Argentina

Key facts

• Region: South America — Sovereign states
• Capital: Buenos Aires
• Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)
• Languages: Spanish
• Main airport: EZE — Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza), serving Buenos Aires
• Best time to visit: October to April for the southern summer; Patagonia is best from November to March, and Buenos Aires is pleasant in spring and autumn

Overview

Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and offers more climatic and geographic range than any of its neighbours, from subtropical jungle to Andean desert to Patagonian ice fields. Its European-inflected cities, wine country and southern wilderness make it a natural first stop for North American travellers heading south. A dense domestic flight network and long-distance buses make it one of the more straightforward countries in the region to travel independently.

Airports

The main international gateway is Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE), commonly called Ezeiza, about 30 km south of central Buenos Aires. Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) sits on the edge of Buenos Aires and handles most domestic and regional flights, so many itineraries connect through both airports. Elsewhere, Ingeniero Ambrosio Taravella (COR) serves Córdoba, El Plumerillo (MDZ) serves Mendoza, and Teniente Luis Candelaria (BRC) serves Bariloche in the Lake District. Martín Miguel de Güemes (SLA) covers Salta in the northwest, and Malvinas Argentinas (USH) serves Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego.

Main cities

Buenos Aires is the country's cultural and political centre and is worth several days for its neighbourhoods, cafés and museums. Córdoba, the second city, is a colonial-era university town in the centre of the country. Mendoza is the base for Argentina's largest wine region, and Bariloche is the main town of the Andean Lake District. Salta anchors the northwest, while Ushuaia is the staging point for Patagonian and Antarctic travel.

Places to go

Iguazú Falls, on the border with Brazil, is the most spectacular natural sight in the country and has its own airport. In the south, the Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate is accessible by boardwalk and boat, and El Chaltén is the trekking base for Mount Fitz Roy. The Valdés Peninsula near Puerto Madryn is a major wildlife site for southern right whales and Magellanic penguins. Northwest Argentina rewards a loop through the Quebrada de Humahuaca and the wine town of Cafayate. The Beagle Channel and Tierra del Fuego round out the far south.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Argentina, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked