Top Attractions in Argentina

Iguazú Falls

On the Argentine–Brazilian border some 1.7 million gallons of the Iguazú River plummet over a precipice each second, forming a 275-meter-wide (900-foot-wide) wall of water. Trails, metal catwalks, and Zodiacs all allow for spray-soaked close-ups.

La Quebrada de Humahuaca

Dramatically colored, craggy rock faces overlook the traditional villages that nestle in this gorge. The most stunning section is the Camino de los Siete Colores (Seven Colors Trail) in Purmamarca, with its red, ocher, and mossy-green rock layers. Music pouring from area peñas (folk bars) is the perfect soundtrack.

Laguna de los Pozuelos

Thousands of Andean flamingos form a salmon-pink swath across this remote lake near Argentina's border with Bolivia. The harsh beauty of the Puna region's gritty slopes and scrubby high-altitude plains offsets the birds' extravagant plumage perfectly.

Mendoza Wineries

Malbec is the grape that has made Argentina's name in the wine world, and Mendoza is where they do it best. But getting you tipsy isn't all the 20 or so area wineries do: informative tours, atmospheric accommodations, and top-notch dining are also on offer, all within spitting distance of the Andes.

Plaza de Mayo and San Telmo, Buenos Aires

Revolution, mass protests, Evita's inflammatory speeches: never a dull moment for the square that is the historic heart of Buenos Aires. The past also lives on in the cobbled streets of the San Telmo neighborhood. Its elegant 19th-century mansions once housed brothels, tenements, and tango dens. The tango remains, but these days it's antiques and hip designers that draw crowds.

Perito Moreno Glacier

A translucent blue-green cliff of frosty majesty forms where this glacier reaches Lago Argentino in southern Patagonia. Blocks splinter off the ice face all the time, but they're ice cubes compared to the tons that come crashing down roughly every four years as a result of pressure building from behind.

Camino de los Siete Lagos (Seven Lakes Route)

Between San Martín de los Andes and Villa La Angostura, the partly paved Ruta Nacional 234 winds alongside seven beautiful bodies of water fringed by pine forests and overlooked by the Andes. You can do the trip in a day, or stay on at inns or campsites for the gorgeous sunsets and sunrises.

Península Valdés

Graceful ballenas francas (southern right whales) are literally the largest attraction at this Atlantic coast nature reserve. They come for mating season, June through November. Orcas, sea lions, elephant seals, and vast penguin colonies keep the beach busy the rest of the year.

Salta

Stately colonial buildings, hopping nightlife, and fabulous local food and wine make the city of Salta more than just a gateway to the Northwest. When you do decide to get out of town, hiking, rafting, and tours to wineries and salt lakes are all options.

Punta del Este

This exclusive Uruguayan resort town may be small but it’s as perfectly formed as the celebs that adorn its sands. Choose from calm waters at La Mansa or rougher ones at La Brava, Punta’s most famous beaches, or make your own waves on the dance floors of La Barra.