The Best Places to Visit in Argentina
Argentina is a country which has so much beauty at such a massive scale. This place has such a special vibe to it and some of the best mountain ranges around. Patagonia is the star of the country with its glaciers and peaks. As the tourism industry grows and grows, so does the backpacker culture here. You can definitely stay busy for weeks in the beautiful, historic country of Argentina.
Capital: Buenos Aires
Currency: Argentine Pesos
Language: Spanish
When to visit: December to February
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1) Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the most common starting point for traveling Argentina. It’s one of the largest cities in Latin America with around 15 million people living here. It’s an interesting city to explore as a lot of the neighborhoods offer something different for travelers.
Things to do:
Start your explorations in the heart of the city around Plaza de Mayo. Here you have the Casa Rosada building, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the National History Museum all around. The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo still march here every Thursday afternoon and watching that is a pretty cool experience. From the plaza, the neighborhood of San Telmo a short walk south is the oldest part of the city, so explore this area. The Mercado de San Telmo is a brilliant covered market in this area. Further south, the La Boca neighborhood is the colorful quirky area of the city you can walk through. The Bombonera stadium of Boca Juniors football club sits nearby here too. Another interesting neighborhood is Recoleta, which you can walk through and you will feel like you’re in Paris or somewhere else in Europe. Although, the Recoleta Cemetery is the undeniable highlight here. The last neighborhood I’ll mention is Palermo, the place to be for bars, dining, and stores.
How to get there:
Fly into one of Buenos Aires 2 airports (EZE and AEP). There is very good connection globally.
You can also take a bus to virtually every city and town in Argentina, plus ferries to and from Uruguay.
2) Bariloche
Bariloche is a city in the Río Negro province of Argentine Patagonia, so naturally it’s going to be a gorgeous destination. It sits right next to Chile at the foot of the Andes mountain range, and should be top of your list for your itinerary because it’s simply a stunning town and area.
Things to do:
Let’s start in the city, beginning around the Civic Center next to the water. The Museo de la Patagonia can be found here, and the whole square is stunning with the mountains in the back. As you wander round, you’ll probably find yourself on Calle Mitre which is the main street. For views and skiing, you can take the cable car or chairlift up to one of the mountains between Cerro Catedral and Cerro Otto. Take day trips out to the beautiful Ventisquero Negro Lake which sits under Cerro Tronador, one of the most picturesque mountains in the area. If you wanna get out onto the lake, boat trips are available and pretty common too. If you came here for hiking, look into doing either the Circuito Chico or Circuito Grande trail within Nahuel Huapi National Park, be warned they are multi day treks though.
How to get there:
Teniente Luis Candelaria International Airport (BRC) is the airport for the city and you can fly here from Buenos Aires.
You can also take buses from all around Argentina, but the lengths are very long from some major cities.
3) Salta
Salta is a city in the northwest of Argentina, and it sits up in a valley making it one of the most beautiful cities in Argentina. It has a big colonial history and the architecture and all that stuff is very well preserved. Obviously the landscape around Salta is the main draw, being comparable to Rainbow Mountain in Peru.
Things to do:
In the city, check out Plaza 9 de Julio, a beautiful colonial square containing Cathedral of Salta, as well as the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña a short walk away. If you want large scale views over Salta, I highly recommend taking the cable car up the San Bernardo Hill, because the scenes from the top are unreal. Now it’s time to get out the city, taking a multiple day excursion to the Quebrada de Humahuaca valley. The multicolored Cerro de los Siete Colores above the village of Purmamarca is the best sight. To the west of the Quebrada is the Salinas Grandes salt flat, which is yet another must visit out here in Argentina, feeling like it goes on forever. And lastly, I should recommend the Tren a las Nubes, AKA the Train to the Clouds. You can book a complete day tour on it from Salta, and it takes you to an altitude of 4,220 meters over some beautiful canyon views. Salta is in contention for one of the best places in Argentina thanks to the sheer volume of stunning places to see.
How to get there:
Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport (SLA) has flight routes from Buenos Aires, Cordoba, and more.
You can also take a bus from nearby cities like Jujuy.
4) El Chalten
El Chaltén is a small mountain village in the Santa Cruz province of Argentine Patagonia, and the main draw comes from the fact that it sits at the northern end of Los Glaciares National Park, at the foot of the Fitz Roy massif on the border with Chile. You’ll find some of Patagonia’s best views here.
Things to do:
El Chaltén is almost entirely about the hiking and the mountains, and the trail network around the village is the best part. The hike to Laguna de los Tres is the signature experience of El Chaltén, but you have some more epic hikes such as the hike to Laguna Torre, or the incredible 4 day Huemul Circuit. You can find a lot of hiking information in the city and online, and if you just want some viewpoints from the city try the Mirador de los Cóndores and Mirador de las Águilas viewpoints.
How to get there:
Most people come from El Calafate via bus.
5) El Calafate
El Calafate is the second main town in the Santa Cruz province of Patagonia, but this one is known mainly for the amazing opportunities to see glacial formations in Los Glaciares National Park. It’s basically the one and only reason to come here, but it is 100% worth it.
Things to do:
Like I said, the Perito Moreno Glacier is the reason most people come to El Calafate, and you can reach it via bus and then walk along the walkway admiring the glacier. The other way to experience it is through boat trips on Lago Argentino, a classic experience. You get to drift past the glacier and all the icebergs. For some info on all the area, check out the The Glaciarium Museum.
How to get there:
Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (FTE) is the airport for the city and you can fly in regionally.
You can also take a bus from El Chalten, Río Gallegos, or Puerto Natales in Chile.
6) Iguazú Falls
Everyone knows the Iguazu Falls, which is the massive waterfall network spanning the border of Argentina and Brazil. The nearest Argentine town is Puerto Iguazu.
Things to do:
Spend the day on the Argentine side of the falls, walking along the well designed network of trails and walkways divided into upper and lower circuits that give access to the falls from different angles and levels.
How to get there:
Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport (IGR) is the airport for Iguazu, operating flights from Rio, Buenos Aires, and Sao Paulo.
7) Ushuaia
Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the entire world, and home to around 80,000 people. You can find it at the very south tip of Argentina and it is often the gateway for Antarctic excursions. The surrounding mountains and nature are really beautiful too.
Things to do:
There are actually a lot of activities and different tours which are really cool experiences down here in Ushuaia, so I’ll name the best ones. Firstly, The Train at the End of the World is narrow gauge tourist train that runs from the edge of the city into the national park, following a route originally built by prisoners to transport timber from the forest. I will tell you it is shamefully touristy. The next option would be a more in depth tour in the Tierra del Fuego National Park, a place with such breathtaking landscapes and nature. Also consider excursions to either Beagle Channel for the animals, or Vinciguerra Glacier to see, well, the glacier. The city has some informational museums such as The Museo del Fin del Mundo, The Prison Museum, and The Naval Museum.
How to get there:
Malvinas Argentinas International Airport (USH) is the airport for Ushuaia serving domestic routes.
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