All Articles 4 side trips from Buenos Aires

4 side trips from Buenos Aires

Wine tasting, kayaking, and gaucho life beyond the city.

By Sorrel Moseley-WilliamsNov 9, 2023 6 minutes read
Cobblestone street lined with colorful buildings and trees
Barrio Historico
Image: wine_and_travel_geek/Tripadvisor

You could fill up weeks exploring Buenos Aires. I know—it's my home. But there's also so much to explore just beyond this city's borders. The city backs onto the Río de la Plata and fans out in a “C” shape toward the west, with tons of bite-size escapes within its curved arms.

From the alluring Delta with all its little islets to authentic cowboy towns where locals ride their horses to the bank to wine tastings in Malbec, here are my favorite side trips.

Grab some gaucho action in San Antonio de Areco

Person on horseback on green lawn
Estancia la Cinacina
Image: Tripadvisor

The transformation of the landscape during the two-hour bus ride north of Buenos Aires to San Antonio de Areco never ceases to delight me. The trip begins in the urban city center then transitions to rural farmland and then, suddenly, I'm surrounded by cattle and actual cowboys riding horseback through the streets.

This gaucho outpost is home to cattle ranches, ranchers, and a robust beef industry. However, a handful of ranches here have turned their magnificent and spacious properties into luxury accommodations and tourist facilities where you can spend a day living out your gaucho daydreams.

Even if an overnight stay is pushing time or budget, you can still visit for a fun day of horseback riding and a barbecue lunch at Estancia El Ombú de Areco, one of my favorite spots in the area. It’s truly a slice of traditional Argentina.

Travelers say: "Horseback riding through the cows and horses on this very large ranch was relaxing. Ground is level, cleared and easy. The unending barbecue lunch under huge trees was delightful and delicious. The music and dancing gave us an idea of gaucho life style. All our mouths dropped open in amazement at the Horse Whisperer. Don’t look at photos of this. Wait and be stunned." –@MoMo

The Estancia can even rustle up a turn with the enthralling horse whisperer Martín Tatta, a gaucho whose connection with his steeds is remarkable. Horseback riding is offered for both experienced equestrians and newbies alike. Don’t want to jump in the saddle? There are also sulky (carts hooked behind the horse) for a more relaxed ride.

I also love wandering the cobbled streets of Areco, stopping for a cold beer, empanadas, and gaucho spotting at Boliche Bessonart bar. For further cowboy inspiration, the Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes shares the life of the eponymous rancher-turned-author who wrote Argentina’s first gaucho novel "Don Segundo Sombra."

Pro tip: November is when the magnificent Fiesta de la Tradición gathers cowboys and cowgirls to show off their rodeo prowess to a folk music soundtrack.

Kayak the Tigre

People smiling and holding up oars in kayak
Patricio Redman Kayak
Image: patricior321/Tripadvisor

In busy Buenos Aires, I often forget to take advantage of the Río de la Plata, the world’s widest river. But that’s easily fixable. An easy 60-minute train ride from Retiro railway station brings you to the banks of the Luján estuary in Tigre, in the lush and leafy Delta.

The pace is slower in town and on the 350 streams and estuaries during the week. On weekends, porteños (residents of Buenos Aires) open up their stilted weekend houses and buzz along the rivers with jet skis and speed boats. My notion of taking five in Tigre, however, is paddling a kayak with Patricio Redman Kayak, navigating leafy tunnels and relishing the peace and tranquility of kayaking under my own steam (no experience required).

Stop at the Puerto de Frutos, a floating market where you can pick up fruit (this was originally an export point for Argentinian fruit in the 19th century) and souvenirs. Tip: The mimbre, wicker wares, such as coasters, made in Tigre and sold here, are easy-to-carry gifts.

Travelers say: "Easy to get to, an hour each way on the train and less than a $1 round trip. If you have ever been to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco you have experienced Puerto de Frutos. In other words, lots of shops, restaurants, tourist kitsch and not much fruit. Colorful and fun, a nice diversion from Buenos Aires." –Dale R

My favorite indoor spot is the Museo de Arte Tigre (MAT), perfectly located on the picturesque Paseo Victorica promenade, which dates back to Argentina's early 20th-century golden age. The elaborate neo-classical building once housed the elite Tigre Rowing Club before becoming a museum. Head up to the first floor to spy ceiling nymphs.

Don’t miss: Either kayak or pay a local boat captain to ferry you to the islet for lunch of ribeye (ojo de bife) and fries at Gato Blanco; only accessible by boat.

Make for Malbec in Mendoza

Outdoor garden patio with seating and a blue truck
Bodega Los Toneles
Image: Management; Tripadvisor

While time is rarely on my side for a long visit, escaping to Mendoza wine country for a day to pursue my second profession, sommelier, or check in on my own Sorol Wines, is something I can always carve out a day for. Yes, you do have to fly, but you can squeeze in a fun visit in a 12 hour jaunt if you hop the first flight out of Jorge Newbery Aeroparque (AEP) with budget airlines Fly Bondi or Jet Smart. The flight is about 90 minutes, which means you can be sampling Malbec at the foot of the Andes when the first bodegas open at 10 a.m. if you hop on a 8 a.m. flight.

