Because few countries offer such variety in one: a great world city in Buenos Aires, the wine country of Mendoza, the lakes and glaciers of Patagonia, the falls of Iguazú, and a culture of tango, asado and Malbec that is unmistakably its own. It suits both the city traveller and the wilderness one, with world-class food and wine throughout and landscapes among the most dramatic on earth. For range and depth in a single country, it is hard to match.

How many days do you need in Argentina?

At least a week for the highlights — Buenos Aires, plus one or two of Mendoza, Iguazú or the lake district — and two weeks or more to add deep Patagonia, which is a long way south and deserves time. The country is enormous, and internal flights are often needed to cover the distances, so it pays to choose two or three regions and explore them properly rather than rush the whole map. Argentina repays a slower, region-by-region trip.

What are the best places to visit in Argentina?

Buenos Aires is the essential starting point — grand, cultured and full of life. Beyond it, the favourites are Mendoza for wine and the Andes; the Patagonian lake district around Neuquén for forests, lakes and skiing; deep Patagonia for the Perito Moreno glacier, El Chaltén and Ushuaia; the Valdés Peninsula for whales and penguins; and Iguazú Falls in the subtropical north. Most trips combine the capital with two or three of these.

Is Argentina expensive to visit?

It varies with the country's shifting economy, but Argentina is generally good value for international visitors — superb steak, wine and travel often cost less than in Europe or North America, though imported goods, top hotels and Patagonia's remote lodges are dearer. Carry cash in pesos, which many places prefer and which can stretch further. For the quality of food, wine and experience against the price, it offers a great deal.

When is the best time to visit Argentina?

It depends on the region, as the seasons are reversed from the northern hemisphere. Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are the best all-rounders, ideal for Buenos Aires and Mendoza; Patagonia and the lake district are best from November to March, with skiing in June to August; and Iguazú is good year-round. For a multi-region trip, the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn give the widest spread of fine weather across the country.

Boutique Hotels in Argentina - Andes to Patagonia Stays

Where to go in Argentina

Most journeys begin in Buenos Aires, the grand, late-living capital on the River Plate — a city of belle-époque boulevards, tango, world-class steak and strong-charactered barrios, and a destination in its own right for several days. From there the country fans out. To the west, against the Andes, lies Mendoza, the heart of Argentine wine: high-desert vineyards of Malbec around Luján de Cuyo and its village of Vistalba, with the cordillera as a backdrop and long cellar lunches the order of the day.

South begins Patagonia, and with it the Andean lake district of Neuquén, where the Seven Lakes Route threads between glacial lakes and snow-capped peaks past the towns of San Martín de los Andes and Villa La Angostura — a land of forests, fishing and skiing. Further south still are the icons of deep Patagonia: the blue immensity of the Perito Moreno glacier near El Calafate, the peaks of El Chaltén, the whales and penguins of the Valdés Peninsula, and Ushuaia at the end of the world. And in the far subtropical north thunders Iguazú, one of the greatest waterfalls on earth. It is a vast country; pick two or three regions, not all of them, in a single trip.

Food, culture and where to stay

To travel in Argentina is to eat and drink superbly. The asado — the slow grill of beef and lamb — is the national ritual, the parrilla its temple, and Malbec from Mendoza its natural partner; add Italian-rooted pasta and pizza, the empanada, dulce de leche in all its forms, and the late, sociable rhythm of meals taken at ten and lingered over for hours. Culture runs just as deep: tango in the milongas of Buenos Aires, the gaucho on the plains, football as a national faith, and a warmth and intensity that mark the whole country.

For where to stay, the club's choices map Argentina's best. In Buenos Aires, design-led Home Hotel and Hotel Pulitzer, the theatrical Faena and the landmark Casa Lucia span the city's barrios. In the Neuquén lake district, the tiny riverside Río Hermoso near San Martín and the lakefront Don El Faro at Villa La Angostura bookend the Seven Lakes Route. And in Mendoza, the wine-and-wellness Entre Cielos sits among the Malbec vines of Vistalba. City, lakes or wine country — pick your Argentina, and there is a place to match.

When to go

Argentina spans so many latitudes that the question is less when to visit than where you are going — and because it lies in the southern hemisphere, the seasons run opposite to Europe and North America. Buenos Aires is loveliest in spring (September to November), when the jacarandas bloom, and in autumn (March to May), both mild and uncrowded. Patagonia and the lake district have a narrow window: November to March for hiking, the lakes and the glaciers, with the ski season in the southern winter of June to August. Mendoza's wine country is at its best in autumn, around the March harvest, and in spring; and the subtropical Iguazú Falls reward a visit year-round, with the highest water in March and April. Time your trip to the region you most want, and aim for the shoulder months of spring and autumn for the widest spread of good weather.