Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Iguazu Falls -- Spring 2010
 

We are seriously thinking about a trip to Argentina next March or April. Not looking for a tour package, but may want to look at some in-country tours.

We do want to explore Buenos Aires for at least a week.

We do want to see Iguazu Falls and would like any recommendations for a tour from BA to Iguazu Falls.

I definitely want to visit Mendoza again. My only other visit was for a couple of months in 1968. Is it better / cheaper to fly on our own, then book a wine tour, or take a wine tour that includes transportation to/from BA?

We would like to see some shows -- definitely a tango show or two.

Any advice on things we must see? I'm not a big museum fan, and I had my fill of cathedrals in Sicily. I do like to see old architecture.

Any hotel suggestions? We would like a 3-star, as close to $100 as possible, or an apartment. Any recommendations?

Restaurant suggestions? We will probably want one or two dinners at top class restaurants, but otherwise, just good food (I don't eat seafood). Meals are one thing we definitely do not try to scrimp on during vacations. Love Italian and red meat.

We would also be interested in spending a couple of days at an estancia.

In the very preliminary planning stages right now, but any advice at all would be much appreciated. I am in the process of viewing previous posts for suggestions, also.

I know we won't have time this trip for Patagonia, maybe next trip.

WOW!!! I just can't believe how UNhelpful fodorites are on the South America forum.

Hi, TA Destination Expert for Tucson!

I have observed that you made the same comment on TA.

The answers to all your questions are here somewhere and the same goes for TA.

Being a TA Destination Expert, perhaps you should realize that your question is too vague, suggesting that you are NOT very far along "in the process of viewing previous posts for suggestions".

Everyone else says we are EXTREMELY HELPFUL here, so perhaps you should consider the possibility that there is something wrong with your question.

Try to make it easier for us, by asking more specific questions.

Have a great time in our country.

This isn't specific enough?

"Is it better / cheaper to fly on our own, then book a wine tour, or take a wine tour that includes transportation to/from BA?"

Or this?

"We do want to see Iguazu Falls and would like any recommendations for a tour from BA to Iguazu Falls."

This?

"We would also be interested in spending a couple of days at an estancia."

How much more specific than this do you need to be able to at least reply?

"Restaurant suggestions? We will probably want one or two dinners at top class restaurants, but otherwise, just good food (I don't eat seafood)."

Being a TA Destination expert, I realize that some clarification might be needed on SOME points. But please.........don't try to tell me that all of my questions are vague.

As far as hotels / apartments. I now know I am interested in the Palermo Soho area. Is that specific enough for anyone to make a suggestion?

1) "Is it better / cheaper to fly on our own, then book a wine tour, or take a wine tour that includes transportation to/from BA?"

I don't know. I suggest you ask TA's search feature about "Isabel" (a local travel agent) and contact her, if you like what you read.

2) "We do want to see Iguazu Falls and would like any recommendations for a tour from BA to Iguazu Falls."

I don't think you need a tour, but again suggest you ask Isabel.

3) "We would also be interested in spending a couple of days at an estancia."

There are MANY kinds of estancias, so your question IS vague. This is the estancia I usually recommend, but it may or may not be to your liking, as you have NOT said what you are looking for: http://tinyurl.com/mp9kyw

4) "Restaurant suggestions? We will probably want one or two dinners at top class restaurants, but otherwise, just good food (I don't eat seafood)."

There are zillions of posts both here and elsewhere on the subject. For upscale Italian, I always suggest http://www.sottovoceristorante.com.ar/en/sottovoce.php

For steaks, write "parrilla" or "steak" in TA's search feature and you'll get an unlimited number of comments.

5) "As far as hotels / apartments. I now know I am interested in the Palermo Soho area."

As I'm a local, I'm not good for questions about lodging. I can only repeat what I have read here and you should be able to do that on your own????? If not, you'll have to wait for drdawggy or any other of the EXTREMELY HELPFUL people who post here to reply.

Have a great time in our country.

Well, finally some helpful advice.

Re: 1 & 2 As for the suggestion of contacting a travel agent......wouldn't a travel agent be self-serving? I am looking for some advice from someone who doesn't stand to gain from their suggestions.

