A Russian woman described the capital of Argentina with the phrase “an ideal replacement for Europe without a visa”
Argentina is a real find for connoisseurs of versatile recreation and a combination of incongruous. Here you can see whales, penguins and crocodiles, visit one of the largest waterfalls in the world and in the colored mountains, pet a llama, enjoy local wine, steaks and mate, take a tango lesson and walk through the streets of “Latin American Paris”, go skiing and literally be at the edge of the world. Read about the emotions that the homeland of writer Jorge Luis Borges, revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, football players Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi and director Gaspard Noe can give travelers in the
What makes Argentina so attractive to Russians
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of this Latin American country, 3.7 thousand Russians received a residence permit there in 2023. This number has become a record for Argentine residence permits issued to Russian citizens in a year. The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal even wrote that a “little Russia” was formed in the capital of Buenos Aires. Why are compatriots drawn there like a magnet, despite the colossal poverty rate (in February it reached 57.4 percent) and one of the highest inflation rates in the world?
There is hardly a universal answer that would suit all Russians coming and moving to Argentina. Someone is attracted by the amazing beauty of nature, someone by a milder climate than in Russia, and someone has always dreamed of living in another part of the world, where it is summer in winter and winter in summer, where even strangers kiss when they meet and where going to football will always be preferable to a date.
Football Religion in Argentina
In Argentina, football has been elevated to the rank of a religion, and it is not just a figure of speech. In 1998, a group of fans of the legendary football player Diego Maradona, led by sports journalist Hernan Ames, founded their own “denomination” — the Maradona Church. “Every religion has its own god. The god of football is Diego,” Ames explained his decision.
They proclaimed the autobiography of their idol called “I, Diego” as Holy Scripture. Adherents of this cult also celebrate religious holidays in their own way: on Maradona’s birthday (October 30), “Christmas” is celebrated, and on the day when Argentina beat England in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup, and Maradona scored one of the goals with the “hand of God” (June 22) — “Easter”. The ceremonies are held at the Pizza Banana pizzeria in Rosario, where about 300 people regularly gather.
Now the cult’s followers are more than 150 thousand people around the world. Honorary members of the cult are famous footballers Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi, coach Mauricio Pochettino and English sports journalist and footballer Gary Lineker.
“Argentina is a unique country in terms of natural areas: within two to three hours drive from Buenos Aires, you can enjoy the views of the subtropics, visit waterfalls, look at crocodiles. If you go the other way and fly by plane for 2.5 hours, you will find yourself at an altitude of four to five thousand meters, and there will be Puna (a cold desert high-altitude plateau in the Andes in northern Argentina and Chile — approx. “Tapes.
The region in the southern part of South America is Patagonia
In addition, according to the guide, horseback riding, trekking and ecotourism are common in the country, and Buenos Aires will definitely appeal to lovers of cultural leisure.
“After New York and London, there are the largest number of theaters here. A wonderful opera venue is the Colon Theater. You can go to musicals and modern productions. There is a museum here, just full of French works of art from the time of Impressionism. In Buenos Aires, you can find entertainment, restaurants and shows for every taste and budget,” says Anastasia Shimuk.
How to get to Argentina
There are no direct flights from Russia to Argentina right now, you can get there with at least one transfer, the road will take more than a day. Convenient options: Turkish Airlines with a transfer in Istanbul, Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa and Qatar Airways in Doha.
130 thousand rubles
there are flights from Moscow to Buenos Aires for mid—November (Qatar Airways flight with a transfer to Doha, round-trip, with luggage)
Russians do not need a visa to enter Argentina, they can stay in the country for up to 90 days. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. In addition, the border control may ask to show return flights, hotel reservations and documents confirming solvency (bank statement on the availability of funds in the account or cash).
At what time of the year and for what period is it better to go
There is no definite answer to this question, it all depends on the area where tourists are going to go and their preferences. It should be borne in mind that the local winter lasts from June to August. This time is ideal for skiing in the resort of Bariloche, visiting the northern provinces of Salta and Huhui, where there are colored mountains and salt marshes, as well as the famous Iguazu waterfalls.
