San Carlos de Bariloche – known universally as Bariloche – is the main hub of this great expanse of mountain-rutted wilderness, so all visitors to this part of the world will invariably lay their woolly hats here at some point. It’s a sprawling and expensive place with plenty of traps for the tourist dollar. You could happily while away your days in the city itself and leave with nothing but a pan-pipe Beatles CD, seven kilos of smoked trout and a framed picture of you cuddling a Saint Bernard called Che. Which is exactly why you need to arrive with ideas…

Here are our Top 10 recommendations for any traveler to Bariloche and Argentina’s Lake District in Patagonia.

1. Dine at El Boliche Viejo

Bona fide Barilochenses shun new wave ‘parillas’ (grill restaurants) and head 30km out of town to feast on chargrilled Patagonian lamb and cow parts at El Boliche Viejo, an old-fashioned roadside pitstop that has been taking in weary travellers – including, most famously, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – for over a century.

2. Hike up to top of Cerro Campanario

A sharp half-hour hike up to the summit of Campanario (1,050m), a mini peak just past the Bariloche city limits. It’s worth the puff for the knockout views across the Nahuel Huapi and Perito Moreno lakes and the mountains beyond, but you can always cheat and catch the chairlift straight to the summit cafe. Get a local bus along Bustillo Avenue until kilometre 17 and start at the chairlift base station.

The vista from Cerro Campanario outside Bariloche; Photo courtesy of James Kibbey.

3. Cycle the Circuito Chico

The 40km ride skirts the edge of lakes, ducks down into a chocolate-box ‘Swiss Colony’ and climbs up to some stunning lookouts with views across to the Andes. It requires a modicum of fitness, but the panoramas are worth every wheezing ascent and saddle sore. Take the bus towards Llao Llao and hire bikes (the earlier the better) at kilometre 18.3 on Bustillo Avenue.

Cycling Circuito Chico; Photo courtesy of James Kibbey.

Views over the lakes from Circuito Chico; Photo courtesy of James Kibbey.

4. Gawp at Llao Llao Hotel

You might not be up to paying US$450 for a room at Argentina’s most famous luxury resort, which sits on its own peninsula on the shores of Nahuel Huapi, but it’s well worth a visit, either to marvel at its views (over tea or a round of golf on the beautifully manicured course) or delve into its chequered history. It’s at kilometre 25 on Bustillo Avenue.

Golf at Llao Llao resort; Photo courtesy of James Kibbey.

5. Buy chocolate at Mamuschka

Though the best chocolatier in Bariloche is the subject of much dispute, Mamuschka is never far down the list. Be warned though: you can lose a whole afternoon navigating the vast range of delights in the glass counter.

6. Eat dulce de leche ice cream at Jauja

No further explanation required, except to say that this – Jauja’s frozen incarnation of the ubiquitous caramel filling is the best ice cream in Argentina. (There’s a Jauja in Buenos Aires if you can’t make the trek across to Bariloche.)

7. Drive the Traful circuit

Car hire in Bariloche is surprisingly cheap so there’s no excuse not to fold your hiking-ravaged hamstrings into a clapped out Fiat. Even the abridged version of the famous Siete Lagos (Seven Lakes) circuit requires an early start and a certain tolerance of unmade gravel roads, but the views – particularly from the Mirador Lago Traful – are worth the bumpy ride.

Our clapped out Fiat; Photo courtesy of James Kibbey.

Mirador Lago Traful; Photo courtesy of James Kibbey.

8. Visit El Bolsón

Bariloche’s hippier cousin El Bolsón is three hours down the road, and well worth a couple of days of your itinerary if only for – more – breathtaking scenery and the pinch-yourself idyllicism of the place. If you need further persuasion, it’s also the centre of artisan beer in Patagonia and home of the Fiesta de la Cerveza Artesanal.

El Bolsón, Patagonia; Photo courtesy of James Kibbey.

9. Eat at Di Como

This Italian treasure opposite Alma del Lago Hotel on Bustillo Avenue (868) doesn’t appear in the guidebooks, so the world-beating homemade pastas – just the thing after a day’s hiking – are left to the locals. Service is warm and it also serves the crispiest provoleta in town (ask for it ‘bien cocido’ just to be sure).

10. Ski Cerro Catedral

Bariloche is essentially a large ski resort, and it comes alive from mid June to early October. Cerro Catedral is the hub, serving up 40 lifts and plenty of places to hire kit, as well as 53 pistes for all standards and exciting off-piste skiing. The panoramas of Nahuel Huapi are quite something too.

Argentina is a vast country where the main attractions are on a huge scale. Beyond the infinite skies, shimmering glaciers and horizon-bending pampas, this is the cradle of the tango and a country where life is lived large, from the indulgences of succulent steak and celebrated wines to the infamous Buenos Aires nightlife. In this brief guide we’ll offer travel advice to help you discover Argentina in all its glory – where and when to go, how to get around, what to eat and how to make the most of your time there.

Photo courtesy of Journey Latin America.

Argentina All Year Round

One of the great things about planning a holiday to Argentina is that with such a huge territory and varied climate, there is no wrong time of year to visit. In the southern hemisphere, seasons are the opposite of the northern hemisphere, so December to March bring the warmest weather, making October through to April the traditional time to visit Patagonia. On the other hand, the dry season in the spectacular north of the country – an artist’s palette of red- and orange-hued landscapes dotted with cacti – is the other way around: April to October. September is perhaps the best month for wildlife, with exotic fauna like giant anteaters, caimans, monkeys, the overgrown guinea-pig-resembling capybara, and incredibly abundant bird life all easily spotted in the Iberá marshes, and whales visiting the shores of the Valdés peninsula.

