This post is an Argentina travel guide. You will find everything about argentina travel, from details on where to stay, what to eat, how to travel between provinces, and more!
Calling all my fellow travel addicts—this one’s for you! If you’ve ever thought of travelling to Argentina but never knew where to start, I’m here to help. From the basics of Argentinian currency to driving in Argentina and tourist safety in Argentina, we will cover it all. As a nurse, I know how precious time off can be, which is why I packed as much adventure as possible into my month of touring Northern Argentina—and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. It’s one of the most remarkable countries I’ve ever explored, and I can’t wait for you to experience it too. So sit back and relax; I’ll help you get the most out of your trip to Argentina! This is the Ultimate Argentina Travel Guide.
Table of Contents
Is Argentina Safe For Tourists?
Tourist safety in Argentina is often something I get asked about when talking about my travels. The truth is, I felt safe the entire time. Now, we did hear of some other tourists who unfortunately got pickpocketed while in Buenos Aires, but outside of the city, we didn’t hear a thing! To stay safe as a tourist in Argentina, there are a couple of tips I’ll suggest.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings.
The first thing I always suggest is to always be aware of your surroundings, especially when using public transit. Petty crime and pickpocketing are the top crimes you can become a victim of if you’re not paying attention. Always be aware of your belongings and where they’re located; try to keep things to the front of you. Don’t put your cellphone in your back pocket! This is an easy way for them to snatch it without you even realizing it (trust me, they’re good!).
Avoid Displaying Your Valuables
Argentina continues to struggle with high poverty rates. To avoid theft, minimize displaying expensive or valuable items while traveling. You’re less likely to become a victim of the crime if you’re not showing off expensive items that they can resell for a good profit. They want their theft to be worth it!
What Is The Best Time of Year to Travel to Argentina?
The best time of year to travel to Argentina is really dependent on where and what you’re wanting to do. Now I’d say overall, December to February is typically the time to go. This is their summer months. But beware if you’re traveling up north because it gets HOT… like 31 degrees Celsius and humid at midnight hot. You will sweat in areas you didn’t know you could sweat from. We felt this the most when visiting Iguazu Falls and then again in Corrientes, on our way to Salta.
Argentine Currency
Can I Use Credit Cards in Argentina?
YES! For the most part, using credit cards in Argentina wasn’t an issue. Especially in the bigger cities and the tourist attractions. But we always had cash on hand, just in case there was an odd time we needed it. Also, cash was easier for things like tips or small items in the markets.
How Much Cash Should I Bring?
I think for Americans this may be easier, but we Canadians had the HARDEST time getting Argentinian pesos in Canada to bring with us. But also, getting cash out in Argentina is harder than in most places. You can no longer walk up to a bank machine and take out what you need.
To get cash out, you must visit a Western Union. But not all Western Unions have the pesos to give you, so be aware. I’d ask at your hotel or hostel prior to walking all over the place (like we did). Once you get to the Western Union, you have to use the Western Union app to self-transfer money from your account into Argentinian pesos. It wasn’t too difficult once we got the hang of it, but we tried to do this as little as possible. Make sure you bring your passport with you for identification, or they won’t let you take it out! Also, I would stock up before going to any of the little towns in Argentina because it may be more difficult to find the cash there.
For the Americans, it’s a bit of an easier process as they LOVE USD. But it has to be crisp $100 bills. You can find people just about anywhere that want to exchange your $100 USD for Argentinian pesos (and you will get the best exchange rate by doing this!). Just listen on the streets for “cambio, cambio,” meaning “change, change.” We didn’t do this, so I can’t speak too much about it, as it didn’t make sense for us to exchange CAD to USD and then the USD to Argentinian pesos.
Do I Need to Speak Spanish to Travel in Argentina Comfortably?
Speaking Spanish in Argentina definitely helped us immensely (thanks, Duolingo!). My Spanish is still quite beginner, but I was able to get by with the basics. Now, I don’t think it’s an absolute requirement to speak Spanish in Argentina, especially in the big cities, as most speak basic English. But the more remote we got, the more difficult it was to communicate. I can definitely say that I found it to be more difficult to communicate in Argentina than in other Spanish-speaking countries I’ve visited, such as Mexico.
Is it Safe to Drive in Argentina?
Driving in Argentina is an experience, especially if you’re only used to North American driving. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I knew I wanted to go explore more of Jujuy province, and this was easier to do by car. Now I know there are great bus tours from Salta to Purmamarca and Salinas Grandes, such as this one from Viator. But we wanted to explore our own way and stay in the local towns.
