Argentina Tourist attractions: our top 10 pick
With more than 3,000 kilometers from North to South, this Latin American country is proudly part of the coveted ranking of the world’s largest, sitting comfortably at number eight. Because of how big Argentina is, we know that choosing only one place to visit in our country is rather impossible, this is why we’ve selected the best Argentina tourist attractions.
Its unique location both near the tropics and Antarctica has shaped the landscapes which means there’s an immense diversity of wildlife, climates and also urban centers. That being said, let’s begin counting our top 10 Argentina tourist attractions.
1. Buenos Aires, the ‘Paris of South America’
The country’s capital is by far one of the most interesting, vibrating, cosmopolitan and fun cities to ever visit. It is often compared to New York, London and (yes of course) Paris. This is due to architectonic reasons; many immigration waves took place during the last two centuries and made Buenos Aires a pretty international spot. Latin, European, Asian and African cultures can be found at every corner.
Nightlife is rather intense and there are many options to choose when it comes to cuisine and music. As the ultimate ‘cradle of tango’ the oldest neighborhoods are downtown and plenty of fascinating events take place there. Most of them involving music jamming and dancing.
A great thing about the city is that, whenever you get bored, within 30 minutes up North, you arrive in Tigre. It is a district by the river, famous for its lovely landscape, small islands, and the Río de la Plata delta. El Puerto de Frutos and a boat ride are musts when visiting Tigre. Plenty of bars and restaurants with typical local food can be found here.
Another beautiful place to visit in San Antonio de Areco, located on the west and only an hour and a half away from the City of Buenos Aires. San Antonio de Areco is a small town that seems stuck in time, colonial houses, horses and typical costumes are all over the place, while at the same time shopping options and hotels coexist. Areco is the place to experience the very own Gaucho culture.
Present, past, and future combined in the same place, as well as nature and urban life. All of this and more, make Buenos Aires one of the main Argentina tourist attractions.
2. Peninsula Valdes, a wildlife paradise
Orca watching – Península Valdés
Puerto Madryn is often called the ‘doorway’ to Patagonia due to its geographical location, but this city is a lot more than that. It is the main city near Peninsula Valdes, one of the best destinations to see land, air, and sea wildlife.
Whale watching is the main reason why Puerto Madryn is one of the most famous destinations for wildlife lovers worldwide. Every year between June and December, dozens of these animals and their offspring, visit the calm and cold waters of the Atlantic.
Whales can be seen from the shore even during the low tides in the magical town of Puerto Piramides. This small place is only 100 kilometers away from Puerto Madryn and is the gate entrance to Peninsula Valdes.
Approximately 180 km south from Puerto Madryn you can visit one of the biggest continental colonies of Magellanic Penguins in the world. Every February more than a hundred thousand are counted.
For all of these reasons, we consider Puerto Madryn worthy of being in our Argentina tourist attractions list.
3. Ushuaia, the very end of the world
We’re not fans of clichés but in this case, it happens to be true. Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the country, and also the closest to Antarctica.
Animal reserves, national parks, and lakes are just some of the main points of interest near the city. It receives visitors during the whole year since it offers a huge variety of activities for every season. Ushuaia even has one of the most important ski centers in Argentina. Another reason why it is one of the main Argentina tourist attractions is that is the main city where many excursions to Antarctica leave.
Accommodation and cuisine are prepared to receive tourists are one of the aspects that stand out the most. Fishers’ towns nearby offer the incredible experience to sail close to Antarctica and catch your own very (very) fresh food, mostly huge Spider Crabs.
4. El Calafate: land of glaciers
For centuries these huge blocks of ice have intrigued thousands of people and you could be one of them.
Located in Santa Cruz Province, very close to the Chilean border, El Calafate is the home of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Other important glaciers in the area are the wonderful Upsala and Spegazzini. By navigating the lakes around them all you can get pretty close. There you will have even the possibility of doing trekking above the Perito Moreno.
Also, El Calafate is the easiest way to reach both El Chaltén and the Chilean Torres del Paine National Park. This is why El Calafate is a part of our top ten picks of Argentina tourist attractions.
5. El Chaltén: out trekking capital
Laguna de Los Tres and mount Fitz Roy at sunrise
El Chaltén is only 200 kilometers up North from El Calafate. This small town is a must if you are looking for the adventure of a lifetime. The main activity in the area is trekking. The main stars in the area are Mount Fitz Roy and Mount Torre. What we love the most about El Chalten is that the variety of trails allows trekkers of any level to enjoy the area.
