The history of oil, a petrified forest and good gastronomy in 7 must-sees in Comodoro Rivadavia

Between the sea and the plateau, with surprising natural landscapes and a large number of marine fauna,

, the

, or also known as the

, seeks to earn the title of "transit city" and position itself as a true

.

With extensive beaches, numerous panoramic points and lots of nature, in this city of Chubut, the options are immense.

Below, all the

of the destination to fully immerse yourself in its history, get incredible photos and try local flavors.

1. Rocas Coloradas Protected Natural Area

This is the jewel of destiny.

It is a protected area of

, which combines surreal landscapes with marine postcards.

The impressive color of the sea contrasts with the steppe.

Photo Travel.

After traveling 60 kilometers from the city, we arrived at the access to this area in a 4x4 truck and accompanied by our guide Leandro Martín Peréz.

The

, 575 meters high and chosen for trekking, welcomes us.

The first stop within the area is made in what is known as

.

Red rocky walls, with different geoforms and sinkholes surround what used to be a water mirror called Laguna Roja.

It is clearly a good time to take photos.

The tour continues through the

, where a bedrock exploded and scattered pieces were left, creating a lunar landscape, like fiction.

The name of the protected area is given by the reddish geoforms of the place.

Photo Commodore Tourism.

The great must-see is the

.

In a setting that resembles that of the chimneys of Cappadocia (Turkey), and after crossing a small path, you reach these fossilized logs.

The trees came here dragged by the water that once knew how to cover the entire area.

Some better preserved than others, the trunks are more than

.

Tourists from all over the world come to see these specimens of araucarias, among other species not yet identified.

Visitors could stay all day and still not discover the amazing landscapes that were created with the

and the erosion of the wind.

The petrified logs are more than 65 million years old.

Photo Travel.

To end this tour full of historical landmarks and geological importance, we headed for the sea, which is very choppy due to the relentless wind and presents an intense turquoise color.

In a

, we light the fire and delight ourselves with some sandwiches of tenderloin on the disc, before starting the return.

The excursion is a full day, it begins at 9 am and ends at 6 pm. It costs

and includes lunch.

More information: @paragonissalvaje4x4 or at the local agency Mar del Sur Viajes (@mardelsur.viajes).

2. National Petroleum Museum

This is where on December 13, 1907, 539 meters from the surface,

for the first time in Comodoro Rivadavia.

Four years earlier, a first well had been dug, today it is located at the corner of Moreno and San Martín, which was used to explore the land.

The museum summarizes the entire history of Argentine oil.

Photo Travel.

Standing in the courtyard of the museum, in front of the monolith that represents well number two, Elías, our guide, reveals that the legend that the authorities were looking for water

that by chance came across this discovery is not true.

The writings between the people in charge of the project support it.

Upon entering the rooms, we continue learning about the history of this resource, what life was like in the

, and what the elements used in this industry are like.

In addition to being a

, it is interactive: many things can be touched and there are several spaces designed to take thematic photos.

Ideal for

.

There are models, work elements and even storks.

Photo Travel.

The best thing about this exhibition is the

.

You have to enter a cabin, several screens light up and a YPF operator appears, telling us that we are part of a mission looking for oil.

With the movement of the base, the sounds and the story, we feel that our size is reduced and that we are inside a

, a device used to perforate.

We traversed several layers of the ground, at different speeds, and managed to overcome difficulties until we reached our goal: oil.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.;

Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays and holidays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. General admission is

, locals $500 and retirees and children under 12 do not pay.

More information: www.facebook.com/museonacional.delpetroleo.9. 

This is the simulator inside.

Photo Travel.

3. Dining options

Trying the flavors of the destination make the experience.

And in this case, there are multiple options to eat delicious.

For example, the

from the Picoroco restaurant, in Caleta Córdova, and an ice cream from Chocolates, are some of the dishes that locals recommend.

Chocolates ice creams are famous in Comodoro Rivadavia.

Photo Travel.

One of the newest gastronomic experiences in Comodoro is

 from a restaurant by chef Pablo Soto, which recovers all the local spirit in an intimate and high-level proposal.

It is at kilometer 3, in a

, those typical sheet metal made by YPF for the oil camp.

Upon arrival, we ring

, as if it were a family home.

They open the door for us and a waiter receives us in this warm space, with a feeling of home.

Outside, the gallery is great for an aperitif, before the big feast.

Molle Verde offers a menu of steps and signature drinks.

Green Molle Press Photo.

Molle verde stands out for its

, whose dishes and drinks vary with the season.

Some of the options we find on the menu are: pasta stuffed with lamb and mushrooms ($3,500), risotto with seafood from the Golfo San Jorge ($4,500) and beef with vegetables and chimichurri ($3,800), among others.

The wine list, which is not divided into reds, whites and sparkling wines, invites you to discover

.

