Introduction

The idea behind the Argentina Tourist Guide is that it should be a practical manual that helps the traveller on his journeys through our country, and with this in mind, it is a professional guidebook that has been produced as carefully as possible.
Our research and production work has basically been focussed on providing objective help which will above all be of great use to you on your travels around Argentina.
If our aim of providing through Argentina Tourist Guide an overall view of the history, culture, character and attractions of this beautiful country meets your expectations, then we will feel proud of having achieved what we set out to do.
Have a good trip!

Argentina
The name of the diverse

A poet was responsible for the name “Argentina”. At least, he it was who left the first documented evidence of the name in a long and now-forgotten poem entitled “Argentina and the Conquest of the River Plate”. Martín del Barco Centenera was is name, and he had arrived in the country in 1574. On is return to Spain, he felt the need to write down what he had seen. The adjectives he uses are “Argentino Reyno” and “Río Argentino”, referring to the country and the river as “silvery”, since like all his contemporaries he was convinced that he had been in the land of silver. Looking back on the history of Argentina, it does not seem mere chance that the country should owe its name to a literary work. Fiction and reality were intertwined in Martín del Barco Centenera’s poem, just as they would be intertwined throughout the country’s history. And it is from this mixture that there has arisen a literature which has been abundant in names that have become famous throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Since the dawn of independence there have been poets to accompany the exploits. And from that moment onwards, it can be said that each stage in the life of the country has had its literary representation. It is not surprising, therefore, that the names of its politicians and statesmen swelled the ranks of great writers during the 19th century.
Sarmiento, that majestic political figure, was also the most important essayist of is time, and this Facundo is still today a work without equal in contemporary Argentinian literature.
Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortazar, Leopoldo Marechal, Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ernesto Sábato, Ezequiel Martínez Estrada, Roberto Arlt, Macedonio Fernández, Juan Gelman and Juan José Saer are but a few of the writers and poets that the country has produced this century. All of them with concems that transcend the strictly literary, cash one in his own way trying to contribute something towards explaining that national obsession, understanding what we Argentinians are really like. A country built up as a result of successive waves of immigrants from almost all the comers of the world, and which covers such a vast expanse of land, cannot but be complex and difficult to describe.
The first thing that must be said is that today there is no such thing as a typical Argentinian. Put someone from Jujuy with a person from Buenos Aires, for example, and you would get the feeling that they did not come from the same country. And there is a lot of truth in this, because the development of different influences regions was the result of very different influences and experiences. However, there are certain feeling of belonging, certain passions and tastes, that to a greater or lesser degree extend throughout the country.
Like football, for example, from La Quiaca to Tierra del Fuego the whole country can be paralysed if the national team is playing one of those matches that are a matter of life or death. There is nothing more democratic than the passion for football, and the local field –that piece of wasteland converted into the neighbourhood football stadium- has been the school that as produced the greatest players of all time.
And precisely because football is football, so Sunday is the day for it. You don’t even need to go to the ground, because Sunday afternoons have a special atmosphere about them, totally dominated by comments about the matches, and however indifferent you might be, at some time or other somebody will go into very great detail with you about the result, even if you have not asked him to.
Bochini, Gatti, Maradona, and Kempes are not only the names of some of the most admired footballers, but have become almost like family names to Argentinians, as if those players were our own brother or closest friend. And that is why everybody feels obliged to comment on their lives. True fencers with words, we Argentinians engage passionately in a sort of national sport, which is indulging in controversy. We feel we have a right to express an opinion about everything that exist and even about things that do not exist, an if we do not have much information about the subject then that does not matter much either because we will soon find an argument, we will make a good deduction. The important thin is to argue, but most important of all is to win the argument, to knock out the opponent of the moment. On hay street comer in any city groups of people might gather to argue fiercely. The subjects could be extremely trivial or highly important. And it is better if the argument takes place in the street, because then there is a guarantee that it will end at some point.
In a bar, with a cup of coffee or “a glass of something” to help things along, the discussion can be never-ending in the full sense of the word: it may continue over various sessions, and of course everyone will join in, from the waiters to the head barman. This is like a second home: here romantic relationships are formed and broken, business deals are clinched, family events are celebrated, the names to be given to children are agreed upon, details of the private life of the public celebrity of the moment are argued about, people reflect on life and death –or simply read the newspaper.
Although this feature is particularly notable in the major cities like Buenos Aires or Rosario, it is nevertheless a widespread custom throughout the country. No provincial city is without its string of bars along the main street or around the square, no village, no matter how tiny, cannot boast that it has its own bar, called simply a “boliche”.
A mixture of moralists and philosophers who are always inclined to give our own explanations of things, we will say “it’s the `Galicians´ fault”, or “the `Neapolitans. It is important to point out that in Argentina all Spaniards are `Galicians´ and all Italians `Neapolitans´, just as anyone with oriental features is “Ponja” (Jap) even if he was born in Vietnam; North Americans are all “Gringos”, a nickname which is shared with Europeans from the same latitudes, while “Turks” applies to absolutely anybody of Arabic origin. These generalizations are far from being pejorative; rather, they are a sign of affection. For some strange reason, to call a Basque or someone from Andalicía “Galician” is almost a declaration of friendship, it is to recognize him as one of our own.
Although we are very fond of coffee, The Brew –like that, in capitals- is “mate”. It is true that this is not exclusive to Argentina; Paraguayans and Uruguayans share our addiction to this beverage that we can drink anywhere and at any time of day. Obviously, the tree nations will always argue over the origins of mate, but for Argentinians it is as important to claim sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands from Britain.
Although these days the green wave is spreading all over the world and is even trying to gain a foothold in Argentina, nobody can resist a good piece of meat. We really love eating red meat, and are proud of the fact that we can prepare it in countless different ways. Although food in general is comparatively much more expensive than it was twenty years ago, meat is still one of the most easily obtainable foods, and one that goes a long way, too. Throughout the length and breadth of the country restaurants can be found that offer wonderful grilled meat –“parrillada” if all the entrails are included- and “bife de chorizo”, the other great national dish.
But Argentinian food does not come to an end with the meat of the cow. If anything has remained from that tremendous merging of different peoples, it is the love of variety in dishes of different origins, to which must be added an infinite number of local variations. And that is why we Argentinians proudly boast that we can make “the best pizza in the world”, and also paella, bagnacauda, and pasta; but is always “the best in the world” because modesty and discretion are not to be counted among our virtues, and obviously a does not matter if we have not tried the food in other places.
Boasting apart, it is true to say that to eat well and with a variety of dishes in any town in Argentina is not just a matter of chance. Restaurants abound with international menus and also a whole range of gastronomic specialities.
The “Empanada”, a sort of pie, is another national dish, and each province in the north has its own distinctive way of preparing these; and being Argentina, we make “the best Arabic empanadas in the world” in Tucumán, one of the northern provinces –it couldn’t be any other way, could it”.

Estadisticas blog

Descriptive Geography

Argentina shares with Chile the most southerly point on earth, controlling the Drake Passage which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
In size, it is the seventh largest country in the world, and the second largest in South America. This vast extent is responsible for one of its most typical characteristic: the tremendous variety and contrast that can be found between one region and another, in terms of climate, scenery and people. There is no exaggeration in the official slogan which calls it “The land of the six continents”. From the dense jungles of the north to the semi-arid steppe of windswept Patagonia or the eternal ice of Antarctica, in the south; from the powerful majesty of the Andean cordillera in the west to the fertile basin of the River Plate and the Atlantic coastline in the east.
The hottest climates are to be found in the subtropical north western and north eastern provinces, characterised by dry and wet seasons; Mediterranean climate in the dry season near the Paraná. The harshest climate in terms of temperature is to be found in the Andean region and in Patagonia, except, of course, for the never-ending polar winter of Antarctica. But in general, its position on the South American continent means that the whole country belongs to a climatic zone that can be described as temperature, or moderate. This is particularly notable in the centre of the country, a vast temperature belt where there is a clear differentiation between the four seasons. Because of its location, the part north of the River Plate is influenced by the winds from the Atlantic, while the southern sector receives the influence of winds from the Pacific, even though the great natural barrier of the Andes has a modifying effect here.
Argentina is bounded to the north by Bolivia and Paraguay, and with this latter country it also shares the strategic north eastern frontier, which follows the rivers Pilcomayo, Paraguay and Paraná. To the east, its borders are with Brazil and Uruguay, before the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean is reached. To the west, the Andes form a natural frontier with Chile.
The relief of Argentina is comparable to that of Africa and Australia, but with the difference that it does not have the deserts that characterize both Africa and Australia. On the contrary, and thanks to the benign influence of the easterly winds, the extraordinary Chaco-Pampas plain has been able to develop with its climate that ranges from subtropical to temperate.
This plain, which is bounded to the east by the basin of the River Plate, is comparable in fertility to the Mississippi plains in North America.
The mountains in the country are relatively young; that they all lie in the western part of the country is explained by the fact that since the Palaeozoic period acrogenic forces have always come from the Pacific, and the uplifting of the Andes had repercussions on the whole of the country, since it completely rejuvenated its soil.
Because of its very special geographical features, Argentina is a country of plains, mountains –the highest peak in the southern hemisphere, Aconcagua (6.959 m) is to be found in the country-, lakes, valleys, beaches, eternal ice, contrast.

