Trip Report - Argentina | Buenos Aires & Ushuaia
Our Trip & Itinerary
We entered Argentina on an easy breezy ferry ride from Uruguay and were dropped on a gloomy day in Buenos Aires. While we were greeted with rain, Buenos Aires quickly became one of our favorite cities of the trip with its walkable streets, greenery, and vibrant energy. We spent four nights in the Palermo Soho neighborhood, a Brooklyn-esque grid of cobblestone streets and quirky shops, restaurants, and cafes. From Buenos Aires, we hopped on a very early flight to Ushuaia, or as locals call it: the bottom of the world. .
Buenos Aires
Arriving in Buenos Aires, we had absolutely no idea what to do there. This has recently become a theme in new cities, but is easily solved over coffee and with the help of Google Maps. Feeling rather peckish after dropping our luggage at the Airbnb, we headed across the street to Casa Dingo, a trendy Aussie-inspired eatery with enormous (and delicious) $7 sandwiches. We huddled and concocted a plan for the next few days, fueled by our caffeine and new inspiration from countless blogs. We split our stay into areas of the city: Palermo, Recoleta, and Retiro. Over the next few days, we spent our time wandering within these ‘zones’, letting ourselves be drawn into cafes, markets, churches, museums, restaurants, shops, or simply strolling the tree-lined streets. When we made our loose game-plan that morning, we didn’t know how alluring Buenos Aires would be, giving us something new and unexpected to see or do at every corner. Some of our day-to-day descriptions may sound repetitive, so perhaps it’s easier to give you an idea of our favorite activities:
Palermo Hollywood & Soho – We stayed in Palermo Soho, but these areas are located directly next to each other! We loved how easy it was to get lost in the grid of streets that have anything you could want – it’s a shopping and dining paradise. Additionally, everything is super easy to access from Plaza de Armenia, consider it the center of the city. Sidenote: we went to see the Liam Payne memorial outside of the hotel where he fell to his death from the third floor. It was a stunning scene – photos and personal letters posted to the trees and all over the sidewalk, girls bawling their eyes out…as a veteran Directioner, Sarah felt it was only right to see where he met his fate and say goodbye.
Museo de Arte Latinamericao Buenos Aires – This museum offered everything a good modern art museum can provide – funky sculptures, stunning oil paintings, and exhibitions that some may question whether it really qualifies as art.
Museo National de Bellas Artes – The art museum does a truly wonderful job of showcasing ‘beautiful art’ or Bellas Artes. It’s very easy to navigate from room to room and similar to the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide, each area or room has its own personality, whether it's through a theme like ‘femme fatale’ or through a color. And did we mention it’s free?!
El Ateneo Grand Splendid – Going to a bookstore in a new city may not be at the top of your list, but in Buenos Aires, it definitely should be! The Ateno opened as a theater in 1919 and became an iconic space for early tango singers to record their music and where the first sound film was shown in Argentina. To save it from being torn down in 2000 and keep its original splendor, the building was converted into a bookstore. You can browse novels where ladies and gentlemen of Argentina once watched lavish performances, sip a coffee where dancers once made art with their bodies, and stare at the beautiful murals that still decorate the ceiling. Today, it is crowned as the ‘world’s most beautiful bookstore’ by National Geographic.
San Telmo Market & Fair – San Telmo was one of our favorite activities! It’s important to save the market and fair for a Sunday, as the streets are their most vibrant then. The market spans over 1.3 km and is a vibrant and authentic way to experience Buenos Aires. People from around the city come to the market to browse and buy from hundreds of stands that sell food, clothing, jewelry, books, handmade knives, paintings, and more. We walked the entirety of Estados Unidos and Defensa, making sure to stop in the market building. There, vendors have built up their mini restaurants and cafes – the air is hot and dripping with delicious scents from all around the market, people crowd around eatery windows and chat in the narrow walkways. A delightful way to experience the beating heart of Buenos Aires.