2) Again, looking more for unbiased suggestions, not suggestions from someone who would gain from their suggestion. But, we WOULD have to fly from BA to Iguazu. Then would have to find a place to stay and a way to get around once there. So my question was whether a bundled package would be cheaper than trying to book everything separately. I'm sure there are any number of travel agents who would be more than happy to "help", but that was not what I was hoping for.

3) Very useful information. I had no idea there were a lot of different kinds of estancias. I do like riding (probably not all day), my wife does not. But wanted to stay out on a "working ranch" type of place where we could experience Argentinian barbecue. Those are great reviews on TA. However the link doesn't work. Maybe their server is down?

4) Thank you for the recommendation for Italian food. The menu looks very appetizing. I do know I can do a search, and have done so. Unfortunately, I have found that TA reviews for both restaurants and lodging should be taken with a huge grain of salt. There is a lot of "planting" of glowing reviews that the ratings are not very reliable.

Again, thanks for your help.

MikePinTucson:
In Buenos Aires you must take a city tour. In that way you will see the main spots of the city and then in your free time you can go back to the ones you liked most.
A tango show is also a must, there are many options. More touristy, less touristy, with dinner, with tango lessons. Many people go to Piazzolla Tango (inside a promenade on Florida Street) or La Esquina de Carlos Gardel (in Abasto)
Another thing you can't miss is having a coffee at Café Tortoni or Las Violetas and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere inside those emblematic cafés.
Only on Sundays you can visit the San Telmo flea market, along Defensa Street.
You may also consider spending a day in Colonia, Uruguay or a daytrip to the delta in Tigre.
Accommodation: Palermo is the biggest district in our city. There are areas which are a little far away from the city center, nevertheless it's very easy to get around. Subway, bus or taxi are the main means of transport.
Restaurants: Sottovoce and Piegari (Posadas and Cerrito streets) are really good Italian restaurants. Banchero (Corrientes Av. and Libertad) is a renown pizzería! My favourite!

Iguazú: the first time I went to the falls I stayed 2 nights, I think it's the recommended length. There isn't too much to do in Iguazú, the falls are the main attraction. No need in taking a guided tour because you can easily follow the signs inside the park. What I do highly recommend is you take the moonlight walk, this is an amazing experience! here is the link to the official site where you will find the calendar with the dates: http://www.iguazuargentina.com/engli...alendario.html
The Brazilian side is also a must and it doesn't take long, it took me half day to visit it.

I understand you don't want tour packages, but have you tried getting in touch with a travel agent offering a more personalized service? There are many in Buenos Aires that are able to organize your trip. You may consider contacting WOW Argentina, they are a young couple that have been in the bussiness for many years. I have guided many people who were pleased with their service, I recall they mentioned organizing the trip was very easy and that everything ran smoothly. Here is their site: www.wowargentina.com.ar
If I come up with more info I will certainly post it here!
I hope this has been useful!

Hi, MikePIn Tucson, I am sorry for the delay. I do not think the fodorites are not helpful. When I read the subject, you look so sure about what you want to see, so comfident in going to Mendoza again instead of exploring or experiencing another region in Argentina... But I will insist anyway in one of the most beautiful area of Argentina, THE NW!
I see you are fond on wines, and wonderful sceneries, food must be an issue also as for most americans, so why don´t you come to the NW??
If you are saying NO, definitelly I will not go to the NW, do not tell fodorites are not helpful. If you say YES, I will be very pleased to provide you with all the info you need to enjoy your time in the area.
If you consider I could gain by suggesting, probably...( I will gain another fan for the NW area, but you will gain much more. You can take my suggestions into consideration or not I just wnnt to show you a different option.
The sceneic landscape, the dramatic changes, the colours, the formations the food and wine,... more than one reason to take it.
Anfie

Sofi, thank you. That information will be very useful. I love a good pizza. I could eat pizza almost every day. Do you have any favorite steak restaurants.

For tango show(s), I think we would prefer less touristy, with dinner. We do quite a bit of country/western dancing, so a tango lesson would probably be fun.

We had already planned on a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay, and a city tour of BA also.

One more question about Iguazu Falls. Is it all walking if you aren't on a tour, or are there shuttles, buses, or taxis?