Our advice if you plan to cover multiple regions of the country would be to aim to visit in spring or autumn for the best all-round weather conditions. If we were planning a trip ourselves, our overall favourite month to travel would be April, when fiery autumnal hues make the ends-of-the-earth Patagonian scenery even more beautiful than usual, followed by September or October.

Photo courtesy of Journey Latin America.

Practical Information

Fast facts:

• British passport holders do not require a visa to enter Argentina (but Americans, Canadians and Australians should beware of the “reciprocity” entry fee).
• Argentina’s currency is the Argentine peso (around 7 pesos to the British pound or 4.4 pesos to the US dollar as of April 2012).
• The language is Spanish – spoken with a distinctive accent, a unique pronoun ‘vos’ in place of the standard Spanish ‘tú’, and a peppering of slang known as lunfardo.
• You can get hold of most things in Argentina so packing is easy; just make sure to take plenty of layers if heading to Patagonia as they are the best insulation from the cold.

Argentina is eight times the size of Britain, so don’t underestimate the distances when planning your itinerary. There is a good network of flights connecting the major cities and tourist areas, but if you are on a budget and have the time you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the long-distance buses. Though the journeys are undoubtedly long (between 12 and 24 hours is the norm), they are extraordinarily comfortable with many ‘bus cama’ services offering fully reclining seats – the business class of the backpacking world. Note that if you’re travelling during the Argentine summer, you’ll need to book ahead to secure your seat. If you’re flying instead, be sure to book your domestic and international flights at the same time as they are almost always cheaper when purchased together.

Buenos Aires in a Weekend

Photo courtesy of Journey Latin America.

Buenos Aires has to be one of the world’s greatest cities: elegant yet frenetic; European yet at once unmistakably Latin; an indefinable metropolis that never quite leaves your system once you’ve been seduced by its 24-hour charms. We would recommend you spend at least three or four nights here, but if you only have a weekend (and make sure it is a weekend: it’s the best time to be in the capital) follow our guide to 48 Hours in Buenos Aires to make every moment count.

The Great Outdoors

No trip to Argentina would be complete without some time out in the wild landscapes so beloved by the Argentines themselves. And there’s certainly a lot of wilderness to choose from in a country whose mind-bending latitudes encompass arid canyons and deserts, thundering waterfalls, subtropical forest, alpine lakes, towering snow-capped peaks, iceberg-strewn waters and vast, splintering glaciers.

If you enjoy trekking, Patagonia is the most obvious (but by no means the only) option. Base yourself in El Chaltén, where you can walk straight out of town and be surrounded by the incredible mountain scenery of Fitz Roy in a matter of minutes. Venturing still further south, Tierra del Fuego – ‘the uttermost part of the Earth’ – makes for an otherworldly backdrop. However, if ice is not your thing, we also love the 3-day trek out of Cachi in the north. Another way to get up close and personal with Argentine nature is with some summer skiing around Bariloche, or even ice trekking on the sprawling Perito Moreno glacier.

Photo courtesy of Journey Latin America.

Then again, if your idea of working up a sweat is in a sauna, there’s no shortage of more relaxing ways to enjoy the Argentine countryside. Sophisticated, indulgent wine lodges and rustic-luxe estancias offer the chance to sit back and savour the rural life at the heart of the Argentine psyche. There are many ranches in the flat pampas surrounding Buenos Aires, with their sun-weathered gauchos, roaring log fires and delicious asados, but there are estates all over the country putting an Argentine spin on R&R. And when it comes to Iguazú Falls, stay at the Sheraton if you can – it’s the only hotel within the Argentine national park, meaning that you can have what is arguably the world’s most impressive waterfall pretty much to yourself when the park is closed to other visitors, including at sunrise and sunset.

Photo courtesy of Journey Latin America.

A Flavour of Argentina

If you live to eat, you’ll love Argentina – particularly if your tastes could be described as carnivorous. The preposterously delicious steak is of course the star attraction, with ‘bife de lomo’ and ‘bife de chorizo’ (nothing to do with the spicy sausage) being our favourite cuts and La Cabrera and Cabaña Las Lilas our favourite Buenos Aires steakhouses, but the Patagonian lamb ‘a la cruz’ (cooked on a spit) is another mouth-watering gastronomic highlight.

Lunch is the main meal of the day, often spanning hours and several courses, and dining is a late affair (don’t book your table before 10pm if you don’t want to look like a lonely tourist). Pasty-like empanadas are the perfect way to fill the gap in between. For those with a sweet tooth, absolutely anything filled with the highly addictive concoction that is dulce de leche is bound to hit the spot.

Finally, missing out on the magnificent wine would be nothing short of a travesty – but since you’re here at The Real Argentina, you must already know a thing or two about that!

For insider travel advice, top 5s, recipes, articles and more, visit Journey Latin America’s online magazine Papagaio.

At Foto Ruta we maintain that Buenos Aires is one of the world’s top photography locations. The combination of open and friendly people, accessible locations and rich culture, makes the city a photographer’s dream.

