The Rough Guide to Argentina

594 Pages·2016·57.25 MB·English

by  Shafik Meghji

Spine width font size (in pt) = (spine width x 2) + 6
THE ROUGH GUIDE to
Argentina
EXPERT ADVICE • FULL COVERAGE • EASY TO USE
The Rough Guide to Argentina
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ACCOMMODATION EATING NIGHTLIFE TANGO SHOPPING
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Castelar 9 O’Rei 3 La Americana 17 Las Cuartetas 11 Patio San Ramón 16 Bahrein 2 Confitería La Ideal 3 Galerías Pacífico 1
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Esplendor 1 V&S Hostel Club 2 Bice 4 El Globo 19 Siga La Vaca 23 Estadio Luna Park 1 Librería Ávila 6
Faena Hotel & Universe 13 Cabaña Las Lilas 15 Green Eat 3 Tomo 1 5 Maluco Beleza 4 Musimundo 5
Hostel Punto Cero 6 Cadore 6 Güerrín 9 Palacio Alsina 6 Zivals 3
Ibis Buenos Aires 11 Café Tortoni 18 i Fresh Market 21 Pan y Teatro 10
Milhouse 10 Chila 20 Laurak Bat 22 La Trastienda 8
Moreno 12 Chiquilín 13 New Brighton 14
INSIDE THIS BOOK
START YOUR JOURNEY WITH ROUGH GUIDES
INTRODUCTION What to see, what not to miss, itineraries and more – everything
you need to get started
BASICS Pre-departure tips and practical information
THE GUIDE Comprehensive, in-depth guide to Argentina, with area highlights and
full-colour maps throughout
CONTEXTS History, environment, wildlife and music, plus recommended books and
a useful language section
We’ve fl agged up our favourite places – a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric café, a special TRUSTED TRAVEL GUIDES Since 1982, our books have helped over 35 million
restaurant – throughout the Guide with the symbol travellers explore the world with accurate, honest and informed travel writing.
★
Argentina chapters
PARAGUAY
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BRAZIL
Salta Puerto Iguazú
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5 4
POCKET ROUGH GUIDES “Best of” section, essential itineraries and a unique
Córdoba Santa Fe
pull-out map featuring every sight and listing in the guide. Hip, handy and
Mendoza 3 Rosario1URUGUAY perfect for short trips and weekend breaks.
HILE 6 2 BUCEolNonOiaS de Al SIaRcrEamSento
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A Mar del Plata
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DIGITAL Choose from our easy-
El Calafate to-use ebooks and great-value
Río Gallegos
Snapshots to read on your tablet,
9 F(Iasllkalsa nMda Ilsvliannads)s 0 400 phone or e-reader.
kilometres
Ushuaia
1 Buenos Aires 4 The Litoral and the Gran 7 The Lake District
2 Buenos Aires Province Chaco 8 Patagonia RROOUUGGHHGGUUIIDDEESS..CCOOMM Buy all our
3 Córdoba and the 5 The Northwest 9 Tierra del Fuego llaatteesstt eebbooookkss aanndd ggeett iinnssppiirreedd
Central Sierras 6 Mendoza and El Cuyo wwiitthh ttrraavveell ffeeaattuurreess,, qquuiizzzzeess
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Make the Most of Your Time on Earth at roughguides.com
This seventh edition published October 2016
000_Argentina_6_InsideCover.indd 593 27/05/16 2:20 pm
THE ROUGH GUIDE TO
Argentina
written and researched by
Stephen Keeling, Shafik Meghji, Sorrel Moseley-Williams and
Madelaine Triebe
roughguides.com
001-023_Argentina_6_Intro.indd 1 27/05/16 3:18 pm
001-023_Argentina_6_Intro.indd 2 27/05/16 3:18 pm
INTRODUCTION 3
Contents
INTRODUCTION 4
Where to go 7 Things not to miss 12
Author picks 9 Itineraries 22
When to go 11
BASICS 24
Getting there 25 Festivals 37
Getting around 26 Sports 38
Accommodation 30 Outdoor activities 40
Food and drink 32 Culture and etiquette 43
The media 36 Travel essentials 44
THE GUIDE 56
1 Buenos Aires 56 6 Mendoza and El Cuyo 330
2 Buenos Aires Province 128 7 The Lake District 392
3 Córdoba and the Central Sierras 174 8 Patagonia 440
4 The Litoral and the Gran Chaco 210 9 Tierra del Fuego 500
5 The Northwest 276
CONTEXTS 526
History 527 Books 564
Environment and wildlife 553 Language 567
Music 558
SMALL PRINT & INDEX 579
