This small town in Chubut Province carries Welsh colonial influence, with traditional tea houses and the Andes Mountains as a backdrop. Founded in 1889 by Welsh settlers.
Trevelin, a village in Argentina's Chubut province, lies in an Andean valley settled by Welsh immigrants in the late 1800s. You can eat scones with strawberry jam at Ty Te Caerdydd tea house, examine century-old milling equipment at Museo Regional Trevelin Molino Andes, or follow trails to three-tiered waterfalls in Nant y Fall reserve. Each October, 50,000 tulips flower in organized rows at Tulipanes Patagonia farm, visible against mountain peaks still capped with snow. Vineyards along the RĂo Percey grow grapes for white wines like Riesling, which you can taste at Contra Corriente winery.
Welsh Roots and Local Traditions
In 1865, Welsh families arrived in Patagonia seeking to protect their language from outside influence. They built wooden flour mills along mountain streams, giving Trevelin its Welsh name meaning "mill town." At Museo Regional Trevelin Molino Andes, you can turn the gears of a working mill replica and watch flour grind between stone wheels. Four tea houses in town serve Torta Galesa, a fruitcake made with walnuts, dried apricots, and honey according to 19th-century recipes. The whitewashed School No.18 preserves original voting booths where 168 residents chose Argentina over Chile during a border dispute.
Hiking and Fishing in Los Alerces National Park
Los Alerces National Park protects forests of alerce trees that grow 1 millimeter per year, some over 2,600 years old. Drive 22 kilometers west to hike the Menéndez Lake Trail, passing turquoise waters where condors nest in cliffside crevices. The Percy River’s clear currents hold trout averaging 35 centimeters—local guides provide waders and flies for half-day fishing trips. From December to March, ranchers lead horseback rides up Cerro Gorsedd, where you can see the entire valley from a stone Welsh memorial circle.
October Tulip Blooms and Vineyard Visits
Tulipanes Patagonia plants 12 tulip varieties across 3 hectares, with peak blooms from October 10-25. Arrive before 10 AM to photograph flowers without crowds, paying an entry fee equivalent to $5 USD. At Viñas del Nant y Fall vineyard, workers hand-pick Riesling grapes in April for wines aged in steel tanks to preserve crisp acidity. Thursday afternoon tours include cheese pairings like smoked Gouda from nearby Gaiman dairy farms. Wear sturdy shoes—vineyard paths become muddy after spring rains.
March Rodeos and Welsh Poetry Festivals
Riders in leather chaps compete at the Ternero Cordillerano Festival every March 15-17, roping calves and grilling meat over open pits. During July’s Eisteddfod, choirs sing Welsh hymns at the Bethel Chapel while judges award prizes for the best Spanish-language poetry about migration. A mechanical red dragon on the tourism office roof activates at noon, puffing artificial smoke as its eyes light up red. Sign up at the visitor center for bread-baking classes using cast-iron ovens or fly-tying workshops creating imitation caddisflies.
Getting to Trevelin and Where to Stay
Esquel Airport receives two daily flights from Buenos Aires; taxis charge fixed rates for the 18-kilometer trip to Trevelin. Rent a pickup truck to navigate gravel roads leading to trailheads in Los Alerces National Park. Three family-run campgrounds sit along the Percy River, while HosterĂa Nant Fach provides heated cabins with kitchens for self-catering. Between December and February, hotels require bookings at least three months in advance. Bring a windproof jacket year-round—afternoon gusts often exceed 50 km/h in open areas near the Andes.
