Places To Visit In Argentina
A can’t-miss destination in South America, Argentina won’t disappoint even the most demanding traveler. So much exists to see and do here, from the southernmost city in the world to a desert plateau, from ski slopes to rainforests, from rolling vineyards to glamorous Buenos Aires, that unless several months are available, selecting a few destinations from this list and checking whether the timing lines up with the best season makes the most sense.
Argentina ranks as the eighth-largest country in the world, and its geography spans an extraordinary range of climates and landscapes within a single set of borders. Patagonian glaciers, subtropical wetlands, high-altitude salt flats and temperate wine country all coexist within a trip that, with enough planning, can move between climates entirely different from one another in the space of a few flights.
They span coastal cities, high-altitude deserts, Patagonian glaciers and subtropical wetlands, giving travelers considerable variety across climate and terrain within a single country. Seasonal timing matters considerably when planning a trip across such a wide range of destinations, since Argentina’s size means winter in Patagonia and summer in the north can coincide within the same calendar month. Booking accommodations and tours well in advance also pays off for many of these destinations, particularly during Argentina’s peak travel season from December through February, when domestic tourism competes directly with international visitors for limited availability. Food and drink weave through nearly every entry on this list, too, from Mendoza’s wine country to the ancestral dishes reinvented in Jujuy, reflecting how central regional cuisine remains to a full understanding of Argentina as a whole, well beyond its landscapes and natural scenery alone.
Buenos Aires Packs Bookstores, Opera And Football In One Location
Buenos Aires holds whatever a traveler might want in considerable abundance. From Anchoita, a restaurant serving some of the country’s best ingredients and wine, to raucous football matches held almost daily, glamour and fun sit never far away in Argentina’s capital.
The city also holds the highest number of bookstores per capita in the world. Eterna Cadencia and Notanpuan rank among hundreds scattered throughout the city, and stalls of booksellers set up daily in Plaza Italia and Parque Rivadavia. Walrus Books, located in the formerly aristocratic neighborhood of San Telmo, specializes in English-language titles, and most bookstores across the city keep at least a small section in English, French and German.
World-class opera, ballet and symphonic music fill the Teatro Colón, while the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes hold some of the very best art from Latin America and beyond. Avenida Corrientes, lined with pizzerias, late-night bookstores and theaters, ranks as the place to go for entertainment after dark.
Buenos Aires stays lovely year-round, though springtime, October and November, offers a particularly unforgettable time to visit, with purple jacaranda blossoms lining the streets alongside generally perfect weather. Palermo and San Telmo rank as the best neighborhoods to stay in, given their convenience and considerable density of restaurants and other attractions.
This particular pairing of literary culture and lively nightlife gives Buenos Aires real standing as one of South America’s most dynamic capital cities. Visitors hoping to catch a football match should book tickets well in advance, since demand for popular clubs often outpaces the availability of seats. Weeknight matches in particular tend to offer a more relaxed atmosphere than weekend derbies against fierce rivals. Buying tickets through official club channels also tends to work out considerably cheaper than resale options near the stadium itself. This small habit tends to save money without sacrificing a genuine seat inside the stadium.
Mendoza Pours Michelin-Starred Wine Into Every Glass
The Andean province of Mendoza, with its hundreds of bodegas and delicious malbecs, cabernet sauvignons and syrahs, measures up against just about any viticultural region around the world. It combines vineyards offering daily tastings and workshops with some of the best cuisine in Argentina, the city of Mendoza, famously home to over half of the country’s Michelin stars, and easy access to outdoor activities such as rafting and hiking.
Bodegas and hotels fill up quickly, especially during summer and December through February, when Argentines themselves travel in large numbers, so booking at least a month in advance is essential for anyone hoping to secure a preferred winery tour or tasting slot.
The region’s wine culture extends well beyond a single afternoon tasting. Many bodegas pair extended lunches with their pours, turning a simple visit into a leisurely, multicourse exploration of both the wine and the food that traditionally accompanies it. Mountain views frame much of the vineyard landscape, with the snow-capped Andes rising dramatically behind rows of grapevines throughout the growing season.