In the colder months, from October to March, the most comfortable trip will be to the southernmost city on the planet — Ushuaia, from where you can get to Antarctica. The period from December to February in Argentina is considered a high tourist season, at which time prices for flights, accommodation and excursions are usually higher.
The spring (March-April) and autumn (September-October) months are best suited for a visit to Buenos Aires. In autumn, the Mendoza wine region is also wonderful, where you can try the Malbec variety.
I have flown to Latin America several times, and I am mentally prepared for the fact that it is usually two days of travel in one direction. For this reason, I highly recommend not flying for a week. This direction requires at least a full two weeks — the time difference and the road consume energy and time, it’s hard
Natalia Romashina is a Russian tourist
Money, communication, transport
The local currency is the Argentine peso. Everything is not easy with currency exchange — there are more than 15 different exchange rates in this country. Of these, only two are of interest to tourists: the official one (according to which they change in banks) and the unofficial one — the so-called Dollar Blue (according to which they change on the streets or in exchangers). The official exchange rate in September 2024 is 1 dollar — about 980 pesos, unofficial: 1 dollar — about 1280 pesos.
Anastasia Shimuk, the organizer of trips to Argentina, warns that you need to travel from Russia to the country with cash dollars, and it’s better with large bills, since there may be problems with the exchange of small ones.
Buenos Aires has the famous Florida pedestrian street, where barkers stand shouting: “Cabmio! Cambio!” They are the ones who will be able to buy pesos at a more profitable unofficial rate.
“I always recommend not to change a lot of dollars in one place at once, especially in Florida, just from a security point of view. Change 200-300 in one place and the same amount in another. But in general, it is more profitable to change in Buenos Aires than in other cities, the course will be worse there,” the guide notes.
Another important point is that in exchangers, even for a small amount of currency (for example, $ 100), they give out huge stacks of pesos that look like a fortune, so it’s not worth coming there with a purse or a small handbag, it’s better to take a backpack
Dollars are often accepted in establishments outside Buenos Aires. If there is no exchanger in the city (casa de cambio), money can be exchanged in a restaurant or supermarket, but at a less pleasant rate than in the capital.
There are more than 15 different exchange rates in Argentina
Photo by Marcos Brindicci / Reuters
In hotels, it often turns out to be more profitable to pay with a card (in this case, the calculation is based on an unofficial exchange rate), but Russian ones do not work in Argentina, so this option is not suitable for those who do not have a foreign bank card.
Russian Natalia Romashina, who was in Argentina in December 2023, said that at that time, due to the frenzied inflation, money could only be changed a couple of days in advance, because they were constantly depreciating.
“In small shops, prices were updated every day with a list — there were no price tags. People who received salaries in local currency went to the exchanger and changed it into dollars and, if necessary, back a little bit. Somehow I changed $400 at once, and the exchange rate jumped. I had to spend them quickly, because after a couple of days prices were rising by 15-20 percent,” the tourist admits.
How one of the richest countries in the world became impoverished over time
At the beginning of the 20th century, Argentina was one of the ten largest countries in terms of economic volume. It flourished thanks to the export of grain, wine and meat to almost all regions of the world.
Everything changed during the global crisis of 1929. Although initially he did not touch Argentina as much as neighboring states, some tension among local residents was constantly growing. In the end, the military junta seized power in the country, which defended the interests of big capital. The process was accompanied by mass riots and aggravation of contradictions in society.
After World War II, Juan Domingo Peron became President of Argentina, and it followed the social democratic path of development. Despite the fact that the politician managed to unite people and settle the social contradictions that had arisen earlier, the economic situation continued to deteriorate. The Peron government solved financial problems by turning on the printing press, and this further accelerated inflation.