However, its the wonderfully diverse neighbourhoods that Argentina’s capital offers up, all within a tiny area, that make it that extra bit special. If you’re looking for refined romantic Parisian style architecture, head to Recoleta. If you’re looking for the gritty cultural melting pot that defines many of Latin America’s capitals, walk ten blocks and you’ll be smothered in the intense sights and smells of Once. At Foto Ruta we try to encourage our participants to explore as many of Buenos Aires’ less touristy but just as inspiring neighbourhoods as they can. Here is a pick of some of our favourites.

Once

A traditionally Jewish neighbourhood offers some of the best photography opportunities in Buenos Aires. Packed with some of Buenos Aires’ most interesting and racially diverse inhabitants alongside streets dedicated to selling mobile phones, another to underwear and another to doctor’s outfits. Once has it all. It has a reputation for being unsafe, especially at night, so we recommend only shooting in the day and being particularly aware of your surroundings whilst doing so.

Great for shooting: Colour, portraits, gritty urban street photography

Parque Lezama

Most visitors to San Telmo don’t venture beyond Defensa and Ave San Juan. What they don’t realise is they’re missing out on one of the neighbourhood’s richest photography locations. A far cry from the cobbled streets and Latin architecture of central San Telmo, Lezama, said to be the first landing point and place where Buenos Aires was founded, offers up statues, park life, a fantastically colorful flea market and some impressive trees and plant life.

Great for shooting: People, still life, colour, botanical

Abasto

Close by to Once and famous for its Abasto Shopping centre (built in 1893), Abasto is a real Buenos Aires barrio. It’s one of the true homes of tango and was once home to Carlos Gardel. Full to the brim with local parillas, confiterias, street art and one of BA’s most famous music venues the Konex, makes Abasto a great place to capture day the day to day hustle and bustle of the city.

Great for shooting: Culture, street life, street art, food

Parque de la Memoria

Often one of the first stops on our Foto Ruta Academia tours, Parque de la memoria was build to commemorate victims of state terrorism and specifically Argentina’s desparecidos. It’s a beautifully melancholy and desolate location on the edge of the Rio de la Plata, that offers up incredible perspective, angles and minimialist photography opportunities.

Great for shooting: Perspective, black and white, angles and lines

Barrio Chino

Buenos Aires’ Chinese quarter is small in comparison with other major international cities, but it’s still worth checking out. The Chinese supermarkets are generally quite accessible and full of weird fish, unidentifiable meat and jars of strage concoctions.

Great for shooting: Still life, people, colour

Congreso

Aside from the impressive Congreso building, the surrounding area is a dream to photograph. The Plaza Congreso is surrounded by awe inspiring architecture, green spaces full of retro fairground rides, fountains and statues. The area is also home to Buenos Aires’ original skyscraper, the Palacio Barolo, and one of Foto Ruta’s favorite buildings, the old haunted-looking Confiteria on Callao y Rivadavia.

Great for shooting: Architecture, street life and perspective

Foto Ruta run photography experiences and tours in Buenos Aires that offer a new perspective on the city. From Foto Ruta photography treasure hunts that take place every Tuesday and Saturday at 14.00 to full and half day photography tours and Academia workshops every Wednesday. For more information email hola@foto-ruta.com

Dog walking: dream job or bum deal? Photo courtesy of LWY.

Here are some ways you can act, live and love like a local. If you follow them you might just avoid men on passing motorbikes hollering “Gringa!” (but probably not).

It Started with a Beso

Whether it’s their amigo, boss or total stranger, Argentines peck each other once on the right cheek to say hi and bye. It can seem homoerotic and large gatherings can shave hours off lives, but it’s a nice touch that isn’t all about leading to a nicer touch. Latinos are passionate, but it’s not always about sex.

From A to Buenos Aires

The complex Guia T is my Baires Bible. It’s a guide to the buses (AKA colectivos or bondis) and you’d be lost without it. Pimped disco vans hurtle around the city with up to 10 different routes (the No 60 has 10 pages dedicated to its various lines). You’ll get kudos with one of these under your arm, for deciphering it – or, at least, appearing to.

Online alternatives:
http://mapa.buenosaires.gob.ar/
http://www.comoviajo.com/

More Merienda, Vicar

You’ll rarely see a local wandering down the street gorging on sandwiches or crisps. Porteños merienda. They tea. Although Argentine women don’t seem to eat, they’ve somehow wedged another meal into the day. Merienda is all about galletitas (biscuits), medialunas (croissants) and mate. Palermo’s Café Montenegro is known for its medialunas and Tea Connection for having over 30 tea options, but for mate go to Cumaná (Rodriguez Peña 1149, Recoleta).

Café con leche and medialunas. Photo courtesy of Wes Meltzer.

Life’s a Carne-val

Weekends are all about inviting your pals round for an asado. Have a butchers at the butchers, grab coals and salt, and learn to be an asador on the beef altar that is the parrilla. When it comes to slabs of meat, tourists usually go for the superficial lomo (tenderloin), but to appear local, get your chops around asado de tira (ribcage), morcilla (blood sausage), entraña (skirt steak), matambre (flank), mollejas (sweetbreads) and chinchulin (small intestines).

For local vibes eating out, pile on the chimichurri at Palermo’s Club Eros (Uriarte 1609), one of the city’s many hole-in-the-wall parrillas such as Don Niceto (Niceto Vega 5255), or the dozens of grill stands serving up choripán (chorizo sausage in a roll) and bondiola (pork shoulder) on Costanera Sur.

