Tour around the City of San Bernardo

Our tour around the seaside resorts on the Argentinian Atlantic coast led us to this place, popularly known as ‘The city of the family’.

Chiozza is the name of the main street, which runs parallel to the seafront and is open only to pedestrians in the summer afternoons and evenings. It was named after Juan Carlos Chiozza, one of the founders of this district.

In 1942, he projected the creation of the Ajó beaches –a new seaside destination- with the help of a group of friends. The project was fulfilled between 1943 and 1962 through real estate and commercial development and its name is reminiscent of the old estancia owned by Bernardo Duhau, named ‘San Bernardo’.

San Bernardo lies between two other seaside resorts. To the North, Costa Azul; to the South, Mar de Ajó. Nevertheless, the three districts have been joined as a result of the real estate and commercial development of the area.

We started our tour when we entered the city through San Bernardo Avenue, the main artery (along with Chiozza Street), the widest in this seaside resort, which runs perpendicular to the coastline.

Before getting to Plaza de la Familia (Family Square), where we found an important handicrafts market on one of its sides, lies the nightlife area. Three blocks before the square, we saw discos that concentrate the social nightlife of youths during January and February.

There is an amphitheater in the square, where several shows are presented. The National Festival of Sunshine and the Family is also held there. This festival is one of the most popular events in the district. It is held on the third weekend of December every year and it lasts for three days. Various cultural and artistic activities are carried out, including a parade of floats and institutions, the election of the queen and local, regional and national performances.

Once the square is crossed, San Bernardo Avenue continues towards the sea lined by large trees, coffee-houses and restaurants.

We reached Chiozza Street, ‘the’ corner of San Bernardo. The commercial axis starts towards the right, where we noticed a great concentration of shopping centers with stores selling well-known brands.

In the afternoon and evening, this street is chosen by most tourists staying at this location and also at nearby districts due to the wide array of cinemas and theaters it features, as well as for the entertainment options for children, such as video game stores, and for grown-ups, like the bingo.

The commercial area spans up to Belgrano Avenue, which borders on Mar de Ajó.

Retracing our steps along the Seafront, a paved avenue, we also found a great deal of coffee-houses and restaurants.

Surpassing the border of the district towards the south, where Rivadavia Street ends at the sea, at 4300, Seafront Avenue, a few meters away from where the waves break, the remains of an English pirate ship that ran aground during a storm in 1784 may be spotted. It is said that it was carrying a fabulous treasure. The area is well-signaled and diving there is not allowed.