Argentina Things to Do

Even when the Seven Natural Wonders of the World contest began, pitting more than 100 of the world’s most fantastic destinations against each other in an unprecedented online competition for the title, it was clear that Iguazu Falls was on the short list.

The massive system of falls—more than 270 separate cascades, depending on the season—is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stretching some 2700m (8856ft) in a spectacular crashing horseshoe formation that forms the border between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The fantastic jungle that surrounds this unique spot would be a remarkable destination even without its photogenic centerpiece, replete with thousands of species of plants and animals well watered in the rainbow mists.

The long, luxuriant days of the Argentine summer are upon us, even in the cooler Mendoza highlands. Here, verdant rows of ripening grapes glow in the afternoon sunlight, as if in anticipation of the early March harvest. This is Argentina’s wine country, these days most famously home of the increasingly popular Malbec.

The roots of Argentina’s winemaking industry are primarily Spanish, with a few other European vintages aging in the arid Andean foothills of western Argentina, which produces about two-thirds of this nation’s wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Criolla Grande, Tempranillo, and Cereza grapes are all pressed into export-quality bottles that get plenty of international press. But, it is a modest French grape, back home usually mixed with better vintages into hearty table wines, that is making a fuss.