Plaza Dorrego – Just a short wander from the San Telmo market, you’ll find Plaza Dorrego, where tango dancers perform among antique market stalls. If you stay long enough, you may even be called up to join the dancers for an elegant mambo on the square.
Jardin Botanicos Carlos Thays – Buenos Aires is full of parks and one of the greenest cities we’ve been to, which would explain our excessive sneezing. That said, the botanical garden is well worth a visit if you’re looking for a quiet place to enjoy the sunshine or lie in the grass. It also houses a number of pretty sculptures that have melded into their natural surroundings.
Tres de Febrero Park – We wandered into this park with about half the school groups of Buenos Aires, but despite the screaming children we found a bubble of peace to enjoy our pastry and coffee in. The gardens are expansive and interwoven with a small stream – our favorite area was the rose garden, which at this time of year, was exploding in technicolor blossoms.
Casa Rosada – This is effectively the White House of Buenos Aires, the only difference being that it is not white, but rather a brick red. While you can view the inside of the building during select days and hours (Wed - Sun from 11-18h), the building is impressive and boasts a massive Argentinian flag outside that both make for a great photo spot!
Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral – The basilica was built in 1822 and remains an incredibly popular spot to visit for Argentinians and foreigners alike. The structure is simply breath-taking – the walls and ceilings are delicately painted with frescos, gilding embellishes the altars, and there is a sense of calm despite the multitude of visitors. Most interestingly, the changing of the guard occurs every day every two hours, so if you’re lucky, you’ll watch the Granaderos de Casa Rosada pay their respects to General Don José de San Martín in their detailed uniform. Fun fact: Pope Francis held mass at this cathedral for fifteen years while serving as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires before becoming Pope in 2013!
Cementerio de la Recoleta – We didn’t end up going into the cemetery, as it’s pretty pricey. That said, we would recommend paying it a visit if you have the time and budget. The expansive burial grounds house beautiful and intricate mausoleums, some of which belong to notable Argentine politicians and celebrities. While we were there deliberating on whether or not to pay the high entry fee, we watched a group perform a dramatic opera piece at the entrance to the cemetery.
Ushuaia
After a jam-packed four days in Buenos Aires, we departed for Ushuaia on a very early morning flight. Our 2:30 am wake up time was a reminder to always book these types of flights as far in advance as we can, but luckily Jackson was able to make up for some of his lost sleep on the plane. Sarah, not so much. After our four hour flight, as our plane descended towards Ushuaia, the Andes appeared out of the clouds, the snow capped peaks so close it felt like we could touch them. Once we landed, we hopped in our Uber and attempted to have a Spanglish conversation with our driver, Liliana. She recommended a number of places to check out in town, one of which became our very first destination that morning. After spending some time absorbing the harbor and mountain views from our Aribnb, we bundled up and walked towards Tante Sara, lured in by the promise of caffeine. While we believed a t-shirt, puffer, and raincoat would be enough, it turned out to be fairly uncomfortable outside – wind blew in from the coast, icy rain came in waves over the city, and the temperatures were a whopping 20 degrees less than those in Buenos Aires. Feeling our fingers slow from the sharp cold, we shuffled to Tante Sara, where we ordered a feast of schnitzel, salad, and coffee. Finally, sweet bean water! Once revived and noticing a hint of the sun, we went out to explore the town. Ushuaia, like many towns, has a central street lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and car rental places. The only differences here being that you won’t find an H&M, but rather a selection of outdoor shops, and instead of McDonald’s, you’ll find yourself staring at King Crabs in the windows of little seafood taverns. Not to mention that fluffy, Malamute-like dogs patrol the streets, some curled up like snow dogs, a few proudly guarding police stations, and others sniffing the air for some leftover parrilla. Aside from getting to know the essence of Ushuaia, we explored the quaint museums around town: the Museo del Fin del Mundo and the Artigua Casa de Gobierno. Both are fairly small and stuffy, but offer an interesting look at life at the bottom of the world. The Museo del Fin del Mundo details the region's history all the way back to the first indigenous settlers and provides a great idea of the wildlife to look out for. Included in the same ticket, the Artigua Casa de Gobierno is the less interesting of the two museums, but highlights the resilience and pride of the community. Looking to escape the rain that reappeared from over the mountains, we decided to cozy up in the Airbnb until dinner. While we had some stellar options for our nightly meal, we had to follow what our hearts wanted: empanadas. Once again braving the cold and watching the 8:30 PM sunset, we walked to Doña Lupita and picked up our loaded bag of six freshly made empanadas. Perfection!
