Argentina Travel Blog

This memorable drive links San Martin de Los Andes, the nearby Chapelco ski resort, and Bariloche. It  passes through rugged landscapes, fantastic rock formations and the unbelievably clear waters of the Traful.

 

 

The music on this video is by guitarist Cacho Tirao, and is titled "Ya Esta Hecha La Rosa".

The map below shows our drive in yellow.

 

The dirt road is rough, rutty, at times narrow and hilly. It has a few scary hairpin curves and is not well maintained, so ask around to make sure conditions are safe before you go. Once you get to Confluencia, you'll turn right onto Ruta 237, a paved and well-traveled road, to get to Bariloche.   The map is provided courtesy of the San Martin de Los Andes municipality. 

There's a spectacular view of mountains, rock formations and the beautiful Rio Limay on Ruta 237 not far from Bariloche.  My video skills do not do it justice, but you get a glimpse of the incredible beauty of the Valle Encantado.

The province of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina features an astonishing natural wonder – South America’s second largest wetland, 65 times the size of Buenos Aires.

 

 

With exotic wildlife such as the capybara, marsh deer, howler monkeys, alligators, and fresh water otters, as well as 350 species of birds, this nature reserve is making the list of travelers in the know.

The remote, small town of Colonia Carlos Pellegrini is the starting off point for this adventure. A wide range of activities are available - guided boat rides and horseback excursions, as well as canoeing, biking and hiking. Birdwatchers can tick off unique birds from their lists including (with some luck) the elusive Strange-tailed Tyrant. The highly rated lodges of the area include outdoor pools among the lush scenery and gourmet dining.

But there's more than just spectacular scenery and biodiversity this area has to offer. Corrientes is home to a unique culture that combines Catholicism with local saints/spirits. These traditions are reflected in local speech, religious fetes, music and dance.

If you’re seeking a unique experience off the beaten track in an exotic natural setting, this trip is for you. Best time to visit Esteros del Iberá is May - December to avoid the summer heat.

These travel articles rave about the experience and provide travel details:

in - LAN’s travel magazine includes tips on where to stay and how to get there
Lugares Magazine gives you the inside scoop
The Star wrote about Esteros del Iberá in their eco-tourism section

Visitor information from local organizations:
Corrientes government tourism office
Esteros del Iberá info

My new Twitter pals at Buenos Aires Life know a thing or two about what’s going on in the city and where to dine.  Here’s what’s at the top of their list:

• La Cabrera  Reasonably priced traditional Argentinean parilla/steakhouse.
  Cabrera 5099,  Palermo Soho  Tel: 4831-7002
  
• Osaka  Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant getting rave reviews.
  Soler 5608, Palermo  Tel: 4775-6964
  
• Cabaña Las Lilas  Superior steakhouse with an impressive wine list.
  Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 516,  Puerto Madero.   Tel: 4313-1336
  
• Green Bamboo – Authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a seductive setting. 
  Costa Rica 5802, Palermo  Tel: 4775-7050
  
• Sucre  A modern take on Argentinean and South American gastronomy.
  Sucre 676,  Belgrano Tel: 4782-9082
  
• Sudestada Southeast Asian fare, a welcome option for those seeking spicy food in BA
  Guatemala 5602,  Palermo Hollywood  Tel: 4776-3777
  
• Dashi Arguably the best Sushi restaurant in Buenos Aires
  Fitz Roy 1613 and Gorriti,  Palermo Hollywood  Tel: 4776-3500
  
• Mama Racha  Great restaurant and outdoor café for a lunch or snack any time of day.
  Costa Rica and Armenia, Palermo  Tel: 4833-4950

Chances are you will have a positive dining experience in any restaurant you visit in Buenos Aires.  But if your priority is to go to the best restaurants the city has to offer, let me point you to some authoritative sources: 

Arguably the most respected restaurant guide is Vidal Buzzi (in Spanish).  Their top ranked restaurants include:

• Le Mistral  - Contemporary Mediterranean, including tapas, at the Four Seasons Hotel. 
  Posadas 1086, Barrio Norte Tel: 4321-1730
  
• Tomo 1 – Contemporary Argentine, with excellent wine list, at the Panamericano Hotel
  Carlos Pellegrini 521,  San Nicolas  Tel: 4326-6695
  (It's also my mom’s favorite restaurant in Buenos Aires)
  
• Oviedo – Award winning Spanish cuisine,  Beruti 2602, Recoleta Teléfono: 4821-3741

