Argentina attractions

Named after the Argentine tango lyricist Homero Manzi—who wrote the tango classic Sur within its walls—this protected building is hailed as one of the best places to watch tango in Buenos Aires. Performances showcase the energy and flair for which Argentina’s national dance is renowned, in a setting redolent of 1920s glamor.

Salta’s most memorable landmark is a wedding cake brought to life with its candy-pink and cream façade and Italianate baroque design. Consecrated in 1878, it’s a National Historical Monument and home to some important 16th-century relics and the ashes of General Martin Miguel de Güemes.

Founded in the 1500s by a Spanish conquistador, Salta looks distinctly European. Designed as an outpost between Lima and Buenos Aires, Spanish settlers built Catholic churches, many of which still stand. The city’s 660-foot (200-meter) vantage point, Cerro San Bernardo, looks down over church spires and the majestic peaks of the surrounding Andes.

Discover sandstone sculptures in the middle of the desert during a visit to Ischigualasto Provincial Park. Resembling something out of a surrealist painting, the wind-eroded sculptures stand up from the arid desert floor and are surrounded by cacti and red rock cliffs. In addition, some of the oldest known dinosaur remains and fossils have been found in this park.

Thickly forested with diverse trees that include the native araucaria, laced with dozens of lakes, and home to the cone-shaped Lanín Volcano, Lanín National Park is a Patagonian treasure in the Argentine state of Neuquén. Travelers flock here to enjoy some of Argentina’s best hiking, kayaking, sport fishing of salmon and trout, and camping.

Otto Hill (Cerro Otto) is a mountain that stands on the outskirts of Bariloche. With several activities and attractions in addition to the cable car ride up, sweeping vistas, and 360-degree revolving mountaintop restaurant—the only one of its kind in Argentina—Otto has turned what was formerly just a lookout point into a tourism center.

Buenos Aires’ Chinatown (Barrio Chino) has been a popular gathering place for the city’s Taiwanese and Chinese immigrants since the late 1980s. Tucked in the heart of the Belgrano residential area, the small 4-block area is a colorful ode to the city’s Asian population and a foodie hot spot.

At the far western end of Lake Lacár, by the tranquil shores of Lake Nonthué, Chachin Waterfall (Cascada Chachin) spills 100 feet (30 meters) through the green Valdivian forest. This isolated cascade near the Chilean border is a highlight of Lake Lacár boat trips and one of the most popular outings and day trips from San Martin de los Andes.

With its shimmering blue waters and forest-lined shoreline, Lake Lacár (Lago Lácar) is one of the most popular attractions in the Patagonia town of San Martin de Los Andes. Enclosed by the Andes mountain range, the vast glacial lake offers a sense of tranquility that attracts both locals and tourists. It is an ideal spot for kayaking, canoeing, and other watersports.

Achaval-Ferrer may only be a few decades old, but they’re using the same vineyards that have been farmed for 113 years. Located in the foothills of the Andes, the winery draws visitors with its focus on terroir-driven wines, small-lot production, and serene vineyard views. The vines here are naturally irrigated by the River Tunuyán, which lends a fresh, mineral taste to their product, and all of the grapes are harvested by hand.

The star attraction of Argentina’s famous Train to the Clouds (Tren a las Nubes) is the mighty Polvorilla Viaduct (Viaducto de la polvorilla). At an altitude of 13,842 feet (4,220 meters), the 20th-century viaduct is the highest point of the railway route and affords spectacular views over the surrounding Andes.

Stretching for 607 square-miles (977 square-kilometers) from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field to the western shores of Viedma Lake, Viedma Glacier is Argentina’s largest glacier. As the centrepiece of the UNESCO-listed Los Glaciares National Park, the glacier features towering icebergs and jagged ice cliffs.

Discover the fascinating world of paleontology at the Museum of Paleontology Egidio Feruglio (MEF) in Trelew, Argentina. Dedicated to studying and exhibiting ancient life, MEF boasts a rich collection that spans millions of years. The museum takes visitors on an archeological adventure from towering dinosaurs to marine reptiles.

Less than an hour from Buenos Aires, Campanopolis Medieval Village is one of Argentina’s quirkiest open-air museums. Eclectic buildings, castle-like towers, and cobbled lanes transport you to medieval times and make for unique photo opportunities.

The San Francisco Church in Salta, Argentina, dates to the early 1600s. The church showcases architectural flourishes across time, from the clock tower to the Baroque-style facade. A small museum with an art collection and an on-site library featuring rare manuscripts also draw visitors. Come at sunset to see this National Historic Monument light up.

