The cobbled streets of San Telmo, the Argentine capital’s old city, are a delight to wander at any time. Renowned for its shady sidewalk cafes, sultry milongas (tango clubs), and antique stores, it is an appealing destination throughout the week.
April 23, 2012
Take Time to Tango in Buenos Aires
The sensuous signature dance of the Rio de la Plata—both Buenos Aires and Montevideo, Uruguay, have a legitimate claim to its ardent excess—is the tango. Born in the cities’ brothels in the 1880s, it inherited African candobe rhythm, Andalusian panache, and a love for French high heels and stylish suits that dates back to its decidedly “gangster” beginnings.
April 9, 2012
What’s Free in Buenos Aires?
Although Buenos Aires is considered cheap compared to many destinations, the city can drive a hole in even the shoestring traveler’s wallet. Happily, there are plenty of free things to do in this colorful city.
March 26, 2012
Iguazu Falls Officially Accepts Title as One of the Wonders of the World
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.
March 12, 2012
Epic Four-Year Calving Cycle Begins at Argentina’s Perito Moreno Glacier
The glittering star of Argentina’s remarkable Los Glaciares National Park is the crystalline, 30km (18mi) river of ice called Perito Moreno Glacier. It is the planet’s third-largest reserve of fresh water and one of the continent’s only advancing glaciers. This photogenic natural wonder is also one of the most easily accessible glaciers in Latin America, and perhaps the most popular destination in Patagonia for visitors both mild and wild.
February 27, 2012
The Modest Malbec and Rise of Argentine Wines
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.








May 7, 2012
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