Peron was overthrown in a military coup in 1955, but the economy continued to choke. Ever-increasing government spending, wage increases and inefficient production led to chronic inflation, and the military dictatorship, which was in power from 1976 to 1983, also increased foreign debt with its policies.
In the late 1990s and early noughties, Argentina was hit by an economic crisis, accompanied by riots and riots. Since then, the country’s economy has not recovered, and it holds the record for defaults, of which there have already been nine. By the end of 2023, inflation in Argentina exceeded 210 percent, which was the worst result in more than 30 years.
You can buy a local SIM card in shopping malls and offices of the Claro operator, their addresses can be viewed on Google maps. However, when activating SIM cards, tourists may have difficulties: this will have to be done on the operator’s website, where everything is in Spanish, and a foreign bank card will be required for payment. Therefore, most travelers use eSIM, which Airalo has, for example. In big cities, communication and the Internet work well, but outside of them there is a risk of being cut off from civilization and even without 3G.
Public transport is well developed in Buenos Aires. To use it, you need to buy a SUBE card, which is sold at almost all metro stations and at some kiosks. Fares are lower than in Europe and even Russia. Uber and Didi work from taxis.
You should not expect comfort in a taxi. Uber “comfort” is the level of “economy” in Russia. I caused this once, and the car didn’t have a rear window. We were driving through a slum — not a thrill
Natalia, a Russian woman who lived in Buenos Aires
Renting a car costs about 60-70 dollars (about 5.3-6.2 thousand rubles) per day, sometimes you can find cheaper options. The vast majority of cars are equipped with a manual transmission.
“To rent a car, you always need a credit card (not a debit card, this is important!) card. In some rental office, you can find a rental without it, but it takes a long time to look for it, and most likely it will be among the Russian community,” warns guide Anastasia Shimuk.
Where to find accommodation
The Airbnb portal is suitable for finding housing for any period of time. The price of an apartment depends on the area where it is located and the season. According to Anastasia Shimuk, an apartment in a good area with two bedrooms and a kitchen in the season will cost about 1.5 thousand dollars per month.
6 thousand rubles
is the average cost of housing in Buenos Aires per day (price for two guests)
Another housing search service is ArgenP. The agent helps foreigners to look for apartments, in most cases a deposit is required, but you can pay not in pesos, but in dollars. Russian tourist Anna Novikova said that she had a positive experience of renting a house using this application.
“I was helped by a local realtor who spoke a little Russian. We went to different areas with her, looked at apartments, and I chose a more or less suitable one for my budget. She had very good hosts, and when I checked out, the deposit was immediately refunded to me. But not everyone is so lucky, I have heard many times that the tenants do not return it and find fault with some problems in the apartment, just not to give the money,” the Russian explained.
Palermo district in Buenos Aires
With the help of a Russian bank card, you can book accommodation on the Ostrovok portal. Four-star hotels (Hotel Pulitzer, NH Buenos Aires 9 de Julio, Howard Johnson Plaza by Wyndham Buenos Aires, Howard Johnson Plaza by Wyndham Buenos Aires) cost from 12 thousand rubles per night, and more budget hotels of the two-star and three-star categories (Icaro Suites, Two Hotel Buenos Aires, Crisol Mundial) — from 4000 rubles per night.
“The hotel stock in Argentina is quite old, so it is better to consult with the guides before the trip — not only about how new or old the hotel is, but also about where it is located. Without being guided in the city, it is easy to rent something near the vizhya (slums) or in a not very good area,” the guide explains.
Good neighborhoods in Buenos Aires are Recoleta, Palermo, Montserrat and Retiro (a business center where there is a lull on weekends). Muscovites who moved to Argentina have chosen the Puerto Madero area, but prices there are much higher
According to Natalia Romashina, the quality of hotels in Buenos Aires leaves much to be desired. “When I flew there for the first time, I was shocked why so many hotels have a rating from 2.7 to 3.5. And then I found out that the staff in them most often does not behave very politely, sometimes they even steal. I know that there are other hotels — where it is clean, they do not steal and speak English – but you need to look for such and be sure to read reviews, this is important. Stardom does not decide here. When I was choosing a hotel, most of the reviews from the series “iPhone charger, Victoria’s Secret underpants and my daughter’s favorite toy were stolen” were in four— or five-star hotels,” the traveler notes.