The next day, we figured we should probably get out and explore the natural wonders at our doorstep. So, we picked up a rental car, began our morning with pastries and coffee from Ana y Juana, and hit the road towards Tierra del Fuego Nacional Park. The drive there was only half an hour from town, but stunned with sprawling views of horse farms, pine tree forests, and finally the rocky peaks dressed in sheets of snow. When we approached the park, we noticed the entry fee sign, highlighting a cost of $30 per person to enter. While we would have typically decided to pay the fee, we figured we were only here for two days and surprisingly, the most recommended hike was outside of the park. So, we made a u-turn and headed back out towards Laguna Esmeralda. After winding our way through the greenery, we pulled into a small dirt parking lot at the trailhead. Despite having a ‘medium’ difficulty rating, the trail was more manageable than expected. The ground was frequently lined with rocks and roots, but the incline was minimal and only during a very short segment of the trail. It begins amongst the toothpick-y trees, climbs upwards, and breaks into a marshy clearing where the glacial river winds its way through the valley. There, we had to fight our way through the mud, our shoes frequently getting suctioned into the sludge and our gaze held downwards to avoid a muddy backside. Thankfully, we survived the swamp and made it the final meters to Laguna Esmeralda. The view is incredible – the powdered sugar mountains tower over the emerald lake, fleeting sunlight gives the water a sparkle. We took our time to take in the sights, quietly watching when an eagle landed on the boulder behind us to survey his kingdom.
The following morning, we woke up early (once again) to get to the bus station. It was in this brick on wheels that we would spend the day traversing the Argentinian landscape, and once beyond the border, the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego. Our drive was scheduled to last twelve hours, including the typical hold ups at the border, ferry crossing, and pee-and-snack breaks. For the first nine hours, we covered ground as expected and filled the time by watching shows, journaling, writing this very blog, or listening to music. When we weren’t preoccupied with miscellaneous tasks, we stared out at the Magellenic landscape that changed from beech forest, to tundra, expansive coastline, and rugged mountain ranges. Sporadically, we watched dowdy alpacas among the grasses, wooden huts flecked on the horizon, and majestic gauchos riding their horses and wrapped in woolen ponchos as they battled the strong winds. A little over halfway through our drive, we stopped where the road disappeared. The end of the island of Tierra Del Fuego necessitated a ferry ride to the main South American continent, but luckily the boats come frequently and we didn’t have to wait very long to get moving again. Once we disembarked the very short ferry, we were just a mere three hours from Punta Arenas! Yet, unexpectedly, we found ourselves in a traffic jam just beyond the port. Seeing the flashing lights just fifteen cars ahead of us, we knew something was up. As the ambulance made its way along the line of cars and the first-responder sirens filled the air, it became clear that there had been a serious accident ahead. Thirty minutes became an hour, an hour became two, and eventually, we decided to go for an icey walk to gauge the severity of the situation. We were met with the sight of one car, off to the left of the road and fairly intact, and another, crumpled with a pulverized windshield. By then, the ambulance had departed, but the word was that whoever had been in that second car likely didn’t make it. Swallowing our impatience, we walked back to the bus in a suddenly heavier air and respectfully waited things out. And so, after nearly three hours, we continued on our journey and eventually made it to Punta Arenas after dark.
Recommendations
Where We Stayed:
Buenos Aires
Ushuaia
Some of Our Other Favorite Restaurants: