Images of gauchos, the tango, Maradona, and the world’s thickest steaks probably come to mind when considering the land called Argentina. Of course, the country’s attractions are far more numerous, and from its subtropical north to its sub-Antarctic tip, they spread over an area nearly one-third the size of Europe. Mixed in between is a good tourist infrastructure welcoming visitors to experience all the country has to offer.
BUENOS AIRES
Few cities are enjoyed as much as the Porteños—residents of the port city of Buenos Aires—enjoy their home town. It’s not only their capital of commerce, banking and culture, but the place where they have fun. B.A. is a cosmopolitan place, settled over generations by Europeans who came in search of wealth and a new life. There is a standing joke of today’s descendents: “They are Spaniards who talk like Italians, dress like the French and think they are British.” In just this new millennium, B.A. has enjoyed an extra burst of foreign tourism popularity, fueled by the favorable exchange in dollars for pesos that continues to convert to the continent’s best-ever bargains in luxury shopping and fi ne dining. This hottest of world destinations is heeding the call of its new popularity, catering to visitor demand with a bevy of new hotels from the modest to the grand. Always at the top of the list is the Alvear Palace, with a new royal spa, located in the Recoleta district in the company of other grand digs such as the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau and the Four Seasons, while the most modern take in the upper ranges is the Faena Hotel + Universe in the Puerto Madero quarter.Capital pleasures include exploring the belle epoque buildings around fl owering Plaza de Mayo; touring the plush and gilded Teatro Colon and attending a performance in season (March through November); antiquing in the 19th century neighborhood of San Telmo and getting in on the action during the Sunday fl ea market; strolling through the open-air fair along colorful El Caminito Street in La Boca; and dining after 9 p.m. in sleek restaurants in the restored warehouses of Puerto Madero or in the trendy Palermo Hollywood district. And nowadays, of course, you can get into the swing of things by watching, learning and dancing the tango. Porteños like to escape to where the Rio Parana fl ows into the Rio de la Plata, 17 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. There they cruise,fi sh, sail, kayak and idle their weekends away. With the recent opening of the 15-cabana La Pascuala Delta Lodge and farther upstream on the Uruguayan side, the Four Seasons Resort Carmelo, travelers to B.A. can do the same. And on another day away from B.A., spend some time at an estancia, those vast working ranches that treat guests to riding out with the gauchos, playing some polo, enjoying an Argentine asado barbecue or even an elegant night or two at home on the range.
IGUAZU FALLS
In the Indian Guarani language, Iguazu means “big water.” That’s no exaggeration at Iguazu Falls in Misiones province, where a series of 275 cascades stretch along a 2.5-mile crescent between Argentina and Brazil, plunging through the rainforest into a wide gorge more than 240 ft. below. Catwalks and lookouts—particularly good at the Hotel Sheraton Iguazu Resort & Spa—offer a close look at the thundering falls, although visitors can look right down into Devil’s Throat from an airplane overfl ight. More adventurous travelers can catch the water spray during a boat ride skirting the bottom of the cascading waters.
THE LAKES DISTRICT
Both San Martin de Los Andes and Bariloche are technically located in the Patagonia, although more specifi cally in the Lakes District. San Carlos de Bariloche is charming in a European fashion. All the creature comforts are here along the hilly avenues and quaint buildings.
Chocolate-making is a tradition, and almost no visitor leaves without a sample. Activities are as varied as the landscape and include biking the Circuito Chico and whitewater rafting, fi shing and hiking around Nahuel Huapi Lake. Here, vacationers will fi nd creature comforts at the Design Suites and El Casco, as well as the famous Hotel Llao-Llao. Outside Bariloche, Las Balsas in Villa Angostora, within Nahuel Huapi National Park, is more secluded, and golfers love Arelauquin. Closer to San Martin de Los Andes, the deluxe Estancia Tipliuke is the newest option, although Estancia Rio Quillen is a favorite with anglers. Both, and others, are excellent places to both relax in the beauty of it all and explore Lanin National Park.
IN PATAGONIA
Argentina Patagonia occupies the southern third of the country. Consider flying to the gateway city of Trelew and then staying awhile at the Valdes Peninsula, a wildlife reserve and breeding ground (July-November) for sea elephants, a wide variety of marine animals, and penguins and whales cavorting off shore. Another gloriously scenic stop from the gateway of Calafatte is Glaciares National Park and Perito Moreno Glacier, a vast, towering and cracking mass of translucent blue ice that spills out of the mountains into an arm of the 600-sq.-mile Lake Argentino. Cruise among the icebergs to Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers and to Onelli Bay. For the best seat in the house amidst all this glacial glory, book into Los Notros Inn. And travelers heading to the “bottom of the world” will cross from Patagonia into Tierra del Fuego, en-route to Ushuaia, the bustling and southernmost city. Take a ride through the forests of Tierra del Fuego National Park or a local boat ride for penguin and fur seal viewing along the Beagle Channel; cruise longer through the Strait of Magellan to Chile; or head far south on a voyage to Antarctica.
