Key information
Getting to Argentina:
All airlines flying to Argentina arrive mainly at Ezeiza (“Ministro Pistarini”) International Airport, which is 37 Km away from the City of Buenos Aires.
When to travel:
Remember that in the southern hemisphere seasons are the opposite to those in the northern hemisphere. In general, the summer is the best time to visit Mar del Plata and Patagonia. Wintertime is recommended for travelling to the North (Tucuman, Salta y Jujuy) and Northwest as rains are less frequent and tropical temperatures drop a few degrees. Autumn and spring are marvelous in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fé, Cuyo and the pre-mountain range areas of La Rioja and Catamarca.
Getting around:
By Plane
Due to the country’s large size, planes are best to travel long distances, and you can then take overland transportation to get to your final destination. Buying Airpass Visit Argentina in your own country, you’ll obtain more economical prices for flights within Argentina.
Aerolíneas Argentinas / Austral, LADE and LAN Argentina operate domestic flights. Domestic flights and flights to Uruguay depart from Jorge Newbery Airport, located to the north of the city beside the Río de la Plata.
Domestic flights schedule from Buenos Aires to:
San Salvador de Jujuy | 2 hrs 10 mins |
Salta | 2 hrs |
San Miguel de Tucumán | 1 hr 50 mins |
Puerto Iguazú | 1 hr 45 mins |
Posadas | 1 hr 30 mins |
Rosario | 52 mins |
Mendoza | 1 hr 50 mins |
Córdoba | 1 hr 15 mins |
Mar del Plata | 45 mins |
San Carlos de Bariloche | 2 hrs 20 mins |
Trelew | 2 hrs |
Río Gallegos | 2 hrs 55 mins |
El Calafate | 3 hrs 15 mins |
Ushuaia | 3 hrs 20 mins |
By Bus
Buenos Aires bus station is located at Av. Ramos Mejia 1680 close to Retiro Station. Long-distance buses are equipped with toilets, air conditioning and bar.
Distances from Buenos Aires:
Bahia Blanca | 660 | Km | Río Grande | 2.850 | Km |
Cafayate | 1.703 | Km | Rosario | 306 | Km |
Córdoba | 710 | Km | Salta | 1.605 | Km |
Corrientes | 1.074 | Km | San Antonio de Areco | 114 | Km |
El Calafate | 2.681 | Km | San Carlos de Bariloche | 1.627 | Km |
Esquel | 2.050 | Km | San Juan | 1.119 | Km |
Formosa | 1.181 | Km | San Luis | 820 | Km |
Humahuaca | 1.181 | Km | San Martín de los Andes | 1.607 | Km |
La Plata | 52 | Km | San Miguel de Tucumán | 1.310 | Km |
La Rioja | 1.168 | Km | San Rafael | 999 | Km |
Luján | 64 | Km | San Salvador de Jujuy | 1.654 | Km |
Mar del Plata | 410 | Km | Santa Fe | 476 | Km |
Mendoza | 1.037 | Km | Santa Rosa | 607 | Km |
Neuquén | 1.156 | Km | Santiago del Estero | 1.150 | Km |
Paraná | 495 | Km | Termas de Río Hondo | 1.150 | Km |
Pinamar | 401 | Km | Tigre | 33 | Km |
Posadas | 1.060 | Km | Trelew | 1.436 | Km |
Puerto Iguazú | 1.346 | Km | Ushuaia | 3.171 | Km |
Puerto Madryn | 1.382 | Km | Viedma | 970 | Km |
Rawson | 1.441 | Km | Valle de Las Leñas | 1.218 | Km |
Resistencia | 1.019 | Km | Villa Gesell | 416 | Km |
Río Gallegos | 2.630 | Km | Villa La Angostura | 1.695 | Km |
Car Rental
All international car rental companies operate in Argentina.
Shopping:
VAT return
At the airport you may obtain a VAT reimbursement corresponding to any purchases made within the country for an amount over $70 (per invoice) and in shops operating with the “Global Refund” system.
Payment methods
Although US Dollars and Euros are generally taken everywhere, foreign currencies can be exchanged in banks and authorized bureaus. American Express, VISA, Diners and Master Card are widely accepted. There may be difficulties in changing traveler’s check outside Buenos Aires.
Opening hours
Banks and Exchange Bureaus: Mondays to Fridays from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Business Offices: generally from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and from 2.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Stores: in the big cities from 9.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., although in the outskirts and the provinces they generally close at midday. Saturdays, from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
Cafés, cake shops and pizzerias: open most of the time except between 2.00 and 6.00 a.m.
Restaurants: lunch is served as from 12.30 p.m. and dinner as from 8.30 hours. Fast-food menus are served in many restaurants at all times.
Food & Drinks:
The specialty as such is for sure the Argentinean beef, which is being prepared on an open fire, the “asado”, made up by several different sausages and pieces of meat. Further specialties are the famous Empanadas, stuffed pastry, and diverse regional specialties like Tamales, Locro, Humitas in the North.
All over the country you will be served excellent Italian food, inclusive of the Italian ice cream. Lovers of candies will like the typical Argentinean “alfajores”, biscuits stuffed with dulce de leche, a caramel cream, and the flan, a thick custard-based dessert flavored with caramel. As is known, Argentinean wine is excellent and the mate tea is the national drink as such – Argentineans drink their mate everywhere and always, it is made of yerba herbs and drunk with the bombilla, a pipette, out of the mate receptacle.
Tips
10% of the amount of the check is usually left in cafeterias and restaurants. Doormen, porters, and ushers in cinemas and theatres are also generally tipped.
Souvenirs:
Leather goods and craft industry (pottery, masks and cloth, wall hangings and bags) are the most liked souvenirs, mostly bought in the North. Moreover the mate receptacle with the bombilla is a typical souvenir of Argentina.
Cities / Destination:
Buenos Aires
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capital, one of the cultural centres of South America, very European style
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Iguazú |
giant waterfalls with 275 falls along 2,7km, in the midst of the tropical rainforest, located in the border triangle of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay. Today one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
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Mendoza
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Main area of wine growing, ski area in the Andes
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Salta/Jujuy / Tucuman
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colonial cities, vivid Indian cultures anc ancient sites, warm and dry region with spectacular landscapes, thousands of cactus
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Puerto Madryn/
Peninsula Valdés |
Peninsula Valdés nature reserve with sea lions, elephant seals, fur seals, southern right whales, guanacos, nandus, Penguin colony Punta Tombo.
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Bariloche
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most popular resort in the Lake District, ski area of Patagonia, national park Nahuel Huapi
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Calafate
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national park Los Glaciares, spectacular Perito Moreno Glaciar
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Ushuaia
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the southernmost city in the world on Fireland |