Outside of Buenos Aires, so-called hosteries are common — family hotels with 8-12 bed and breakfast rooms. They are often more convenient, more comfortable and better quality than chain hotels.
How safe is it in Argentina
It is written in more than one guidebook that you need to keep your eyes open and always be vigilant when traveling in Argentina, and all guides warn you about this in advance. In Buenos Aires, as in any Latin American capital, the crime rate is quite high.
First of all, fraudsters will be interested in mobile phones, handbags and jewelry. In this city, you do not need to wear anything bright, you do not need to bring beautiful large earrings, diamond chains, rings and watches here. Leave it all at home, no one wears it here. If you have a Cartier on your hand, then believe me, you will most likely return home without it
Anastasia Shimukgid in Buenos Aires and travel organizer in Argentina
It is also better for travelers not to use selfie sticks, put away their phones immediately after taking pictures, do not put them on the table in establishments, carry backpacks in front and look carefully around.
“Buenos Aires is usually considered safer than many other cities in Latin America, but for example, my phone was stolen there, at McDonald’s. The seller of T-shirts put them on the table, I said that I was not interested, but he took them with his phone. Needless to say, no one even tried to look for him? Locals believe that changing the phone every 6-12 months is the norm,” admits Natalia Romashina.
Slums in Buenos Aires
Photo: Natacha Pisarenko / Reuters
Despite the numerous thefts of personal belongings, intruders are unlikely to attack tourists with a gun or a knife, Anastasia Shimuk assures. However, compliance with basic safety rules and the absence of unnecessary attention from the outside will make the trip as pleasant as possible.
According to the guide, some rich tourists, before traveling to Latin America, specially buy simple clothes in the mass market or on the market, which are very different from the ones they are used to wearing in everyday life. “They look a little strange considering that most often they travel on private transfers and with personal guides. But by leaving all their Louis Vuitton at home, they make their trip safer,” she explains.
Russian tourist Anna Novikova also warns that in Buenos Aires it is not necessary to leave the windows in the apartment open. “One day I came home late at night, saw the police and asked them what had happened. They replied that the apartments on the first and fourth floors had been robbed. This is a very common story, they are no longer surprised. At the same time, they are not even looking for these criminals, simply because it is pointless,” the Russian woman shares her experience.
Quality of services
Going to Argentina for the usual Russian or European service is not a good idea. Here, this concept is very different from what domestic travelers are used to. Even in a five—star hotel there may be oblique sockets or a room that is not perfectly cleaned, and in a large popular restaurant there may be forks with crooked teeth.
There is no such thing as in Turkey or the Caucasus, where you are a guest and they want to impress you somehow (even if for the sake of money). You’re a necessity here. Hotels often have paid cleaning. There may be a paid towel change or partially paid breakfasts — for example, there is only coffee, toast and jam, and you need to pay extra for eggs separately. And these are four-star hotels
Natalia Romashina is a Russian tourist
As Anastasia Shimuk notes, in Argentina, tourists seem to be given more time for everything and more space. “When you come to a restaurant, you will most likely wait a long time for the waiter. Then the menu will be brought to you, and you will wait for your order to be accepted. When everything is brought to your table, no one will touch you anymore, no one will pour wine for you and ask about dessert. This is done on purpose, because people do not come for food, but for communication. Family environment, friends are what Argentines value the most,” she explains.
Another difficulty that tourists may encounter during a trip to Argentina is the language barrier. “I was shocked that very few people speak English. Only Spanish. This greatly complicates everyday and not only life. But I started learning Spanish, and that’s a plus,” admits Anna Novikova.
