Amazing Argentina

Rosemary Chawke 01 November 2014
After flying Business Class with KLM Airlines to Buenos Aires I was so excited to explore this wonderful city. We had a very busy itinerary ahead of us with so much to see in the 8 days. I knew it was going to be an amazing journey.

On arrival we met with our Tour Guide Francesca and our driver transferred to the Alvear Art Hotel which is approx. 40 minutes from the airport. We spent the first night at this lovely city centre hotel.

The first day we did a sightseeing tour of the city including a short walking tour of La Boca, the Buenos Aires' neighbourhood famed for its colourful houses, its tango and its soccer team and it is the one spot that makes every visitor's agenda. Messi is their hero. We visited the Metropolitan Church which is the main Catholic Church in Buenos Aires where Pope Francis was bishop there for 12 years before he was ordained Pope. We stopped by the Parliament Building and saw the Casa Rosada were Evita Peron, the First Lady, lived with her husband President Juan Peron. We also had a stroll down Florida Street which I would highly recommend for a bit of shopping with its amazing malls, shops, clothes, leather and souvenirs shops you are bound to find a bargain

We went on a fabulous tour of Cementerio de La Recoleta, it’s a popular attraction and a must on every tourists list. We wandered around in this amazing city of the dead where countless streets are lined with impressive statues and marble. We hunted down Evita’s grave as all visitors try to do. Don’t forget your camera there are some great photo ops here. We then headed to the domestic airport and took a flight to Bariloche which was a 2 hr flight.

On arrival at Bariloche we met our tour guide Veronica and we headed to the Design Suites just outside the town of Barilcohe. The hotel is split into 4 different blocks and is built on a hill. I don’t recommend that you bring high heels here as the walk down to reception is very steep. The hotel has a shuttle bus, but our room was in the furthest block and of course I had the heels on in the evenings!

The next morning after breakfast we headed off on a tour of the scenic area surrounding Bariloche We stopped at several look out points along the way including Lopez Bay and Punto Panoramico.

We took a ride on the chairlift up Cerro Campanario, one of my highlights of the trip. The views were breathtaking and it is voted as one of the “Top Ten Views of the World”. We stopped at the souvenir/coffee shop for some Hot Chocolate to warm ourselves up before we took the chair lift back down the mountain. Cost of the lift ticket is approx. 100 peso and well worth it. This region is great for hiking too. A top tip for anyone visiting Barlioche is always have a warm jacket and proper walking shoes all year round. Other attractions along the way included Llao Llao Hotel, the Circuit Chico regional area which has all the crafts and pottery of the region. We stopped for lunch at the Casco Art Hotel located in one of the most beautiful spots in Patagonia, on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi. The hotel has a collection of more than 500 paintings and sculptures of Argentine Art. The rooms have fabulous view of the lake.

Another one of my favourite hotels was the Charming Luxury Lodge ideal for families or couples and only 7km from the centre of Barioche or 12km from the Ski slopes. The lodges offer self-catering facilities with a kitchen and living area. That evening we had dinner at a local restaurant and sampled some of the local pubs.

After a lovely nights seep, we took a full day tour to Villa La Angostura on the opposite side of the Nahuel Huapi lake. A laid-back village in the heart of the Patagonia region, Villa La Angostura is the perfect escape for holidaymakers who love the alpine feel of misty mountain forests. Nibble on locally made artisan goodies while you breathe in the crisp Andes air. Ski lovers and snowboarders will fall in love with Villa La Angostura in the winter—it's an absolute fairyland. We visited a couple of hotels along the way. My favourite was Luna Casa de Montana, the most charming place to stay. It is a quaint little family run boutique hotel with amazing views. You get that personalised attention from the moment you walk in. .

We took a stroll around the town and visited some of the Chocolate shops and picked up some souvenirs. We managed to find an Irish pub called Finnegan's where we enjoyed a nice Beer before we headed back to Bariloche. That evening we had dinner at La Marmite a restaurant specialising in fondue.

The next day after breakfast we headed back to the airport for our 2 hour flight back to Buenos Aires. We had some free time that evening so we did a bit of shopping at the Galleria Pacifico which is only 2 blocks from the hotel. That night we went to the Complejo Tango show which was the perfect way to end our stay in Buenos Aires. We really enjoyed the food, the music and the show. This was definitely one of the highlights of my stay in Buenos Aires.

The next day after a leisurely breakfast it was time to pack the bags and say goodbye to what was an Amazing stay in Argentina. I had a fabulous time and will certainly return and take in the Iguazu falls and Rio de Janeiro in the not too distant future.