Guia Oleo (in Spanish) offers a very complete restaurant guide.  Some restaurants at the top of their rating lists are:

• Casa Coupage – Wine tastings, individual attention and New Argentine cuisine in an intimate setting.  Reservations required.
  Güemes 4382 1st floor, Palermo  Tel: 4833-6354
  
• Nectarine – Superior French restaurant
  Vicente López 1661, Recoleta Tel: 4813-6993
  
• La Bourgogne –  French cuisine in the beautiful Alvear Palace Hotel
  Ayacucho 2027, Recoleta  Tel: 4808-2100/4805-3857
  
• El Baqueano – Exotic Argentinean meats and fish, including llama, boar and cayman
  Chile 495 and Bolivar, San Telmo  Tel: 4342-0802

Metropolis recommends that you try:

• La Mas Querida – Pizzas with a modern twist
  Echeverría y Montañeses, Belgrano  Tel: 4788-1455
  
• Hippopotamus – New Argentine cuisine
  Junin 1789, Recoleta Tel:  4802-0500
  
• Fernet Bistrot – Spanish/Argentine in a romantic setting
  Juan Bautista de Lasalle 447  San Isidro  Tel:  4732-0539

My recommendation:

I had a delicious, memorable meal at Patagonia Sur, established by Argentina’s most famous chef, Francis Mallman. Steakhouse and northern and southern Argentinean cuisine.   Rocha 803 and Pedro de Mendoza, La Boca  Tel: 4303 5917

What’s Hot:

Peruvian food and Peruvian/Fusion cuisine are currently all the rage.  The Argentine Post has more details and recommendations, including the popular and highly rated Astrid Y Gaston - Lafinur 3222,  Palermo Tel: 4802-2991

Good deals and great eats:

The Taxi Gourmet hops in a cab and asks the driver to take her to his/her favorite restaurant which she then reviews.  On her top 10 list for 2008 :

• Marta Corsico's Former Gas Station Café – Argentinean comfort food. Viamonte 1363 and Talcahuano, Retiro
  
• La Tranquerita – traditional stews, fare - Boyacá 996 - Flores, Tel: 4584 1441
  
• El Litoral – steakhouse  Moreno 2201 and Pasco, Balvanera, Tel. 4953 2438 
      

Other resources:

• Argentina’s Travel Guide
• Travel + Leisure
• Fodor's
• La Nación Restaurant Guide
• Trip Advisor

When you visit another country, it helps to have some historical perspective to understand the culture a bit better. In the case of Argentina, if you only know that it's a Spanish-speaking country in the Western Hemisphere, you would normally make assumptions about the country based on whatever knowledge you have about other Latin American countries. But you would quickly find, upon visiting, that some of your assumptions would be wrong. Here's a brief look at the history of Argentina, that will give you some clues as to its unique culture and what it shares (and doesn't share) with other countries.

Click on the image and it will bring up an interactive timeline.  Scroll your mouse over the dots to see highlights.  You can also click on each image for more details. 

 I'm an enthusiastic but amateur historian, and although I've used multiple sources for confirming facts and for a balanced analysis, I welcome your comments and/or corrections.

Argentina health officials are taking steps to contain a dengue epidemic, with 5000 cases and 4 fatalities to date.  Some unofficial reports state that the number of cases may be as high as 11,000.  

What is dengue fever?

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) states that dengue fever is caused by a virus spread by mosquitoes, and not by human contact.  Dengue symptoms can include fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain and rash.  The disease is usually mild but can get more severe and in rare cases develop into dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), which can be fatal if not treated quickly.  There are currently no vaccines available or a specific cure for the disease.   People who have had dengue fever previously are more susceptible to DHF.  Dengue fever patients are treated with fever reducers, such as acetaminophen, and with oral rehydration or intravenous fluids.  In severe cases, treatment is given to support patient blood pressure. 

Is it safe to travel to Argentina?

At the moment, the CDC does not consider the epidemic as serious enough to issue a precaution or travel warning (i.e. they do not recommend postponing travel).  They do advise that there is an outbreak and offer advice on preventive measures (see below).  Before you plan your travel, get the latest news from the CDC Travel Notices site. 

The disease is currently concentrated in the northern provinces of Chaco, Salta, Catamarca and Jujuy.  There are about cases in Buenos Aires, although it is unclear how many of the patients in question were infected while traveling outside the province and were later diagnosed in Buenos Aires.

Federal and provincial governments are beginning to take the dengue issue more seriously and are embarking on campaigns to reduce the virus bearing mosquito population.   