What to try in Argentina from food
First of all, all tourists in Argentina try the national hot drink — mate, dessert dish dulce de leche, meat and wine.
Any Argentinian will drink mate from morning to night and walk around with a thermos or a cup in his arms. This is not about show-offs, but about a lifestyle. Dulce de leche is condensed milk. The Argentines believe that they invented it, and therefore there are many shops with it and its productions. All desserts are always served with condensed milk. Argentine beef, it seems to me, is known all over the world. Therefore, it definitely needs to be eaten here. The restaurants where it is served are called parrilla. And wine, malbec first of all, although there are good white wines here
Anastasia Shimukgid in Buenos Aires and travel organizer in Argentina
One of the famous meat establishments in Buenos Aires is the Parrilla La Brigada restaurant. It is better to book a table there in advance.
“Their meat is so juicy and soft that they cut it with a spoon. It had the best steak I’ve ever eaten. The restaurant is quite simple, not pretentious, decorated with football paraphernalia, — says Anna Novikova. — My other favorite places are the Blanca Deco Coffee Shop & Café, a restaurant with very tasty Neapolitan pizza Atte. Pizzeria Napoletana, a very atmospheric cafe Croque Madame and Rita Specialty Coffee Matienzo, where the local rich have breakfast.”
Another meat restaurant with one Michelin star is Don Julio. You can come to it without booking a table, but you will definitely have to queue at the entrance. Aramburu and Crizia are also among the Michelin-starred establishments in Buenos Aires.
“There are good new wave coffee shops — for example, the Cuervo chain. A nice place with breakfast is Moshu Treehouse. A typical breakfast in Argentina is coffee and two medialunas, which are small croissants in sweet syrup. Careful, they are addictive!” — Natalia, a Russian woman who lived in Buenos Aires, shares her experience.
Dessert dish of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American cuisine dulce de leche
Small empanadas pies are sold everywhere in Argentina. In different regions, they are made with different fillings: olives, fish, corn, meat, sausage and ham. The most common type is empanadas with ham and cheese (jamón y queso).
In the southern regions, for example, in Ushuaia, you can try crab, in Patagonia — trucha fish (an analogue of trout), in El Calafate and the capital of trekking El Chalten – lamb (cordero) and guanaco (a mammal of the genus llama of the camel family, the ancestor of the domesticated llama).
In addition to dulce de leche, alfajor confectionery is popular in Argentina, as in all Latin American countries. This is a cookie consisting of two layers that are connected by condensed milk or jam.
Tourists who want to eat fast food will find it without problems, but the taste may seem unusual and disappoint.
McDonald’s is bad there. For some reason, they don’t add sauces to burgers. It’s very strange. That is, they give you the sauce separately, and you have to fill your burger yourself
Anna Novikova is a Russian tourist
Anastasia Shimuk, a guide to Buenos Aires, also warns that the food in typical Argentine establishments that locals like to go to may be unusual for tourists.
“Argentines are very fond of eating all sorts of offal and insides of cows: for example, the thymus gland or small intestine. It’s not that it’s considered a delicacy, it’s just very common. Believe me, none of the European tourists will eat it. You can try it once, but not so that you can order for dinner and eat. And this is normal for an Argentinian. And what’s more, a typical Argentine restaurant will have malbec, sweet white wine and beer. This whole combination is far from our ideas of fine cuisine,” she explains.
The mentality of Argentines
According to tourists, Argentines are very open, responsive, relaxed and lazy people.
“They don’t really care about how they look. There is no such endless “improvising”, as is customary in Russia for women. There are no brands dressed from head to toe — otherwise they will be robbed. They smoke and drink mate a lot. They kiss when they meet. Even men. Even for the first time. It’s hard to get used to it,” admits Russian Natalia.
Workaholism is definitely not about Argentina. Many establishments close for lunch, and the siesta lasts until 8-9 pm. It is almost impossible to find a working store or restaurant during the holidays, and the word “manyana” is one of my favorites in this country. And it doesn’t mean “tomorrow” at all, but “sometime later.”
