Argentina is a bright, expressive and very tolerant country that definitely has something to show its guests. Ski resorts, national and marine parks, photogenic glaciers, waterfalls, Indian villages await you here. In turn, luxurious colonial architecture, neighboring skyscrapers, as well as the atmosphere of eternal celebration make Argentina one of the most interesting countries to visit on the map of South America.
Why go?
To see the sophisticated metropolis of Buenos Aires, visit Evita’s grave and have a photo shoot in the colorful La Boca district. See the real natural wonder of Iguazu Falls. Enjoy the spectacular Tango Show and take a lesson in the most famous Argentine dance. Cheer on local teams at a football match and see for yourself that football is considered a national religion here and is literally everywhere. Watch penguins, whales and seals in their natural habitat. A trip to Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost city on the planet and a cruise port from which tours to Antarctica start, deserves special mention.
Argentina is also known for its excellent ski resorts, colorful festivals and good beach holidays (though the beaches are located 400-600 km from the capital). Thermal springs can be found in almost all regions of the country. Tourists often combine a vacation in Argentina with other destinations – primarily Uruguay, which can be reached from Buenos Aires in just an hour by high-speed ferry.
General information
- Argentina is the second largest country in South America, with an area of 2.8 million km² and a population of 40 million people.
- The capital is Buenos Aires.
- The official language is Spanish. Many residents speak English quite well. If desired, you can find Russian-speaking guides in the capital, since the country is known for its large Russian diaspora.
- Currency: Argentine Peso.
- Time zone: UTC -3. The difference with Moscow is 6 hours.
- Religion – despite freedom of religion, Catholicism, traditional for Latin American countries, prevails.
- Biomes and relief are very diverse, due to the large extent of the state from north to south. The north and east of the country are mainly flat. The south and west are on highlands.
- The climate is moderate, subtropical and tropical, depending on the region. The south has a relatively cold summer with an average January temperature of +15°C (due to its location in the Southern Hemisphere, summer in Argentina falls in December-February). The hottest regions are located in the north of the country. Summer temperatures here often reach +30-40°C. The average temperature in tropical Argentina in winter is +17-20°C. The climate of Buenos Aires is humid subtropical with mild rainy winters and hot summers.
- Attitude to tourists. Argentines are positive and very friendly in the Latin American way. At the same time, there is no “cult of foreigners” here, which is typical for some countries.
When visiting northern forest regions, vaccination against yellow fever is recommended (not mandatory).
Customs regulations
It is prohibited to import any food products into Argentina except canned goods. It is prohibited to export weapons from the country, as well as cultural and historical valuables without special written permits. When exporting fur products, an export stamp receipt is a mandatory requirement. We recommend keeping receipts for all purchased souvenirs.
When is the best time to go?
The high tourist season is in the summer, that is, from December to February. However, most regions are suitable for visiting at any time of year. The southern right whale migration season usually occurs in June-December. The best time to relax in the ski resorts of Argentina is July and August. The low tourist season (June-August) is recommended for visiting the northern provinces, as well as the famous Iguazu Falls.
On December 11, Buenos Aires celebrates International Tango Day with a bang, and the city turns into a huge dance floor. From January to March, the multi-day Carnival of the Country is held, the peak of which falls on the third Saturday of January.
Currency exchange and payment by bank cards
You can travel to Argentina with both dollars and euros – exchanging both currencies for local pesos is easy in most major cities. The most favorable exchange rate can traditionally be found at a bank or specialized bureaus (keep in mind that Saturday and Sunday are their days off). You can exchange currency at a less favorable rate in shopping centers and hotels. Cards (especially dollar cards) are accepted in almost all major Argentine cities. However, in smaller towns you will not be able to pay with a Visa or MasterCard everywhere. The same rule applies to ATMs. Keep in mind that Apple Pay does not work in Argentina yet.
Prices
Argentina is known for its rapid inflation, and for this reason, prices here change quickly and often. The cost of a double room in a mid-range hotel with a high rating on Booking.com is from $60-80 per night*. A double room in a budget hotel in Buenos Aires can be rented for at least $30-40 (and the difference in price between a room in a cheap hotel and a good hostel will not be that big). Prices for accommodation also depend on the region. Patagonia stands out in this regard, where a hotel room will cost about twice as much as in the capital. Lunch for two with wine in a decent restaurant is about $40. Dinner – from $50. The cost of one trip on the bus and metro with the SUBE card is less than $0.5.
* all prices are valid for January 2022
How to get around the country
Argentina has a well-developed air connection between the capital and most provinces. At the same time, tickets are quite expensive and should be booked in advance. As for the railway connection, it is not available everywhere in Argentina, since many intercity routes have been simply closed over the past 30 years. In Patagonia and Mesopotamia, you can use special tourist trains.
There are two airports in Buenos Aires itself. The international Ezeiza, which receives most flights from Europe, is located in the eponymous suburb of the capital, approximately 22 km away. A taxi ride from the terminal to the city center will cost 40-45 dollars. The second airport, Jorge Newberry (Aeroparque), is located within the city and is used primarily for domestic flights, as well as flights to neighboring countries.