An easy way to explore is to book an experience with Vintura wine tours which will take you on a guided tour and tastings of local wineries. If, like me, you’re prepared to spit wine rather than swallow, rent a car to explore. Los Toneles and Escorihuela Gascón, two 100-year-old wineries, are a 20-minute drive from the airport. For both, tastings of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Bonarda are available starting at 10 a.m. and both are open for lunch. The latter’s 1884 Restaurante by Francis Mallmann is known for its upscale multi-course tasting menus and excellent wood-fired ojo de bife.

Drive 20 minutes’ futher south toward Luján de Cuyo and your first stunning Andean mountain views, in this case flat-topped Tupungato Volcano, will come into view. This region is Malbec heartland. I like to sip at the no-frills, no-cost cellar door Bodega Carmelo Patti before dining at Bodega Lagarde’s Fogón alongside 120-year-old vineyards. They serve a delicious beef filet here, but for a break from red meat, try the grilled river trout with asparagus.

Travelers say: "We had the wine-pairing lunch [at Fogón], and it was our favorite place of all the wineries we visited. Tables were set up in their back "garden", shaded by large leafy trees so even though it was summer it was quite pleasant. Guests had a choice of a 4 course or 7 course meal, and not everyone at the table had to do the same thing. The food and the wines were delicious. One could have as many as three fills of each glass of wine, although I'm not sure how one could walk out if they drank that much! This winery has a stellar reputation in Argentina, and we agree after our experience there." –@Sebastian W.

Finally round out a wine-tasting trip with sips of Pét-Nat, natural wines and single-vineyard vintages, with one final tasting at Riccitelli Wines or Durigutti Family Winemakers. From either of these spots, it’s a 45-minute drive back to the airport (the last flight of the day to Buenos Aires leaves Mendoza at 8:45 p.m.)

Where to stay: If you’re anything like me, after spending the day in Mendoza you’ll also want to spend the night and wake up with views of the Andes. Splurge on the elevated pod suite at Entre Cielos or a well-priced room at Posada Borravino: Both are in Luján.

Time travel to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Cobblestone street lined with red buildings, plus with a view of the water
La Calle de los Suspiros
Image: YB1972/Tripadvisor

Fun fact: With just a quick one-hour hop from downtown Buenos Aires you can explore a new country and get a new stamp in your passport with a day trip to Uruguay. And it’s easy to reach, too. A speedy one-hour ferry ride on the Buquebus across the wide Río de la Plata delivers you to Uruguay's Colonia del Sacramento’s and it's perfectly preserved Historic Quarter. Founded by the Portuguese in the 17th century, the town is so impeccably preserved it’s on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Travelers say: "…this historic old town is not to be missed. We took the ferry across from Buenos Aires. The Barrio Historico is only a few blocks walking distance from the ferry and bus terminals. Spend a few hours ambling through the old cobblestone streets, appreciating the old buildings with Spanish and Portuguese architectural influences, and stop into the myriad of cafes and restaurants for refreshments. The ice cream at the shop across from the old city gate is divine!" –@JasmineD

The vibe here is definitely relaxed, a breath of rarified air after hectic Buenos Aires. I love to slowly wander the jagged cobblestone streets, stepping back in time on the beautiful Calle de los Suspiros (Street of Sighs) then scaling the 112 steps to the lighthouse to gaze out over the cola-colored Río de la Plata (make sure you’re wearing sneakers if you want to try this, they won’t let you up in flips flops) before stopping by the Iglesia Matriz—Uruguay’s oldest church—to sit and enjoy the peaceful space. Vintage cars and yellow street lights flickering to life at dusk add to the bygone ambience. Head to dinner at Casa Viera, where the calories-be-damned provolone fondue served with crusty bread is worth a special trip.

Where to stay: The charms of the town often convince me to spend the night instead of heading back to Buenos Aires. When this happens, I like to book the tree house at El Nido. A 20-minute drive from downtown Colonia will bring you to the leafy elevated deck overlooking neighboring vineyards as the sun sets, the perfect spot to enjoy the welcome platter of dreamy homemade Camembert.

Sorrel Moseley-Williams
Based in Argentina since 2006, Sorrel is a British freelance journalist and sommelier covering travel, food and drinks in Latin America; she's also the World’s 50 Best Bars academy chair for South America. She writes for Decanter, Monocle, Drinks International, Condé Nast Traveller, Lonely Planet, Fodor's and Good Beer Hunting, and Clarín and La Nación in Spanish, among others. Sorrel also wrote ‘Mil’ (Catapulta, 2022), Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez and Pía León’s latest book about their multidisciplinary Andean restaurant. On the sommelier side, she is behind SOROL Wines, a Cabernet Franc-driven project, and Dill & Tonic.