Renting a car will be far easier if you know how to drive a manual transmission. However, beware that the roads are super twisty and climb up an insane amount of elevation, so you want to be a confident manual driver. Also, we had a small-sized hatchback that didn’t have a whole lot of pep, so this made the elevation a little bit more difficult. If I were to do it again, I’d opt for an SUV or mid-size vehicle. Another reason to choose an SUV is that the road maintenance in certain areas is less than subpar; there are a lot of gravel roads and potholes. This is especially true in the northern Jujuy province, like the road to Serranía de Hornocal, “The Hill of 14 Colors,” which is a MUST-see.
One more point about driving in Argentina is to watch for the check stops. They are frequent when entering or exiting cities/towns on the highway, and we got ticketed due to not having our front lights on at 1pm on a sunny day. So read the rules of the road, as they may differ from what you’re used to.
If you want to learn more about driving in Argentina, see the video below. It helped me immensely before driving!
What Are The Must-Try Dishes in Argentina?
Now what would the Ultimate Argentina Travel Guide be without food recommendations?! We asked a few locals for their must-try Argentinian dishes and I’m going to share them with you.
Empanadas
When I tell you that I ate my weight in empanadas, I’m not lying. I think we had upwards of 2-6 each per day, for the entire month. Now every local will tell you that their city makes the best empanadas, but I honestly believe Salta is the reigning champion in my books. Our favourite empanadas were from “La Nueva Criollita,” in the city of Salta. If you make it out there, they are a must-try. But a close second were the empanadas from “La Salteñeria Empanadas.” Here, you can see them cook them up in the open fire stone oven.
Humita
Humita is a traditional Argentine dish that is served only during their summer months when corn is in season. I loved every part of this dish and have even looked into recreating it at home! We had humita in a couple of different serving styles. The first way is the traditional style; they grind corn into a paste, wrap it in the husk, and then boil or steam it. It reminded me a lot of a tamale in that you open the corn husk to eat the contents. The second way we ate it was baked in a dish—see the picture above. This was less traditional and baked with cheese, but it was delicious! We enjoyed this at the restaurant “Rincón del Olivo,” which also had amazing local dancers and entertainment every night.
Locro
Another notable dish was locro (pictured above). Locro is a hearty stew made with corn, beans, potatoes, and some sort of meat, typically beef or pork. Although this dish is usually enjoyed in the winter months, they were still serving it while we were visiting, and we were told it was a must-try for local cuisine. They were right! This dish was full of absolutely incredible flavour; it shouldn’t be missed.
Asado
The Argentinians love their meat. I feel it would be difficult to survive as a vegetarian in this country. Asado is their various cuts of meat that they grill to perfection over an open-flame barbecue. Often served with flavourful (but not spicy) sauces, such as chimichurri. Asado can be found just about anywhere, so I would ask a local to point you to their favourite spot.
Llama
Llama meat was a delicacy that I was afraid to try. I kept thinking, how can they eat these cute, fluffy animals? But llamas to them are like cows and pigs to us. They raise them for food. Llama meat is most often found in the northern regions of Argentina. We first tried it while staying in Purmamarca, and although I was hesitant, it was quite delicious. It had a similar taste to beef, with little of that “wild” or “gamey” taste. We had a llama salami at “Khuska,” in Tilcara, Jujuy. Khuska was a cute, homey restaurant that served delicious local cuisine.
Milanesa
We discovered milanesa when we stayed in a hostel with a couple from Spain. She brought us to the most amazing little family restaurant called “Lo de Ceci,” where we had milanesa. They were so good that I kept craving them, and we returned again the next night!
Alfajores
Now, for my fellow sweet tooths, you’ll be happy to know that there is ice cream (“helado”) EVERYWHERE. Often open all hours of the night. But a local Argentinian dessert is an alfajor. You can find them prepackaged in all the convenience stores, but the best ones are from the specific alfajor factory or store. The best one that we found was in Cafayate, at “Calchaquitos.”
Argentina is absolutely beautiful. With its wide range of scenery and delicious food, there’s really something for everyone! Whether you’re a nurse planning a well-deserved break or just a curious traveller, I hope this Ultimate Argentina Travel Guide helps you navigate this amazing country. Follow along for more Argentina travel tips and more! XO, Syvannah
This post is an essential Argentina travel guide for everyone looking to explore Argentinian culture. From delicious eats to navigating the roads, it has it all.
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