When I said I didn't want a tour, I meant I didn't want a complete tour from the US. Because that tends to restrict where you go and what you see. For instance, our trip to Sicily was a tour package, and we ended up seeing a whole lot more cathedrals than I would ever want to see. But I am certainly open to tours just within Argentina. Wowargentina certainly looks good, but I do wish they would at least give some idea of the cost. Their BA, Iguazu, Mendoza tour looks pretty much like what we are planning, but with an additional 4 or 5 days in BA. Maybe I will contact them about that.

Thanks again.

Hi Flintstones,

I guess I was posting and looking at Sofi's links while you were posting.

I certainly would not rule out going to NW Argentina. But I also don't want to try to squeeze too much into too little time. BA and Iguazu are at the top of my list. Yes, I do love wine, and good food. Mendoza was on my list because of my long ago visit. I just loved the area.

I have seen just a few pictures of the NW area, and the scenery looks a lot like parts of Arizona. We have a timeshare in Sedona that we use every year and we have been, several times to the Grand Canyon, both rims. Do you have some pictures of the NW area? And could you tell me how much time, at a minimum, should be alloted to that area?

As of right now we aren't saying a definite "no" to anything.

1 & 2) I've done all I can do. Isabel is at least as good as Wow and cheaper.

3) try http://www.estancialosdoshermanos.com/indexENG2.html

4) I am quite aware of the fact that TA has many "commercial" posters. In fact, two of the leading "commercial" posters on the Argentina forum have recently been named "Destination Experts", so I guess they like to keep it that way.

I have observed that my great friend Karmalaw has given you a piece of her mind on your TA thread!

I'm afraid I absolutely agree with her item (2).

1 & 2) Thanks avrooster, I will check out Isabel.

3) That looks like exactly what I had in mind, with an overnight, so we could also have dinner there.

4) That's why I like to hear from "real people" who have been there.

Hello,

March or April is a really nice season, just try and avoid the Easter week! Yeh I agree, it's definitely best to get your own way to Argentina and then organise some tours from here... I know you can get flights and accommodation in Iguazu with bsas4u, they may also have tours, its worth sending them an email, they're very helpful! A trip to Mendoza would be great, I'm sure it's just as beautiful as it was back then, it's still unspoilt and nowadays there are plenty of wine tours you can take on arrival!

Have a great trip!






I definitely want to visit Mendoza again. My only other visit was for a couple of months in 1968. Is it better / cheaper to fly on our own, then book a wine tour, or take a wine tour that includes transportation to/from BA?

We would like to see some shows -- definitely a tango show or two.

Any advice on things we must see? I'm not a big museum fan, and I had my fill of cathedrals in Sicily. I do like to see old architecture.

Any hotel suggestions? We would like a 3-star, as close to $100 as possible, or an apartment. Any recommendations?

Restaurant suggestions? We will probably want one or two dinners at top class restaurants, but otherwise, just good food (I don't eat seafood). Meals are one thing we definitely do not try to scrimp on during vacations. Love Italian and red meat.

We would also be interested in spending a couple of days at an estancia.

In the very preliminary planning stages right now, but any advice at all would be much appreciated. I am in the process of viewing previous posts for suggestions, also.

I know we won't have time this trip for Patagonia, maybe next trip.

Thanks, bsasexpert. I picked that time of year because, in general, I think Autumn has the best weather everywhere.

And thanks for the bsas4u link. I will check them out.

My reasons for wanting to revisit Mendoza -- I recall it was a very beautiful, and very clean city, with some great restaurants and good wine. Also, I was there for work, working 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week. So I had virtually no time to do any actual sightseeing.

Does anyone have suggestions for a tango show, including dinner, that would be less touristy and more frequented by locals?

you can also find in SALTA what you finf in Mendoza and more, but I will not try to convince you. But it is not just like Sedona. For some reason many americans who love their country and would defend the Grand Canyon said thet this are sis mcuh more varied and espectacular. Anywat. I agree with AVRooster about everything.
Flintxtones

Well, I didn't say I thought it was just like Sedona, only that the pictures looked like much of the scenery in Arizona, even down to the cacti. This is what you said:
"The sceneic landscape, the dramatic changes, the colours, the formations".