“In general, Argentines are mainly engaged in drinking mate and visiting each other at the parrilla grill party. I lacked some kind of cultural level from my friends, I took local people to museums — they were there for the first time in my life with me,” the Russian woman is surprised.
Another cultural feature of Argentines is that they do not say no. They can promise something many times, but never do it.
If you have agreed to meet with an Argentine on Thursday at 19:00, it means that, in principle, he does not mind meeting with you someday. On Thursday at 19:00 you will find that he did not even consider it an agreement. Or he will come at 22:00, because he was drinking mate and dreaming. In general, it’s not about punctuality. Our landlord couldn’t come for the money for two months! We agreed on a specific time, but he did not come
Natalia, a Russian woman who lived in Buenos Aires
What to see in Argentina
Argentina is a big country, and you won’t be able to see all its main attractions in a week. The classic travel program always includes Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, El Calafate and Ushuaia. Other places — depending on the season.
Buenos Aires
Immigrants from Spain, Italy, France, Germany and other countries brought their architectural traditions to Buenos Aires, so the city is often compared with European capitals. Wide avenues, fashionable neighborhoods with tall skyscrapers, colorful streets with houses of the last century, museums of modern art, street musicians and artists — all this is more reminiscent of the Old World than the New.
Buenos Aires is truly a Latin American Paris. For fans of European cities— it is an ideal replacement without a visa
Natalia Romashina is a Russian tourist
The business card of the city is the Obelisk (Obelisco). This 67-meter monument was built in 1936 in honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Buenos Aires. Locals gather at his place during demonstrations, cultural events and, of course, the victories of the Argentine national football team.
A popular tourist destination is the colorful La Boca quarter with numerous cafes, restaurants, artists, dancers and souvenir vendors. It is believed that this is where the Argentine tango originated. And it’s also one of the most dangerous areas of the city, so you definitely shouldn’t go there in the evening, and you need to watch your personal belongings especially carefully.
The obelisk in Buenos Aires is one of the symbols of the capital of Argentina
The Colon Theatre It is included in the list of the best theaters in the world along with the Bolshoi Theater, the Italian La Scala and the Grand Opera in Paris. It is named after the Spanish navigator Christopher Columbus. Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Anna Pavlova, Maya Plisetskaya, Maria Callas and other opera and ballet stars performed on its stage. In 1913-1917, the Diaghilev Russian Ballet troupe came to the theater. It’s not easy to get tickets there, but you can try your luck on the website.
Another famous tourist attraction is the Recoleta Cemetery, which is located in the eponymous quarter. Famous figures of science, literature and art and national heroes of Argentina are buried there. One of them is Eva Peron, the wife of dictator Juan Peron, who contracted cancer and passed away at the age of 33 and whom Argentines consider their national heroine. As befits such places, the Recoleta cemetery is associated with many urban legends and mystical stories.
Legends of the Recoleta Cemetery
The first creepy story is connected with the name of Eva Peron herself. After her death, her husband made the extravagant decision to embalm Eva’s body and put it on public display so that the people of Argentina could say goodbye to her. Until Peron was overthrown in 1955, the body was in the chapel of the General Confederation of Labor, and then it mysteriously disappeared from there.
Many years later, local journalists said that the military who seized power, who were afraid of Peron’s followers, kidnapped him and wanted to bury him in an unnamed place in one of the cemeteries of Buenos Aires. The case was assigned to the colonel of the new military government. He allegedly hid the coffin in the apartment of his deputy, and he accidentally shot his pregnant wife after hearing strange sounds and thinking that intruders wanted to steal the body.
There were also rumors that the embalmer made two more copies of Eva’s body from wax, vinyl and fiberglass, which were placed in three identical coffins and taken to different cemeteries in Buenos Aires. Soon after, one of the gravediggers was involved in an accident under mysterious circumstances, and the second committed suicide.