Buenos Aires

As with any major capital, Buenos Aires is many cities rolled into one, yet at the same time it has a unique character all its own, and each step you take can lead you to some puzzling or unusual find.
Starting from the river, or more precisely from the port, the first building that attracts your attention is the pink Casa Rosada, which is the Presidential Palace, seat of the Executive Power, and home of numerous official departments.
Opposite this the Plaza de Mayo. This is the real political heart of the country, the spot where. Argentinians have gathered to vent their feelings and air their controversies for almost two hundred years now. It is virtually the city’s birthplace, and is also a good starting point for visitors.
The Plaza de Mayo is surrounded by a number of important buildings: the Cabildo (Town Hall), with its Historical Museum, its Sala Capitular where the patriots who began the independence movement met in 1810, and a fine colonial courtyard. Diagonally opposite the Casa Rosada is the Banco Nación building, a beautiful neo-classical construction which was originally home to the Colón Theatre, and the setting is completed by Buenos Aires Cathedral, containing the remains of José de San Martín.
Southwards from the Plaza de Mayo is the San Telmo district, The oldest part of the city and a favourite with tourist because here are to be found the antique shops and also a number of excellent restaurants and tango bars. It is one of the few places where you can get an idea of what the original settlement of Buenos Aires was like.
Around the middle of this century, a different type of inhabitant began to move into San Telmo. Artists, intellectuals and bohemians discovered the magic of the fine old houses and set up their homes or their studios in them. As time passed, antique dealers and artists came along too, realizing the immense historical value of this small isolated area that was struggling to survive in the middle of the concrete jungle rising up all around. San Telmo has been declared part of the historical heritage of the city of Buenos Aires, and there are laws to protect its buildings and ensure that no rebuilding work alters the general appearance of the area. Of course, these rules are not always strictly followed, and a number of brash buildings have sprung up, looking real “eyesores” alongside the centuries old walls.
As you wander along its streets you can come across the most extravagant people imaginable: from strolling puppeteers, painters, musicians of tango dancer, to ladies decked out in nineteenth century elegance offering their wares from disorderly stalls in the small square of San Pedro Telmo, the heart of the area.
This is an unforgettable walk, especially if it is Sunday. For is “The Day” in San Telmo, when walking through its streets is like joining in one big party which nobody knows who started, but which everyone is invited to.
Southwards, San Telmo runs into two other legendary district, La Boca and Barracas. The boundary between the there is Lezama Park. And this is somewhere you must visit too, not only to admire the magnificent, centuries-old trees, but because it is one of the most beautiful green zones in Buenos Aires. It stands on one of the two river bluffs still to be found in the city, and it has even been said that it was the site on which the city was originally founded.
In the fine old mansion that was once at the heart of the Lezama family’s estate, today is to be found the National Historical Museum. There is also an amphitheatre where during the summer months artistic performances are given, and every part of the park has its own distinctive beauty, with splendid trees with enormous roots, and fine statues.
La Boca is the colourful district. Inhabited since the latter part of the nineteenth century by Genoese immigrants, it still retains, the typical tin or wooden buildings painted in strident and vivid colours that they constructed. One of the most attractive places here is La vuelta de Rocha, were Almirante Brown Avenue follows a bend of the Riachuelo, and fine old Barges can be seen tied up like a piece of history that is reluctant to disappear. Very near here is the famous Caminito Street, an alleyway full of memories of the tango, and which at weekends becomes a real open-air arts centre.
But La Boca is also the lines of Italian eating houses in Necochea Street, or the Pedro de Mendoza school-museum that recall’s one of Argentina’s most popular painters, Benito Quinquela Martín, who immortalized the district on his canvases. And what is more, La Boca is, most importantly of all, football! On Sunday afternoon La Bombonera, the popular name for the local stadium, vibrates to the chants of the crowds who fill the whole area with football.
The west side of Patricios Avenue divides La Boca from Barracas, which got its name because it was the place where the big merchandise stores (barracas) were located those same buildings that today have become so fashionable. They have been used, for example, by one of Argentina’s best film directors, Fernando Solanas, as the setting for his film Sur. It is a tango area par excellence, with a couple of spots specially reserved for those with nostalgic tendencies. Always keeping the Plaza de Mayo as your reference point, if you walk northwards you come to the narrow pathways that surround the buildings of the major banks. This is the financial sector, or more simply, The City; where the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange is to be found, and where all is bustle and excitement. The City has one luxurious central feature, the Manhattan-style glass skyscrapers of the Catalinas Norte complex. Set against the river, the view from any one of these buildings is truly spectacular.
Only a few blocks separate Catalinas Norte the Plaza San Martín, with its magnificent array of fine trees, including jacarandas, palms, tipas and lindens. The square is surrounded by splendid building like the Kavanagh and the Plaza Hotel, which date from the early years of this country. The most important businesses here are shopping centres and art galleries. The Florida pedestrian area comes to and end at the square. Just as bustling as The City, this street is where the best clothes-especially leather goods are to be found.
It the southern part of the city shows the Buenos Aires of yesteryear, the north gives the image of a modern, cosmopolitan capital, always open to change, and welcoming to tourists. It is where the elegant cafes and restaurants are to be found, the big gardens, the refined French or Italian airs of its stylish and tasteful old houses –many of them now occupied by embassies-, women who look as if they have just escaped from the cover of some fashion magazine, and the art galleries.
In the north, for example, is La Recoleta, one of the most exclusive areas of the city, and where some of its best hotels are to be found. Not to be missed is the bandicraft market in Plaza Francia, nor should you fail to pay a visit to the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Palais de Glace, or the Buenos Aires Cultural Centre.
There are thee major roads to see in this part of the city: Alvear and Quintana Avenues, which both start from the Plaza Francia, and Arroyo Street. The obviously-French style of the building in these thee roads sums up the opulence of late nineteenth century Buenos Aires, together with the most sophisticated restaurants and pubs. However, it has not always been like this, and although the name itself sounds somewhat paradoxical today, the origins of this area lie with the Recollet Franciscan monks who settled there and built Nuestra Señora del Pilar Church, surrounded by a big vegetable garden. Subsequently, some of this land was taken over by the cemetery, which is still there today. It is the oldest in Buenos Aires, and the value of its artistic works together with some of the famous names buried there have meant that it has become part of the city’s heritage.
Further north are yet more stylish areas, including Palermo Chico and Belgrano. Santa Fe Avenue is the great commercial artery of the north, with all types of businesses and shops strung out along it, but especially notable for clothing and home furnishings at prices to suit all pockets.
In the centre west of the Plaza de Mayo, the avenue of the same name starts, and this runs as far as the Plaza del Congreso. Its route was the idea of Torcuato de Alvear, and the design was by the famous Argentinian architect Juan Buschiazzo. Part of the former Town Hall building had to be demolished to make way for it. The result is just over ten blocks that form one of the most successful architectural ensembles anywhere in Buenos Aires. Italian-inspired buildings live side by side with others covering the whole range of French styles, from Louis XVI right though to Art Nouveau. From the beginning of the century it became known as the most elegant avenue in the city.
The old Café Tortoni, meeting point for intellectuals in the early years of the century and one of the oldest cafes in the city, is still there today. A fine example of Art Nouveau style, it has retained the oak and marble tables where once Alfonsina Storni, Federico García Lorca, Baldomero Fernández Moreno and Arthur Rubinstein sat together, to name but a few of its illustrious customers.
The view of Congress Square is dominated by a big group of sculptures, the Monumento a los dos Congresos. The lights playing on the water coming from the fountains, together with the music, make a pleasant sight on summer nights. In front is the National Congress building, in imitation Greek-Roman style, with its front completely covered in grey granite. Two ramps on either side of a wide flight of steps are a prominent feature of the frontage, and it is all topped off with a large dome, 85 m high.


WHERE TO STAY

Tourist sites are well scattered in Buenos Aires, although most hotel facilities are to be found in an area spreading northwards from centre.
Numerous thee- and four-star hotels are concentrated in the centre along 9 de July Avenue and in nearby streets, and also in the area near the Colón Theatre in Corrientes, Callao, and Córdoba Avenues.
There are a number of apartment-hotels around the city area, as well as ordinary hotels. The Catalinas Norte complex contains one of the city’s five-star hotels. But without doubt it is in Recoleta and its immediate surroundings that the most extensive range of hotel facilities is to be found. Here some of the most luxurious hotels in all Buenos Aires have opened in recent years, to add to those that already existed. And everything leads one to suppose that future investments in this field will be concentrated in this part of the city, which offers a full range of facilities for executives and for the holding of conventions and other types of event. A number of these hotels are also developing Health Club facilities.
In the south, which is the historic part of the city and the most attractive, there is no accommodation for tourists, but good restaurants abound, and also places to enjoy live music; these include a number of “cathedrals” to the tango.