Prevention Measures for Travelers

The CDC advices the following for maximum safety:

“Travelers can reduce their risk of getting dengue fever by protecting themselves from mosquito bites. The mosquitoes that spread dengue usually bite at dusk and dawn but may bite at any time during the day, especially indoors, in shady areas, or when the weather is cloudy. Unlike malaria, dengue is often spread in cities as well as in rural areas.

Travelers should follow the steps below to protect themselves from mosquito bites:

·             Where possible, stay in hotels or resorts that are well screened or air conditioned and that take measures to reduce the mosquito population. If the hotel is not well screened, sleep under bed nets to prevent mosquito bites.

·             When outdoors or in a building that is not well screened, use insect repellent on uncovered skin. Always apply sunscreen before insect repellent.

Look for a repellent that contains one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin (KBR 3023), Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus/PMD, or IR3535.

Always follow the instructions on the label when you use the repellent. In general, repellents protect longer against mosquito bites when they have a higher concentration (percentage) of any of these active ingredients. However, concentrations above 50% do not offer a marked increase in protection time. Products with less than 10% of an active ingredient may offer only limited protection, often no longer than 1-2 hours.

The American Academy of Pediatrics approves of the use of repellents with up to 30% DEET on children over 2 months old. Protect babies less than 2 months old by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.

For more information about the use of repellent on infants and children, please see the “Insect and Other Arthropod Protection” section in Traveling Safely with Infants and Children and the “Children” section of CDC’s Frequently Asked Questions about Repellent Use.

For more information on the use of insect repellents, visit Insect and Arthropod Protection in the CDC Health Information for International Travel 2008.

·             Wear loose, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Clothing may also be sprayed with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent for greater protection. (Remember: don't use permethrin on skin.)”

Although the name of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires (Good Airs) would imply that it belongs on Travel + Leisure's top 10 list, Patagonia deserves the honor.  Visitors confirm that the air is clear and feels purer as you breathe it in.  And at night the lack of smog and light pollution brings out every little star. 

There are 5 major shopping malls in Buenos Aires, concentrated in the Recoleta/Palermo area (see map below).  You will see recognizable stores and brands (Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Nike, The Gap) but most of the stores feature Argentinean brands and designs.  There is much overlap in stores from one mall to another, so it’s not likely that you’ll get value from visiting all of them.  If there’s a particular store you are looking for, visit the websites I’ve included.  They have complete listings of stores, along with links to their sites. 

 

Patio Bullrich 

This modern, luxurious mall features international brands – Armani, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior and Ferragamo – as well as top Argentinean designers.  Prune is a good choice for high end leather jackets. Trosman offers unique design in women’s clothing.  Stop at the Havanna store to stock up on some sweet treats – alfajores and Havannets are our favorites. 

 

Galerias Pacifico 

This mall, located on one corner of the pedestrian shopping area in Calle Florida, features high end Argentinean stores within its majestic architecture.  The fabulous murals give it a classic European feel reason alone to visit this mall   For women’s fashion, Paula Cahen D’Anvers store has contemporary, very wearable designs.  Rapsodia’s designs are more trendy and boho, for the younger set.  Legacy is a very popular men’s brand for casual wear.  Try Lopez Taibo for well-crafted, classically designed men’s dress shoes.  The popular Blaque store features women’s shoes, leather jackets and handbags.   Casa Lopez is another good choice for handbags.

 

Alto Palermo  

This modern mall had a major renovation last year.  Head over to Mimo & Company for clothes for the cool kid in your life.  Kill has contemporary designs for the modern woman.  Cardon Cosas Nuestras features traditional Argentinean wear with a modern twist – jackets, boots, sweaters and even gaucho pants.  

 

Paseo Alcorta

Most of the stores in Paseo Alcorta feature Argentinean labels.  Cheeky has cute kid’s clothes.  Clara Ibarguren’s designs are fun for every day wear.  Etiqueta Negra has high end menswear. 

 

Abasto

If you’re traveling with kids, head over to Abasto.  Between visits to the stores, you can spend some time in the amusement park and the children’s museum.  Daniel Hechter offers men’s clothing, described as urban, modern and sophisticated.  La Martina has clothing and accessories based on their polo heritage.

  

Outside the city center: Unicenter

Another notable mall is Unicenter, located in Martinez.    This enormous mall, located in Martinez, encompasses trendy and affordable brands such as Zara and C&A, with some higher end stores like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren.  Unicenter also houses a 14 screen movie theater, a major department store – Falabella - and a hypermarket –Jumbo.