There are Chubut labels, curiosities such as rare vines or orange, organic wines and more.

The signature drinks also deserve a special mention.

Molle Verde opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (@molleverde).

lovers

cannot stop going to

, a fusion food restaurant that implements local products in its dishes.

Del Marqués offers an elegant environment to enjoy its dishes.

Photo Travel.

As for

, six sea bass niguiris, for example, cost $2,100, the classic rolls (there are 9 per portion) start at $2,400, the special rolls start at $2,500, and the hot rolls start at $2,700.

In addition, there are tiraditos, ceviche, woks, among other options.

4. Punta Marqués Protected Natural Area

“Did you see it?” says someone from the group while pointing to the sea.

And yes, indeed, that which comes out of the water is the fin of a

.

The ledge enters the sea 2.5 km and is 167 meters high.

Photo Shutterstock.

This scene is repeated numerous times among visitors because in the Punta Marqués Protected Natural Area (Rada Tilly) it is normal to see whales, but also

,

and different

.

At this time of year, the

, a species about which little is known because they were hunted out of control and are now recovering, steal the sights of tourists.

Although from this ledge that enters the sea 2.5 km, and is 167 meters above sea level, we can only see a few protruding fins, in the visitor center, there are shocking videos taken with drones.

They are specimens that can measure between 19 and 20 meters long;

They rank third among the 

worldwide.

Unlike the Franca Austral, which are seen in Puerto Madryn, these are more “stylish” and are not bouncy.

At the base of the ledge lives a colony of sea lions.

Photo Shutterstock.

From the viewpoint, well below and on some stones, we see the

.

This year there was a record of births with 120 pups.

The visitor center is open every day from 12 to 5. General admission is

, children under 12 free.

This natural reserve is in

, a town located almost 13 kilometers from Comodoro.

Its extremely long beaches, of fine sand, attract tourists and locals looking to rest, be in the sun, play sports or eat something delicious in one of the inns overlooking the sea.

5. Diving

Depending on the season, under the coast of Comodoro it is possible to see different species of fish, prawns, crabs, octopus, sea lions and even whales.

The Comodoro sea offers great biodiversity.

Photo Zeus Diving School/ Comodoro Turismo.

But of course, it is not for everyone, but for the brave who dare to take a diving course or have an

, if they have never practiced the activity.

The Zeus Diving School offers outings for all levels from Monday to Monday, as long as the conditions of the tide, the wind and the visibility of the water allow it.

In the case of baptism, the interested party -

for safety - meets Hugo Lemos, the instructor, on the shores of Comodoro.

They give you the equipment, you change, give you a technical talk and practice before entering the water.

Then you enter the sea and go down between

.

Excursions are provided for all levels.

Photo Zeus Diving School/ Comodoro Turismo.

The baptism costs

, includes photos and video.

More information: www.facebook.com/escueladebuceozeus.

6. San Jorge and Farallon Lighthouse

The San Jorge Lighthouse is an iconic point of Comodoro Rivadavia and of Argentina, since it is the

.

It started operating on March 9, 1925 and since then it has been in service as a reference point for sailors.

The San Jorge Lighthouse is the only square in the entire country.

Photo Travel.

Declared

, it is 27 meters high, has 115 steps and was built by the engineer Santiago Orengo with limestone bricks.

The lighthouse with the sea in the background is an

.

On the other hand, two kilometers away, is the Farallón, an unmissable site for lovers of nature, photography and birds.

It is a

produced by water erosion.

In the middle of the sea, a wall rises that hundreds of years ago used to be part of the continent.

At the top of the Farallón inhabits a colony of cormorants.

Photo Travel.

At approximately

, it is home to a colony of

, a black and white bird that, if you look at it quickly when it is at rest, is mistaken for penguins.

7. Cerro Chenque Viewpoint

The Chenque hill, which in Mapuche means cemetery, is part of the city's typical

and its viewpoint is one of the attractions that you should not miss.

That yes, although in the city the wind is calm, there it is always

.

View of Cerro Chenque, an icon of this destination.

Photo Commodore Tourism.

In fact, the area between Cerro Chenque and Cerro Viteau is called

by the locals because of the intensity of the gusts of wind.

But with the right coat and tied hair, the view is enjoyable.

In front, there is the infinite sea.

You can also see the downtown area and emblematic buildings of the city are identified.

To the south, Rada Tilly and Punta del Marqués can be identified.

From the hill you can see the whole city.

Photo Commodore Tourism.

This viewpoint is not on top of the

hill , it is made up of sedimentary materials interspersed with ancient oyster farms and was intentionally terraced to prevent landslides in the city.

There, it can only be reached

.

special envoy

look also

Puerto Deseado: watching penguins, sea lions and bottlenose dolphins in a fascinating navigation

Aerolíneas Argentinas: how to buy domestic tickets in 6 interest-free installments?