Puerto Madryn

Puerto Madryn is a coastal city in Chubut Province within Viedma Department in Argentina, stretching along the Nuevo Gulf with a deep-water port at its edge. The waterfront avenue runs parallel to the sea, industrial facilities for aluminum production lie further inland, and fishing companies use the harbor for their operations.

The settlement began on July 28, 1865, when 150 Welsh immigrants landed aboard the Mimosa and built their first homes at Punta Cuevas. The railway station opened in 1889 and now serves as a bus terminal, carrying traces of that early era.

The name honors Spanish navigator Madryn and ties the place to its maritime past, while the modern waterfront promenade now draws locals and travelers who stroll along and watch the gulf. Families sit on the beach, anglers cast their lines, and small groups peer through binoculars toward the bay.

From June through December, southern right whales enter the bay, and visitors can watch them from several spots including Observatorio Punta Flecha about 17 kilometers north. The clearest views often come in the morning when the water is calmer.

The EcoCentro links scientific research with educational displays about Patagonian marine ecosystems and the waters of the Nuevo Gulf. Visitors can browse interactive exhibits and peer through large windows onto the open sea.