Comodoro Rivadavia is the largest city of Chubut province in the Patagonia region in Southern Argentina. This lively – though rather unattractive – city is located at the Atlantic Coast in the south of the province, in a beautiful area of the San Jorge Gulf with many beaches surrounded by hills. It has about 200,000 inhabitants, a university and a rich cultural life.
Comodoro Rivadavia, often simply called Comodoro, is the center of one of the most important oil extraction regions in Argentina. Founded in 1901 as a port for the agricultural colony near Sarmiento further inland, the fate of the city changed in 1907 when petroleum was discovered. The wealth of the city has attracted numerous immigrants from all over Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. It's one of Argentina's most expensive cities to live in, mainly because of high rents. However, for visitors the prices are similar to other Patagonian cities. The modern city offers very few historical buildings, but has some nice museums and beautiful sights and places to walk.
There are several bus lines serving the distinct neighborhoods and suburbs of Comodoro Rivadavia. The bus to Rada Tilly runs approximately every 30 minutes.
1 Museo Nacional del Petróleo, San Lorenzo 250 (in General Mosconi neighborhood, north of the city center). Tue-Fri 09:00-17:00, Sat 15:00-18:00. The museum shows machinery from petroleum extraction. (updated Aug 2017) 2 Museo Ferroportuario, Inmigrantes Gallegos 199. Tue-Fri 08:00-17:00, Sat Sun 15:00-19:00. The museum, housed in the former railway station, shows the history of the port and the railway line. It is also a cultural center. (updated Aug 2017) 3 Museo Regional Patagónico Antonio Garcés, Avenida Rivadavia and Chacabuco. Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat Sun 11:00-18:00. The museum tells the history of the city and gives an overview about nature and geology of the region.
Climb the 1 El Chenque hill and get a spectacular view of the city. The hill can be accessed from the Ruta 3 just north of the center or walking through the poorer neighborhoods west of the center (not recommended after dark). Visit the 2 city beach north-east of the center. The water is fresh, particularly in early summer when it has around 15°C, while in February and March it can reach almost 20°C.
Despite the wealth of the city, there is still a lot of poverty in Comodoro Rivadavia, and the high inequality has contributed to a relatively high crime rate. As a visitor, you should be wary like in the large Argentine cities and avoid walking around in poorer suburbs, particularly at night.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Sep, Comodoro Rivadavia typically sees ~15°C daytime highs and 4 rainy days.
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