Jagged snow-covered cliffs and dense woodlands unfold along the hike to the Huemul Glacier, named after the rare huemul deer often spotted in the area. Looking out over the Lake of the Desert (Lago del Desierto), it’s one of the most accessible glaciers in El Chaltén village and a popular Patagonian hike.

This art museum in Puerto Madero displays works from the collection of the late cement heiress and socialite Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat. Argentina’s wealthiest woman was closely involved in the design of the largely concrete building that now houses works by Argentine and international artists.

One of the oldest buildings in Salta, Argentina, the San Bernardo Convent is an active religious site and National Historic Monument. Previously, it was a church and hospital, but today, it's a convent and closed to the public. Visitors come to admire the striking building and to buy crafts from the nuns—though the nuns sell on a sporadic schedule.

Formerly an ice rink and dance hall, Palais de Glace (French for Ice Palace) is now an art gallery and library. Its permanent collection showcases contemporary Argentine art from the 19th century, while temporary exhibitions spotlight up-and-coming names in sculpture, photography, and painting.

Flanking the borders of Palermo and Recoleta in northern Buenos Aires, the area known as Barrio Norte is one of Buenos Aires’ most affluent residential districts. Travelers flock to this neighborhood to browse the shops, stroll around the Japanese Gardens, sip cocktails with the locals, and visit the Evita Museum.

If you’re heading to Palermo’s parks and botanical gardens, you’ll pass by Plaza Italia, the buzzing epicenter of the northern neighborhood. Dating back to the 19th century and presided over by a statue of Italian Revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi (hence the name), this small square is a transport hub and the gateway to several popular attractions.

Head to Mount Mercedario in Argentina for a mountain-climbing adventure. The highest peak of the Cordillera de la Ramada range, and the eighth-highest Andean peak, Mount Mercedario is a popular destination for guided treks, complete with porters, mules, base-camp lodging, meals, and English-speaking guides.

With its waters that teem with fish, Lake Gutiérrez is one of the most popular day-trip destinations from the northern Patagonian city of San Carlos de Bariloche. Situated within Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina’s oldest protected land, it’s an excellent spot for a day of water sports and fishing.

Argentina’s rich Jewish heritage takes center stage at the Jewish Museum of Buenos Aires, which adjoins the Templo Libertad, the country’s largest and oldest synagogue. Small enough to visit in an hour, the museum is brimming with religious artifacts, Torahs, manuscripts, and art, most of them donated from the personal collection of Dr. Salvador Kibrick.

Arrive at Lopez Hill, and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve wandered into an Alpine wonderland. Snow-capped mountains, crystal-clear lakes, world-class mountain bike and hiking trails, and mountaineering routes that number some of the best in the world are all here to be discovered. Plus, Lopez Hill is home to many local chocolatiers, adding further to the European atmosphere.

Opened in 1999, Bodega Tierras Altas was one of Mendoza's first boutique wineries. Run by the Arizu family with more than a century of experience in winemaking, the winery (bodega) produces malbec, cabernet sauvignon, and malbec rose wines, as well as a range of extra virgin olive oils.

The snow-blanketed peak looming on the horizon south of Bariloche is the 7,800-foot-high (2,388-meter-high) Cathedral Hill (Cerro Catedral), one of the city’s most memorable landmarks. A paradise for hikers and site of a popular ski resort, the mountaintop affords spectacular views over the Lakelands.

Every June when snow falls on the hills of San Martin de los Andes, skiers and snowboards from around the globe journey to Patagonia for the chance to ski at Chapelco. This small resort receives more snow than many surrounding resorts and offers some of the best tree skiing anywhere in Argentine Patagonia.

To the native Mapuche of Argentina’s Andes, the name Huechulafquen means “long lake” or “lake at the end.” It’s an apt title for this azure wonder that stretches for 19 miles (30 kilometers) and is officially the largest of the 24 lakes in Lanin National Park. Next to the lake, on the northern shore, the conical, snow-capped Lanin Volcano rises 12,388 feet (3,776 meters) into the sky.

Museo Akatushun on the grounds of Estancia Harberton serves as a base for ongoing scientific research into Tierra del Fuego’s dolphins and other wildlife. The collection includes skeletons of more than 2,700 marine mammals and 2,300 seabirds, as well as underwater tableaus with taxidermied animals.