Some of the best beaches in South America can be found in Mar del Plata, a relatively modern city on the Atlantic coast 400 kilometres from Buenos Aires. Beautiful beaches stretch for more than eight kilometres along the coast, which is also marked by windswept dunes and dramatic cliffs.
The Chica and Grande beaches are the closest to Mar del Plata’s modern cruise ship ports (they’re also popular with sea lions, who congregate in the waters around the city’s fishing wharves).
Once a playground for the wealthy, the city is now a mix of fine old mansions and newer resorts along the city’s magnificent waterfront, which features numerous parks, squares, and gardens.
The excellent Juan Manuel Fangio Museum, dedicated to one of the world’s greatest Formula One drivers and containing over 100 cars and 500 trophies, is located in Mar del Plata. An exhibit dedicated to the first automobile, an 1886 Daimler, is a highlight.
A visit to the Mar del Plata Aquarium, with its many marine attractions such as dolphin and seal shows, penguins, tortoises, and flamingos, is one of the most popular things to do for families.…
This gauge steam railway, also known as the “Train to the End of the World,” is the world’s southernmost railway. Although it once provided a less happy service of connecting Ushuaia’s penal colony with nearby cities, today it offers a beautiful tourist ride into the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
The train departs from the End of the World station on new tracks (the originals can still be seen nearby), riding alongside a densely forested gorge and beautiful peaks all around. In the winter, everything is covered in snow; in the other seasons, the greens and reds that take over the valley throughout the season will be appreciated.
The train stops once so that passengers can take photos at a nearby waterfall before continuing on into the national park.
While onboard, first-class passengers will be able to sample some local specialties such as alfajores, biscuits filled with thick caramel, and empanadas, a fried or baked pastry filled with cheese or meat.…
During the Spanish colonial period in the 1600s, a number of Jesuit missions were established in the northern province of Misiones, near the border with Brazil. The mission once housed over 3,000 Indigenous people, but as the Jesuits left the country, the buildings fell into disrepair. The San Ignacio Mini mission ruins, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are the country’s largest and best-preserved mission ruins.
The original mission, built in red-brown stone in the Guaran Baroque style, was massive, with a monastery, a cabildo (administrative office), a cemetery, and several living spaces. The best-preserved part of the ruins is the mission’s church, which measures 74 metres long by 24 metres wide.
A small museum on-site tells the mission’s story, and there’s a scale model of the original San Ignacio Mini. Also other places are around to visit.…
Quebrada (Spanish for “broken”) is a term used in Argentina to describe deep ravines. In summer, the 155-kilometer-long Quebrada de Humahuaca in the country’s northwest is a perfect example of a beautiful ravine with a wild river running through it (the river dries up in winter).
This arid valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once part of the Inca Empire and an important trade route. Today, most visitors come for the scenery, which is a mix of reds, pinks, and oranges that appear to be painted on the surrounding hills.
The tiny town of Iruya (population 1,000), not far from the quebrada, is also worth a visit. Built directly into the mountainside at an elevation of over 2,700 metres, it offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and fertile valleys. In town, the dirt streets, old houses, and colourful celebrations with Indigenous details provide excellent photo opportunities.…
These stunning salt flats (the third largest in the world) cover an area of over 4,700 square kilometres and span two provinces, sitting 180 metres above sea level. This is a remote and desolate area with deserted routes, walnut tree plantations, lagoons, red sandstone mountains, and the odd herd of adorable vicuas.
Because this is an active salt flats, you will most likely encounter workers if you arrive during the day. They’ll gladly show you around and explain how the salt is washed and scrapped if you speak Spanish. Otherwise, you can simply walk around and admire their beauty as far as the eye can see.
The majority of visitors begin their journey in the nearby town of Purmamarca, where just over 2,000 people make their living either working in the salt flats or selling handicrafts to tourists in the town market. Tours to the salt flats, as well as trips to the nearby Cerro de los Siete Colores, depart from here (The Hill of Seven Colors).
And of course, if you’re looking for a great place to stay while there, check out https://www.airbnb.com/. …
One of Argentina’s main draws is the country’s diverse geography. It ranges from harsh deserts to humid jungles, long ocean beaches to the soaring Andes. Argentina’s cultural, artistic, and architectural heritage is as diverse as its geography, stretching from the subtropical north to the southern subantarctic regions of beautiful Patagonia.
With its wonderful barrios, including colorful arts neighborhoods like La Boca, old-world Recoleta, and trendy districts like Palermo, Buenos Aires feels more like Europe than Latin America. This vibrant capital city is the best place to start sightseeing (it’s also the best place to learn to tango, Argentina’s most iconic dance).