THE NORTHWEST
Colonial churches, Indian artifacts and Grand Canyon-like landscapes are reason enough to visit Argentina’s great northwest, an area ripe for discovery. Here, ancient Inca and Spanish cultures share a multifaceted landscape of Andean mountains, high plateau valleys, broad prairies and lowland sugar and tobacco plantations. The area’s hot destination of the moment is Salta, where everyone is “oohing” over actor Robert Duvall’s House of Jasmines Inn, set on 30 acres. There are also fi ne hotels right in town, closer to the excellent Andean Archaeological Museum. In another corner of the region are the charming towns of Cachi and Cafayate, part of another important wine country area (the white torrontes grape is king here) of Argentina. Stop in at the Finca Las Nubes vineyard of the Michel Torino Bodega, and stay at the luxury Patios de Cafayate Lodge, whose futuristic spa offers wine treatments and splendid views.
It Would Be a Shame to Miss...
Situated along the edge of the Andes just east of the Chilean border, Mendoza is the region for touring and tasting the fruit of the vine, particularly the unique, lusty red Malbec, aged in enormous barrels. Wellorganized visits (weekdays only) to bodegas and vineyards along Los Caminos del Vino, or the Wine Route, are available. Book way ahead to stay at one of the country inns during the February to April harvest.
The accent is solidly on wine in Mendoza at the Park Hyatt Hotel, with its stylish wine bar and impressive wine library. There are a handful of lovely country inns in the countryside, including Cavas Wine Lodge and Club Tapiz, offering a deluxe mix of vineyard visits with horseback riding, hiking and river rafting. And of course, skiers may want to stop off for a day or two of fi ne wines on the way to Las Leñas, Argentina’s finest ski area; Mendoza is the air gateway.
Celebrations for All Seasons
Mar.: Vendimia Wine Harvest in Mendoza.
May-Dec.: Opera season at the Teatro Colon (late Feb./Mar., the Buenos Aires Tango Festival is on stage).
June 16: Gaucho Parade in Salta.
July-Oct.: “Summer” ski season in Bariloche, Chapelco and Las Leñas.
Aug.-Sept.: Best months for waterfall-viewing at Iguazu Falls.
Oct.: World Tango Festival is celebrated in Buenos Aires (mid-month). Eisteddfod Festival of Welsh Music and Poetry in the Peninsula Valdes town of Gaiman.
Nov.: Argentine Open Polo Championships, held in the polo ground in Palermo Park (Buenos Aires).
BUENOS AIRES
Few cities are enjoyed as much as the Porteños—residents of the port city of Buenos Aires—enjoy their home town. It’s not only their capital of commerce, banking and culture, but the place where they have fun. B.A. is a cosmopolitan place, settled over generations by Europeans who came in search of wealth and a new life. There is a standing joke of today’s descendents: “They are Spaniards who talk like Italians, dress like the French and think they are British.” In just this new millennium, B.A. has enjoyed an extra burst of foreign tourism popularity, fueled by the favorable exchange in dollars for pesos that continues to convert to the continent’s best-ever bargains in luxury shopping and fi ne dining. This hottest of world destinations is heeding the call of its new popularity, catering to visitor demand with a bevy of new hotels from the modest to the grand. Always at the top of the list is the Alvear Palace, with a new royal spa, located in the Recoleta district in the company of other grand digs such as the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau and the Four Seasons, while the most modern take in the upper ranges is the Faena Hotel + Universe in the Puerto Madero quarter.Capital pleasures include exploring the belle epoque buildings around fl owering Plaza de Mayo; touring the plush and gilded Teatro Colon and attending a performance in season (March through November); antiquing in the 19th century neighborhood of San Telmo and getting in on the action during the Sunday fl ea market; strolling through the open-air fair along colorful El Caminito Street in La Boca; and dining after 9 p.m. in sleek restaurants in the restored warehouses of Puerto Madero or in the trendy Palermo Hollywood district. And nowadays, of course, you can get into the swing of things by watching, learning and dancing the tango. Porteños like to escape to where the Rio Parana fl ows into the Rio de la Plata, 17 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. There they cruise,fi sh, sail, kayak and idle their weekends away. With the recent opening of the 15-cabana La Pascuala Delta Lodge and farther upstream on the Uruguayan side, the Four Seasons Resort Carmelo, travelers to B.A. can do the same. And on another day away from B.A., spend some time at an estancia, those vast working ranches that treat guests to riding out with the gauchos, playing some polo, enjoying an Argentine asado barbecue or even an elegant night or two at home on the range.
