Excursions
For a Half Day
Tigre: A pleasant sojourn from Buenos Aires and a popular weekend jaunt for Porteños, Tigre is a pretty town on an island in the Paraná Delta, just 30km (19 miles) away. The focus of activity is at the River Terminal –the Estación Fluvial – from where visitors can take a boat trip on the waterways of the Paraná Delta and even stop off for a stroll along the leafy lanes on some of the islands. Those wanting an adrenaline rush will not be disappointed by Parque de la Costa, Vivanco 1509 (tel: (011) 4732 6300; website: www.parquedelacosta.com.ar). With its rollercoasters, amusements and fun-fair rides, it is one of the largest amusement parks in Latin America. Only a few blocks away from the station is the daily Puerto de Frutos (fruit market). These days, fruit cultivation has declined in importance so the main products to purchase are local handicrafts. The town’s elegance has somewhat faded but the area is an idyllic one for some exploration on foot. Pedestrians can watch the rowers glide along the waters or watch the waterway Regattas during March and November. Trains leave from Buenos Aires’s Retiro Station (Linea Mitre) regularly and the journey takes 45 minutes. For more of a scenic ride change at Olivos and take the Tren de la Costa (tel: (011) 4732 6343) for a pleasant journey through the parks and wealthy suburbs near the riverside. More information can be obtained from the Tigre Tourist Office, Calle Mitre 305 (tel: (011) 4512 4497/8; website: www.tigre.gov.ar). Alternatively, Travel Line Argentina and other tour companies offer full-day excursions to Tigre and the Paraná Delta for US$35 (see Bus Tours in Tours of the City).
For a Whole Day
San Antonio de Areco: Just 100km (60 miles) from the city, San Antonio de Areco seems a world away from the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Buenos Aires. It is a rustic town with leafy streets that trades on its gaucho heritage. Gauchos are, or were, the Argentine cowboys who work on the estancias (cattle ranches) of the Pampas. The gaucho traditions have almost entirely died out, except where maintained for the benefit of tourists. There are many souvenir shops in San Antonio de Areco, selling mainly gaucho handicrafts made from leather, silver and ceramics, and the town has preserved many of the stone paved streets, mansions and buildings from the 19th century. One of these buildings is now the Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes, which recreates a traditional estancia, complete with gaucho artefacts. Better still is a visit to a real estancia and nearby La Cinacina, Bartolomé Mitre 9 (tel: (02326) 452 045; e-mail: aircampo@netline.net.ar; website: www.lacinacina.com.ar) provides a warm welcome to visitors on day trips. Entertainment includes gaucho rodeo, cattle herding and traditional songs and dances, an asado lunch cooked over an open fire and the opportunity to go horseriding or play country games.
Buses to San Antonio de Areco leave daily from Plaza Once and the Retiro bus terminal and the journey takes two hours. The Areco Tourist Office, Calle Arellano 115 (tel: (02325) 1565 8300; website: www.arecoturismo.com.ar), can provide more information. Several tour companies (see Bus Tours in Tours of the City) offer day trips to estancias close to Buenos Aires for around US$35, as does the online company Estancias Travel (website: www.estanciastravel.com).
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General