WHAT TO VISIT

Buenos Aires is a city where there is always lots to see and to, and if you are going to appreciate anything at all, then a stay of at least five days is advisable. If anyone were to try and cover even a third of the cultural activities advertised each day in the newspapers, then the day would need to have more than twenty four hours. From churches to museums, you are spoilt for choice, as the possibilities seem never-ending. The number of art galleries is almost infinite, along with libraries, cinemas, theatres, historical monuments, parks, football clubs, a zoo, the botanical gardens, and a planetarium and not forgetting a number of shopping centres that are worth a look even if only for their very individual appearance. Here we merely give details of the most important attractions.


Churches

The oldest and most interesting are:
*The Cathedral, crossing from the Town Hall, and facing onto the Plaza de Mayo. A dome 46 m high, and five naves. In its mausoleum lie the remains of several heroes of the independence struggle, among them San Martín, Las Heras, and Tomás Guido.
*Santo Domingo (1773), in Belgrano and Defensa (this is practically where the San Telmo district begins). Carved wooden retables. Its mausoleum contains the remains of Manuel Belgrano, creator of the Argentinian flag. The Camarín de la Virgen del Rosario houses flags that belonged to English invaders, and the church itself was a creole bastion during the defense of the city in the invasions of 1806 and 1807.
*San Ignacio de Loyola (1734), Alsina and Bolivar Streets (San Telmo). This as two towers, one of which contains an ancient clock that used to be in he town hall, where it indicated official time during the last century. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, and under it pass a number of mysterious tunnels that were built in the 18th century and which crisscross much of the historical part of the city.
*San Francisco (1754), Defensa and Alsina street (SanTelmo). Its main feature is an enormous altar tapestry (8 m by 12).
*San Pedro Telmo (1734), Humberto I 340 (a stone’s throw from the square of the same name). Built by French and Italian Jesuits, baroque style.
*Russian Ortodox Catedral, Brasil 315 (opposite Lezama Park). Has beautiful majolica work and an equally-fine dome.
*Nuestra Señora de la Merced (1769), Reconquista 207 (in the Herat of the City). A fine baroque altar is worthy of note.
*Santísimo Sacramento, San Martín 1050. A carved pulpit and magnificent majolica work are its main features.
*Nuestra Señora del Pilar (right in the Herat of Recoleta). Built by Dominican friars, it is one of the only examples of colonial architecture remaining in Buenos Aires.

Museums

*The Cabildo (Town Hall) Historical Museum (in the Cabildo Building. Bolivar 65) has display of artifacts dating back to the second founding of Buenos Aires and continuing though to the suppression of the Cabildo as an institution in 1821. Open Afternoons, Tuesday to Sunday. Opening times differ in summer and winter.
*City Museum (Defensa 187, San Telmo), Interesting museum showing how the daily life of the city has evolved through its everyday domestic object. Open Monday to Saturday, closed in January.
*Historical Museum of the House of Deputies of the Nation (Rivadavia 1860, first floor). Recalls elected deputies who passed through the House by means of an exhibition of some of their personal possessions and a portrait gallery containing pictures of all the Presidents of the Republic. Open afternoons, Monday to Friday. Closed in January and February.
*Museum of Historic Costumes (Chile 832, San Telmo). Collections of civil and military garments from the colonial era to the early years of 20th century. Open afternoons, Monday to Friday.
*National Historical Museum (inside Lezama Park, San Telmo). Argentinian historical documents down 1943, and miscellaneous articles and objects. Open Sundays, and afternoon Tuesday to Friday.
*Municipal Museum of Modern Art (San Juan 350, San Telmo). Important centre for contemporary art. The building dates from 1918 and was once a tobacco factory storeroom. The original frontage remains intact. Open afternoons, Monday to Sunday.
*Pedro de Mendoza School Museum (Pedro de Mendoza 1835, la Boca). This cultural centre was the idea of Benito Quinquela Martín, the school opened in 1936, the museum two years later. Currently it has on display a large collection of works by contemporary Argentinian figurative artist, and it also houses much of Quinquela’s work. It is a fine old three storey house that looks out ever the Riachuelo, a mere stone’s throw away from Caminito Street. On the terraces are works by Argentinian sculptors, and the rooms that were Quinquela’s studio also contain many of the artist’s personal effect.
*Argentinian Puppet Museum (Pedro de Mendoza 1821, La Boca), Not only does this museum contain puppets, but also items relating to puppet theatres. Open Wednesday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
*Isaac Frnándedez Blanco museum of Spanish-American Art (Suipacha 1422). The artistic heritage of this museum suffered seriously from the effects of a bomb that exploded in the Israeli Embassy in March 1992. However, it is home to an important collection of Spanish-American silverware, paintings, and furniture from the 19th centuries. Opening times are limited for the moment, and it only welcomes visitors between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesdays to Sundays.
*National Museum of Fine Arts (Avenida del Libertador 1473, Recoleta). Important collection of works by exponents of the plastic art worldwide, and a complete exhibition of Argentinian art from its origins to avant-gardism. It has been resident since 1933 in the famous architect Alejandro Bustillo. Surrounded by beautiful gardens containing sculptures by the French artist Emile Bourdelle, it is one of the most interesting spots in the Argentinian capital. Open Tuesdays to Sundays.
*“Hands-On” Science Museum (inside the Buenos Aires Cultural Centre, in recoleta). A highly original idea, this museum offers you the chance to immerse yourself actively in the world of knowledge –Optics, physics, ecology, mechanics, magnetism and electricity. Initially aimed at children, a couple of years ago it opened its doors to `children´ of all ages. Open all day Monday to Friday, and weekend afternoons. Closes for summer break.
Most of these museums charge an entrance fee, although this is never more than U$S5. Not detailed in these page are many other museums catering for various interests. However, we cannot fail to briefly mention the importance of the heritage of, or the fine buildings occupied by: the Enrique Larretta, Museum of Spanish Motifs; the museum of Argentinian Motifs; the José Hernández and Casa de Ricardo Rojas Museum; the National Museum of Decorative Arts and The national Museum of Oriental Art; the La Boca Wax Museum; the Antonio Ballvé Penitentiary; housed in one of the Jesuits Casa de Ejercicios Espirituales and the Museum of Indian and Creole instruments.

Cinemas, Theatres, Cultural Centres and Art Galleries

Buenos Aires has always been famous for its active cultural life, and its no lees busy night life. This is why it has been called `the city that never sleeps´. And although this is perhaps a slight exaggeration today, it is not entirely without foundation.
Restaurants, bar, discotheques, pubs and above all, cafes, stay open well into the early hour, and at weekends do not close at all. And it should also not be forgotten that although Buenos Aires is by no means exempt from the problems that confront any major metropolis, it is still a safe city where your can get about without danger, something that makes its night life an even more attractive proposition.
If there is one street which has contributed more than any other towards this nickname of `the city that never sleeps´, it is Corrientes Avenue. Here are to be found most of the capital’s important theatres, and although in recent years some have closed their doors, there are still a good many where national and international theatre groups perform a wide range of contemporary and classical works.
Also in this street is the General San Martín Municipal Centre, an enormous complex designed along advanced architectural lines and which contains several small rooms set aside for different types of theatrical performance, including one which only present works by little-known Argentinian artists.
The next block from the San Martín Cultural Centre contains another complex offering good shows. This is known as La Plaza, and it deserver a special mention of its own for, with entrances in Corrientes Avenue and in Sarmiento and Montevideo Streets, it stand on a large piece of land that once contained a number of popular eating places where everyone from intellectuals and artists down of La Plaza successfully brings together big open spaces and shops and restaurants, making it an important focal point in the life of the capital, despite the fact that it is one of its newest centres. It has a beautiful open-air amphitheatre where concerts of classical and modern musical are given, as well as special shows for children.
This street also has a number of cinemas, although Lavalle is the true “street of the cinemas”. From Florida to Carlos Pellegrini, cinemas and pizza houses follow on one after the other. And the crowds of people that can be seen here on a Saturday night is truly amazing –a feature of Buenos Aires that is almost beyond description There are plenty of cinemas too in Santa Fe and Callao Avenues, and also in Recoleta.
The famed nightlife of Corrientes Avenue dates back to the thirties, when it was still narrow and the favourite haunt of tango artist. It was in the forties that the street was widened and the theatres and cinemas began to spring up. And in the seventies Corrientes, still full of life and renovated, was the setting for the great cultural demonstrations of the middle classes. Then subsequently, for both natives and strangers alike, it became simply the “street of the bookshops”. Dozens of bookshops displayed the great literary works at prices to suit all pockets, in versions produced by the major Argentinian publishing houses. And alongside the ordinary bookshops there sprung up others specializing in old books, where the unfindable could be found.
In the nineties, Corrientes has a very different appearance. Many of these bookshops –where you could read all night if you wanted, or get involved in a complex and never-ending debate with the bookseller who happened to be on duty at the time- have disappeared. But book-lovers are in luck, for many of the shops are still there, and although today they are not open all night, it is frequently after midnight when they close.
Where the cinemas of Lavalle come to an end is where Tribunales-starts. And there, on the square with the same name, stands the magnificent Colón Theatre, one of the greatest lyrical setting in the world, and which every year host the most important international stars. With impeccable acoustics, the building retains the Italian-style lines that typified the country’s most important public buildings at the turn of the century, it has seven floors, and its enormous Gold Room can seat 2,500 spectators –an there is room for a further 1,000 standing. The building is set off by a beautiful dome, the inside of which has been decorated by Raúl Soldi. Attached to the theatre is its own museum, which holds records of all the major performances and shows that have been staged there.
A few blocks away, the Cervantes National Theatre –home of the National Theatre Museum- is an impressive building in Spanish neo-plateresque style. It was a donation by the Spanish actress María Guerrero, and was opened by her and her husband in 1921. The outside is a reproduction of the Alcalá de Henares university.
The art galleries are concentrated in the street around Florida, especially between the intersection with Córdoba Avenue and the Plaza San Martín. Important exhibitions are held of classical and these do full justice to Argentina’s reputation as a major centre for the plastic arts. There are also art galleries in San Telmo and Belgrano.


