Expert: Juraj - 3/3/2003

Question
I have heard many wonderful things about Argentina, and since i was planning on taking a vacation soon, I have decided that I want to go to Argentina for my next vacation.  I realized after some looking that there are so many places to visit there.  In your opinion, what are some of the places that I definately should go to in order to get the full experience of Argentina?  Any help would greatly be appreciated.  Thanks.

Answer
Hey,
There is lots of nice places in Argentina. Everything depends on the time you want to spend in there and the modes of transportation you prefer.
But I will sum up some nice places to see:

Capital Federal (Buenos Aires) - places to see: Microcentro, Palermo Viejo, La Boca, Congreso, Recoleta. Recoleta is beautiful part, Palermo hosts botanical and zoological garden and beautiful Japanese Garden.

La Plata - university of La Plata, nice place to see on a day trip

Tigre - 40 miles from BsAs - you get into the delta of Rio Parana. You can embark on a boat trip (for ca. US$5) that will 2-3 hours sail among the numerous islands in the delta, you will cross the main portion of Rio Parana. You can picnic on one of the islands and get picked up by another boat (they run every hour or so)
If you like gambling the casino is a good way to divert yourself.

Cordoba - 2nd larges city, 10hrs ground, 1 hour air, it has got nice places, beautiful downtown. Close by is a place called Villa Carlos Paz, a vacation spot, with a mountain beautiful view from there, you take the cable car. You can stand in numerous hotels/residencias or camp by the lake.

Merlo - in provincia San Luis - a famous town, with a special microclima - a popular vacation spot - in summer its cool, in winter it's warm. San Luis is the best ran province in Argentina and it's like another world.

Mendoza - a city of wine. The city of Plazas. It's beautiful, with lots of parks, green is everywhere, the numerous city squares are great, with fountains, rest areas, etc. Really nice place to see. You can set on a hiking tour to the nearby mountains and if you want you can cross to Chile. About 24 hours by car, 2 1/2 by air.

Iguazu - Don't forget this hotspot. Iguazu falls, where everybody goes. Stay on Argentinean side or cross to Brazil (if you are American citizen you need visa for Brazil, but not to cross to Foz do Iguazu on Brazilian side for 1 day). You can see the Falls right from above and below, on Argentinean side, or panoramically from Brazil. Foz do Iguazu is a modern city. You can visit the dam on Parana, one of the biggest dams in the world. The tour is free. It's really educative and well-done. You can also cross to Paraguay to Ciudad del Este. Cheap electronics and stolen SUV's from Argentina can be bought for under $1. Just kidding. Don;t forget your passport, otherwise you wouldn't get back form the Misiones province.

When you will be in Misiones province, not far from Iguazu is San Ignacio. It has the ruins of Jesuits mission. There's lot to see, it's a nice place to visit.

Bariloche - in provincia Rio Negro. This is something striking. It's so beautiful words can not describe it. Bariloche is a resort town, both for summer and winter. There are mountains around with Alpine peaks. You can do lots of hiking, swimming or skiing in the winter.

Ushuaia - the southernmost point of Argentina in the Land of Fire (and of the civilized world). I recommend flying only :) Nice place to see, though never was there. If you read the Captan Grant's Children, you will know what I talk about.

Perito Moreno - The world's most famous glacier. The eight wonder of the world. The polar experience in South America.

Well, everything depends on what you want to see, how much you want to spend, and your time. For sure I would suggest you visit Iguazu (24 hours ground, 2 hours air), Cordoba and Buenos Aires.

I hope this has been a bit helpful to you. If you have questions, contact me. I can also give you suggestions on accommodation in some of the cities (especially BsAs which I have visited 17 times so far in past 2 year)

Yours,
CJ