Happy Ending

You’ll see Argentines frequenting ice-cream parlours very late at night and, shock-horror, they’re not drunk. Kill that binge monkey and end your night at heladerias such as Patagonia’s Juaja (Cerviño 3901, Palermo) or Chungo (Humboldt 1906) for creamy dulce de leche ice creams.

Feasting post-midnight is the norm. A massively popular local hangout is Kentucky Pizza (Santa Fe 4602). Go at 6am for some fugazza slices before heading home – and wonder why it’s so heaving when it’s sounds like a cross between 2 bad things, KFC and Pizza Hut.

What the fugazza is that? Photo courtesy of Rebecca Caro.

A Tip. Literally

Locals rarely tip more than 10% in restaurants and 25-50 centavos in cafes, but feel free to give more if the service is good (and it usually is). You never need to tip taxis, but you’ll get a “muy amable” if you round up.

Buenoches Aires

Buenos Aires’ nights give you jetlag. When it’s already the day-after-the-night before, Porteños are just making their way to tango halls, cumbia nights or electronic boliches. This isn’t saved for the weekends either – Wednesday nights are all about ‘After Office’ parties and Thursdays are ‘Noche de Trampa’ (cheating night). Yes, really.

Depending on your vibe, check out Niceto, Crobar, La Trastienda, Ciudad Cultural Konex, Club Cultural Matienzo, La Peña del Colorado and Makena Cantina Club – and share a Fernet and coke between all of you – a local drink that has a foaming 2 inch head. You’ll also need to lose your rhythm when dealing with dance music. Argentines love a tango and a choreographed move, but often have two left feet when it comes to freestyling.

It Takes 2 to Tango

Argentina is all about machismo and piropos (chat-up lines/catcalling). Locals love a bit of chamuyo (bullshit) and PDA. Women, be prepared. Men, watch, learn, and improve your game. Someone once told me if you get a cerveza (beer) and a pancho (hotdog), you’ve had a good date. Hone your tonsil tango skills in Parque Las Heras or head to a telo (sex hotel) if you want to step it up a notch.

Argentines have big balls – getting asked out by the waiter. Photo by Lisa Goldapple.

What’s the Skinny?

Argentines are keen exercisers. If you’re not up for working out alongside the superb bodies at a Megatlon gym, get yourself to the Costanera Sur parks and lakes. Join the Porteños running, power-walking, rollerblading, cycling, on stilts, pedalo-ing and bird-watching. Or just rent a bike at La Bicicleta Naranja.

Exercise is taken very seriously. Photo courtesy of Alex Proimos.

Beautiful People

Chicas, grow your hair long enough to flow down the loo. Chicos, get yourself a dodge hairdo(n’t). Chicas, don some fringed sandals. Chicos, wear bad shoes. You got it. In Buenos Aires it’s the elderly ladies who are the best dressers. The octogenarians show us up with their perfectly coiffured hair, accessories and furs – so keep an eye out for Ferias Americanas (secondhand shops), especially around the barrios of Once and Flores. Although pricier than the others, the best-known vintage shop is Juan Perez (Alvear 1429) in Recoleta. It’s also worth checking out Avenida Cordoba’s outlet stores and Villa Crespo for designer boutiques at discounted prices.

The fur’s real – not sure about the collars matching the cuffs, though. Photo by Lisa Goldapple.

Good Moaning

Issues? See a psychologist. It’s standard practice go for weekly sessions for years – and not at all taboo to mention it – constantly. The aptly named Villa Freud, around Plaza Güemes, is the place to get your mind shrunk.

Talk the Talk

If you really want to pass as a local – learn Spanish. Alongside lessons, the best way to do this is with ‘intercambios’ – hang out and chat with Argentines and literally exchange languages (and sometimes saliva), then you both get something out of it.

City Slang

“Telo“. “Japi“. These words are lunfardo – street slang. Words are shortened, twisted and inverted to make your life harder. Get acquainted and drop them in when you can. My Argentine workmates found it hilarious when I’d say “mi compu no funca“ as a casual way of saying “mi computadora no funciona“.

Yeh, I’m acting local – but my computer still doesn’t work.

Home page cover photo and thumbnail by James Kibbey.

Bike crossing up ahead, photo courtesy of Beatrice Murch.

Mayor Mauricio Macri says he is working towards having the streets “filled with bikes” by 2015. Some time ago he introduced the city’s first public bike scheme. Just like Paris has its Velibs and London has its Boris Bikes, Buenos Aires now has its… erm… Yellow Bikes? (Let’s not call them Macri Bikes.)

Mauricio Macri en el Compromiso Bicicletas, photo courtesy of Mauricio Macri.

Perhaps it’s a testament to the fledging success of the Buenos Aires scheme that the bikes haven’t got a nickname yet. Nonetheless, more of these little yellow numbers are being spotted around town and extra pick-up stations have been launched. Let’s bear in mind that project is still very much in an experimental stage and a population that has never been big on cycling is not going to convert overnight.

To get your hands on one of these public bikes, you have to get proof of residency from a local police station, which means they are not exactly tourist friendly. Fortunately, visitors will find no shortage of hire companies, including the popular and well-established Bicicleta Naranja. Some hotels are getting in on the act now too. Eco hotel Casa Calma offers guests access to its rather swish bamboo bikes.

