If you are trying to decide on a destination for a fulfilling trip that will give you an opportunity to see more than one natural wonder, enjoy great food and wine, learn about a beautiful culture and party along with the best of them at a myriad of festivals then you should tango on to the country of Argentina. Grand glaciers, majestic mountains and the thunderous roar from cascading waterfalls can all be seen on a trip to this South American country.
Wine lovers will be glad to know that wine is a great part of Argentinian culture, and by the end of the 1960s the calculation was an estimated annual consumption of 90 liters per capita. With a population calculated to be at about 42 million people, you can do the math on the flow of wine through the valleys to the peaks of the mountains!
About Argentina
Officially the Argentine Republic, it is made up of 23 provinces and the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina that nearly 3 million people call home. Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world by land size and Buenos Aires is the second largest metropolitan area in South America.
If you can converse in Spanish and are familiar with pesos as currency, then you are all set to discover the country. The climate varies depending on what part of the country you are visiting. The northern part experiences very hot and humid summers with drier and milder winters while the central part experiences hot summers and cool winters. Thunderstorms may be more frequent in the summer season here. As you go south, the summers are not as hot, hovering more on warm and heavier snowfalls and colder temperatures can be expected for the winter months.
Some of the regions’ names that may become familiar to you as you travel across the country are Cuyo, Pampas and Tierra del Fuego. Some major cities that you may wish to visit besides the capital of Buenos Aires, are Córdoba, the second largest city in the Pampas region; Mendoza, a city well known as a producer of the country’s fine wines; San Juan, a city that also shares in the pride of quality wine production and San Carlos de Bariloche, where you can strap on some skis for some fun in the snow of the foothills of the Andes or just simply some trekking through it.
Things to See and Do in Argentina
As mentioned earlier, Buenos Aires will definitely be a key location for you to plan a visit to Argentina around as this city itself has a lot to offer in terms of tourist attractions. Another “can’t miss” sight as you trek across Argentina is the incredible Iguazú Falls. Canada and the U.S may share the beauty of Niagara Falls but at Iguazú Falls you will be treated to the wondrous beauty of over 250 falls that stretch between Argentina and Brazil. You will never know anything else just like it!
Tierra del Fuego, the “land of fire” awaits you with its spectacular landscapes and believe it or not, the fabulous peaks of glaciers. Perhaps the region it should be named the “land of fire and ice” instead! For more glaciers and a view of a fabulous glacial field, head to the city of El Calafate in the region of Patagonia and find your way to the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares where you can discover the breathtaking Glacier Perito Moreno.
If you love marine life then you will want to visit Peninsula Valdés. Take a guided tour to see the sea life frolicking in their natural habitat as they sometimes come quite close to the shores allowing you a sneak peak.
Of course each city that you visit will have its own showcase of tourist attractions from galleries to museums, local festivals and architecture and certainly its own take on local fare and the joys of a variety of sensational wines. So plan you trek across Argentina to include some of these amazing venues and much more!
This article was written by Linda C. originally published on www.etravelblog.com. Read the original here.
*Image of Iguazu falls via Shutterstock
*Image of Perito Moreno glacier via Shutterstock
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