 

With over 40 ferias (street fairs, flea markets) in Buenos Aires, how do you decide where to focus your time?  While I have not visited all of them, I have done extensive research and enlisted the help of my Buenos Aires correspondents (aka my cousins Isa, Pilar and Carol) to point out the best ferias.  Aside from this post, check out my Quick Guide  on ferias for a comprehensive list, including hours, addresses and available links.   

For Fashionistas

Check out the vibrant fashion scene at the FERIA DE DISEÑO in Plaza Serrano (Serrano 1557) in Palermo Hollywood.  It features clothing from up and coming Argentinean designers, as well as shoes, accessories, and crafts.  The vibe is fun, young and trendy.  Take a break in one of the numerous neighboring bars and restaurants.  Carol recommends Oro y Candido, a combination food market and restaurant. Walk over to the feria in the PLAZA CORTAZAR, for crafts, jewelry and leather goods.  Later in the day, Isa advises a visit to the nearby Las Cañitas neighborhood.  It’s currently the hottest place for trendy Argentineans.
      
Hours: Wednesday thru Friday 2pm to 8pm
Saturday, Sunday and holidays 3pm to 9pm  

For Bookworms

Head over to the Caballito neighborhood to the PARQUE RIVADAVIA (aka PARQUE LEZICA, Av. Rivadavia and Rosario) to browse through books and magazines.  You’ll also find used albums and CDs.  There’s also a section for stamp and coin collectors.

Hours: Every day from 10am to 7pm   

For Hard Core Folklore

In Mataderos, PASEO ALBERDI (Av. Lisandro de la Torre and Av.Directorio) features 400 stalls specializing in traditional Argentinean folkloric art – think gaucho belts, mates, knives, silver pieces, and leather goods.  The vibe is rustic and authentic. Traditional foods, music, and performances (dance, horse riding shows, concerts) also figure prominently.

Check their website for hours – usually it’s afternoons and evenings on Sunday.  The site provides updates on special events and shows.  The season begins April 5, 2009.  

For Antiquing

The world renowned feria in PLAZA DORREGO at the Feria de SAN Telmo (Humberto I and Defensa) has been featured as one of the "Top 10 Markets” by Travel and Leisure.  Vendors offer antiques as well as crafts, and performers put on tango shows.  With 270 stalls, the varied performances and nearby restaurants and bars, you’ll spend a wonderful Sunday afternoon in this one-of-a–kind market.  

Hours: Sundays, 10am to 5pm.

For Bargains, Waterviews and A Break From The City

Want to get away for the day?  Take a cab or remis and head over to the river delta in Tigre and check out the PUERTO DE FRUTOS (Sarmiento and Córdoba).  It’s about a 40 minute drive but you’ll feel like you’re a world away.  The Puerto de Frutos feria features jewelry, leather goods, crafts and furniture, with a special emphasis on wicker goods.  There are numerous food stands, and bars and restaurants close by.  Make a day of it and take a river cruise, visit the amusement park and try your luck at the casino. 

Hours: Weekdays from 10am to 6pm, Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10am to 7pm.  Not all stands are open on weekdays.

Quick Tips for Shopping at the Ferias:

• Wear shoes made for all day walking.  Some of these ferias are vast, and some are next to other ferias in adjoining parks, so you want to have energy and be pain free to stroll comfortably for extended periods.
•  Dress comfortably.  If you visit in the summer, it can get hot, so dress for the weather. This is not an excuse, however, to dress like a slob. Daisy Duke shorts, shoddy sweat suits, wife beater tanks, sloppy t-shirts and droopy pants will make you stick out like an unsophisticated outsider in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires. Yikes, I sound like my mother!  Good advice, though.
• Cash is king (and usually the only option for feria shopping), but be careful of pickpockets and purse snatchers.  They are looking for distracted tourists.  Put your bills in a money belt if possible, and leave the purse, along with your good jewelry in a safe in the hotel room.

In the rare case of problems with vendors, or any difficulty you may experience as a tourist, call the tourist office of the government of Buenos Aires, at 0800 999 2838 (toll free from anywhere in Argentina).  

Note:  Most of the web sites I’ve included are in Spanish.  If you don’t know the language but are an enthusiastic shopper, I encourage you to take some time to navigate the sites anyway, because often there are photos and descriptions of the products, websites and even contact information for each individual artist/vendor.