South America Ten Foot Square

Though the capital city, Buenos Aires, is the quintessential Argentine experience, there are many other beautiful and dramatic places in Argentina to explore. It is a very large country with a variety of geography and all types of adventures (city, beach, jungle, dessert, mountains, grasslands, and glaciers).

If you only have time for a short excursion outside the capital city, the River Delta would be a good choice, including the river town of Tigre. This is a popular weekend destination for residents of Buenos Aires. The Tren de la Costa (a train that travels along the shore line) provides transportation directly to a theme park (Parque de la Costa), to Tigre and the to the Delta. Tigre offers furniture stores, a fruit market, a crafts fair, and boat trips in the river.

Colonia, Uruguay is also in close proximity to Buenos Aires and would be a good day trip. It is an easy boat ride from the city’s port (Puerto Mardero). Colonia is a charming village to tour by foot with stone streets, colonial architecture, tiny alleyways, and stucco houses. There is a lighthouse, historic center (Casco Antiguo), beaches, forests, multiple museums, and several historic buildings.

Argentina is known for the massive area called the Pampas and for the Gaucho (the Argentine cowboy). The Pampas are the central part of the country and are vast stretches of primarily flat grassland, and home to the cattle that provide Argentina’s excellent beef and dairy products. Some parts of the Pampas are accessible from Buenos Aires, where it would be possible to visit an estancia (a large farm) for a tour or to attend a fiesta gaucha, including excellent appetizers and grilled meat, and costumed gauchos with reenactments of traditional dancing and horseback riding.

Also accessible from Buenos Aires is Mar del Plata, which is a popular beach town on the Atlantic Ocean. Many residents of Buenos Aires visit regularly for a vacation. Trains leave daily from the city (the ride is several hours long) and there are many affordable hotels and restaurants to chose from in Mar del Plata. Other activities include shopping, fishing and water sports.

Definitely a further reach from Buenos Aires, but Iguazu Falls is well-worth the travel time. It is in the northernmost part of Argentina, bordered by Paraguay and Brazil, and is a tropical paradise. The main attraction is a multitude of huge waterfalls in a rain forest setting. The falls are surrounded by a beautiful and large national park, including opportunities for canoing and kayaking.

Patagonia Andes is the south-westerly portion of the country, bordering Chile. It is home to dramatic panoramic views of pristine blue lakes and white-capped mountains. There are also plenty of forests and glaciers, and wildlife to observe (sea lions, elephant seals, Magellanic penguins, sea birds, and right whales). Argentina boasts some of the world’s best skiing, and the two most popular ski resorts are in Bariloche and Mendoza. The Mendoza Province is also a perfect spot for wine-tasting, as it is home to many of Argentina’s vineyards.

Tierra del Fuego is the most southern part of Patagonia, hosting Ushuaia, what is popularly known as the southernmost city of the world. Tierra del Fuego is divided from the mainland of Argentina by the Strait of Magellan, and from here you can take cruises to Antarctica.

Buenos Aires, Argentina is a sophisticated and complex city that is not easily described. It is lively and fast-paced like surrounding Latin America, and celebrates color, movement, tango, food and hospitality. Yet, it appears very European with grand architecture and its love of arts and culture, and in fact the majority of Portenos (residents of Buenos Aires) are of Italian ethnicity. Despite Buenos Aires’ population of 12 million people, it is a surprisingly easy city to navigate with the help of well-developed public transportation and a plethora of taxis. The city is flat and is surrounded by the river Rio de la Plata, and offers numerous opportunities to those who enjoy sight-seeing by foot.

Along with all the standard attractions of any large city, you will quickly observe Buenos Aires’ unique opportunities. You will find a cafe at practically every corner filled with strong coffee and Portenos engaged in lively debate about politics or philosophy. There is also shopping of every type, from multiple flea markets and antique dealers to exclusive high-end shopping centers. The food of Buenos Aires is incomparable and it is exceedingly difficult to find any bad restaurants. Beef, pasta and red wine abound (in fact in most cases a glass of wine is the cheapest beverage on the menu).

Buenos Aires is divided into multiple distinct neighborhoods, each offering varied appearances and sight seeing opportunities:

Plaza de Mayo includes the beautiful city square, featuring Cabildo de Buenos Aires (the old town hall), the current town hall, and Argentina’s national bank. You will surely not miss seeing the Casa Rosada, as it is the grand pink-colored president’s house. Avenida 9 de Julio is rumored to be the world’s widest avenue with the Obelisco at the center, which is a large statue resembling the Washington Monument.

San Telmo offers a sampling of traditional Spanish colonial architecture and is the oldest residential neighborhood in the city. There are many antique stores and an antique fair every Sunday. The National History Museum is also worth viewing.

La Boca is a colorful Italian suburb with houses brilliantly painted in reds, blues, yellow and green. There is an open-air theater where you can catch impromptu performances, probably of the tango variety. You may also be interested to see La Bombonera soccer stadium, where Argentina’s beloved Boca Juniors play.

The highlight of Retiro is Plaza de San Martin, which is a large green space surrounded by monuments and historic buildings. You can also access Calle Florida, the renowned pedestrian shopping street, including the beautifully ornate and elite shopping mall (Galerias Pacifico). Lavalle street is also nearby, which is also a pedestrian street of restaurants, cafes, and movie theaters.

Recoleta is a wealthy neighborhood of embassies, designer boutiques, and Recoleta Cemetery. The cemetery was built in 1822 and is one of the world’s most impressive cemeteries where Argentina’s Generals, presidents and aristocrats are buried.

Palermo features Parque 3 de Febrero, a massive park with gardens, lakes and forest areas that stretches along the river and is perpetually filled with energy and families enjoying time together. Two smaller gardens are also worth visiting, the Jardin Japones and the Rosedal rose garden. The neighborhood of Palermo is also the site of the Buenos Aires Zoo, the Hipodromo Argentino (a racetrack where you could observe world-renowned jockeys and thoroughbreds), and the Campo Argentino de Polo (which trains some of the world’s best polo players).

Eating is very important to the Argentines, who love chatting and lively debates over long meals. Despite their love of food, in Argentina you will quickly be spotted as a tourist if you are seen eating in the streets, since this behavior is considered undignified to the local population.

In Buenos Aires dinner is not typically served until after 9 PM. But when the meal arrives it will be well worth the wait, as Argentines take great pride in their culinary skill and you will not be disappointed. There are a massive number of restaurants available and menu options are usually well-rounded, though you would not want to miss the beef, pasta or pizza, which are specialties. (It is customary to tip around 10% at restaurants.)

Bakeries are also common with gorgeous cookies, cakes and breads, and breakfast is commonly a light fare of toast or croissants. And along with their deliciously strong coffee, the city’s multiplicity of cafes also offer a beautiful selection of desserts.

To make your stay in Buenos Aires complete, here are the top 10 must try treats-