eveningcrane

Hi

We will be in Buenos Aires February 1 through February 4. Some one has recommended that we spend a day in Tigre city. Is this a good day trip destination from BA?
Any other suggestions for day trips?

Thanks

Pamela

Scarlett

Tigre http://argentinastravel.com/370/el-t...-buenos-aires/ is a town north of Buenos Aires .. you can get there by train, takes about 45 minutes.
It is on the Delta so there is quite a lot to do around the water, you can take boat rides, rent your own and wander in and out of the waterways where homes are and there are also markets and a great crafts fair.

It is definitely a nice Day Trip from BA.

Colonia Uruguay is another.. you take a high speed ferry there, and come back the same day if you wish.
It is a World Heritage site and quite lovely.

You can go spend a day on an Estancia too.

ElPelar

Hi, Pamela:

Definitely a great day excursion; I made it two days in November 2008. There are 2 trains from downtown BsAs: one is the coastal, which is more expensive, and the other is the direct, which is not scenic but very low cost.

There is a tourist information office just down the street from the train station, by the docks for the boat excursions. They have great information. Here are some fun things to do:

1. Take a boat tour of the canals and islands; it's fascinating. They have short or extended tours, and usually includes some refreshments.
2. Go to see the fruit market area.
3. Naval Museum.
4. City Art Museum (don't miss this; the building is incredible).
5. Have a seafood lunch/dinner next to the water (several restaurants on the way to the Art Museum).
6. Wander the streets and check out some of the architecture.
7. Go to one of the rowing clubs and rent either a rowing skiff or a kayak and cruise the local canals.
8. Casino (no comment)

If I had to choose between this and a day trip to Colonia, Ur., I would choose Tigre. I have done both and there is a lot to see in Tigre for a lot less cost. If you have time, spend the night! The tourist office has lists of accommodations both in town and also outside town on the canals. Several of these places have reservation kiosks right outside the tourist office.

My only disappointment was seeing a McDonald's in town; everything else was great.

EP

Scarlett

Tigre is only about 45 minutes from town so it is not necessary to spend the night.. San Isidro is the town before Tigre, which is even closer to BA. Both are pretty .. and perfect for a day trip..
*There is one restaurant on the water that locals will warn you about .. terrible tourist trap kind of place. I can't remember the name.. but do research on it before you make plans..*

Colonia is nice when you want to really see a different place, less than an hour by ferry and you are in a colonial town in Uruguay. My son went to Colonia first, spent the night, next day took the bus to Montevideo and spent the night there, then the ferry back to BA ( which is 3 hours from Montevideo).. he really enjoyed the break from the hustle and bustle of BA ..

Graziella5b

ElPelar to put things into perspective, Do you know how much are the two different trains to Tigre.
I am guessing that BOTH are very inexpensive...

For any one living in US, Canada, Europe... I am sure both are really CHEAP....

MarnieWDC

Scarlett:

Was the restaurant you referred to El Gato Blanco ? Do you have another to recommend - on the water?

~MarnieWDC

Scarlett

Graziella, that is the Tren del la Costa and first you take the regular train from Retiro to the Tren del la Costa and then on to Tigre.
This is a good page to give you an idea of what it is like..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tren_de_la_Costa

And yes, the one train that is less expensive is also a longer ride.. but they are very affordable.

Marnie, I think so. Friends went last summer and hated it then not long ago, on TA, I read a blog that someone posted after their visit here and she regretted eating there..
Whatever you do.. Bring OFF from the US. You will need it out there and maybe here too and the US stuff works better.

avrooster

There are two ways to go to Tigre by train and my suggestion is that tourists go one way and come back the other way.

Go to the Retiro Mitre railway station and board the train for Bartolomé Mitre station. The cost is VERY low, like a peso or so and the trip takes about half an hour.

Then you have to transfer to the http://www.trendelacosta.com.ar/site/
This costs 8 pesos and you can get off the train at any station and board another one later, as many times as you wish. Getting to Tigre takes about 25 minutes.

You can return to Retiro with the regular train, which, of course, takes LESS time and is very cheap, like maybe 2 pesos.

Have a great time in our country.

Graziella5b

Hi Scarlett and avrooster, THank you. I have taken both trains to TIgre, my point is: one is about $2 pesos, that is less than one dollar and the other is $8 pesos that is less than three dollars ? so I believe that being both tickets so inexpensive the difference is irrelevant.
I am saying all this because I recall someone in another post making a big fuss about it.
avrooster has a good point regarding the fact that the cheapest is faster if less interesting.

Scarlett

Yes, Graziella, you are right, it is not a big difference.

Jed

We have good memories of our lunch at El Gato Blanco in 1992. Any idea what went wrong?

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/350922/index.html

Scarlett

Hi
with much searching of posts on TA, I found the one that caught my eye. Friends of ours were there last year and were not impressed but this one was part of a December trip report.. here .. <i>I took one day trip to Tigre. I foolishly followed xxxxx's advice rather than seeking recommendations on xx, and took the public boat to El Gato Blanco restaurant, which turned out to be an overpriced tourist trap with indifferent food. </i>
I exed out the name .. that they mentioned : -)

MarnieWDC

Thanks Scarlett. We will check for another restaurant. ~Marnie