I mentioned Sedona and the Grand Canyon as an example of the scenic landscape, the dramatic changes, the colors and the formations I am used to seeing here. If I gave the impression that I thought Sedona or the Grand Canyon were in some way better, then I apologize. I certainly did not mean to give you that impression and I certainly did NOT say that I thought any place in Arizona was MORE varied or MORE spectacular.

Yes, I may visit the Salta area on a trip someday. But not this trip. I know better than to try to visit too many places during a limited time. People who try to see too much end up seeing too little because they are spending too much of their time traveling from one place to another.

I have stated the reasons I want to revisit Mendoza. The fact that there is so much of Argentina I could not possibly see in a 2 week trip certainly should not be seen as belittling any part of your country.

hi mike...my wife and i visited BA and mendoza last april....the weather was fantastic, so that will work for you..

i suspect you will find mendoza very changed from 1968, however....better... and built-up...

we went there by overnite bus, lux class....it was fantastic...fully reclining seats...block out curtains, dinner, drinks, etc...just like 1st class air or better and about 1/4 the price of an economy seat on an airline....the regular airline tickets cost about as much from BA to mendoza as flying from usa to BA...

we stayed in a centrally located B&B in mendoza...it is fantastic....its called Plaza Italia B&B , Rm 1.... www.plazaitalia.cjb.net ... small, only 5 rooms....great breakfast...family run...

the grown son of the family has his business as a wine tour guide....we highly suggest that you contact him and use him for tours...we had lunch one day at bodega ruca malen---fabulous meal and fantastic view...

within walking distance are some of the very best restaurants of the town...

we liked mendoza the best of the places we visited...

for iguazu you want to stay at the sheraton in the park....its simply fabulous and right at the falls...you can see them from the lobby....hotel is older but ok, but the location is fantastic....i suggest 1-2 nites there...that would be plenty....again you can fly there or go by bus...the food is decent there too, but hotel priced, but not outrageous...

we used points for most of our stays in BA: marriott, hilton and BA sheraton park--fabulous...

we also got to spend some time with the fabulous avrooster which was a highlight of our trip... and his even more fabulous wife...

restaurants:

BA---lunch at el sanjuanino (directly in back of the alvear palace hotel)---the best empanadas in the world....
lunch at the touristy gran cafe tortoni--have the pizza..
todo mundo---right on the square in san telmo---fantastic

dinner--las nazarenas , reconquista 1132, BA "meat" palace restaurant---....we went twice.. oprder for one, eat for 2.

pizza---fabulous old fashioned place--El Cuartito, talcahuano, 937....some of the best pizza i have ever had...the onion one is their speciality...

Restaurant Ligure....avrooster took us here....its an old fashioned BA restaurant with men waiters...huge menu, but the steak is on tops...the 2nd time we went there we had the chateaubriand for 2 which was fabulous and reasonable...
juncal 855-- a must try...not far from san martin sq...

have tons of fun


Mendoza

the best meals of our trip really...
all on the next street from the B&B.. out the door, turn right, turn right at the next corner and walk to the next main street...they are all right there...

La Florencia---great lunch or dinner, inside or out...


Tommaso, great italian, sit outside

twice we went to aZafran...its fantastic....go into the wine celler and pick your own wine with assistance....make sure to have the large meat platter for an appetizer for two or four...also the tuna....WOW.... a world class experience in a relaxed atmosphere....have a res!! eat inside...

Facundo....also on the same street....eat inside...

all were declicous and much cheaper than BA...i would splurge here!!!

BA taxi driver....fantastic...a group of 4 guys run a taxi company. they will do anything for you....very reasonable and trustworthy: Pablo [email protected]

cell: 15-6178-1690 good english, but talk slowly on the phone...

we had them to the airport...to the bus station....for a few hours around town...anything you want really... we had two of the 4 and they could not have been nicer or more accomodating....very reasonable, especially for the airport...

one more thing....i would not even waste my time going to florida street....its boring really...lots of touts...better merchandise elsewhere...

That is some great information!! Thanks so much. I will ad the links to my Argentina favorites folder and will print out a copy.

Very interesting to hear about taking an overnight bus to Mendoza. That sounds like fun. Plus, money saved on travel is better spent on food and drink.