What will you do during the Winter Vacations in Argentina?

By Tracey Chandler

Don’t let the longer nights and shorter days keep you from enjoying the wintery side of Argentine fun this year. Take note of our top tips for your winter vacations whilst staying in Argentina and get out of the confines of your cozy apartment… As we draw to the end of July, it is time to think about how best to enjoy the winter vacations in Argentina. If you are studying, volunteering or working in Argentina on some kind of exchange program, you might be offered some time off during the winter vacation period and during this time it is important to make the best of what’s on offer.there’s plenty to explore!

There’s plenty to do in Buenos Aires (if you are based in or thinking about traveling to the country’s capital), there’s a whole range of popular winter destinations worth visiting within Argentina, but there’s also the possibility of crossing the border and spending a few days in Uruguay too.

The following ideas are some of the best that we have to share to ensure that you experience the best winter break possible. Even though the temperature has dropped significantly across most of the country, there is no reason to despair. Argentina and its neighboring Uruguay have just as much to offer during the cold months as during the hot.

So… where should you start when planning your perfect Argentine winter break?

Winter Vacations in Buenos Aires

Whether you are already in Buenos Aires or whether you are planning to take a trip there for the winter vacations, there follow list activities and destinations should be at the top of your to-do list:

China Town

Souvenirs, Chinese food, alternative medicines and as many different kinds of teas, spices, seeds and nuts that you could hope for. This is China Town in Buenos Aires, located right next to the train tracks of the Belgrano train station (the Mitre line) on Avenida Arribeños.

Luna Park

The program at Luna Park is always full and varied. If you now that you are going to be spending your winter vacations in Buenos Aires, go to the Luna Park website and book up to see something in advance. The atmosphere in this venue is always really uplifting. You won’t be disappointed with whatever you choose to go to see.

Milonga

Do you dance? Do you know what a milonga is? Do you want to find out? Take a trip along to the Confitería Ideal, on Suipacha 384 in the Microcentro, and allow the team here to explain everything you need to know. Make sure you arrive between 3pm and 10pm on weekdays and be sure to take your dancing shoes with you.

Tango Show

If you love dance but you have two left feet, instead of trying to learn how to twinkle your toes on the dance floor take the time to see a professional tango show in one of the many dedicated venues in Buenos Aires.

The Dinner and Tango Show website gives you plenty of options to choose from in one place, making it a great resource for someone new to the tango show scene in Buenos Aires. The events organized and presented on this website are great for those people travelling alone, as a couple or with families. The needs of all kinds of travelers are covered, so there is little left to do but sit back and be entertained.

Winter Vacations in Uruguay

It’s true that a vacation in Uruguay is fantastic for beach lovers during the summertime, but Uruguay has plenty to offer the interested traveler during the winter months too. Colonia Del Sacramento and its beautiful ruins are just as stunning beneath the winter sun, wrapped up in hat and scarf, as they are in the summer heat.

Montevideo is another excellent winter destination in Uruguay to visit during the winter months when living or on an internship in Argentina. It has a wide number of great restaurants (watch out for the huge dessert portions!) and a variety of great museums and galleries to visit.

For example, The Museo del Gaucho y de la Moneda, which translates to The Coin and Cowboy Museum, deals with the importance of the cowboy and the history of Montevideo’s money system. The National Museum of Fine Arts in Montevideo features work from local artists in the 20th and 21st centuries.

If fine dining is the name of the game for your winter vacation this year, The Wine Experience is a company which organizes tastings, vineyard tours and opportunities to meet vineyard owners face to face. The guides are all Uruguayan and speak English, German, French, Portuguese, and Italian.

The best thing about travelling to Uruguay for your winter break is that you can be there within an hour or two (depending on the location you choose) thanks to the swift ferry services available from Buenos Aires. Buquebus is definitely the most well known ferry service that can take you to these destinations, but cheaper transfers can be had when booking through Seacat or Colonia Express, so do some digging around for the best prices.

Winter Vacations across Argentina

Argentina is a huge country and the possibilities for travel either in winter or summer are endless.

That said, there are perhaps three destinations for the winter months in Argentina which really spring to mind as being great places to visit. They are Mar Del Plata (yes, a beach destination during the winter can be cool!), Salta and Bariloche.

Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata might be a beach destination, but this does not mean that in the winter months it becomes a barren, lifeless place that should be avoided at all costs. In fact, it is quite the contrary.

During the winter months in Mar del Plata, you will be able to enjoy a cheaper vacation than normal. The prices of attractions and accommodation all drop in the low season and there are less people, which means that dining out in restaurants and going for walks along the beach seem far less crowded.

What’s more, during the winter months there is even more of an excuse to stuff yourself silly with hot chocolate and churros every day on account of the fresh, winter air. Manolo, which can be found standing proudly in Mar del Plata, is the most famous of places where you can buy churros and hot chocolate; famous for the awesome quality of its produce. Don’t miss out!

Salta

Salta during the winter months is cold, particularly at night, so you must wrap up well and take plenty of layers with you. However, the cold air on your face when travelling through the beautiful Salta canyons during the winter months is just part of the fun when vacationing in the north.

Don’t forget that menu favorites, including locro, tamales and full-bodied red wine, are fantastic winter choices when dining in almost any Salteño restaurant and the wintery food is but another reason in itself to travel to this beautiful city for your winter vacation in Argentina this year.

Bariloche

Do you like to ski? Then a winter vacation in Bariloche must be at the very top of your winter vacation in Argentina list. Not only are the slopes fun and challenging for ski lovers, but the destination itself is incredibly beautiful.

You don’t need to be able to ski to enjoy yourself in Bariloche. In fact, you don’t need to do anything in Bariloche to have a good time. You will find that by simply looking out of your hotel window every morning a smile will appear on your face.

The Llao Llao Luxury Hotel & Resort is the perfect place to stay if you are looking for total luxury and you don’t care one inch about the cost. Golf, spa, skiing and beautiful views are all on offer at Llao Llao. It doesn’t get any better than this little piece of heaven on Argentine soil.