Shopping Trips

One of the traditional shopping areas is Florida, between the Avenida de Mayo and its end in the Plaza San Martín; the best buy is clothing, formen, women and children. It is in Florida that the famous Harrod’s stores are to be found, which are among the oldest and most prestigious in Buenos Aires, and which offer a complete range of products, including foodstuffs and fine wines.
The famous Galerías Pacífico is also in Florida, between Viamonte and San Martín street, and Córdoba avenue. Rejuvenated and transformed into an enormous shopping centre, these galleries have a splendid dome painted by famous Argentinian artists, including Soldi. The whole building has been declared a Historic National Monument, and inside are restaurants, internationally-famous fashion houses, and even a “Perfume Comer”; there is also a large central space, under the dome, where concerts are held.
Other shopping trips that should be borne in mind when you are visiting Buenos Aires include Alto Palermo Shopping, Paseo alcorta, Patio Bullrich and Puerto Madero. The first of these, in the north at the intersection of Santa Fe and Coronel Díaz. Avenues, is a building of enormous proportions that has completely transformed the appearance of the area where it stands. Concentrated there are businesses of all kinds, and additionally a cinema and a room for projecting documentaries.
Patio Bullrich is a former stable building that dates back to the end of the last century, where the most important members of the local aristocracy used to meet. Completely refurbished and converted into a shopping centre, yet keeping its original architecture and materials, access is from Posadas Street and Libertador Avenue, half way between Retiro Station an Recoleta, in one of the most exclusive parts of the city.
In marked contrast, Paseo Alcorta, in Palermo Chico, is a modern, four-storey building. The ground floor is other floors contain fashion shops. There are also four cinemas.

Warnings

Although the first impression your may get of Buenos Aires, if you do not know it, is of a chaotic city, it is not realty like that at all. Although it might seem difficult to find your way around, the layout is not particularly complicated. Congress Square is kilometre 0, and all distances in the country are measured from there. Thus, for example, from the square to Jorge Newbery airport, where all domestic flights arrive and depart. Is 8 km. And to Ezeiza, 40 km.
Rivadavia Avenue, which starts in the Plaza de Mayo and continues beyond the General Paz ring road that separates the city from Greater Buenos Aires; is the basis of the numbering and naming system, since on it are based the numbers and names of all the streets that cross it. To the left they go up from 0 in a southerly direction, and to the right from 0 in a northerly direction. Rivadavia Avenue runs from east to west, and its numbers go up similarly, as do those of all the parallel streets that start from the river.
There are not too roads running diagonally across the basic grid pattern, especially across the basic grid pattern, especially in the central area, which looks like an enormous draughts boand.
Costanera north and Costanera South Avenues follow the river, with the dividing line between them being, as always, Rivadavia Avenue.
A motorway network links Buenos Aires with its suburban belt to the north and south, and these roads meet in 9 July Avenue, by Contitución Station.
The railway stations are also nerve centres of underground transport. The starting point for all rail communication southwards is Constitución, at the end of 9 July Avenue, and this is linked to Retiro Station by one of the underground lines. Retiro is where rail services in a northerly direction start, and this is located on San Martín Square opposite the Catalinas Norte complex: The area popularly known as `Once´ contains Miserere station, from where trains leave for the west, and this too is served by one of the underground lines. The lengthy Corrientes Avenue comes to an en at Chacarita Station, opposite the cemetery of the same name, and this is an underground terminus as well as being the starling point for trains to the northwest.


Places of Interest in the surrounding area

If you are visiting Buenos Aires for more than thee days, it is a good idea to find the time to make two traditional excursions: one to San Isidro, and the other to the delta of the Paraná River, better known as Tigre. These have been poplar trips since the end of the 18th century. Both are part of the northern. Buenos Aires conurbation, and have excellent communications with the capital. They can be reached by suburban line of “micros” (you catch these in the city centre), by private car or by special minibuses on excursions organized by numerous tourist bureaux.
The quickest of these methods is the train, which takes about 20 minutes to San Isidro and around 40 to Tigre; trains depart from Retiro station every 8 or 10 minutes, with a slightly reduced service on Sundays. By road the journey is longer, and depends to a certain extent on how much traffic there is on the Panamerican Highway –traffic tends to be heavy at most times, but especially so on Sunday afternoons when people are returning home from their country houses and the various clubs in the area.
San Isidro was officially founded in 1784, but settlement really goes back to the time of the definitive foundation of Buenos Aires. Lying on the right bank of the River Plate only 21 km from the Federal Capital, initially it grew up as an agricultural area specially renowned for the production of flowers; slowly, however, the large farms began to give way to residential development, and the area became a summer holiday spot for Buenos Aires families at the beginning of the 19th century. Around the middle of the present century, first of all industrialization of the district, and then improvements to the road network, brought to an end its image as a peaceful summer resort, and a gradually merged with the large conurbation as an active commercial and industrial centre.
However, it has never ceased to be an interesting place to visit, as it has a fine port, which is today the exclusive reserve of those devoted to sport and leisure activities. And in its historic centre, traces can still be found of the time when it was a summer resort. There is a square that was built on what was once the river bank and which today leads into an attractive avenue running alongside the old railway station. Other attractions include and impressive cathedral steeped in history, and a number of fine old houses.
If you continue a little further, you come to the important residential area of Lomas de san Isidro, where many Argentinian celebrities have their homes,. Here impressive mansions can be discovered lying hidden deep in wonderful parks or else resting on the tops of small hills.
All day Sunday there is a handicraft fair in the square, and this is, of course, the best day to visit San Isidro. There are excellent cafes an restaurants nearby, and here in this small area you will fortunately not find any of the tall buildings that spoil Maipú Avenue, the main thoroughfare of this northern sector.
The most important and internationally-famous rugby clubs in all Argentina are based in San Isidro, as are the best polo clubs –polo is a sport in which Argentina it world leader. Even if you are not horse enthusiast you should not fail to visit the magnificent San Isidro Race Track, almost eight blocks of age old woodland and gently-undulating land crossed by numerous small stream.
The district is historically rich both in deeds and famous people. It is worth going along to the San Isidro Guides Association, as in the company of a guide you can discover more about the place and enjoy your trip all the more; guided tours are available on Sundays, and this is really the best way to get a general panorama of the area.
Before it finally joins the River Plate, the Paraná loses itself in a maze of small rivers and stream that are dotted with island covered with astonishing vegetation –this is the Paraná Delta. Since those far-off days in 1806 when Santiago de Liniers began the struggle to re-conquer Buenos Aires, which at the time was besieged by the British navy, this area has been eternally bound up with intriguing pieces of history and legends.
The island had supplied the port with firewood and fruit since the Colonial era. And it was precisely as a fruit growing area that this part of the country developed, but this activity slowly declined as the country underwent a major economic transformation, and today it is almost non-existent. But so that this past is not forgotten, There is still the Fruit Market, and although there is little there today to justify the name, it is nevertheless one of the most attractive places imaginable. There you will find every-thing from horrible flowerpots stuffed with artificial flowers to real plants, wicker and cane furniture, exquisite basketwork, honey, chesses and sausages, and pretty pottery and copper handicrafts. You can find everything at this market, which owes the fruit from the islands was unloaded from the ships and sold.
Back on dry land there is still more to see: the derelict building of the former Tigre Hotel, and delightful mansions, some of them uninhabited, silent witnesses to a past era that was indeed splendid. And you can also choose one of a number of trips through the delta itself. Today there are few island that are completely uninhabited, and which retain their original vegetation. What you will mostly see on all of them are magnificent gardens, weekend houses and clubs.
The traditional buildings are wooden chalets painted either white or in very vivid colours, with a notable English influence. Generally speaking, launches and catamarans follow the most-frequented routes, but despite the signs of “civilization”, the scenery is still breathtaking. There are channels where the vegetation has become so entangled and entwined that it forms a sort of green roof stretching from one island to the next. And there is one plant which, although not native to the area, abounds in the island: azalea, whose lilac, white, purple or pink lines burst out of the dense greenery of the trees and creepers, beautiful rosebushes can also be found on a number of island.
Usually, excursions though the delta last either half a day, or a full day with a stop for lunch at some pretty restaurant or other. But there are also short trips lasting no more than a couple of hours. All these start from Tigre Quay, but if you want you can make reservations previously at a travel agency.
Although this is a good trip at any time of year, it is especially beautiful in springtime or in autumn, when the range of colours in the landscape is staggering. If you have time, you should stop off on Tigre Quay or in one of the old shops or bars around there to chat with some boatman or old inhabitant. The tragic stories of love, suspense, and adventure that you will hear are worth putting in a novel, and are as seductive as the island scenery itself.