OPPOSITE LAGO PERITO MORENO, PATAGONIA PREVIOUS PAGE IGLESIA SAN FRANCISCO, SALTA
001-023_Argentina_6_Intro.indd 3 27/05/16 3:18 pm
4 INTRODUCTION
La Quiaca
Metres
5000 BOLIVIA RN40 RN34 PARAGUAY BRAZIL
4000 Jujuy
3000 Salta RN81
2000
Cafayate Puerto Iguazú
1500 Tucumán RN16 Formosa
1040000 ES RN40 Sdaenl Etisatgeoro Resistencia RN12
D Corrientes Posadas
N Catamarca
IAntrordgucetionn totina 2000 ERA DE LOS ARN40 La Rioja RN9 LaCghuiRnqNau34 iMtaar RN11Río Paraná RN14 BRAZIL
L
CORDIL MSaenn Jduoazna San Luis CóRrdNo7bRaN9RosarioSanta FCeoncordiGauaRío UrluguaeyguaUychRúUGUAY
Studded with outstanding natural wonders and endowed with one of the RN7
world’s most stylish cities, Argentina is a vast and varied land. Tapering from San Rafael San Antonio de Areco Colonia del Sacramento
E BUENOS
the Tropic of Capricorn towards the tip of Antarctica, it encompasses a HIL RN188 AIRES La Plata
sbtoangeg-edrriny gA dnidveearsni tpyl aotfe taeurrxa oinf st,h fero nmo rtthhew luessth t wo ethtlea nednsd o-of ft-hthee L-iwtoorralld a nd the C RN35 Santa Rosa RN3 RN2
archipelago of Tierra del Fuego. Its most emblematic landscapes are the N40
PACIFIC R Mar del Plata
verdant flatlands of the Pampas and the dramatic steppe of Patagonia,
RN22 Bahía
whose very name evokes windswept plains inhabited by hardy pioneers. OCEAN San Martín de Neuquén Río Negro Blanca
At first glance, Argentina may seem less “exotic” than the rest of South America, and its los Andes RN3 Carmen de Patagones
inhabitants will readily, and rightly, tell you how powerful an influence Europe has been Bariloche
on their nation. It has been quipped that Argentina is the most American of El Bolsón Península Valdés
ahlal sE au vroerpye aspne ccoiauln cthriaersa catnedr athlle o mf iotss to Ewunr,o dpiesatinll eodf ainllt Ao mtheer incaatni ocnoauln idtreieasl ,o bf ut it actually EsquelRío Chubut Puerto Madryn Trelew
Argentinidad, characterized by proud, defiant passion. While there is a lot of truth in the RN25 RN3 ATLANTIC
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obsessed with Evita or gallops around on a horse. Wherever you go, though, you’re Perito Moreno
Puerto Deseado
bound to be wowed by Argentines’ zeal for so many aspects of their own culture and
curiosity about the outside world.
One of Argentina’s top attractions is the leviathan metropolis of Buenos Aires, the most Puerto San Julián Argentine
Antarctic
fascinating of all South American capitals. It’s a riveting place just to wander about, Territory
El Calafate Puerto Santa Cruz
people-watching, shopping or simply soaking up the unique atmosphere. Its many
barrios (neighbourhoods) are startlingly different – some are decadently old-fashioned, Puerto Natales Río Gallegos
others daringly modern – but all of them ooze character. The other main cities worth Falkland Islands
visiting are colonial Salta in the northwest, beguiling Rosario – the birthplace of Che N Punta (Islas Malvinas)
Arenas
Guevara – and Ushuaia, which, in addition to being the world’s most southerly city, RN3 0 kilometres200
enjoys a fabulous waterfront setting on the Beagle Channel. Straits of Magellan Ushuaia
ARGENTINA
ABOVE FIELD OF SUGAR CANE, GRAN CHACO Cape Horn
001-023_Argentina_6_Intro.indd 4 27/05/16 3:18 pm
La Quiaca
Metres
5000 BOLIVIA RN40 RN34 PARAGUAY BRAZIL
4000 Jujuy
3000 Salta RN81
2000
Cafayate Puerto Iguazú
1500 Tucumán RN16 Formosa
1040000 ES RN40 Sdaenl Etisatgeoro Resistencia RN12
D Corrientes Posadas
N Catamarca
2000 RA DE LOS ARN40 La Rioja RN9 LaCghuiRnqNau34 iMtaar RN11Río Paraná RN14 BRAZIL
E
L
CORDIL MSaenn Jduoazna San Luis CóRrdNo7bRaN9RosarioSanta FCeoncordiGauaRío UrluguaeyguaUychRúUGUAY
RN7
San Rafael San Antonio de Areco Colonia del Sacramento
E BUENOS
HIL RN188 AIRES La Plata
C RN35 Santa Rosa RN3 RN2
N40
PACIFIC R Mar del Plata
RN22 Bahía
OCEAN Neuquén Blanca
San Martín de Río Negro
los Andes RN3 Carmen de Patagones
Bariloche
El Bolsón Península Valdés
EsquelRío Chubut Puerto Madryn Trelew
