7 Ultimate Must-See Places to Visit Argentina
Since I am a nature-loving girl, my favorite things to visit in Argentina are always outside.
Honestly, good food and wine can be found anywhere in the country. But the best places to visit — often the most famous places in Argentina — are the ones with spectacular nature. However, they require more effort to reach.
To see the best sights in Argentina, you will have to fly. The most affordable local carriers include FlyBondi, Aerolineas Argentinas, and JetSmart. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also drive. But you are looking at 10+ hour drives. full of vast empty land.
Below are my favorite Argentina top tourist attractions. Combine any 2-3 cities for an great 7-14 day trip to Argentina.
Bariloche
My favorite place in Argentina, otherwise known as lake country, the Argentinian chocolate capital, and home of the Patagonia brewery. Bariloche flights are easy to catch from Buenos Aires. They are only 2 hours long.
When you land, you will find Bariloche city is an adorable German-inspired town beside facing Lake Nahuel Huapi. Most Bariloche hotels have amazing views of the lake and are a short drive or walk to the downtown area full of restaurants, shops, and breweries.
But the real magic is in the hiking trails and cerro (mountaintop) viewpoints. In the summer, people hike up and stay overnight in refugios or little cabins. In the winter, the city becomes a mecca for skiers and snowboarders.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires has over 15 million people, the most bookstores per resident in the world, a huge cafe culture, and an even bigger party scene. It’s a city full of rich history, stunning architecture, and diverse neighborhoods.
Buenos Aires attractions are sprawled out all over the city. However, it is super easy to get a cab, uber, or didi (like uber but cheaper and you can pay cash). It’s also flat and easy to walk on foot. I, myself, have spent hours simply walking around wandering through the streets.
Most of my favorite things to do in Buenos Aires involve food. The city is full of amazing cafes and hidden gems including restaurants, bars, and markets. Whatever you are looking for, you can find in this huge metropolis.
El Chalten & El Calefate
El Calefate, Patagonia is home to the famous Perito Moreno Glacier. You can take a tour to see it up close. You can even trek across it. Since it’s constantly expanding, you can feel it moving beneath your feet. All in all, you only need 1-2 days to sight see around El Calefate.
El Chalten is a tiny mountain town a 2 hour drive away. It’s the epicenter of climbing & hiking in the region. Multiple major hikes leave from town center, spanning from one hour long to multi-day trips.
The views from the hikes feel unreal, including Fitz Roy (on the Patagonia logo), Laguna Torre, and Chorrillo del Salto. I have done 3-4 hikes in 3 days and highly recommend waking up for a sunrise hike, even if it’s just a small one.
Iguazú
Iguazú Falls is the largest waterfall system in the world. The city’s tourism revolves around it, with buses going to the falls around the clock daily. One day on the Argentinian side and one on the Brazilian side, just across the border, is enough.
This region is tropical so you can choose to tan and lounge at your hotel’s pool on the third day for a perfect 3 day weekend.
Jujuy
Probably the driest state in Argentina as it’s right beside the Atacama desert in Chile (second driest desert on earth). Highlights include the salt flats, Rainbow mountain, and tiny villages like Pumamarca, Tilcara, and Humahuaca.
Jujuy is known for having a higher population of Indigenous communities and the culture reflects that. You will find Andean aritisan goods, handwoven cloths, pottery, and more. It’s also the place with the best empanadas in the country!
Mendoza
THE wine capital of Argentina and home of Malbec. Valleys full of vineyards sprawl out in every direction from the city. You can even stay in a hotel or home on one for a quiet, countryside weekend.
To relax, I recommend the Cacheuta hot springs nestled in a riverbed just 1 hour drive from the city center. For adventure, check out Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the country.
Ushuaia
Considered the southern most city in the world, Ushuaia is as cold as you imagine. The above image is me after I hiked up to a Glacier in the middle of summer.
Ushuaia is full of great hikes, forests, wildlife, seafood restaurants, and microbreweries. But many people visit because it’s where ships leaving for Antartica pick up passengers. If you wanted to add that continent to your bucket list, this is where you would start.
Read more in my Argentina Travel Guide.
