Argentina is in all ways the definition of fabulous, as most Argentineans would be more than happy to tell you. South America's darling and second largest nation (after Brazil) is teeming with fantastic culture and biodiversity, ultra hip cities like Buenos Aires and an unabated passion for fine wine, scrumptious steak and an uncompromised quality of life. Following a recent economic crisis, the country is just as splendid a destination while leaving a far smaller hole in your wallet.
Raise Your Glass, Your Consciousness and Your Elevation Argentina's central fertile plain of the Pampas is the main agriculture hub and South America's world renowned wine producing region. Cè?rdoba, Argentina's second city, is the heart of this region and full of universities, historic museums and an extremely posh and youthful nightlife. Just southwest of Cè?rdoba is the wine capital of Mendoza. Come for the harvest festivals at the end of February and stay to enjoy the warm hospitality during a vineyard tour of the many bodegas in March and April. Explore the surrounding rocky desert by hopping on a horseback riding expedition or paddling down some whitewater with a local guide.
Nestled against the Andes Mountain Range, the Mendoza region is also home to South America's tallest peak, Cerro Aconcagua, at 22,834 ft. Guided trekking expeditions to the top can be arranged for those with appropriate expertise. Others may find the trip to base camp exhilarating enough. The area is an extremely popular Andes ski destination as well, including the winter resorts of Las Leè'as and San Carlos de Bariloche.
Global Heritage, National Treasure The diversity of wildlife and terrain in Argentina is arguably unmatched in South America. Penè?nsula Valdè(c)s is a World Heritage Site on the east coast of the Patagonian region with more visible biodiversity than any other region in Argentina. Sea lions, penguins, whales, armadillos, guanacos and gray foxes all grace the shores with their regular presence at certain times of the year. Enjoy the pristine quality of surrounding Patagonia, quite possibly the cleanest place on earth. Farther south, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Glacier National Park) is literally an incredibly moving experience. Strategically placed cat-walks and guided tours allow visitors to see the remarkable sliding ice blocks from stable distances, including the gargantuan Perito Moreno Glacier. This also might be the closest you have ever found yourself to the South Pole!
Argentina's unique north-south axis makes for a most dynamic single-county travel opportunity. Jungles in the far north, glaciers in the deep south, the Incan Andes to the West and just about everything imaginable in between make up just a few reasons why anyone must explore Argentina - not to mention the wildly alive and electrifying epicenter that is the capital city of Buenos Aires. Don't forget that in the southern hemisphere the seasons are reversed. January is extremely hot in the north, with temperatures exceeding 110F in places. The south is cold, still with the coldest months from May to September.
If you love Hollywood, you surely would associate Argentina with Madonna's portrayal in Evita. If you know your history and geography, you would recognize Argentina as the passageway from the Atlantic to the Pacific. And if you like to travel, you would recognize Argentina as one of the more favored tourism spots in South America.
Argentina has a total area of 3.761-million squire km and 99% of which is land. After Brazil, Argentina is the second largest land mass in South America and 8th in the world. Its bordering nations are Chile in the east, Bolivia and Paraguay in the north, and Brazil and Uraguay in the west. The Atlantic Ocean is in the eastern and southern part of the country.
With its size and location, Argentina is home to several tourist attractions that would boldly define the uniqueness of the country.
The Iguazu Falls, part of the Iguazu National Park in the province of Misiones, Litoral showcases the beauty of water and the spectacle of nature. The falls produce 70-meter plummet and is taller and twice as wide as the Niagara Falls. The horseshoe-shaped falls is the result of a volcanic eruption. Surely your travel in Argentina is not complete without paying a visit to Iguazu Falls.
Also in Misiones is the San Ignacio Jesuitic Ruins. This religious community founded by the Jesuits aimed to bring the Christianity to the locals. He 17th century ruins will show how the community has survived and has lived in during its time.
The Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires is Argentina's pride and one of few structures that has gained the country its reputation and rights to be called as the ?Paris of South America.? The opera house is finished in 1907 with a touch of French, Italian Renaissance and Classical Greek. If no show is presented, visitors can see tour the opera house's interiors.
Also in Buenos Aires is the La Boca, a fancy and colorful neighborhood located near the Rio Riachuelo. ?The Mouth? when translated in English is filled with street performers, tango dancers, and tourists taking pictures everywhere.
Meanwhile, a trip in Cafe Tortoni, one of the oldest caf? where Carlos Gardel, the tango legend and Jorges Luis Borges, the writer spend their precious moments. The 1858 Caf? Tortoni is the focal point of Buenos Aires? social life.
Cementerio de la Recoleta is Buenos Aires is the place to go on you Argentina travel if you want to see where Evita P'ron lies- wife of the former president Juan P'ron with a movie named after her and dedicated for her. Her final resting place is directed within Recoleta neighbourhood, a sophisticated mausoleums where other rich and famous Argentine lies.
Traveling in Argentina would introduce you to tango. And there is no better place to witness the local dance than in San Telmo. The place is once a lonely place for Spanish immigrants. This is where they sang and dance. Men dance with prostitutes. Soon, some respectable women joined in. And as time and people passed by, the dance soon became one of the most recognized in the world: tango. Today, San Telmo still resembles the old Spain with cobbled stone streets and historical buildings but most of all, San Telmo is a unique place where tango is most applaud.
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