RN25 RN3 ATLANTIC
RN40 Comodoro Rivadavia OCEAN
RP43
Perito Moreno
Puerto Deseado
Puerto San Julián Argentine
Antarctic
Territory
El Calafate Puerto Santa Cruz
Puerto Natales Río Gallegos
Falkland Islands
N Punta (Islas Malvinas)
Arenas
0 200
RN3 kilometres
Straits of Magellan Ushuaia
ARGENTINA
Cape Horn
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66 IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN
But the country’s real trump cards outside the
FACT FILE
capital are the sheer size of the land and the
• Argentina is the world’s diverse wildlife inhabiting it. In theory, by
eighth-largest country by area,
hopping on a plane or two you could spot
though with a population of just
under 43 million – one-third of howler monkeys and toucans in northern jungles
whom live in Greater Buenos Aires in the morning, then watch the antics of
– it is one of the least densely
penguins tobogganing into the icy South
populated countries on the planet.
Atlantic in the afternoon. Argentina hosts
• Some 97 percent of Argentines hundreds of bird species – including the Andean
are of European origin, largely of
condor and three varieties of flamingo – plus
Spanish or Italian descent. Most
citizens are nominally Catholic, but pumas, armadillos, llamas, foxes and tapirs
under a fifth are practising. roaming the country’s forests and mountainsides
Although abortion is still restricted,
Argentina has some of Latin and the dizzying heights of the altiplano, or
America’s most progressive laws on puna. Lush tea plantations and parched salt flats,
matters like same-sex marriage and
palm groves and icebergs, plus the world’s
death with dignity.
mightiest waterfalls, are just some of the scenes
• Best known for its beef, Argentina that will catch you unawares if you were
is also a leading producer of wine,
expecting Argentina to be one big cattle ranch.
wheat, fruits and vegetables. In
recent years much of the country’s Dozens of these biosystems are protected by an
land has been turned over to soya extensive network of national and provincial
production, while shale oil and gas
parks and reserves.
fields in Patagonia offer huge
economic opportunities – and For getting around and seeing these marvels,
worrying environmental you can generally rely on a well-developed
consequences.
infrastructure inherited from decades of domestic
• Argentines have long been tourism. Thanks in part to an increasing number
distinguished in the field of science,
of boutique hotels, the range and quality of
with Dr Luis Agote carrying out one
of the earliest successful blood accommodation has improved no end in the last
transfusions in 1914, and three decade. Among the best lodgings are the beautiful
Argentines receiving Nobel prizes
ranches known as estancias – or fincas in the north
for medicine and for chemistry in
the twentieth century. Argentines – that function as luxury resorts. In most places,
have twice been awarded the Nobel you’ll be able to rely on the services of top-notch
Peace Prize: Carlos de Saavedra
tour operators, who will not only show you the
Lamas, in 1936, for his peace efforts
in South America, and Adolfo Pérez sights but also fix you up with a staggering range
Esquivel, in 1980, for his defence of of outdoor adventures: horseriding, trekking,
human rights in the 1970s.
white-water rafting, kayaking, skiing and
• Argentina has a vibrant film hang-gliding, along with more relaxing pursuits
industry and has twice carried off an such as wine tasting, birdwatching or photography
Oscar for best foreign language film:
safaris. Argentina offers such a hallucinating
La historia oficial (The Official Story)
in 1985 and El secreto de sus ojos (The variety it’s all but impossible to take in on one trip
Secret in Their Eyes) in 2010; both – don’t be surprised if you find yourself longing
movies deal with the “Dirty War” and
its aftermath (see box, p.565). to return to explore the bits you didn’t get to see
the first time around.