Cordoba

WHAT TO VISIT

It was not in vain that a number of religious orders settled in Córdoba in its early years. They have left their mark in the form of numerous colonial buildings, which are the most valuable of the city’s treasures:
The Cathedral, an ambitious 17th century project. Work started in 1687, and was not completed until 1914. it has a notable wooden dome an a main altar made entirely of silver. Renaissance, baroque and romantic styles all merge in this building, which fronts onto the Plaza San Martín. There right on the road, a drawing on mosaics reproduces the front of the Cathedral.
The Cabildo, (Town Hall), also in the Plaza San Martín and –just like the Cathedral- reproduced on the road, has a fifteen-arched preserved market. In classical style, it is one of the last cabildos that can be admired anywhere in the country and is currently the subject of an important restoration project.
The convent of the Company of Jesus and its notable Domestic Chapel are part of the so-called Manzana de las Luces. The chapel is important for its roof of guadua bound with thin strips of leather and adorned with paintings taken from vegetables of the region.
Córdoba University Cloisters, Monserrat College, the churches of San Francisco and San Roque ; the convent of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns; the tree monasteries of the Franciscan, Dominican, and Our lady of Mercy monks, and the convent of Santa Catalina and San José, together known as The Teresas, are just some of the many examples of 17th and 18th century religious architecture.
The Juan de Tejeda Museum of Religious Art is to be found in the Carmelite Convent. Further important collections are in the Fray José de San Alberto Religious Museum and the Deán Funes Ecclesiastical Museum.
In what was the residence of the first governor, the Marquis of Sobremonte, a fine old 18th century house, there is today the Provincial Historical Museum. Popularly known as the Marquis’ House, this contains important collections of historical object and documents, as well as fine decorated vaults and typical pathways adorned with tiny stones extracted from river beds, which should not be missed.
But not everything is a relic of colonial architecture or an example of religious art. Córdoba has its Contemporary Art Centre which is housed in a elegant old 19th century house in the Chateau Carreras.
The Municipal Museum of Fine Arts occupies an elegant French-style country house and as important collections by Córdoba artists, as has the Emilio Caraffa Provincial Museum of Fine Arts, located in Sarmiento Park.
To round off the museum visits, don’t forget the Museums of Mineralogy; Zoology; Medicine, Meteorology and Anthropology. When added to the art and religious ones, this makes a total of twenty two museums, which cater for a wide range of different interests.
There are other architectural curiosities that should not be forgotten as you wander around Códoba. The Chalet de Hierro (Iron Chalet) is the only work of its kind anywhere in Latin America, and was designed by the engineer Eiffel, the builder of the famous tower in Paris. There is also the Casa Giratoria (Rotating House), at the intersection of Paraná and San Lorenzo Streets, which was completed in 1951 and was a product of the imaginative mind of an immigrant of Syrian origin called Abdón Sahade. Built from everyday materials, it is extremely solid and can even support a second floor, it is 51 m in circumference and is moved by two thee-horsepower motors. It is supported above a platform on pillars with wheels at the top; an electric key makes it rotate in either direction at a speed of one metre per minute, thereby completing one rotation in 55 minutes. It is currently inhabited by one of the builder’s grandsons, who allows visitors to enter.
If you are travelling with children or are a nature lover, then you shouldn’t miss Sarmiento Park, a vast green expanse which borders onto the sports fields of the National University of Córdoba. It has a beautiful wood and delightful sport in which to linger. Inside the park are the Zoological gardens, laid out over a large ravine where the natural elements have been used to the best advantage to provide the animals with a suitable habitat.
In the same park you will find the open-air Greek Theatre, which respects the structure of ancient Greek Theatres, and where during the summer interesting musical performances are held.
Córdoba is a city you should walk though, it is a pleasure to wander though its streets and discover its architectural contrast. The French, or Italian-style country houses, which typify Argentinian architecture of the second half of the nineteenth country stand side by side with austere baronial mansions that still retain their mysterious tiled courtyards with the well in the centre, and their shady porticoes. Alternating with these are bold examples of modem architecture, with showy glass and brick frontages.
Many of the colonial buildings are to be found in the pedestrianised area between Obispo Trejo, Rivera Indarte, Deán Funes, 9 de July and 25 May Streets.
Córdoba was one of the first cities in Argentina to have pedestrianised streets, and what is more, these are wonderful gardens full of flowerbeds that are unbelievably clean and well-kept. In this sector the colonial architecture blends happily with modern commercial galleries which cross from street to street and attractive cafes that cheerfully set up their tables with sunshades in the open air. Here it is impossible not to be taken in by the charm, by the desire to sit down at one of the tables and enjoy the view of a particular bell tower, a curious shop window, the exquisite balcony on some shop, or simply to watch the people walking leisurely by.

Shopping


The pedestrian zone is where the most elegant shops are to be found and here you can find clothing, perfumes and articles for the home. All with splendis windows display, and alternating with pastry shops, restaurants and pubs. As with any city in a permanent state of change. Córdoba has experienced the shopping centre phenomenon, and there are several of these, all extremely modern and offering a complete range of goods. Everywhere in the central area, and especially in the old part, there are shops offering articles of a regional nature, and you can find good examples of elaborate silverwork, ponchos and leather goods, including shoes and sandals. And, of course, mate gourds and associated equipment abound, and to suit all tastes.


Places of interest in the surrounding area


Punilla Valley

The city of Córdoba is the gateway to this valley, so named because its topography is similar to that of the “puna” plateau, and it makes a very interesting tour. Here can be found many of the attractions of the province. The journey starts by taking the motorway that leads to Carlos Paz, one of the most important holiday resorts in the country, situated on San Roque Lake, and a mere 34 km from the provincial capital. Here are to be found a whole range of excellent hotel facilities, recreation centres, restaurants, tearooms and pastry shops, as well as discotheques and pubs aplenty. The lake, a sheet of water that was formed when the primitive San Roque dam was built in 1890, gave rise to the town, which was founded in 1914. Today it is a pretty place with over 60.000 inhabitants, whose life depends on the lake, which is suitable for all kinds of water sport. If you are looking for somewhere a little less congested, especially in summer, then “La Villa”, as the people of Córdoba like to call it, is also the starting point for visiting the small and extremely beautiful villages that abound in the valley. If you follow route 38 in a northerly direction, in rapid succession you come to Bialet Masse, Cosquín –which is considered to be the national folklore capital in view of the fact that during the summer the country’s most important folk festival is held there –Valle Hermoso, La Falda, Villa Giandino, La Cumbre, Los Cocos and Capilla del Monte (at the foot of Uritorco Hill, the highest point in the Sierras Chicas, it is a resort centre with mineral springs). Near here is the legendary Ongamira Valley, a strange landscape of caves with numerous remains indicating that it was once inhabited by primitive men very different from the indigenous tribes that the Spaniards found when they arrived. It is one of the richest archaeological sites in the country, and students have estimated that it dates back about 5000 years from the relics that have been found there.


Alta Gracia – Villa General Belgrano

This Circuit is to the south of the provincial capital, leaving by the motorway and then taking route 45. First, you come to Alta Gracia, a town with a history; it was the summer resort of the Viceroys, and the house where Viceroy Sobremonte used to spend the summer can still be seen. There are also important buildings constructed by the Jesuits, since the city was originally a Jesuit hacienda. The ruins of the writer Enrique Larreta’s estate can also be visited, and the house of the composer Manuel de Falla, which has been converted into a museum.
Nearby, the Astronomical Observatory the Satellite Communications Station, and Los Molinos Dam are all worth a visit before you continue your journey to the delightful Villa General Belgrano. This was founded by central European immigrants who made it into a veritable Alpine enclave in the Córdoba Hills. It contains typical chalets, and also Archaeological and Carriage Museums. Each year it also hosts a Beer Festival and a Chocolate Festival, which attract many tourist, and a Tyrolean Carnival. Of course, tearooms abound, offering typically-German confectionery delicacies, for which it as become famous. From Villa General Belgrano those with a sweet tooth can make a short trip to another Alpine Village, La cumbrecita, which has only 80 permanent inhabitants, and where delicious cakes and tarts are sold.