Bicicletas Naranjas, photo courtesy of José Levin.

Bamboo Bicycles, photo courtesy of Casa Calma Hotel.

Taking to two wheels is a great way to see the city. Check out the Sunday tours by graffitimundo or head out to Tigre with Urban Biking. Once a month, you can also take part in Critical Mass and their Facebook group is a good way to keep up with all bike-related happenings.

Yet despite all its new moves, Buenos Aires is still playing catch up internationally. Argentina’s capital still lags way behind Quito and Bogotá, where every Sunday the authorities close large stretches of downtown to cars, encouraging cyclists of all ages to take to the streets safely and with confidence. Will we ever see the same happening on 9 de Julio? We can live in hope. Until then, things are certainly improving.

Corrientes full of bikes, photo courtesy of Beatrice Murch.

Before you get in the saddle, here are some useful tips on biking in Buenos Aires from The Real Argentina:

Security
Don’t leave your bike on the street if you can help it. If you have to, secure it very tightly and be aware that simple chains could be cut. Fortunately, many houses in Buenos Aires have interior patios or corridors for safe storage.

Brakes and gears
Note that when buying a bike in Buenos Aires, it may not come with either brakes or gears. As crazy as it sounds, you can live without them. Many bikes use the old-school method of backpedaling to stop and, as the city is so flat, gears are non-essential.

Where to buy
Good ol’ Mercardo Libre (the Argentinian eBay) is a good place for second-hand deals. A playera (simple beach bike, very popular here even though there is no beach) will cost you around ARS $700 pesos on average (approx. GBP £100 or USD $160).

Hazards in bike paths
Unfortunately, bike paths –- aka bicisendas or ciclovias –- do not come with a force field. Motorbikes have been seen sneaking down them, and big lorries sometimes manage to straddle their wheels over the protective barrier. You also have to avoid stray wheelie bins and day-dreaming pedestrians. Basically, keep your ojos peeled. Always.

Ladies, you will be patronized
Seeing a woman on a bike seems to give a green-light for machistas to make a comment. A taxi driver once crawled alongside me for two blocks with the window undone, shouting, “Muy bien, flaca! Muy bien!” (Very good, skinny girl! Very good!). It would be great if this was to change too, but don’t hold your breath.

Finally, here’s an exciting video to get you in the mood. It’s fun to watch, but this bike messenger is braver than we are. We advise a bit more caution when negotiating the city’s unpredictable traffic.

Farming Out

If it’s high time your chaps had an airing, hot hoof it north to Entre Ríos province to round up some cattle on a working farm holiday. Just two hours from Buenos Aires, agricultural farm Estancia Santa María has horses to saddle up, fields to frolic in, and even baby ostriches to cuddle – guests can get stuck into all the farm’s activities going on that day. Work may include vaccinating calves or weighing a heifer, and you can be as involved as you like. Located close to the village of General Almada, 24km from the nearest motorway and 35km from carnival capital Gualeguaychú, the sound of silence reverberates around Estancia Santa María.

Santos the Gaucho, photo by Sorrel Moseley-Williams.

Ride out with the gaucho Santos to herd up some cattle, canter up to El Gato stream and catch your supper to slap on the parrilla later, or relax by the pool as the sun sets over the soy fields. For US$140 a night including four meals and drinks, you’ll leave full, content and relaxed. The environmentally conscious estancia also works with The Laundry Company, planting trees to offset the launderette’s carbon footprint.

Surf’s Up

The word on the street is that the best waves in Argentina can be found in the little Atlantic town of Quequén (pronounced kay-ken). While it may not offer the ultra glamorous beach clubs of Pinamar or Cariló, Quequén attracts the serious surfers and is definitely a more pleasant coastal option than sprawling, sweaty Mar del Plata in summer. Surf virgins can take lessons at the Monte Pasubio surf camp, while those in the know will plan their wave time carefully by checking out this surf report. Kite surfing and body boarding are also popular in Quequén, which is 512km from Buenos Aires and summer 2012 prices for accommodation aren’t as outrageous as at some other resort areas.

Puntonto Límite, photo courtesy of eMaringolo.

Kick back in the dunes, wind your way up 163 steps in the lighthouse or make the ocean your oyster with a deep-sea fishing trip – Quequén is worth a weekend trip away. If it does get a bit too quiet, hop across the eponymous river to sister town Necochea for some nightlife action.

Gone Fishing

A sleepy weekend away is a trip south to General Madariaga, near Pinamar, where the siesta rules the working day and gauchos roam the streets. Although this small city hosts various countryside-focused festivals, few people know about the nearby lakes – Salada Grande and Los Horcones – which attract serious fishers who are into hooking up some silver smelt (pejerrey) or bagre (which is catfish and not ‘old hag’, according to this translation.

Fishing at Quequén, photo courtesy of Alex E. Proimos.

Head off for the day to Laguna Salada Grande, 5,500 hectares of watery fun just 20km from town, and hire a boat with a captain for the day, or set up camp at the Club de Pesca y Náutica General Madariaga for AR$6 per person. Rod hire costs around AR$25. Be sure to call ahead, however, as the 2011 spring has been relatively rain-free, which means the lakes may be a bit low. Los Horcones is close by – the lake is about half the size of Salada Grande – and it also offers windsurfing. If you do have a lucky catch, here’s a tasty “pejerrey in the pink” recipe from Dan at Casa Saltshaker.