There are plenty of taxis in the city, which are relatively cheap here. If you are used to using the Uber service, keep in mind that in Argentina it operates illegally and often costs 20-30% more than regular taxis (especially for short trips). Another problem with local online taxi services is that drivers often cancel trips. If you plan to stay in Buenos Aires for a longer period of time, it makes sense to master public transport.
Beach holiday
The “high” beach season in Argentina is from November to March. The best beach resorts traditionally include the subtropical Mar del Plata (the hottest point on the map of Argentina), Miramar, Carilo, Pinamar. For a budget beach holiday in Argentina, people go to Necocheya, whose coastline stretches for almost 75 km.
The best resorts and attractions
- Buenos Aires. Here you should definitely visit the Palermo Park, the favorite area of the local bohemians La Boca, as well as the Recoleto Cemetery, where Evita Peron is buried in the Duarte family crypt. Other iconic sights are the Obelisk, Casa Rosada and the grandiose Palace of the National Congress.
- Iguazu National Park, which contains the famous waterfalls of the same name, is located 20 km from the city of Puerto Iguazu.
- Los Glaciares Perito Moreno National Park, famous for its huge blue glaciers, lies on the border of southeastern Argentina and Chile.
- Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia are truly the end of the world, where people go to see penguins and go on an Antarctic cruise.
- The province of Mendoza is the center of Argentine winemaking, where the annual National Wine Festival takes place in early March.
- Bariloche is the “Switzerland of Argentina”, famous for its picturesque lakes and mountain landscapes. One of the most popular ski resorts in South America.
What to do?
Argentina offers virtually unlimited opportunities for a varied vacation. Tours of historical and architectural sites, ski and wine tours, tango lessons, football, fishing, visits to whales and penguins, shopping, mate drinking ceremonies are just a few of the entertainments available to tourists.
Kitchen
Argentina is a country of meat and wine. The Argentines themselves claim that this is the birthplace of the best steaks in the world, which are cooked and served here almost everywhere. Grilled meat is called asado or parilla by the locals. The cost of a portion for two will be from 600 pesos ($5.7). Argentina can also please you with very good fresh fruits and vegetables. Be sure to try mate, prepared according to all the rules.
In addition to Argentina’s legendary wine, local shops and restaurants have a great selection of craft beer. Buenos Aires is home to Italian restaurants serving good pizza and ravioli, as well as Chinese eateries with plenty of cheap vegetarian food.
Almost all popular restaurants require a table reservation in advance. Also keep in mind that Argentines usually dine late. Many fine dining establishments do not start serving main courses until 9-10 pm.
Shopping and souvenirs
Considering that Argentina is a relatively inexpensive country, shopping will be cheaper than in some European countries. At the same time, be prepared for the fact that many of the brand chains familiar to Europeans are absent here. As souvenirs from Argentina, it is worth bringing leather goods, silver jewelry and accessories, mate with a classic set of “calabash-bommillia”, wool and sheepskin clothes, Argentine wine.
Safety
Despite the common belief that all Latin American countries have off-the-charts crime rates, Argentina can be called a generally calm country. The most common problems that you can encounter here are street theft (mostly teenagers from dysfunctional families and drug addicts are after smartphones and cameras) and fraudulent taxi drivers. At the same time, according to statistics, the most common victims of fraud are not foreign tourists, but Argentines themselves, who are rather absent-minded by nature.
The safest areas of the capital are located in the center, where there are many police and surveillance cameras. The exception is the unfavorable slum area of Villa-31, which has a rather bad reputation. Regardless of the area, you should not walk the streets of Buenos Aires openly showing off your Rolex watch or an excess of gold jewelry. You should also avoid carrying large sums of money.
Medicine
One of the undoubted advantages of Argentina is free medicine for everyone, including visitors and tourists. There is no ambulance here, and even in emergency cases, it is customary to contact Emergencia at medical clinics yourself. To seek medical care, you will only need an identity document.
Internet and mobile communications
4G coverage is currently spotty in Argentina, and 3G is usually slow. However, most establishments offer free Wi-Fi. Buying a prepaid Argentine SIM card, called a chip, requires mandatory registration and proof of identity. The cost is around 20 pesos, depending on the operator.
Additional information
- If you plan to rent a car during your trip to Argentina, keep in mind that you can drive a vehicle with a Russian driver’s license for no longer than two months from the date of entry. Then you will need to obtain a national driver’s license. The cost of renting a car is about $30 per day*.
- Parking is permitted only on the right side of one-way streets (most of them in cities) – that is, in the direction of travel.
- Tipping in cafes and restaurants is accepted, but remains at the discretion of the guests (usually 5-10% of the bill). In many establishments you can pay for tips by credit card.
- Sockets – types “C” (Euro socket) and “I” (Australian socket with three flat pins at an angle). Adapters can be bought on site. Also, in many 4-5* hotels you can find traditional “Russian” sockets.
* all prices are valid for January 2022