The history Trail

The Mule Trail, formerly the Camino Real or Royal Road, which used to connect the towns of Upper Peru and the North west whit the coast and Buenos Aires, can be followed in a northerly direction from Córdoba. This trail leads to Ascochinga, 64 km. from the provincial capital, but without straying too far from it you can enjoy a number of small paradises. Villa Allende and Unquillo are two suburban areas of Córdoba itself that offer surprisingly-attractive old mansions set in shady parks that are decidedly rural in appearance. From Unquillo, or via the Pajas Blancas road (which also leads no the airport), Río Ceballos can be reached. This is barely 34 km away from the city. It was founded in 1830 by Juan de Ceballos, who laid it out along the course of the river which today bears his name, and this is why it has such attractive, winding streets. Not to be missed in this small town situated 679 m above sea level is La Quebrada Park, a nature reserve with an extremely rich ecosystem known as Chaco Serrano, and an extensive variety of fauna and flora including rare species like the puma, grey fox, wild pig and grey deer.
La Quebrada Dam is part of the park of the same name, and is an excellent spot for canoeing every year both provincial and inter-provincial competitions are held here. And all other water sports are allowed too -except motorized ones!- Around the dam there is a path accessible only to those on foot and which leads to the Condor Falls, set amongst luxuriant vegetation; upstream is another fine waterfall, Los Hornillos, with a height of over ten metres. Other interesting laces to visit in this area include Los Altos –a group of luxury residences right in the hills-, the Ñu Porá Christ Monument by the sculptor Cortinovis, Santa Teresita and Itatí Caves, and La Candonga Jesuit Chapel.


Warnings

Córdoba is the only city in Argentina where the “colectivos” operate on the token system, and these can be purchased from the bus Station and news kiosks. It is also the only city to have trolleybuses, which help notably to reduce traffic congestion. But in the historic part of the city, it is best to walk.
Córdoba as only one campsite, located after the Fair Complex on the Suquía river. Towns in the surrounding area are notable for their excellent tourist facilities in general, and all have more than one campsite.
The Municipal Tourist Office organizes a number of different town tours. Within the central area, these can be undertaken on foot or in minibuses. Possibilities extend to an ecological circuit, the San Vicente district, various industries, and the Nueva Córdoba and Las Rosas areas. During Holy Week and the winter and summer holiday periods, the Town Authorities issue visitors travelling by car whit special licenses (“obleas”) which allow you to go where you want with access to the centre and free parking in controlled areas. These “obleas” can be obtained from service stations, the Town Hall, the Bus station and hotels.

Mar del Plata

WHAT TO VISIT

La Rambla is an absolute must. Although there have been various versions of this, the most recent was a project by the famous architect Alejandro Bustillo. It was built in 1930 and is a grand esplanade along Bristol Beach, presided over by two statues of sea lions; on the esplanade the Casino and the Provincial Hotel have been built.
Torreón del Monje; this was opened in 1904, a donation to the city by Ernesto Tornquist,: Its design recreates a sort of medieval fortress and Jesuit belltower. It has a wonderful view over the sea, and currently houses a pastry shop, tearoom, exhibition halls and a solarium on the terrace.
Chateau Frontenac; this is an imitation of the castle with the same name in the city of Quebec, in Canada. It was built under the direction of the architect Bastillo, and combines various architectural styles in a harmonious balance. It currently houses a top class hotel.
Mogotes Point Lighthouse; brought into use in 1891, its instrumentation made it at the time one of the most modern in South America. An electronic system was installed in 1975, activated by a photoelectric cell which automatically switches the system of lights on and off, depending on the brightness or otherwise of the natural light. The lighthouse is 35 m high and can be seen from various point around the city.
The Tank Tower; this is 48 m high, and is another of the city’s privileged viewpoints.
The Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Cecilia; work started on this in 1893 and culminated in 1898. It is a reproduction of the Gothic style of the 12th and 13th centuries. Its most important features are its enormous stained glass windows, its central chandelier and its belltower with five bells.
The Port; apart from its economic importance, Mar del Plata port is a great leisure centre. In the immediate vicinity there are numerous beaches that are very busy in summer, while the artificial lakes formed by the breakwater are ideal for windsurfing, canoeing and entertainment such as giant water slides. There is a shopping centre nearby with shops selling all kinds of canned seafood and restaurants of all categories which likewise specialize in seafood. A separate spectacle is the sea lions that come in close to the wharves every evening at sunset, along with dozens of coastal ships and fishing vessels from the high seas.
Peralta Ramos Forest; this is a residential area covering some 400 hectares, and planted with eucalyptus, acacias, and cypress trees. It originally belonged to the family of the city’s founder, and today, with streets that fancifully come to an end amidst the woods, it is home to two tearooms, a high-class hotel with restaurant, a children’s play area, and leisure areas for riding bicycles or horses.
Los Troncos District; this owes its name to a chalet that was built there in 1938, and whose fence and main entrance door are made of quebracho and lapacho trunks brought from Salta. This area is the best exponent of the architectural richness of Mar del Plata: chalets surrounded by extensive parks which represent a never-ending variety of different European architectural styles. Los Troncos almost merges with Playa Grande, one of the first areas to be inhabited by aristocratic port families. It has retained its residential nature, and no construction of apartment buildings is allowed. Other more recently attractive are Santa Mónica, La Florida, Pinos de Anchorena and Parque Luro.
Villa Victoria; this is one of the most famous houses in Los Troncos. It used to belong to the writer Victoria Ocampo, and when she died she donated it to the city on the condition that it be converted into a cultural centre. Respecting the terms of her will, it is today a museum sponsored by the foundation that bearsher name, with a programme of cultural activities throughout the year. All the house’s original furniture, which was made to the instructions of the writer’s father in 1905, has been preserved. The whole house was prefabricated in wood and brought directly from Norway, it is the only house with these features in the country.
Mar del Plata is a city full of curiosity and beautiful spots worth exploring. Other places of interest that should be visited include a number of museums: the Natural Science Municipal History Museums, Mogotes Point Lighthouse, the Juan Carlos Castagnino Municipal Art Museum and the Man of the Port Museum.


The beaches

Mar del Plata has a coastline 47 km long. The most popular beaches are obviously the more central ones, Bristol and La Perla. But from Punta Iglesias northwards can be found a whole string of newer resorts which are reached from the inter-resort road that links Mar del Plata to the coastal towns and villages that extend in an unbroken line all the way to Las Toninas, south of Cabo Corrientes –the most westerly point in Argentina on the Atlantic- are to be found some of the most famous beaches anywhere on the country’s Atlantic Coast: Playa Chica, Playa Grande, the various beaches around the port, and the Mogotes Point complex. Until a few years ago Mogotes Point marked the end of the built-up area. But today, beyond the point are numerous resorts, some private, all much less busy than many others elsewhere, and with very good facilities. The nearest town to the south -45 km away- is Miramar. Practically the entire journey between the two towns is through a built-up area, along provincial road nº 11, and this is one of the most attractive drivers in the area. Barely 10 km along this road from the centre of Mar del Plata is the Chapadmalall holiday complex, where the president has his summer residence.

Places of Interest in the surrounding area

Avery attractive trip from Mar del Plata along provincial road 226 takes you to Los Padres hills and lake. The hills are part of the Tandilia system, and although not very high, are notable for the strange shapes created by erosion of the rocks. Los Padres has been developed as a residential town. It has pastry shops, arestaurant and 18-hole golf course, as well as a shopping centre and numerous places selling regional products. Its name recalls the Jesuit priests who once settled in the area.
Only four kilometres from the hills is the lake of the same name. This too is an important leisure centre, with two large pastry shops, wooded walks, and places where boats and horses can be hired. Two fishing clubs are also based on the lake, the Atlantic and the Fishing and Casting Club.
He lake covers an area of approximately 640 hectares, and the abundant wildlife both in it and on its shores has been well preserved.
On the same spot where the former Nuestra Señora del Pilar Reduction used to stand,a replica has been built which is fully in line with all the known historical data on the settlement. It was declared a Historical Site in 1950.
In the area immediately around Los Padreslake was to be found the ranch on which José Hernández spent part of is childhood and adolescence, and where he learnt the secrets of country life that would later on appear in his literature. In José Hernández Traditionalist Museum, which houses important collections of silverware, Creole handicrafts, and everyday objects of country life.