Island Life

Despite its waters looking rather brown and murky, trust me, the Delta is fine for dipping into – I am the living, breathing proof. Just a 50-minute train ride from Retiro in Buenos Aires is Tigre, located in the fabulously watery Paraná Delta which comprises interlinking rivers and islands – it’s the perfect tranquil spot to escape the frantic city and chill out, or the more adventurous can participate in some killer kayaking activities.

Kayaking on the Tigre, photo courtesy of Alex E. Proimos.

If your paddling skills are akin to a kitten learning to swim, why not take a course with the Escuela del Remo school. The more active and confident among you might prefer an overnight stay on an island, combining trekking and kayaking with Fabián and Patricio from Delta en Kayak. Note to readers: don’t forget to take a vat of insect repellent in summer. Wildlife prevails in the Delta, from happy turtles taking in some sun, to an abundance of birds to spot, making it an ideal way to cool off and put the sweaty city behind you, even if it’s just for a day.

How do you escape the heat of Buenos Aires in summer? Leave us your comments below.

Watch the Big Game

If, like me, your attention has been captured by adverts and billboards plastered with images of achingly handsome players brandishing mallets on horses, you’ll be chomping at the bit for a ticket to attend the polo world’s most important annual event: the Abierto Argentino 2011. Although a comfortable spot for decider matches ahead of the 118th final on December 10th will set you back a minimum of AR$500 (US$117), pauper polo fans can pick up a cheap seat for less than the price of a fillet steak and have a bird’s eye view of polo god Adolfo Cambiaso. Snap up a ticket in the Dorrego Lateral stand for just AR$40 (US$9), then splash that well-saved money on a bottle of Chandon rosé cava for AR$130 (US$31). A true budget activity in Buenos Aires, but with all the glamour of a fabulous day out.

Check out this rowdy yet supportive video of La Dolfina vs. Ellerstina in the Abierto 2010 Final:

Free Wheeling

Given that taxi fares are going up from Tuesday 29th November to a minimum starting fare of AR$7.30, it might be worth giving your method of transport a rethink. It’s time to start free wheeling and there really is no reason why you shouldn’t like your bike, now that the weather is gloriously warm. The Buenos Aires City government introduced bicisendas, or bike lanes, at the start of 2011 – you can see a map here. As a bonus track, if you have proof of residency (a bill is enough) you can sign up for the free bike-borrowing scheme. Collect a bike from one of the 21 stands dotted across the city centre and pedal your away around the city for up to four hours. Totally gratis. Visitors, however, can hire a bike from the La Bicicleta Naranja company for a trifling AR$15 pesos an hour. 

Bikes tours are also growing in popularity in the city, so keep an eye out for those.

Hiring a bike is a great way to see Buenos Aires Photo by Philip Choi

Spas in BA

Getting a massage and splashing around in bubbling water doesn’t have to result in a piggy bank raid – the price of a sumptuous dinner for two at some restaurants. Located in Microcentro at Sarmiento 839, book ahead for time at the oldest spa in Buenos Aires. Opening its doors to gentlemen in 1882, Colmegna Spa Urbano offers a “Dia Spa Face and Body” for ladies which includes a sauna, an intensive hair treatment, a 30-minute massage plus time out in the relaxation room – all for just AR$350 (US$82). Other services include the powerful Scottish Shower (which no Scotsman has ever heard of, let alone tried), manicures and pedicures, and cosmetología – not predicting your destiny from your date of birth, but non-invasive cosmetic treatments designed to improve skin texture. For the moment, only men can dip into the glorious swimming pool, although manager Luciano promises a pool for ladies will be finished in March 2012. This costs AR$110 (US$26), and includes access to the luxurious baths and showers. There are ladies baths and showers available too, for the same price.

Take a dip… Photo courtesy of Colmegna Spa Urbano

Another great option is the Castelar hotel and spa, which offers a day pass for AR$319 (US$75).

Tea Time

Not only pretty mademoiselles are welcome for five o’clock tea at fancy French boulangerie Le Blé, on the Villa Crespo-Chacarita borders. Criminally delicious strawberry tarts and moreish pain au choclat are ripe for plucking from the kitchen table on weekends, and all cakes and pastries are freshly baked in-house. Meanwhile, on Wednesdays, Le Blé serves up an afternoon tea fit for royalty. Tuck into a slice of Victoria sponge and tiny smoked salmon finger-sandwiches, as well as other savoury delicacies for an inflation-busting AR$40 (US$9) – and with five blends of loose tea to choose from, you can’t say fairer than that.

Sights from Great Heights

Stepping up onto the number 64 bus may only be a metre from the ground, but it certainly reaches the sights other bondis can’t reach. Starting in La Boca, whiz up alongside San Telmo past the austere-looking Engineering Faculty and Ministry of Defence on Paseo Colón, behind the Bicentenary Museum, nip around the Cathedral and past the dusty pink Government House – and that’s already a load of sights ticked off for the price of AR$1.25 (US$0.29). The 64 bus takes in Avenida de Mayo, a leafy street which has played, and to this day stills plays, a prominent part in Argentina’s history. It also passes the revered Café Tortoni, crosses the self-proclaimed widest avenue in the world, the 9 de Julio, then goes straight on to Plaza de Congreso and the political heart of the nation.

