What to do in Pedro Luro, a stopover on the way to Patagonia

The wide bed of the

advances towards the Atlantic, marking the limit between La Pampa and Río Negro, until it traces a narrower and more sinuous gorge in the south of the province of Buenos Aires.

At the height of

-about 50 km from the mouth of the sea-, the course of the calm waters seems to take a breather, courted by birdsong, the wooded shores and sandy beaches.

The spa suggests an ideal way to enter this

, where Juan Manuel de Rosas planted the flags of the Argentine Confederation in the mid-19th century.

This first approach to the attractions of Pedro Luro merges its seductive natural landscape with the milestones of local history.

Railroad bridge from 1925 over the Colorado River, in Pedro Luro.

Thus, a refreshing picnic by the river harmonizes with a walk to the

, made in Scotland and erected here in 1925.

A few steps away, the

-the "patron saint of Argentine agriculture"- has drawn a discreet Romanesque-style design in the rural landscape since 1920.

The simple lines of the façade match the austere personality of Ceferino Namuncurá, a figure especially revered in these payments.

A side altar, added to the temple in 2007, pays homage to the priest from Río Negro, of Mapuche roots, who had managed to establish an edifying dialogue with the Salesian priests.

Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians, in Pedro Luro.

The imposing construction of the church stands out next to the

, a replica of Fortín Colorado that Rosas established in 1833.

The old military base anticipates the collection of testimonies from the past -part of the more than 6,000 pieces collected since 1925, which also include Botanical, Zoological and mineral findings-, treasured in the four rooms of the Padre Vecchi Regional and Missionary Museum.

The

reappears on the side of a canal, where a construction in ruins mutated into Paseo La Chimenea.

Of the first Villarino

that operated on the site from 1934 to 1965, the original brick tower stands 28 meters high.

Fortín Mercedes, replica of the Colorado fort, in Pedro Luro.

Here, too, the figure of the most popular saint in the area is strongly revived.

At the foot of the chimney, the Ceferiniano Group of Pedro Luro inaugurated in 2000 the

, an unavoidable resting place for walkers in search of fresh air and shelter in the shade.

The

-part of the Bahía Blanca-Carmen de Patagones section, disaffected from the legendary Constitución-Bariloche branch- mark the 4-kilometre straight path to reach, through a gravel road parallel to the track, the colorful chalets in the tourist village that frames the

.

The long blocks of land, shaded and, at the same time,

, flow into the panoramic view of an impeccable sky and calm waters, which at sunset are filled with intense ocher and reddish tones.

Colorado River Spa, in Pedro Luro.

In its 400 hectares, the lake offers its own spectacle, to which bathers, sports fishermen grouped on a pier and a large cast of fans of kitesurfing, canoeing, windsurfing and diving contribute.

The postcard extends to the children riding the children's games on the beach, tourists and residents sheltered by straw umbrellas and intermittent caravans of walkers, cyclists and motorists, who retrace the 9-kilometre path that encircles the lake at a parsimonious pace.

The devotion to Namuncurá, the traces of the railway past, the irresistible beauty of the river and the lagoon and the chiaroscuro of the Desert Campaign that devastated the lands where the Tehuelche, Pampa and Mapuche cultures flourished return to the scene again and again in each tour through the streets of the town.

La Salada Lagoon, in Pedro Luro.

However, Pedro Luro's best kept treasure reveals another crucial moment for local development: the glorious day of May 21, 1941, when workers from the Directorate of Mines and Geology searched for oil in the subsoil and, instead, gushed out. very salty water at 70 degree temperature.

It was the unexpected milestone that gave rise to a unique attraction, enhanced by the inauguration of the

A brownish patina and intense brick-red hues stain the three

and the

.

The fiery red is due to the iron component -in addition to zinc, sodium, bromine, magnesium and sulfur, among more than 25 minerals- provided by the spring source.

The postcard of visitors floating immobile in the most mineralized hot springs in the country is replicated throughout the circuit of five outdoor pools linked by an

.

The outdoor pool sector of the Pedro Luro Thermal Park.

Once the key information is disseminated that the Luro thermal water contains 125 grams of mineral salts per liter -that is, four times the salinity of the sea-, the visitors decide to interrupt their walks and shed their bathrobes and flip flops , to let the warm water caress their bodies.

The sound of engines roaring down Route 3 suddenly dies down in this haven of relaxed spirits.

Nor is the sound of the river heard, silenced by the trills of the birds and the soft whistle of the wind, attenuated by the green fence of the grove.

Pedro Luro Hot Springs.

Miniguide

How to get.

From the city of Buenos Aires to Pedro Luro there are 808 kilometers from Buenos Aires by Ricchieri, Autopista a Cañuelas and route 3.

Plusmar sleeper bus from Retiro to Pedro Luro (11 am), $16,050 one way.

Train from Constitución to Bahía Blanca (7:00 p.m.), $3,240 First, $3,890 Pullman and $11,350 for a cabin for two passengers;

from 3 to 12 years, 50%;

retirees and pensioners, 60%.

Aerolíneas flies from Aeroparque to Bahía Blanca non-stop (1 h. 30'): round trip with taxes, from $55,619.

Colorado River Spa, in Pedro Luro.

Micro semi-bed Via TAC, Plusmar, Andesmar, Cóndor Estrella or Ñandú del Sur from Retiro to Bahía Blanca (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.), from $11,050;

sleeping car, from 12,650;

suite, $18,600.

Plusmar or Cóndor Estrella executive sleeper bus from Bahía Blanca to Pedro Luro (2 hours), $2,450.

Where to stay

Hostal del Viento: double room with parking, wi-fi, grill, DirecTV, breakfast, $12,800;

quadruple, $17,800 (0291-412-9994 / hostaldelviento@outlook.com.ar.

Regional and Missionary Museum of Pedro Luro.

Termas de Luro Hotel and Spa: double room with spa and thermal pools, bathrobes, breakfast, garage, DirecTV and wi-fi, $26,500;

quadruple, $41,700;

for 6, $45,900.

Thermal day without accommodation, $3,000 from Monday to Friday and $3,200 on Saturday or Sunday;

from 3 to 9 years old and retired, $2,500 during the week and $2,700 on weekends;

massage, $3,900 (0291-156493194 / termasdeluro@gmail.com / www.termasdeluro.com).

Hotel La Casona de Sofía: double room with cable TV, wi-fi and tea, $8,000 (0291-154144689 / www.la-casona-de-sofia.negocio.site).

Where to find out

(02927) 432-201, extension 132 / (0291) 155740086 / turismo@villarino.gob.ar / www.turismo.villarino.gob.ar

Water sports in the La Salada lagoon, 4 kilometers from Pedro Luro.

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