Many other activities like rafting, horse-back riding, mountain bike, trail running and rappelling make this town deserve a spot on our top ten Argentina tourist attractions.
6. Bariloche, the Aspen of Argentina
In the Southern province of Río Negro, Bariloche is one of the most important cities in the region and also in the country (when it comes to travel and tourism). This city is on our list of Argentina tourist attractions because people all over the road and in Argentina love it.
This town combines a typical alpine-European aesthetic with the local Argentinian culture. Famous for its hospitality, it is both a mecca for youngsters (thanks to its intense nightlife) and families.
Visiting the almighty Los Alerces National park and touring around the Siete Lagos route is definitely a must. Also, from here you can reach other beautiful cities like Villa La Angostura and San Martín de Los Andes, probably the most exclusive and beautiful cities in the country. In these two cities and in Bariloche you will also find really good ski centers.
7. Mendoza, home of the most famous Argentinian wines
Close to the Chilean border, its sunny and dry weather mix with the right amount of rain and rich soil makes this province the number one wine producer in the country.
The always acclaimed Argentinian Malbec that can be found in top cuisine around the world comes from this very own corner of the planet. This is why visiting vineyards and enjoying wine tastings are definitely a must.
Mendoza is also famous for its summer festivals, beauty contests, and celebrations of (yet again) the grape harvest. Rafting in the rapids, kayaking and swimming in lakes during the hot summer, as well as snowboarding and skiing in the winter, complete the offer we needed to get this province in our top 10 Argentina tourist attractions list.
8. Salta and Jujuy, where the ancient world blended with the new one
Salinas Grandes – Jujuy and Salta
Unique and picturesque are definitely the words that describe the best corner in the world. Jujuy and Salta both hold the treasure of the pre-Hispanic civilizations and of important national events as the independence.
Small Andean towns with adobe houses located thousands of meters above sea level like Purmamarca, Tilcara or Cachi, combine the native heritage with the colonial architecture.
For those looking for experiencing hiking through places that resemble the surface of Mars, then Quebrada de Humauaca, Quebrada de las Flechas and the Quebrada de las Conchas is the place to visit. While for lovers of tradition and the local culture, Salta is the perfect place, it was one of the most important cities in the colonial era.
Besides the entire natural and cultural heritage, by the famous 40 national route, you may visit another important wine region in Argentina, where you will find high latitude wines.
The uniqueness of this is a region made it earned its way to our list of Argentina tourist attractions.
9. Iguazu Falls and Iberá wetlands, the power of the tropic
It’s hard to put in words the grandiosity and how majestic Iguazu Falls are. Is one of the biggest waterfall on the entire planet and it earned the title of Worlds Natural Wonder by UNESCO. Also, it serves as natural border between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
The Garganta del Diablo is the star of the national park. It is almost a hundred-meter tall and flushes almost two thousand cubic millimeters of water to attack the ground. Surrounded by lush vegetation and animals, the tropical weather is present during the entire year. This is why every year almost a million visitors come to this place.
The Iberá Wetlands are only 400 kilometers away heading South, in the province of Corrientes. This is truly a unique eco-system located in Iberá National Park that can be visited from the lovely town of Colonia Carlos Pellegrini.
Horse riding on the wetlands as well as cruising in small boats are a must if you are looking to see crocodiles, snakes, and hundreds of different species of plants, flowers, and reptiles.
10. Travel like locals
All of the places mentioned before making Argentina a very interesting destination for people all over the world.
You can also visit Córdoba and Mar del Plata, the local’s favorites. These two are definitely the typical holiday spots for Argentinians. Córdoba in the very center of the country is the second oldest city in the country and very seriously famous for its agitated nightlife. Away from the noise of the capital city, small towns on the East near the sierras are the perfect place for water sports thanks to their many lakes.
Mar del Plata in the other hand, is located in the South of the province of Buenos Aires and is the number one beach in the country.
If this list of ten Argentina tourist attractions is not enough for you or you are craving for some places to visit in this huge and beautiful country, please consider touring the Ruta 40. With almost 5.150 km it connects the extreme north to the extreme south. This is the kind of travel that we recommend doing a self-driving tour, that will give you the freedom to visit any town you want.
Need help planning your trip?
We offer offers tours and experiences for different travel styles, where we stand out in tailor-made vacations, designed around your interests and travel style. As a kick-off, we invite you to take a look at some of our recommended tours and combine it with some other great destinations in Argentina and Chile. Contact us, and let’s plan your next beautiful journey together!
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