In the end, Eva’s real body was buried first in Italy under a false name, and after Peron’s death, it was transported to Argentina and placed in the family crypt of her father Duarte’s relatives.
The second story is about Rufina, the daughter of the rich and noble politician and writer Eugenio Cambaceres. The girl suddenly passed away at the age of 19 — allegedly after she found out about the intimate relationship between her fiance and her 45-year-old mother, she had a heart attack. Rufina was buried in the family mausoleum, and after a while the caretakers discovered that the lid of the tombstone had been moved. They opened the coffin and saw that its inner part was torn, and the nails of the deceased were wiped to the point of blood. Hence the version was born that the doctors mistook a catalepsy attack for cardiac arrest, and Rufina was buried alive.
The Palace of the National Congress with an 80-meter dome is one of the most beautiful buildings in Buenos Aires. Members of Congress are sitting inside, and tourists are walking in the square in front of it.
In the very center of the city, next to the Plaza de Mayo, there is the Casa Rosada (Casa Rosada) is the official residence of the President of Argentina. On Saturdays, tourists are allowed inside for free, but you can only get there with an excursion — you need to sign up for it on the website.
“In Buenos Aires, there are places for tango lovers, and for fans of clubs and raves, and a huge vintage market, and a pretty park, and a luxurious cemetery (the main attraction), and interesting museums. But there is no shopping at all: no international brands, everything is bad locally, equipment with a huge margin. You should not expect to buy anything there, except for a magnet for memory,” Natalia, a Russian woman who lived in Buenos Aires, warns.
A mandatory part of the tourist program in Buenos Aires is a tango show. In the city you can find a huge number of different options: from expensive ones, with dinner and transfer from the hotel and back, to more budget ones, only with a presentation. Sometimes the artists even hold master classes for the audience.
Argentine tango originated at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires
Photo: Bettina Strenske / Globallookpress.com
“Argentine tango is beautiful. You can go for anything — they are all good and all different. Some are more like a show, others are like gymnastic tricks. I haven’t seen any bad ones for $20 or $150. But when the show and dinner are on the program, I do not recommend it. It’s better to have dinner separately and watch the show separately. Such dinners are not very good, and sometimes after them you need to wait another 40-50 minutes for the start of the tango,” advises Natalia Romashina.
Iguazu Falls
The Iguazu Falls Complex is located on the border of Argentina and Brazil
The Iguazu Falls complex, located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, is the largest in the world. Water breaks from 275 separate waterfalls from a height of more than 80 meters. The territories on both sides are the national parks of Brazil and Argentina.
Usually tourists are taken to the waterfalls for one or two days so that they can carefully inspect all this splendor. There are observation decks on site, hiking and car trails, hotels, campgrounds and hiking trails in the surrounding area.
Iguazu Falls are considered one of the new wonders of the world, and they are really cool. But you should be prepared for the fact that it is very stuffy and humid there in the season. People with heart problems may feel bad in such a place. In December, it was +40 and the humidity was so high that you just sit outside and sweat runs non-stop all the time
Natalia Romashina is a Russian tourist
A legend is connected with the origin of the waterfall. The local god wanted to marry a beautiful Naipi girl from an Indian tribe, but she escaped by canoe with her lover. Then God got angry and cut the river into two parts, creating waterfalls and condemning the lovers to eternal fall.
El Calafate
The town of El Calafate is located on the southern shore of Lake Lago Argentino
The small Patagonian town of El Calafate, located in glaciers, is another must—visit tourist attraction in Argentina. There are no architectural monuments to be found there, but this place will definitely appeal to fans of trekking, hiking and mountaineering. It will take about three hours to get from Buenos Aires by plane, it is better to book tickets at least two to three months in advance. You should definitely take warm clothes with you — the weather in El Calafat is windy.
The Calafate Glaciers are located in the Los Glaciares National Park. The most popular of them is Perito Moreno, the largest on the mainland of the Earth. You can view the glacier up close during a catamaran or boat tour. In addition, trekking tours are organized on it.