Warnings

Mar del Plata enjoys excellent communications with the rest of the country. Busses from all parts serve its Bus station –a beautiful railway station that has been remodelled to adapt it for us new use-.
It is connected to Buenos Aires by route nº 2 (dual carriageway). Route 226 links Mar del Plata with other inland cities of Buenos Aires province, and also leads to Balcarce, home of the Juan Manuel Fangio Automobile Museum; here many of the prizes and awards won by that giant of world motor racing. Juan Manuel Fangio, are on display, he was born in the town.
The airport is near the Parque Camet area, and daily flights connect it with Buenos Aires; in high season there are also direct links with Rosario, Córdoba and other major cities.
The city itself has 24-hour taxi and “remises” service, and an extensive bus network.
Mar del Plata is a city which can easily be visited on foot; distances are not excessive, and the only time that walking can be a hit hard is in streets that are somewhat hilly by nature. In any case. It is advisable to make some trips on foot, especially through Los Troncos and along the Avenida Costanera from la Rambla to Cabo Corrientes.
A number of other excursions are also possible. Boat trips are available from Dock B in the port Minibuses leave from Colón and San Martín Squares in the centre for balcarce and Los Padres Hills and lake. Trips can also be made by air, although costs are higher.
Mar del Plata has a bustling night life. Most pubs and discotheques where you can dance the night away; are concentrated in Avenida Constitución. In recent years the textile industry has made considerable advances, and Mar del Plata fabrics have become famous throughout the country for their quality and varied designs. Most businesses in this field are to be found in Juan B. Justo Avenue, and here wholesale as well as retail sales take place. This is one of the busiest streets in the city; where tourists and traders from all corners of the country make purchases.
Finally, don’t miss the famous Mar del Plata “alfajores” –cakes made of walnuts, almonds and honey- which are as well-known as its casino and its sea lions. They really are a Mar del Plata “trade-mark”, and although you can get them today almost anywhere in the country., eating them in Mar del Plata its own special charm.

Mendoza

A major festival

In March every year, Mendoza holds its great festival. At this time, the whole city is alive with preparations, mysteries and emotions. It is the Wine Festival. For the people of Mendoza, a festival of work, a time to give thanks for the vines that the earth has produced. The tradition dates back to the end of the last century, when workers used to celebrate the end of the grape harvest to the sound of two typical beats of the region, the “cueca” and the “gato cuyano”. The celebration took on the nature of a formal festival in 1936, and since that time has become a major tourist attraction. The festivities begin on the Friday With the Blessing of the Fruit and the Offering of the New Wine; these are followed by a parade of decorated and brightly-illuminated floats through the streets of the city centre, another parade of gaucho groups in their traditional costumes, dance groups representing all the different immigrant races, and the great closing ceremony at midnight on the Sunday in the Greek Amphitheatre in San Martín Park, where hordes of locals and tourist alike come together. During the months of January and February, there are departmental festivities where the candidates for the Beauty Contest on the final night of the celebrations are elected.


What to Visit

As has already been mentioned, Mendoza was destroyed by an earthquake in 1861, when it was a city three hundred years old with interesting colonial architecture. Obviously, therefore, the tourist today will find no traces of its colonial past, but what he will find is an attractive and welcoming modern city of which the inhabitants are immensely proud.
The main street is the Avenida San Martín, the true commercial heart of the city. The Paseo Peatonal Sarmiento, literally roofed over by the foliage of its abundant trees, is the ideal spot to carry out the ritual of any Argentinian town worth its salt, namely relaxing over a coffee at any time of the day in one of the smart bars tht line the street. And in the adjoining streets there will always be the chance to do some shopping. If it is regional goods that you are looking for, then the place to go is the Avenida Las Heras, where you will find plenty of shops offering a wide range of products, from hand-woven clothing to sweets, dried fruit, spirits and wines of such high quality that even a teetotaller would be tempted.
But there are a number of other places that should not be missed. These include General San Martín Park, with its monumental iron gateway welcoming visitors to the green paradise within. It covers an area of 512 hectares and was designed by the architect Carlos Thays, inside can be found works by the renowned sculptor Lola Mora, and by Marly. The avenues in the park are named after the different species of trees to be found there, and it is a delightful experience to ride a bicycle or simply wander through the park.
The exploits of San Martín are recalled in the wonderful bronze figures by the Uruguayan sculptor Juan Manuel Ferrari at the Monument to the Army of the Andes, on the top of the hill known as the Cerro de la Gloria. Also inside the park are to be found the Zoological Gardens and the Frank Romero Day Amphitheatre, principal setting for the Wine Festival. Other attractions of this beautiful park include a number of private clubs, the Malvinas Argentinas Stadium, the University Centre of the National University of Cuyo, and El Rosedal Drive, which follows the shore of a large artificial lake.
Squares abound, but among the best are the following:
Independence Square, heart of the “new city”. Here are to be found the Municipal Museum of Modern Art and the Julio Quintanilla Theatre.
Plaza España, or Spain Square, where there are scenes depicting the founding of the city, painted on Spanich majolica.
Plaza Italia, built in honour of the Italian immigrants.
Paseo de la Alameda, where are to be found the San Martín Museum and the General José de San Martín Public Library.
The San Francisco Ruins are the sole reminder of the old city. There is to be found Foundation Square, today rechristened with the name of the city’s founder, and opposite this a Jesuit church dating back to the 18th century survives.
The Enoteca Giol Museum of Wine was the first wine vault-school in Mendoza. On display are oak casks from Nancy, prizes awarded at international competitions, and ancient machinery. The museum is in Civic Park, alongside the Government Palace, the Municipal Building and the Palace of Justice.
Other interesting museums include: the Museum of Cuyo Past, the U:N:C: Archaeological Museum, and the Mineralogy, Natural Science and Anthropology, and Emiliano Guiñazú Museum, together with the Aquarium.


Places of interest in the surrounding area

Las Heras
This is to the west of the provincial capital, part of Greater Mendoza; its wester limit is the impressive barrier of the Andean range, which rises to its highest peaks in this area. A number of mountain passes connect this department with Chile and Las Cuevas international tunnel is particularly worthy of note.
Las Heras has a glorious past, because this was where San Martín’s army made its preparations, and the name it bears today recalls one of that army’s most loyal and heroic generals, Juan Gregorio Las Heras.
The following should not be sissed:
Aconcagua Provincial Park, a protected area of natural beauty containing the fabulous Aconcagua, which at 6,959 m above sea level is the highest mountain in America. Puente del Inca (186 km from Mendoza) is the nearest town to Quebrada de los Horcones, the main access point to the park which takes you to Plaza de Mulas (4,200 m), the base camp for those wishing to try and climb Aconcagua by its shout slope. Punta de Vacas (161 km), is the village nearest to Quebrada de Vacas, the normal route to Plaza Argentina, the base camp for climbing it vía Los Polacos Glacier, Plaza de Mulas has a hotel, one of the highest anywhere in the world.
A special permit is needed to enter the park, and this can be obtained from the Undersecretary of tourism in Mendoza.
The same Route Nº 7 will take you to Potrerillos, the Uspallata Valley, Villa Vicencio and Cacheuta, all areas of outstanding natural beauty with majestic scenery. The Statue of Christ the redeemer, a giant stone monument built at the friendship between. Argentina and Chile, marks the exact frontier between the two countries.
The Ranchillos Ruins are worth visiting, and ancient, fortified, indigenous town.
El Plumerillo used to be a training ground for the army of the Andes, and still today contains a chapel where religious services are held.
In winter, ski lovers can enjoy the Los Penitentes Winter Sports Complex, which boast good hotel and apartment facilities, modern ski lifts, and slopes of varying difficulty.

Godoy Cruz
This is part of what is known as the Wine Trail. Many of the most famous vineyards in the country are to be found here. Names like Bianchi, Arizu and Escorihuela, to name but a few, have brought it this fame. The vineyards are open to the public, and apart from seeing how the different wines are produced, visitors can also enjoy wine tasting. This is the smallest, but at the same time the most industrialized, of the departments that make up Greater Mendoza.

Maipú
This department was colonised after the earthquake of 1861 by settlers seeking safer lands. It lies on a plain on the banks of the Mendoza river, one of the principal sources of water in the province. Although it is the main producer of olives, being responsible for fifty percent of the production from the entire province, it is better known for its vineyards.
With 167 top-class establishments, it is also part of what is known as the Wine Trail. Here are to be found the Giol Vineyards, founded in 1896 and recognized as being the largest in the world. Peñaflor ad López, are two others, equally famous. In the San Felipe Wine Museum you can appreciate the evolution of the most important industry in the province, through various items of machinery and working objects.
Also to be found in this area is Barrancas Chapel, dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary; one of the oldest in the region, it has been declared a Historic National Monument. There is also the Maipú Archaeological Museum, which contains important archaeological remains of the indigenous peoples from the Barrancas district.

Luján de Cuyo
This is one of the most fertile departments, also boasting many beauty spots. Among these is the Cipolleti Dam, built on the foundations of what was the first artificial drainage system made by the Huarpes long before the arrival of the conquistadors. Since 1983 it has been the setting for the annual Feriagro, and exhibition organized by the agricultural producers of the region to promote their products in international markets. It is also home to an oil refinery which at one time marked the first oil exploitation anywhere in Latin America.
Attractions which should not be missed include:
The Emiliano Guñazú Museum, in the house formerly belonging to fader, and which contains important plastic art collections; the surrounding are particularly attractive, a tree-lined road that forms a natural tunnel.
Chacras de Coria and Vistalba, two summer resorts particularly favoured by inhabitants of Mendoza as places to relax at weekends.
Potrerillos, which has areas with abundant aquatic vegetation, since it is the source of numerous streams; it is an ideal spot for photographing the many varieties, of birds that live there.
Cajón de Cacheuta is an ideal place to go rafting on the Mendoza river; those of a more sedentary nature may opt for the peaceful thermal spring of a modern spa.

