of varying difficulty, with the stunning backdrop of the Lanín Volcano on the horizon

San Martín de los Andes in Argentina is a popular Patagonian mountain town with about 30,000 inhabitants. Being “of the Andes”, the town sits between high peaks of the Andes.

The primary trade of San Martin de los Andes is tourism. San Martín de los Andes forms a gateway to the Lanin National Park and the lake corridor, and during winter, skiing and snowboarding becomes the main focus of activities at Chapelco ski resort.

Like the nearby towns of Bariloche and Villa la Angostura, San Martin features Swiss wooden architecture and lots of Swiss boutique chocolate shops. The town has grown somewhat in recent years, as have the prices, yet San Martin has managed to retain its alpine charm and it’s a much more tranquil and upscale version of Bariloche.

San Martin de los Andes was also put on the map by “The Motorcycle Diaries” book and movie where Che Guevara and his mate visited the sleepy town and crossed the Andes on their motorcycle.