In addition to Perito Moreno, tourists can see a variety of birds in the Laguna Nimez Nature Reserve, explore the rock paintings of ancient people in the caves of Punta Valici and visit the La Leon Fossil Park.
Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia
The southernmost city in the world is Ushuaia
To see penguins, pristine nature, glaciers, lakes and rocky beaches, as well as go on a cruise to Antarctica, tourists go to the city and port in the very south of Argentina, which is located on the island of Tierra del Fuego — Ushuaia. It is also called the edge of the world.
The main attractions of this place, in addition to penguins, are the southernmost lighthouse in the world, the historical railway to the National Park, along which the so—called Train to the Edge of the World runs, and the museum located in the former prison building, where South American criminals used to be taken.
The southernmost city in the world is worth a visit, but you need to understand that it is expensive, because it is unique — it is the only one, and everyone wants to see it. There are only a few hotels there, and they set whatever prices they want — people will buy them anyway. Secondly, it is ideally necessary to book rooms four to five months in advance. You can find something for two more, but at the moment everything will be very expensive, especially in the season when penguins come to hatch their offspring — it’s about November to March
Natalia Romashina is a Russian tourist
The Russian woman also warned that the hotels in Ushuaia are of an average level, and you definitely should not count on good service. However, natural species compensate for everything.
Salta and Huhuy
Salt marsh in Salta
The neighboring provinces of Salta and Huhuy in northern Argentina, near the border with Chile and Bolivia, are usually visited together. They are famous for their incredible nature and landscapes, as if transported from other planets. Especially noteworthy are the valley of the Las Conchas River, the Salinas Grandes salt marshes and the colored mountains at an altitude of more than four thousand meters above the city of Umahuaca.
Both of these provinces are small, they are inhabited by Native Americans who breed llamas (their wool is used, among other things, by the Italian brand Loro Piana), it has its own special cuisine and the atmosphere of a very simple life. There will be no expensive hotels (only in wineries), but there will be an authentic experience
Natalia, a Russian woman who lived in Buenos Aires
Mendoza
A winery in the Argentine province of Mendoza
Mendoza is the most important wine region in Argentina, located in the foothills of the Andes. It accounts for almost two thirds of the total wine production in the country. The most important variety in the region is malbec, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, tempranillo and chardonnay. It is best to come to Mendoza in spring or autumn. The main entertainment for tourists is wine tours.
“Mendoza mainly makes red wines. This is primarily a malbec. There are many very beautiful wineries, wonderful Michelin-starred restaurants. I always tell everyone that I earn money in Buenos Aires, and spend it in Mendoza,” admits guide Anastasia Shimuk.
Attitude towards Russians and tips for tourists
“At the end of 2023, Russians in Buenos Aires were about the same as in Tbilisi seven years ago. The locals, who are friendly in themselves, treat all visitors normally. I met nice people in the tourism sector who helped, prompted and were generally very friendly,” says Russian Natalia Romashina.
For compatriots who are going to come to Argentina for the first time, she advises them to prepare in advance for the fact that the quality of services in this country will be “not for aesthetes”, do not take expensive jewelry and be mentally ready to part with the phone.
Guide Anastasia Shimuk, in turn, warns that traveling around Argentina is likely to cost a pretty penny. A large budget should be laid for flights (it is better to fly Aerolíneas Argentinas, because low-cost airlines often cancel or postpone flights), accommodation (usually a night in a hotel costs about 8,9-10,7 thousand rubles), shows and excursions.
“A trip to the penguins in Ushuaia now costs $ 300 (26.9 thousand rubles) per person, a walk on the glacier costs about $ 400 (35.8 thousand rubles) per person. Argentina is not a cheap country at the moment,” the guide explains.
According to her, a busy tour of the country (but not from the category of “luxury”) will cost from 5 to 10 thousand dollars (about 450 to 900 thousand rubles) per person. However, despite such a high price, this trip will definitely be one of the most memorable in life.
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