Rosario

At the beginning of the 19th century, the appearance of Rosario would have surprised any visitor to the city. A public and private architecture clearly inspired by France and Italy was replacing the humble buildings that had stood there previously. Santa Fe and Argentina Boulevards (today Oroño and Pellegrini Boulevards, respectively) were at the time the most elegant in the city, with important private mansions. The Municipal Palace was built, along with the Provincial Courthouse, and the Post and the Customs Buildings, hotels like the Majestic, and the Railway Station, this latter in Renaissance style.
After 1919, when the University Reform programme changed the principles of further education in Argentina, Rosariohad its National University of the Litoral, which subsequently changed its name the national University of Rosario. This very quickly became a breeding ground for top professionals and one of the country’s leading academic centres, alongside Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Tucumán.
By the mid-thirties the port, a faithful reflection of the Rosario economy, was exporting 35% of all the cereals produced in the country, and in this period people started to call it the Chicago of Argentina, since its cereals market virtually led the world. But Rosario was more than simply the busting activity of its port. Since the first cold store was set up there in 1924 with North American capital, a result of increased cattle rearing in the region, establishments involved in the meat industry began to grow.
The major economic and social transformations that have occurred in Argentina over the last thirty years, but particularly in the nineties, have had dramatic repercussions on the economic activity of the city, which has undergone serious setbacks, from which it is now trying to emerge.
Nationalization of the port in the forties meant that with administration concentrated in Buenos Aires merchandise left or arrived only as trans-shipments. The city saw its port fall into decline, a port that hard been its pride and joy as well as wound that was difficult to heal. Later there would be others.
Rosario continued to grow, but not in a planned way. The population began to move away from the central areas towards the outskirts, and the city ended up by absorbing the numerous small municipalities that had formed around it into one great conglomerate, wile a number of industrial establishments closed down.
Despite all these problems, Rosario still has considerable influence over the life of the nation as well as a very busy cultural and commercial life. Rivalry with Córdoba as to which is the second city in the country seems to be never-ending.
It is the permanent home of all kinds of national gatherings and congresses, and for this it can boast excellent conference facilities together with and extensive range of hotels and restaurants, to this can be added its favourable geographical location and its excellent communication links witch the rest of the country, both by land and air.
A modern motorway links Rosario with Buenos Aires and with Santa Fe -169 km. Its airport at Fisherton, a little under hall and hour away from the city centre, has several daily flights to and from Buenos Aires, and connections with other important cities in Argentina. Its bus terminal is extremely busy throughout the day, with services to all corners of the country, including all provincial towns. There is a half-hour frequency all day long between Rosario and Santa Fe and Paraná -capital of Entre Ríos province-, and connected to the capital of Santa Fe by tunnel under the river.
Rosario is a must on the itinerary of important visitors to Argentina, also for national theatre groups who present the first performances of their works in Buenos Aires or Mar del Plata. For their part, local theatre groups have an extensive programme of activities, as do musical groups.
Particularly since the seventies, Rosario has seen the rise of a number of truly important popular musicians, such as Fito Páez, Juan Carlos Baglietto, and Enrique Lopis, to name but three.
Plastic arts from the studio of Antonio Berni, Juan Grela and Eduardo Barnes, together with the work of the writers Mateo Boz and Enrique García Belloso, all hail from Rosario. Its most famous sons are the great actor Alberto Olmedo, Libertad Lamarque the “novia de América” and “negro Fontanarrosa”, one of Argentina’s most talented narrators and graphic humorists.
The city can boast numerous theatres , auditoriums, and cultural centres, all of which play an active role in the cultural life of Rosario. These include the Bernardino Rivadavia Cultural Centre in Pinasco Square, La Comedia Theatre, which faithfully reflects the architectural style of the early years of this century, El Círculo (formerly the Opera House), and the Astengo Foundation (which used to be the Odeón Theatre). El Círculo is home to the Fosos del Teatro Museum, devoted to the work of Rosario artist Eduardo Barnes.


What to Visit

A tour through Rosario simply has to start down on the Avenida Costanera, or more precisely on the old quayside in the port. Opposite, up on the hill, is Urquiza Park. From the quay all that can be seen is leafy woodland, you have to climb quite a lot of steps to reach it. Here is to be found the Municipal Astronomical Observatory.
Continuing along Costanera Avenue from south to north, you come to the Monument of the flag, with its impressive 75 –m-high tower, from the top of which you get one of the best views of the city and the river. This monument is the symbol of Rosario.
You need to continue several blocks further north to reach España Park. This was created to celebrate the city’s 500th Anniversary, on land given up by the railways, and has two levels, one of which serves as a terrace with wooded zones and children’s play areas; the other contains exhibitions and conference halls and the Colegio Hispano Argentino, which boasts a fine amphitheatre looking out over the river. The whole complex has been built entirely in brick and is a fine example of contemporary architecture, well worth a visit.
Costanera Avenue continues from the park through many other green areas, past clubs devoted to fishing and water sports, until La Florida resort is reached, this has recently been refurbished, and has excellent facilities. It is an ideal spot to spend a day.
Something else that should not be missed is a tour through the pedestrian only areas in the central part of Rosario: San Martín, Córdoba and Sarmiento. Here galleries and shopping centres abound, offering a whole host of articles at prices to suit all pockets; there are also numerous bars with their tables outside on the street.
It is the Córdoba pedestrian area that La Favorita to be found, one of the largest and oldest stores in the country, which still retains almost completely intact its original marble frontage and bronze lamps and adornments.
Going eastwards from Córdoba you come to the historic centre of the city, the Plaza 25 de Mayo, barely three blocks away from the Monument of the Flag and the river. The square is bounded by a number of important buildings: the Cathedral, the Municipal Palace, the Post Office, the Concejo Deliberante, the Estévez Museum of Decorative Art and the Jockey Club. Two blocks north of the square is the beautiful Customs House, which is also well worth a visit, as is the old Chamber of Commerce building -there is now a new one too, which has a conference room, tearoom, shops open only to members and others which serve the general public, an underground car park and a terrace. All of this is an example of the best architecture on offer in Rosario today.
Oroño Boulevard, despite the fact that a number of apartment buildings have been built there, still manages to retain the architectural unity of its noble mansions.
One of the entrances to Independence Park -something else that should not be missed- is on Oroño Boulevard. Not only is this one of the finest green areas anywhere in the city, it also contains many sporting and cultural attractions. These include two museums, the Provincial Historical Museum and the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts, both of which are extremely important in their respective fields, and the Racecourse, the Municipal Stadium, the Riding Club, the Provincial Club and one of the shrines of Rosario Football -the ground of Newell’s Old Boys (the other shrine, that of Rosario Central, is to be found in the suburb of Arroyito). The park dates back to 1910, and is a copy of the great park and public gardens of Europe; indeed, many of its fine decorations and adornments were imported from the Old Continent.
The Patio de la Madera is a culture and leisure complex built on former railway land opposite the bus terminal. It houses a number of conference halls and is surrounded by a Plaza Sec -made of concrete-, where open-air performances take place during the summer months. The old platform of the former railway station has been converted into an internal street containing restaurants and bars.


The Monument of the Flag

This memorial was finally inaugurated on 2o June 1957, after a whole host of problems that delayed realization of the scheme by almost ninety years! The first monument was the work of Nicolás Grondona, an engineer from Genoa, and was built with contributions from the public that were collected in record time. It was a marble pyramid with motifs relating to the creation of the flag. It was finished in 1872, but unfortunately when the river flooded six years later, the monument was destroyed. A new project in 1909 was entrusted to Lola Mora. The great sculptor from Tucumán spent almost fifteen years working on it in her studio in Rome, using exclusively Carrara marble. When the work eventually reached Rosario, it was left lying abandoned for many years because a commission decided that it “lacked interest”. It was only many years later that the citizens of Rosario set about making amends for this injustice, and what remained of the various sculptures were erected miscellaneous squares and public places; finally, when the Patio de la Madera was opened, they were all reunited in their final resting place.
The present monument has distinct neo-classical lines, and apart from its very high lookout tower, has a pole thirty metres high on which the national emblem burns. It is the work of the Rosario architect Angel Guido, who conceived three enormous -yet solemn- blocks. Each block has a number of allegorical sculptures, and the blocks are connected together by a wide walkway.


Places of interest in the surrounding area

Thirty km north of Rosario along route nº 11 is San Lorenzo, which played a vital role in the battle for independence in the River Plate region. Not to be missed here are San Carlos Monastery -which contains a Historical Museum- and the battlefield (Campo de la Gloria). The monastery is set in very beautiful surroundings overlooking the Paraná River.
Another very interesting trip is to the nearby island in the river. There are regular tours from Rosario which last about two hours. But there are also day trips that go as far as Victoria, a pretty town on the other bank of the Paraná directly opposite Rosario, in Entre Ríos. One section of the journey is covered by land, utilizing a system of paths between the various islands in the area. This is an ideal way to see and enjoy the wild scenery of the river banks, and there are also good opportunities for fishing.