Mention Argentina, and people think
of solitary gauchos, sultry tango dancers or maybe Madonna
emoting as Evita. The country boasts a wide variety
of cultural attractions, but for many travelers, its
natural wonders are the primary draw. From the northern
deserts to the southern Andean Cordillera, from Iguazú
Falls to the magnificent desolation of Patagonia, Argentina's
geography is varied and stunning. For cosmopolitan types,
there's the elegant capital, Buenos Aires. This fabulous
city is renowned for its sophistication, although travelers
expecting a more 'South American' experience are sometimes
disappointed with its European feel. Argentina is one
Latin American country where Europeans and North Americans
can feel at ease and travel relatively inconspicuously.
An interest in soccer and some nimble foot skills may
be all you need to feel like a local - that, or a three-hour
wait at a currency exchange.
When to Go
For
residents of the northern hemisphere, Argentina offers
the inviting possibility of enjoying two summers in
the same year, but the country's great variety and elongated
geography can make a visit in any season worthwhile.
Buenos Aires' urban attractions, for example, transcend
the seasons, but Patagonian destinations, such as the
Moreno Glacier in Santa Cruz, are best to visit in the
summer months (December to February). The Iguazú
Falls in subtropical Misiones province are best in the
southern hemisphere's winter or spring when heat and
humidity are less oppressive. The winter months (mid-June
to late September) also offer the opportunity to go
skiing.
Places to Visit
Buenos Aires
To the city's poet laureate, Jorge
Luis Borges, Buenos Aires was as eternal as air and
water. To many Argentines, their capital city is synonymous
with the country itself - indeed, nearly 40% of the
population lives in the city or its massive, sprawling
suburbs. Buenos Aires is situated on the banks of the
Río de la Plata. A city transported from its
European parents, its compact and regular center is
reminiscent of Paris, and its tree-lined avenues and
frequent plazas have a beguiling, faded elegance.
Nearby Avenida 9 de Julio is popularly known as the
world's widest thoroughfare and is truly a pedestrian's
nightmare. Avenida Santa Fe is the most fashionable
shopping area.
Buenos Aires' attractions include the Catedral Metropolitana,
which contains the tomb of revolutionary hero José
de San Martín; the Teatro Colón, a world-class
facility for opera, ballet and classical music, and
a cluster of worthwhile and popular museums like the
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the Museo del Cine and
the Museo Histórico Nacional, which presents
a panorama of the Argentine experience. Don't miss the
colorful Italian suburb of La Boca, which features brightly
painted wooden houses lining the Riachuelo waterway,
or the Cementerio de la Recoleta, a testament to the
national passion for death.
Mar del Plata
Summer means the beach to the inhabitants
of Greater Buenos Aires, and Mar del Plata is most often
the beach they have in mind. Situated on the northern
Atlantic coast, 400km (228mi) from the capital, beaches
in this area sprawl for 8km (5mi). Sophisticated mansions
from the area's heyday as an upper-class resort mingle
with the newer, more modest resorts catering to middle-class
porteños. Sea lions keep an eye on the fishing
activities around the wharves, and a replica of the
grotto of Lourdes is a kitsch paradise.
Córdoba
Argentina's
second city, Córdoba, long rivaled Buenos Aires
for political, economic and cultural supremacy; indeed,
while Buenos Aires languished through neglect in the
17th century, Cordoba was the country's architectural
treasure house. Today, a fine collection of colonial
buildings is concentrated in its compact center. They
include the old market, the Iglesia Catedral (featuring
a Romanesque dome) and the Jesuit Iglesia de la Compañía.
The Museo Histórico Provincial Marqués
de Sobremonte is one of the most important historical
museums in the country.
The Pampas
The unrelentingly flat Pampas is Argentina's agricultural
heartland and the home of that symbol of romantic nationalism,
the gaucho. Comprising the provinces of Buenos Aires,
La Pampa and major parts of Santa Fe and Córdoba,
its varied environments include forested hills, extensive
grasslands and flamingo-flecked salt lakes. The Parque
National Lihué Calel is a popular detour, with
wildlife including some puma and many guanaco, rhea,
native hares and a variety of wild chinchilla called
a vizcacha. The cities of La Plata, Luján (whose
basilica to La Virgen de Luján receives 4 million
pilgrims a year), Rosario and Santa Fe are worth seeing
for their many museums, churches and faded colonial
buildings.
Iguazú Falls
Situated in the Parque Nacional Iguazú near Puerto
Iguazú, these spectacular falls lie just east
of the confluence of the Iguazú and Paraná
rivers. At least 5000 cubic m (176,570 cu ft) of water
per second plunge the 70m (230ft) into the abyss below.
If they look familiar, it's because they were the supporting
actors in the film The Mission; appropriately, the area
has historic ruins of Jesuit missions which also draw
many visitors. San Ignacio Miní, built in a style
of architecture known as 'Guaraní baroque', is
especially popular. Above the falls, the waters are
suitable for canoeing, kayaking and other water sports.
The surrounding park is home to 55,000 hectares (135,850
acres) of pristine subtropical rainforest, with abundant
wildlife and plant species.
For
residents of the northern hemisphere, Argentina offers
the inviting possibility of enjoying two summers in
the same year, but the country's great variety and elongated
geography can make a visit in any season worthwhile.
Buenos Aires' urban attractions, for example, transcend
the seasons, but Patagonian destinations, such as the
Moreno Glacier in Santa Cruz, are best to visit in the
summer months (December to February). The Iguazú
Falls in subtropical Misiones province are best in the
southern hemisphere's winter or spring when heat and
humidity are less oppressive. The winter months (mid-June
to late September) also offer the opportunity to go
skiing.
Argentina's
second city, Córdoba, long rivaled Buenos Aires
for political, economic and cultural supremacy; indeed,
while Buenos Aires languished through neglect in the
17th century, Cordoba was the country's architectural
treasure house. Today, a fine collection of colonial
buildings is concentrated in its compact center. They
include the old market, the Iglesia Catedral (featuring
a Romanesque dome) and the Jesuit Iglesia de la Compañía.
The Museo Histórico Provincial Marqués
de Sobremonte is one of the most important historical
museums in the country.