Aside from its many cultural attractions, the country’s natural wonders, including the breathtaking Iguazu Falls, the world’s largest group of waterfalls, are the country’s other big draws – and for some tourists, its greatest appeal.
Use this handy list of Argentina’s top tourist attractions to ensure you find all of the best places to visit and things to do.
1. Iguazú Falls
The spectacular Iguazu Falls are located on Argentina’s border with Brazil, with Iguazu National Park on the Argentine side and Iguaçu National Park on the Brazilian side. These massive waterfalls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are undoubtedly one of the most spectacular sights in South America.
Visitors can get up close and personal with the thundering falls thanks to a network of easily accessible walkways and viewing platforms designed to provide the best views possible, including some at the bottom of the falls, known as the Devil’s Throat.
Iguazu Falls are between 150 and 300 individual falls along its nearly three-kilometer edge, a number that varies depending on the season, ranging in height from 60 to 82 meters and each as spectacular as the next. It’s relatively easy to visit, thanks to an international airport in Argentina (and one in neighboring Brazil), especially if flying from Buenos Aires.
2. Recoleta, La Boca, and Tango in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, one of South America’s most beautiful cities (and also one of its largest), is often the first glimpse of Argentina that most visitors have before heading off to popular tourist destinations such as Patagonia.
But the wise will stay and visit the many delightful museums and art galleries housed in the magnificent old colonial buildings that dot the city’s districts or barrios.
Visit La Boca, Buenos Aires’ most colorful neighborhood and home to the quirky Caminito Street Museum, a magnificent pedestrian zone and open-air museum known for its brightly painted houses, amusing sculptures, cafés, music, and street tango dancers.
Fashionable Recoleta is another must-see, with its elaborate mausoleums containing the remains of famous Argentinians such as Eva (Evita) Perón and numerous public gardens, museums, art galleries, cafés, and boutique shops.
If time allows, other districts include Palermo and Belgrano, which have wide boulevards and stately mansions, and the delightful Plaza de Mayo in the downtown core.
3. Perito Moreno Glacier
El Calafate, the main hub for tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Patagonia’s Los Glaciares National Park, provides plenty of accommodation options and other amenities.
Most visitors begin their excursions to the park’s popular glaciers here, notably the stunning Perito Moreno Glacier, a massive 30-kilometer-long ice formation (and the world’s third-largest freshwater reserve) just 78 kilometers from town.
It’s only a two-hour drive from El Calafate to the glacier’s large visitor center, and from there, it’s just a short walk to the glacier. Ice trekking tours range from an hour’s walk over the ice formation to longer five-hour excursions for those who want to climb the glacier.
Another notable feature of Los Glaciares National Park is the 3,359-meter-tall Monte Fitz Roy, a breathtakingly beautiful mountain straddling the border with Chile that is said to be more difficult to climb than Everest.
4. Ushuaia: The End of the World
Patagonia, located at Argentina’s southernmost tip, is famous for its spectacular landscapes, which include a dramatic mix of the Andes and long stretches of plains and plateaus. The majority of adventures begin in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city.
This town on Beagle Channel, established as a penal colony in the early twentieth century and now a popular starting point for trips to Antarctica or around Cape Horn, is surrounded by a unique landscape of mountains, sea, glaciers, and woods on the edge of Tierra del Fuego National Park, with its spectacular scenery and diverse flora and fauna.
The San Juan de Salvamento Lighthouse, also known as the End of the World Lighthouse, was built in 1884 on the Isla de Los Estados and is a popular tourist attraction, as is the End of the World Museum. Exhibits about the region’s natural history, aboriginal life, and early penal colonies can be found here.
The Ushuaia Maritime Museum, housed in the town’s notorious former military prison, is worth a visit for its many maritime artifacts and scale models of famous ships such as Darwin’s Beagle.
The Beagle Channel, named after Darwin’s ship, cuts through the heart of the national park, and you can board a boat in Ushuaia to cruise through this historic waterway.
5. Mendoza
Mendoza, unquestionably one of Argentina’s most beautiful cities, is as popular with outdoor enthusiasts in winter as it is in summer. When the snow falls, skiers from all over South America flock to the popular resorts of Las Leas, renowned for its steep terrain, and Los Penitentes, located just 25 kilometers from the Chilean border.
In the summer, these same areas are popular with hikers and climbers attempting to reach the summit of the 6,960-meter-tall Aconcagua mountain. Whitewater rafting and trail riding are two other outdoor activities, with some riding stables offering overnight adventures with camping under the stars.
Mendoza, also known for its olive oil production, has several museums, annual festivals, and a bustling Central Market (Mercado Central) where locals buy produce, meat, and fish and where visitors can find food stalls and restaurants.
