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April 19, 2011

Day Trips around Buenos Aires City



If you have the time, there are also some great day trips from Buenos Aires City into the surrounding areas.
If the weather is nice, the city of Tigre is one of the most perfect Buenos Aires day trips. Weekenders come to fish, row, water ski and cruise the winding channels that flow past hundreds of little islands, many of them dotted with weekend houses built on stilts. Tigre features a boardwalk ( Paseo Victorica ) that stretches for about two miles. Old English rowing clubs, parrillas and a myriad of restaurants line the street.

There are several larger ferries and private boats which leave from the dock next to the train station. You can sail along channels and visit the delta of the Paraná River and enjoy the subtropical vegetation. There is a picturesque fruit market that is also worth visiting. This port market sells mostly crafts, fruit, vegetables and plants. It is opened Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.

This is a great day trip for those that want to leave the sprawl of Buenos Aires and visit an elegant riverside resort and get in touch with nature.



A day in the Country Gaucho- style

One of the options for a day trip out of the city is a visit to an estancia ( ranch ). Many of these receive either day visitors or weekend guests, although most are also still active in their traditional livestock and agricultural work.

Another of the most popular Buenos Aires day trips is a visit to the town of San Antonio de Areco, a typical town of the cattle-raising area of the pampas. There are a number of estancias ( ranches ) here which can be visited, including the Estancia La Porteña where the famous author Ricardo Guiraldes once lived.




Ranches

The province of Buenos Aires occupies part of the Pampas, a rich fertile plain that was divided up among ranchers when the original natives were routed. A day trip to a ranch usually includes a mid-morning snack of empanadas, beverages, followed by a guided horseback or carriage ride, an aperitif and a traditional barbeque. Afterwards there is a live music show and a gaucho display of horsemanship and roping in the best rodeo style. Some big cattle ranches have important estate houses that have been remodelled to provide comfortable accommodation for overnight guests. Other establishments are small farms without livestock.




The Guiraldes Gaucho Museum ( open Wed-Mon 11 am-5 pm ) was built in 1938 to illustrate the past of the Argentine gaucho. It is a replica of an old Buenos Aires province rural dwelling. While the Gaucho Silver Museum and Workshop open daily 8:30 am to 12.30pm and 3-8 pm.

For further information about the Estancias located near San Antonio de Areco, send us an e mail and we will send you the list of Estancias.

La Plata City: For another kind of fun, your day trip to Buenos Aires itinerary can actually include a short drive to La Plata City. Located 63 km from Buenos Aires, La Plata is the capital of the province of Buenos Aires. The centre of the city was designed on a five-kilometre grid, with straight streets crossed by tree-lined diagonals and with parks every seven blocks. The city plan included the construction of the neo-Gothic Cathedral, which took 48 years to build. La Plata is famous for its Museum of Natural Sciences, which in itself is worth the trip. It has one of the world´s most important paleontological collections.


About La Plata City:
The city is home to two football (soccer) teams that play in the first division: Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata. The "Teatro Argentino" is the second most important lyric opera house in Argentina, after the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Together with the Cathedral and the Museum of Natural Sciences, it is one of the major attractions in town. New Socer Stadium ( Estadio Unico de la Plata ): On February 17th, 2011, this modern stadium was finally reopened with all its innovations: seating capacity for 36,000 spectators, a 27,000-m2 waterproof cover over the stands, tens of new boxes, a modern removable playing field. This stadium will not just host soccer matches, but also other sports such as rugby (Pumas will play a test match against French Barbarians there on June 11th), field hockey, tennis, and boxing. Regarding sports, its first big challenge will be to be one of the venues for the Americas Cup, whose opening game —Argentina versus Bolivia— will be played on July 1st, 2011.



About our Tours

What distinguishes the members of Ideas Turisticas from other tour organizations, is the high quality of the tours we offer. During the tours, current architectural developments, urban contexts, social and political backgrounds and many other issues are presented in an enjoyable and informative way. You get to see the most interesting modern architecture, visit important buildings and experience exciting suburbs and cities such as La Plata– all accompanied by an expert guide.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Tigre came highly recommended. I spent a fabulous day. The feel is off-beat and authentic. San Isidro is really charming and devoid of tourists.I loved this riverside resort.