Jump on the 64 for a cheap city tour
Photo by Daniel Tunnard

On this, the most budget of activities in Buenos Aires, the 64’s return journey, which starts at Barracas de Belgrano, takes in Once neighbourhood, filled with hawkers, traders and a recent influx of Angolan salesman, all flogging their various wares on the street. Catch the 64 at all good bus stops. But be sure to de discreet with your camera.

What’s your favourite bondi for seeing the sights? Let us know in the comments section below!

High-Society Tea

The magnificent Palacio Duhau – Photo by David

Designed by architect León Dourge for brothers Luis and Alberto Duhau, this neoclassical French building, now a national historical monument, morphed into the Park Hyatt hotel five years ago. Here you can take a tea steeped in history, exactly where the Duhau ladies used to sit of an afternoon – a truly luxury activity in Buenos Aires.

With a terrace overlooking impeccable green lawns, the Salón Piano Nobile escorts you back to the days when a hot, wet one only came in the finest silverware, a selection of delicate savoury sandwiches and delectable bite-size cakes were served up across several tiers, and the only concern was what to wear down to dinner.

For a respectable AR$185 (£27) – and with a harpist included – one should savour the menu bearing the same name as the elegant dining room. Whether you’re into delicate nibbling or swallowing pastries in a single gulp, two people will be pushed to finish off scones, macaroons, smoked salmon sarnies, lemon pie and various dulce de leche-slathered treats – naturally accompanied by the Palacio Duhau’s eponymous blend, with a bergamot base similar to Earl Grey. Teatime doesn’t get much more classic than this.

Room with a View

The famous Four Seasons hotel – Photo by Kyle Lease

If you’re going to fork out US$8,000 (£4,968) for a night in the first-floor Presidential Suite, which is where Rod Stewart stayed on a recent visit, frankly you’re unlikely to want to leave the chandeliered living room, Italian marbled bathroom, vast super king-size bed, and a balcony looking at over the lush garden for love nor money. You might, however, venture to the spacious gym for a workout overlooking the only outdoor hotel swimming pool in Recoleta, then scurry back to not just the president of suites but the king of suites for some room service action.

Play the Game

Polo Championship Match – Photo by Beatrice Murch

Spas in BA

Those in a hurry will appreciate the Spring Day Express – the same treatments squeezed into five hours for AR$680 (£100) – while jet-lagged passengers who have made it through Ezeiza international airport might fancy the Stepping On Clouds Experience.

Sights from Great Heights

Starting in Puerto Madero, spot all the classic Buenos Aires landmarks from above – San Telmo and La Boca, Retiro and the Villa 31, the Japanese Garden, Recoleta cemetery, the aliens-just-landed Planetarium, the Palermo Rosedal, as well as River Plate football stadium. The mechanical bird also soars over the breathtaking Tigre and the delta – and en route, flying that close to Tierra Santa’s religious depictions is as close as many of us are getting to heaven. More of a luxury 60 minutes than a whole day out (so make every second of the US$345 [£214] flight cost) – just don’t forget your camera.

Coming from Buenos Aires, the perfect place to find your footing is Salta, the region’s cosmopolitan centre, where Andean tradition runs deep beneath the colonial gloss. Eat the first of many empanadas (Patio de las Empanadas, Av. San Martín, esq. Islas Malvinas) and don a leather waistcoat to dance the Chacarera at one of the peñas on Balcarce (La Vieja Estacion, Balcarce 885), or sing along with the locals at the Casona del Molino (Luis Burela 1). Get your first taste of Inca history at the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña, home to the perfectly preserved mummies of three Inca children, and road test your lungs on the short, sharp hike up Cerro San Bernardo for lovely views of the city.

The cable car over Salta – Photo by James Kibbey

While the northwest’s cities have plenty to keep you entertained – Tucumán and Jujuy may not share Salta’s tourist appeal, but they certainly aren’t short of history – the real fascination of this region lies in the vast landscapes beyond. And to do them justice, you’ll need wheels. Bus services between towns – like much else – are a little more ‘rustic’ than those you’ll find in the rest of Argentina, and require patience. Minibus tours – available in English or Spanish – are a good budget option, though space is tight and driving erratic. Far better to hire a car – easily done in any of the cities – and take a few days to explore.

The area surrounding Salta and Jujuy is something of a geological theme park, with attractions at every point of the compass. To the north, the Quebrada de Humahuaca stretches towards windswept La Quiaca on the Argentina-Bolivia border. It’s an awe-inspiring sight, vast folds in the earth’s crust exposing layers of different colours beneath, dropping into scorched canyons with cacti cascading down each side.

Appreciate the technicolour madness of the landscape with a stop at the Hill of Seven Colours (Cerro de los Siete Colores) in Purmamarca, though Tilcara is a livelier place to spend the night, with a good selection of accommodation and restaurants. Ditch the car and stretch your legs with a morning hike to the Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo) waterfall.

Garganta del Diablo – Photo by James Kibbey

For more jaw-droppingly surreal landscapes, it’s a short sharp climb from Purmamarca or Tilcara towards the spectacular salt flats (Las Salinas Grandes), a 525sq km expanse of salt crystals. A clear day, when the chalky white of the salt crust strikes a retina-searing contrast against the clear blue sky, is the best time to visit (provided you’ve brought a decent pair of sunglasses).

