How we spent three weeks in Argentina
We spent three weeks travelling around Argentina as part of an eight week trip that also included Chile and Brazil. Exploring more of South America is high on my travel wish list right now so I was excited to see Argentina — often referred to as the most European country in Latin America — and I was not disappointed.
Here’s everything you need to know about our three week Artentina itinerary.
How to get to Argentina
How you get to Argentina depends on where you’re starting your journey. The most common starting point would be Buenos Aires as the airports in the capital city have flights from around the world. To get to other airports like Mendoza or Cordoba, you’ll probably have to transfer through Buenos Aires.
We were already in Chile and crossed into Argentina at the land border in Patagonia on our way to El Calafate.
Where to stay in Argentina
Wherever you’re travelling in Argentina you’ll find hostels, hotels, and Airbnbs to suit all budgets. Despite its volatile economy, Argentina feels like a safe country with plenty of upmarket options. But equally if you’re on a budget you’ll have no trouble finding a nice place to stay without breaking the bank.
In Buenos Aires you’ll find the best selection of accommodation. We stayed at the Viajero hostel in San Telmo and then Casa Caravan in Palermo. I’d recommend both of these places if you’re looking for a nice, clean, modern place to stay but don’t need too much of a social element.
Read more about our time in Buenos Aires here.
In towns like El Chalten and El Calafate in Patagonia, the choices are more limited. In El Calafate we stayed at America del Sur hostel which was great. The town is full of hostels and hotels so you can simply search by your budget and easily find something.
El Chalten is smaller and has fewer options but we stayed at the Rivendel Tiny House Airbnb which was perfect for a few nights and is in a great location.
Read more about our time in Patagonia here.
Though Mendoza is the second largest city in Argentina, it’s sprawling and the city centre feels small. We stayed at Casa Lila and loved the cosy room, beautiful grounds, and the hospitality of the staff. There are a lot of larger hotels in Mendoza but many of the options seemed very dated and too expensive for what they offered.
Find out more about our time in Mendoza here.
If you’re going to Iguazu Falls the chances are you’re not staying more than a night or two. There are some very expensive luxury hotels in the area but we went for the mid-priced Hotel Saint George which looked a lot more modern than some of the cheaper options. It was ideal for one night in the town as it was centrally located, had a pool and gym, and offered a good breakfast.
Find out more about our time in Iguazú Falls here.
What are the best things to do in Argentina?
There are so many highlights from our time in Argentina. I loved the vibe of the country and how friendly its people are. These were some of the best things we did in Argentina.
Buenos Aires
San Telmo Market (especially on Sunday)
Puerto Madero
La Boca
Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
The obelisk and Microcentro
Palmermo
Plaza Dorrego
Tango dinner shows
Teatro Colon
Tigre Delta
Jardín japonés
Floralis Genérica
Parque Tres de Febrero
Ecoparque
A day trip to Colonia del Sacramento
Find out more about our favourite things to do in Buenos Aires here.
Patagonia
Take a day trip to Perito Moreno
See the flamingoes at Reserva Laguna Nimez
Visit the Glacarium Patagonian Ice Museum
Go to Cañadon de Arroryo
Go on a tour to Torres del Paine
El Chalten Laguna de los Tres hike (20 km)
El Chalten Laguna Torre hike (18km)
Chorillo del Salto waterfall walk (3 km)
El Chalten Laguna Capri (10 km)
Find out more about how we spent two weeks in Patagonia here.
Mendoza
Visit Plaza Independencia, Plaza Italia, and Plaza Chile
Wander around Parque General San Martin
Take a day trip to Aconcagua
Check out the night life on Aristides Villanueva
Eat and drink at the excellent local restaurants
Find out more about how we spent five days in Mendoza here.
When is the best time to go to Argentina?
Argentina’s seasons are the opposite to Europe’s. For that reason it’s a great place to go for a winter break. November to January are peak summer and likely to be busier and potentially more expensive. But we visited in March, the end of summer/start of autumn, and the weather was mostly good. In Buenos Aires we had some rainy mornings and there were a couple of cloudy-but-warm days in Mendoza. Patagonia is another story as the weather there is always unpredictable! We mostly had beautiful sunshine but during our stay in El Chalten we also had a rainstorm and a day of snow!
What is the best route to travel through Argentina?
If you’re flying into Buenos Aires the best route to take would be directly west if you’re going to Mendoza, Cordoba, and Salta, or east then south if you’re fitting in Patagonia too. For us, it was best to plan our route around the price of flights. Many internal flights still require a transfer in Buenos Aires so they can make it harder to do a straight route between smaller towns. But there are multiple internal flights every day from all of Argentina’s airports.
We started in Patagonia and flew from El Chalten to Buenos Aires to Mendoza to Iguazu.
Find out more about how we spent four weeks in Chile here.
Is Argentina safe?
Yes, Argentina is largely a safe country. As with anywhere you should be cautious with your belongings and avoid areas that are known to be less safe for tourists. It’s also best to have some Spanish as we met many people with very very limited English. I find it makes me feel safer to know that I can communicate with the people around me. But overall we didn’t have any experiences in Argentina that made us feel unsafe, even in Buenos Aires.
Is Argentina cheap?
Argentina isn’t that cheap, especially for travel. Some of our internal flights were more expensive than I would have expected and food and drink can vary widely. It’s possible to find very cheap drinks and food like empanadas but, obviously, if you’re going out in more upmarket areas like Palermo or areas known for their quality products like Mendoza the some restaurants are more expensive. But it’s not too hard to make it fit your budget as there are many options.
Patagonia especially is fairly expensive whereas in towns there are much cheaper bars and restaurants and many of the sights are free to access.
Do you need vaccines to travel to Argentina?
No. You only need the usual recommended travel vaccines to visit Argentina.
We were up to date on our MMR, tetanus, diphtheria, and polio vaccines as well as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, and Rabies vaccines though they are not essential.
Should I go to Argentina?
If you want to experience a totally different side of Latin America to Colombia or Mexico, with all the beautiful scenery, great culture and nightlife, and warm and friendly people then you should go to Argentina. It’s not a cheap trip from the UK, but I think it’s one of my favourite countries I’ve been to. It’s safe, beautiful, the food and drink is great, and it feels just enough like Europe to feel familiar without feeling boring or like somewhere I’d been before.
What to pack for a month in Argentina
In our three weeks in Argentina we travelled through everything from mountains and lakes to cities, desert wine regions and tropical rainforests. So my long packing list was varied but essential!
Here’s what I packed for three weeks in Argentina in March and April.
Three t-shirts
Two vest tops
One summer top
One tube top
Two thermal tops
A plaid shirt
A linen shirt
Two dresses
Two pairs of wide leg trousers
A mini skirt
A pair of summer shorts
A pair of denim shorts
A pair of shorts for hiking
A pair of leggings for hiking
A jumper
A pair of hiking trainers
A pair of day trainers
A pair of sandals
Two sets of running/workout gear
Two bikinis
Two weeks of underwear
A pair of sunglasses
A sun cap
Chargers
Plug adapters
A water bottle
A backpack
A day bag
A microfibre towel
Daily toiletries including SPF
An e-book
Wondering what to pack for a holiday in Argentina? Check out my full Argentina packing list here.