I have been travelling for a long time and have always wanted to visit a South American country. I have the opportunity to travel to Argentina and visit some of the beautiful places in this country. My journey began in the country’s capital, Buenos Aires, where I was able to experience its culture through its iconic buildings, gastronomy, and art in the form of the Tango dance. It should be noted that seeing everything interesting in Buenos Aires in four days was impossible. However, I made an effort to see the most important things.
One of the first places I visited in Buenos Aires was the Plaza de Mayo, famous because, in 1810, the citizens gathered to protest and expel the Viceroy, thus creating a new government. At the end of the square is the Casa Rosada, which is the house where the office of the country’s president is located. Not far from here is the Obelisk, the city’s most recognisable symbol, which was built to commemorate the city’s fourth centennial and stands more than 60 metres tall.
The Colon Theatre, one of the most significant theatres in the world for both the acoustics it emits and the performances of the most significant names in classical music, opera, and ballet, is soon after you travel along the same Avenida 9 Julio. The Ateneo, located near the Colon Theatre, is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. Before becoming a bookstore, the Ateneo was a theatre, and for many years, also a cinema. The building’s facade is spectacular, but the interior architecture is also very beautiful, with very comfortable armchairs where one can enjoy a book. It is undeniably a place that deserves to be visited.
Buenos Aires' neighbourhoods
Buenos Aires’ Puerto Madero, a modern area with skyscrapers on one side of the river and docks on the other, is one of the city’s most important areas. This area is the most valuable area of the city, and here there are many cultural and tourist offers, such as hotels, restaurants, and different museums. The streets in this area pay homage to the most important women in the history of Argentina. Retiro, where there are several bars, eateries, and cafes, is one of the city’s most touristic neighbourhoods.
There are also a lot of interesting places to visit, but the San Martin Palace, Paz Palace, Retiro Mitre railway station, Monumental Tower, and Alzaga Unzue Palace stand out among the others. As well as the Recoleta Cemetery, where Evita Peron and other notable Argentines are interred, there are two more fascinating and significant museums: the Museum of Hispanic American Art and the National Railway Museum.
A neighbourhood that leaves no one indifferent and that I loved is the La Boca neighbourhood. It is a working-class district, where you can breathe the multicultural air of all the immigrants who migrated to Argentina from different European countries in search of a better life. Walking through the streets and looking at those facades painted in bright and cheerful colours, I felt like I was in an open-air museum, where the short street called Caminito represents the greatest cultural and tourist value of the district.
Another pleasant neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, although completely different from La Boca, is the Palermo district. The Museum of Latin American Art, the Galileo Galilei Planetarium, the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden, the Museum of Plastic Arts, the Botanical Garden, the Park 3 de Febrero, and the Lakes of Palermo are just a few of the attractions in the district.
Mendoza
After four days spent in Buenos Aires, I took the plane and went to Mendoza, a city not very far from the border with Chile. The city is beautiful, with views of the Andes, and is very famous for its wines. After experiencing a plethora of culture in a city as demanding as Buenos Aires, I relaxed in Mendoza above all else to take in the scenery. Here I visited Parque San Martin, the most important park in the city and where the Cerro de la Gloria is located. I also went on a winery tour, where, in addition to tasting various very good quality wines from each winery, they informed me about the process and winemaking, from the grape to the bottle.
Salta and its province
Then I went to the Salta province and stayed in Quebrada de las Conchas. Quebrada de las Conchas is a natural reserve of rock formations with bright colours ranging from red and orange to ocher tones, located about 90 kilometres from Salta. Here I did a bit of hiking and visited two beautiful places, such as the Anfiteatro (Amphitheatre) and the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat). In the Amphitheatre, I found immense walls of reddish rock that had the shape of a natural vault. While I was admiring the scenery, some musicians performed native music, and the acoustics emitted by their wind instruments were simply breathtaking.
The Devil’s Throat was the next wonder of these reddish rocks that I visited. There were artisans selling their wares at the venue’s entrance. The beauty of nature struck me as I entered the Devil’s Throat. As I was enjoying the wonderful place for a couple of hours, I also noticed how the rocks changed colour because the lightning appeared in one part of the rocks and disappeared in another, making the place even more magical.
From Salta, I travelled to the province of Jujuy, where I visited Salinas Grandes. Salinas Grandes are at an altitude of around 3500 meters, so it is advisable to get used to the altitude before travelling there. It is an endless plain that looks more like a white desert than a lake since it is practically dry, and when you walk on the lake, you feel how the salty crust creaks on the surface. There, I received explanations of how the artisanal process for the production of salt works.
Puerto de Iguazu
I travelled from Salinas Grandes through various arid zones until I arrived in the Andes town of San Antonio de Los Cobres. It is a town at an elevation of nearly 4000 metres where, in addition to walking through its beautiful landscapes, I enjoyed its people and culture. Above all, I admired their gentle people. In addition to selling you their wares, the town’s artisans took the time to explain their work, passing down their sacrifices, efforts, and dreams from generation to generation.
Puerto de Iguazu served as my vacation’s final destination. I travelled to the Landmark of Three Borders to watch the Iguazu River’s intersection with the Parana River from a vantage point there. On the other side of the Parana River is Paraguay, while Brazil is across the Iguazu River. The border between Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina is formed by the Iguazu Falls. There are 275 waterfalls in the Iguazu Park, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, with the majority of them being in Argentine territory. The Devil’s Throat, the waterfall with the maximum flow and a height of roughly 80 metres, is viewable from a boardwalk, making the Iguazu Falls a breathtaking sight.
Unfortunately, my holiday ended too soon, and I had to rush back to Buenos Aires in order to catch the plane and return home. I really enjoyed getting to know this wonderful country, from its culture and customs to its nature and its beautiful landscapes, which accompanied me on these 16 days of travel.
Conclusion
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Author: Diego Geri