IGUAZU FALLS
In the Indian Guarani language, Iguazu means “big water.” That’s no exaggeration at Iguazu Falls in Misiones province, where a series of 275 cascades stretch along a 2.5-mile crescent between Argentina and Brazil, plunging through the rainforest into a wide gorge more than 240 ft. below. Catwalks and lookouts—particularly good at the Hotel Sheraton Iguazu Resort & Spa—offer a close look at the thundering falls, although visitors can look right down into Devil’s Throat from an airplane overfl ight. More adventurous travelers can catch the water spray during a boat ride skirting the bottom of the cascading waters.
THE LAKES DISTRICT
Both San Martin de Los Andes and Bariloche are technically located in the Patagonia, although more specifi cally in the Lakes District. San Carlos de Bariloche is charming in a European fashion. All the creature comforts are here along the hilly avenues and quaint buildings.
Chocolate-making is a tradition, and almost no visitor leaves without a sample. Activities are as varied as the landscape and include biking the Circuito Chico and whitewater rafting, fi shing and hiking around Nahuel Huapi Lake. Here, vacationers will fi nd creature comforts at the Design Suites and El Casco, as well as the famous Hotel Llao-Llao. Outside Bariloche, Las Balsas in Villa Angostora, within Nahuel Huapi National Park, is more secluded, and golfers love Arelauquin. Closer to San Martin de Los Andes, the deluxe Estancia Tipliuke is the newest option, although Estancia Rio Quillen is a favorite with anglers. Both, and others, are excellent places to both relax in the beauty of it all and explore Lanin National Park.
IN PATAGONIA
Argentina Patagonia occupies the southern third of the country. Consider flying to the gateway city of Trelew and then staying awhile at the Valdes Peninsula, a wildlife reserve and breeding ground (July-November) for sea elephants, a wide variety of marine animals, and penguins and whales cavorting off shore. Another gloriously scenic stop from the gateway of Calafatte is Glaciares National Park and Perito Moreno Glacier, a vast, towering and cracking mass of translucent blue ice that spills out of the mountains into an arm of the 600-sq.-mile Lake Argentino. Cruise among the icebergs to Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers and to Onelli Bay. For the best seat in the house amidst all this glacial glory, book into Los Notros Inn. And travelers heading to the “bottom of the world” will cross from Patagonia into Tierra del Fuego, en-route to Ushuaia, the bustling and southernmost city. Take a ride through the forests of Tierra del Fuego National Park or a local boat ride for penguin and fur seal viewing along the Beagle Channel; cruise longer through the Strait of Magellan to Chile; or head far south on a voyage to Antarctica.
THE NORTHWEST
Colonial churches, Indian artifacts and Grand Canyon-like landscapes are reason enough to visit Argentina’s great northwest, an area ripe for discovery. Here, ancient Inca and Spanish cultures share a multifaceted landscape of Andean mountains, high plateau valleys, broad prairies and lowland sugar and tobacco plantations. The area’s hot destination of the moment is Salta, where everyone is “oohing” over actor Robert Duvall’s House of Jasmines Inn, set on 30 acres. There are also fi ne hotels right in town, closer to the excellent Andean Archaeological Museum. In another corner of the region are the charming towns of Cachi and Cafayate, part of another important wine country area (the white torrontes grape is king here) of Argentina. Stop in at the Finca Las Nubes vineyard of the Michel Torino Bodega, and stay at the luxury Patios de Cafayate Lodge, whose futuristic spa offers wine treatments and splendid views.
It Would Be a Shame to Miss...
Situated along the edge of the Andes just east of the Chilean border, Mendoza is the region for touring and tasting the fruit of the vine, particularly the unique, lusty red Malbec, aged in enormous barrels. Wellorganized visits (weekdays only) to bodegas and vineyards along Los Caminos del Vino, or the Wine Route, are available. Book way ahead to stay at one of the country inns during the February to April harvest.
The accent is solidly on wine in Mendoza at the Park Hyatt Hotel, with its stylish wine bar and impressive wine library. There are a handful of lovely country inns in the countryside, including Cavas Wine Lodge and Club Tapiz, offering a deluxe mix of vineyard visits with horseback riding, hiking and river rafting. And of course, skiers may want to stop off for a day or two of fi ne wines on the way to Las Leñas, Argentina’s finest ski area; Mendoza is the air gateway.
Celebrations for All Seasons
Mar.: Vendimia Wine Harvest in Mendoza.
May-Dec.: Opera season at the Teatro Colon (late Feb./Mar., the Buenos Aires Tango Festival is on stage).
June 16: Gaucho Parade in Salta.
July-Oct.: “Summer” ski season in Bariloche, Chapelco and Las Leñas.
Aug.-Sept.: Best months for waterfall-viewing at Iguazu Falls.
Oct.: World Tango Festival is celebrated in Buenos Aires (mid-month). Eisteddfod Festival of Welsh Music and Poetry in the Peninsula Valdes town of Gaiman.
Nov.: Argentine Open Polo Championships, held in the polo ground in Palermo Park (Buenos Aires).
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