Argentina Guide
The Atlantic resorts and the Pampas
Attractive a city though Buenos Aires is, you may wish to escape the urban mêlée for a few days. The country's big-ticket destinations tend to be in its far corners, but closer to the capital there are plenty of less obvious (and, in the case of foreign tourists, less visited) possibilities that are well worth considering; you should certainly try to make time in your schedule to see something of the famous Pampas, Argentina's heartland. The country's beaches are less renowned, but you will find that there are some thirty resorts fringing the Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires Province, stretching from San Clemente in the north to Bahía Blanca, nearly 700km south of the capital. They are generally characterized by wide, sandy beaches edged by dunes, and little else, although Mar del Plata has some interesting historical buildings and is a thriving city in its own right.
Moving inland, Buenos Aires Province – covering 307,000 square kilometres south and west of the capital – is dominated by the vast expanse of the Pampas, a region almost synonymous with Argentina itself. This is the birthplace of the gaucho and source of much of Argentina's wealth – the grain and beef produced by this incredibly fertile farmland constitute the bulk of the country's exports.
Buenos Aires is probably Argentina's easiest province to get around: it is crisscrossed with roads and railways, making it pretty straightforward to negotiate using public transport. Bear in mind, though, that services to the coast are greatly reduced out of season. La Pampa Province, though much less populated and still with large areas untouched by tourism, is nonetheless well connected by routes running south from the capital into Patagonia. If you are planning on heading off the beaten track, note that many of the region's secondary roads are unsealed, and though easily navigable in dry weather, they may become impassable after heavy rainfall.
Highlights
1 Mar del Sud Maybe the most desirable of the small and fashionable resorts on the Atlantic, with an intimate feel and quiet sands.
2 San Antonio de Areco An attractive riverside pampas town that's a magnet for those interested in gaucho culture and crafts.
3 Luján Home to Argentina's patron saint, with an enormous basilica and thousands of pilgrims that are a testimony to the country's still strong Catholic traditions.
4 Pulperías in Mercedes A sprinkling of pulperías, the traditional bars-cum-stores that were the hangout of many a gaucho and the scene of many a fight, are still going, albeit more peacefully these days.
5 Sierra de la Ventana The flat pampas fold into the craggy Sierra de la Ventana range in the west of the province, an area known for good walking, pretty chalets and delicious picada platters.