During the winter months, tourists file onto the Train to the Clouds (Tren a las Nubes) in Salta for a day trip up to the humble mining settlement of San Antonio de los Cobres, near the Chilean border. The 3000m ascent into the Andes is undeniably spectacular, but fatigue can set in on the return journey, particularly after multiple hours of ‘folkloric entertainment’. At US$169 per person, it’s pricey too. You can follow the same route – albeit without the dizzying viaducts – in a car, continuing on to the salt flats or Salta instead of retracing your steps.

La Polvorilla viaduct on the route of the Tren a las Nubes
Photo by Alicia Nijdam

Bookended by Salta to the north and Tucumán to the south, the Valles Calchaquíes is another of the northwest’s treasure troves. For travellers who’ve taken to Argentina’s lesser-known white grape, a pilgrimage to the home of Torrontes is a must. Explore the vineyards around laid-back little Cafayate – well worth a stopover – on bikes, or stop off at the well-known Finca Colomé, which has its own elegant hotel, en route. The landscapes in between – particularly the Quebrada de Cafayate, a broad canyon filled with twisted rock formations in a rainbow of earthy tones that stretches from Cafayate to Salta – make the journeys as appealing as the destinations.

Tea at the Alvear Palace Hotel

From the days when Buenos Aires was one of the wealthiest cities in the world, the Alvear doesn’t just ooze opulence – it spills over into the streets of Recoleta. One of the enduring traditions is the afternoon tea in the leafy, light L’Orangerie. It’s a spectacular affair, with treats from the Chef Patissier (yep, it has a patissier). Even better is the Sunday brunch with fish, game and exquisite desserts.

Eating in the Alvear Palace Hotel – Photo by Eduardo M. on Flickr

A Massage at Home Hotel

Home is an inspirational place that mixes hedonism with a dose of health (and that’s more than the celery in their Bloody Mary – one of the best in the city). The downstairs spa has massage rooms and offers facial therapies designed for your mood. Once you’re done there, head back upstairs for a cocktail around the infinity pool to the sounds of an Ibiza chill out mix.

Jardin Botanico

Part of Palermo park, the Jardin Botanico is a little oasis in a particularly busy part of the city. There are more than 5,500 types of plants, trees and shrubs in the gardens and large green houses. If you don’t mind cats (there are a lot), it’s great to spend an afternoon wandering around. It was designed by Carlos Thays, a French landscape architect. Particularly lovely is the Japanese Garden, administered by the Japanese Argentine Cultural Foundation. It’s full of medicinal herbs and Japanese flora.

The Ferry to Colonia, Uruguay

I know, I know – incongruous in a piece on top ten relaxing places in Buenos Aires, but as every expat knows, the most relaxing place near the city is the beautiful town of Colonia. It’s a beautiful place to spend a day recharging the batteries, drinking mate (the Uruguayan’s drink an inordinate amount of mate) and watching the sunset over the Rio de la Plata.

Spend Three Hours over a Coffee and Book

Cafés in Buenos Aires are nearly as numerous as buses. The bow-tied waiters won’t care that you have only bought one cafecito in two hours, instead just go with a book (I’d recommend Cortazar’s short stories). Or even better, write your own story – oh so Buenos Aires. Café Tortoni is the classic, but to really get inspiration try the Café Los 36 Billares, at 1317 Avenida de Mayo – it’s one of Federico Garcia Lorca’s old hang-outs.

A relaxing read in Café Tortoni – Photo by Tim Snell on Flickr

Peace in a Graveyard

Unconventional perhaps, but where could be more peaceful than graveyard? Buenos Aires is distinguished by two incredible necropolises. It’s Recoleta cemetery that is the most famous (follow the hordes to Eva Peron’s tomb), but our favourite is the Cementerio de la Chacarita. It’s far more expansive than Recoleta’s, and is the final resting place of the city’s most famous tango star, Carlos Gardel – his statue often has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, placed by a wry fan.

Take in art at Malba

The finest gallery in Buenos Aires is Malba: Coleccion Costantini. It’s almost – but not quite – as popular as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts), so if you go in the middle of the afternoon the ‘umm’-ing, ‘ahh’-ing and beard stroking at its modern art collection can get a little wearing, but go at noon on a Monday when it opens and it can be a relaxing experience – especially followed by a glass of wine in its excellent café.

Cycle around the Reserva Ecologica

A little contrived perhaps and no big secret, and its claims to be like Central Park are somewhat exaggerated (it’s built on a rubbish dump for a start), but this reclaimed land is still an under-used green space (by humans, not its diverse fauna and 250 species of birdlife). At around 370 hectares, it’s easy to find a bit of solace around its weaving paths. Keep an eye out for the black-necked swan.

Buenos Aires from the Reserva Ecologica – Photo by Diego Torres Silvestre on Flickr

Boat trip to Tigre

Lazy days pootling along the river is how well-heeled porteños pass their weekends. At the end of the line from the rather hectic Retiro is Tigre, an hour north of the city, but a world away. Palm-lined streets and rowing clubs hark back to the days when Buenos Aires’s high society would decamp here for the summer for lazy days on the river.

Browsing the Bookstores

El Ateneo Grand Splendid is a bombastic name, but no mere hyperbole – this beautifully restored theatre has been named one of the most stunning bookshops in the world. A couple of hours can fly by studying its shelves (but more likely studying its ceiling). There’s a large English-language section too.

Have you got any top tips for places to relax in Buenos Aires? Leave me a comment and let me know.