San Martín de los Andes, Mountain resort city in Neuquén Province, Argentina
San Martín de los Andes is a mountain town on the eastern shore of Lake Lácar in Neuquén Province, sitting at 651 meters elevation. The streets run parallel to the lakeshore and climb gently toward the wooded slopes, while shops and restaurants concentrate along the main avenues.
Colonel Celestino Pérez founded the settlement in 1898 as a military post to secure Argentine sovereignty near the Chilean border. The timber industry shaped the early decades until the creation of Lanín National Park in 1937 shifted focus toward tourism.
The name honors Saint Martin of Tours, patron of travelers and the poor. Wooden facades and stone foundations shape the townscape, connecting buildings with the surrounding mountain landscape.
The town center is easy to explore on foot, with most shops and services within a few blocks of the lakeshore. The Cerro Chapelco ski area, 20 kilometers away, operates from June through September and is reached by paved road.
The Route of the Seven Lakes connects the town with Villa La Angostura along a road that winds through forests and opens onto views of several mountain lakes. This scenic drive passes through different vegetation zones, alternating between dense woodland and open stretches beside the water.
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