Travel tips for those who are going to study in Argentina

The semester is coming to an end, and unfortunately, so is the stay in Buenos Aires and on the South American continent. Perhaps there are also many who have decided to spend a semester in Argentina during the next school year!

Even though most people probably also want to visit several countries during their stay, this post will consist of travel tips in Argentina. One could easily spend half a year, a year, or more just traveling domestically – what a country this is!

We start with what's close! Mar del Plata is the beach town for the inhabitants of Buenos Aires, and during holidays, crowds flock here to lie on the beach and swim.

It's actually not possible to swim in the river in Buenos Aires (yes, it's a river – not the sea!). As summer approaches in Argentina, this is a nice weekend getaway to escape the noise of the city and cool off in the ocean.

To get to Mar del Plata, taking the bus is the way to go, which takes 5-6 hours. The city is located on the east coast of Argentina, facing the Atlantic Ocean.

Another popular destination to travel to is Mendoza. This is both a city and a province, and it is the most famous wine region in Argentina.

Thus, there are great opportunities for wine drinking. I recommend a wine tour where you rent a bike and cycle between the vineyards, but be careful and wear a helmet! Alternatively, you can go hiking or horseback riding in the Andes Mountains.

A recommended activity is to find a Gaucho ranch where one can book horseback riding and asado (barbecue) through. Mendoza is, at least compared to Buenos Aires, a calm city with some parks, cafes, restaurants, and shops.

It is possible to take both a plane and a bus to Mendoza, but the bus takes over 12 hours and it costs about the same as flying. And it must be mentioned that the price is not very high!

Mendoza is well-suited for a weekend getaway, but if one has more time, it's also possible to take a bus across the border to Chile and visit the capital, Santiago. Then one would pass right by Aconcagua, Argentina and South America's highest mountain at 6961 meters above sea level!

Iguazu Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world, and truly a classic destination to visit when in Argentina.

Iguazú is located in the north of the country, and is 18 hours by bus from Buenos Aires. The price of the bus compared to flying is also quite similar in this case.

Iguazú is located on the border between Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil, which means it's easy to combine with one or both of the other two countries. In Brazil, for instance, it's possible to take a bus to Florianópolis, a beautiful beach city with great surfing opportunities.

On the Paraguayan side, it's not such a long bus ride to the capital, Asunción. During the Easter holiday, which was our reading week this spring, there was a group that took a bus to Iguazú, then into Paraguay for a few days, before finishing up in Florianópolis.

For those who enjoy hiking, El Calafate and El Chaltén are great destinations. There are plenty of nature experiences to be had! These are two towns located in the province of Santa Cruz, which is the famous region of Patagonia.

It's possible to fly to El Calafate at a reasonable price, and then take a couple of hours bus to El Chaltén.

El Chaltén is called the country's trekking capital, and not without reason. There are hikes for every taste. Perhaps the most popular is the hike to Laguna de los Tres, which offers a superb view of Mount Fitz Roy, often referred to as 'the mountain of Patagonia'.

This is a tour of around 8 hours in total, but there are several students who have rented tents and sleeping bags in El Chaltén, to experience the sunset and sunrise from the top.

The reason to travel to El Calafate, I would argue, is to see the Perito Moreno glacier. It's an amazing sight across a massive ice plateau. There are well-prepared paths to different viewpoints over the glacier, and it's also possible to buy a ticket for a boat that takes you even closer to the glacier front.

It should be mentioned that there is a limited selection of Patagonia clothing available here! So if that's all you're looking for, don't bother coming here.

Cordoba is the second largest city in Argentina, and is a 10-hour bus ride away. A good tip is to take the night bus to maximize your stay.

Even though it's a big city, it's relatively quiet, and the surrounding province is very beautiful. Therefore, it might be a good idea to rent a car and drive around.

The surroundings are beautiful wherever one travels! For instance, one can visit Copina and Quebrada del Condorito National Park, and see Las Salinas. In the area, there are many beautiful hikes one can take, if one enjoys that!

A new tip closer to the capital is Rosario. Rosario is probably best known for being Messi's birthplace, but it's also the city where the Argentine flag was created. Culture for every taste!

Rosario is a nice city that is much quieter than Buenos Aires, perfect for a weekend trip. It is also possible to combine it with a bus trip to the city of Santa Fe, if one wants to see more Argentine cities.

Argentina offers an extremely diverse range of culture, nature, and experiences, so don't forget to take the time to see some of this as well!

In addition, there are an extremely large number of other places that are great to visit – such as Ushuaia, San Martin de los Andes, Humahuaca, Salta, and Bariloche. Whatever you want to see and do, you can find it in Argentina.