RIGHT PARQUE PROVINCIAL ISCHIGUALASTO
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IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN 77
Where to go
Argentina has many attractions that could claim the title of natural wonders of the world:
the prodigious waterfalls of Iguazú; the spectacular Glaciar Perito Moreno; unforgettable
whale-watching off Península Valdés; or the handsome lakes and mountains around
Bariloche – indeed, Patagonia in general. Yet many of the country’s most rewarding
destinations are also its least known, such as the Esteros del Iberá, a huge reserve of lily-
carpeted lagoons offering close-up encounters with cormorants and caymans; or Antofagasta
de la Sierra, a remote village set amid frozen lakes mottled pink with flamingoes; or Laguna
Diamante, a high-altitude mirror of sapphire water reflecting a wondrous volcano. In any
case, climate and distance will rule out any attempt to see every corner; it’s more sensible and
rewarding to concentrate on one or two sections of the country.
Unless you’re visiting Argentina as part of a South American tour, Buenos Aires is likely
to be your point of entry, as it has the country’s only bona fide international airport,
Ezeiza. It is one of the world’s top urban experiences, with an intriguing blend of
European architecture and a vernacular flair that includes houses painted in the colours
of legendary football team Boca Juniors. The city’s museums are eclectic enough to suit
all interests – Latin American art, colonial silverware, dinosaurs and ethnography are
just four subjects on offer – and you can round off a day’s sightseeing with a tango show,
a bar tour or a meal at one of the dozens of fabulous restaurants.
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88 IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN
CRIOLLO CULTURE
Most closely translated as “creole”, criollo refers to a way
of life born in the Americas, but with Old World roots.
In Argentina, it is a byword for that which is absolutely
Argentine – the culture of the countryside and the
gaucho. Key aspects of this include the food – asado
barbecues, of course, but also maize-based stews like
locro; clothing – such as baggy riding trousers called
bombachas and the espadrille-like alpargatas; horses
– be they for rounding up cattle or playing polo; and a
decidedly anti-authoritarian streak in the national
character. Even the wealthiest city-dweller is usually keen
to prove that he or she is fundamentally a criollo, never
happier than when sipping a mate by the fire.
Due north lies the Litoral, an expanse of subtropical watery landscapes that shares borders
with Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. Here are the photogenic Iguazú waterfalls and Jesuit
missions whose once-noble ruins are crumbling into the jungle – with the exception of
well-groomed San Ignacio Miní. Immediately west of the Litoral extends the Chaco, one of
Argentina’s most infrequently visited regions, reserved for those with an ardent interest in
wildlife, so be prepared for fierce summer heat and poor infrastructure. A highlight in the
country’s landlocked northwest is the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a fabulous gorge lined with
rainbow-hued rocks; it winds up to the oxygen-starved altiplano, where llamas and their
wild relatives munch wiry grass. Nearby, in the Valles Calchaquíes, a chain of stunningly
scenic valleys, high-altitude vineyards produce the delightfully flowery torrontés wine.
Sprawling across Argentina’s broad midriff to the west and immediately south of
Buenos Aires are the Pampas, arguably the country’s most archetypal landscape. Formed
by horizon-to-horizon plains interspersed with the odd low sierra, this subtly beautiful
scenery is punctuated by small towns, the occasional ranch and countless clumps of
pampas grass (cortaderas). Part arid, part wetland, the Pampas are grazed by millions of
cattle and planted with soya and wheat fields of incomprehensible size. The Pampas are
also where you’ll glimpse traditional gaucho culture, most famously in the charming
pueblo of San Antonio de Areco. Here, too, are some of the classiest estancias, offering
a combination of hedonistic luxury and horseback adventures. On the Atlantic Coast
a string of fun beach resorts includes long-standing favourite Mar del Plata.
As you head further west, the Central Sierras loom: the mild climate, clear brooks and
sylvan idylls of these ancient highlands have attracted holiday-makers since the late
nineteenth century, and within reach of Córdoba, the country’s colonial-era second city,
are some of the oldest resorts on the continent. Keep going west and you’ll get to the
Cuyo, with the highest Andean peaks as a snowcapped backdrop; here you can discover
one of Argentina’s most enjoyable cities, the regional capital of Mendoza, also the
country’s wine capital. From here, the scenic Alta Montaña route climbs steeply to the
Chilean border, passing Cerro Aconcagua, now well established as a fantasy challenge for
mountaineers worldwide. Just south, Las Leñas is a ski-and-snowboard resort where
celebrities show off their winter wear, while the nearby black-and-red lava wastes of
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