1. Uruguay

Colonia del Sacramento, famous for its beautiful architecture, colonial history and relaxing riverside retreats, is definitely worth to be visited during a weekend.

Recommendation:

• There are two options to get to Colonia by boat. The faster boat takes about 1 h to get there. If you take the slower boat (around 3 h) you can save a lot of money and pay around half of the price. Book your trip at the Buquebus (Av. Córdoba 867; Tel: 011 4316–6500) or Colonia Express office in Buenos Aires. After visiting the beautiful city, it’s more than recommendable to combine this trip with a tour to Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo. By taking the bus, you can be in Montevideo in just 1 h!
• Important: Don’t forget to bring your passport!

2. Mar del Plata

Known for its great beach parties and “su buena onda”, the region Mar de Plata is a popular area to go for the Argentineans during the holiday season. Join the locals and spend a weekend in the nice zone with a glass of Malbec in one hand and a Choripán in the other, watching the sun going down.

Recommendation:

• Especially during the high season in December to February hostels can be rare and expensive. Rent an Airbnb with some friends or try one of the plenty camping spots.

3. Rosario

Located 300 km northwest of Buenos Aires and close to Parana River, you can find another green spot to spend a weekend around Buenos Aires. Enjoy a day close to the water by renting a kayak or booking a boat tour or chill in one of the parks. After a relaxing day in the nature, enjoy eating seafood at a restaurant overlooking the Parana River or go out for dancing! Beside its green spots — thanks to the many students in the city — Rosario is known for its variety of clubs and nightlife.

Recommendation:

• Take a bus from the bus terminal in Retiro. From here it will take you around 4 hours to get to Rosario.
• Interested in Black Jack, Poker and Co.? In Rosario you can visit one South Americas biggest casinos, open from Monday to Sunday 12 pm — 5 am at Bv. Orono / Av. Circunvalación, Rosario 2000; Tel:+54 800–222–2489.

4. Mendoza

Mendoza — famous for its tasty wines and beautiful landscapes is a great option to spend a weekend away from the crowded city. Located near the border of Chile, Mendoza is considered to be Argentina’s main wine region with dozens of wineries proffer tastings and vineyard lodgings.

Recommendation:

• Instead of booking an over-expensive guided winery tour, just do it by yourself! A lot of wineries are located close to a big street. So just rent a bike for around 8 US-Dollar a day and cycle from winery to winery, taste Malbec and Co. and learn something about the Argentinean way of life! The owners of the bicycle rental shops are more than willing to help you with the tour organization and offer free maps, so that getting lost can just be caused by your wine consume. The entrance in the wineries is around 5 US-Dollar and includes a guided tour around the winery, an introduction in the science of winegrowing and — the most important part — a tasting of 3–5 different wines.
• After all the wine, don’t miss a visit of one of the olive oil factories!

5. San Antonio de Areco

Only two hours from the capital by bus and typical for the Argentinean countryside, you will find a small city called San Antonio de Areco. Just 112 km away from Buenos Aires you enter into another world, far away from the overcrowded metros, the busy streets and the porteño lifestyle. A place, where siesta time is still important and time has another meaning.

Enjoy the other side of the Argentinean culture, amble around the weekly market, find some nice traditional handicrafts at the markets and have a cup of mate in the sun. A perfect place to forget about the noise in the capital, and probably the reason why this city is so popular for a weekend getaway for porteños and visitors alike.

Recommendation:

• You have the option to travel to San Antonio de Areco in November? Then don’t miss the famous Día de la Tradición, Argentina’s largest gaucho celebration hosted by the gaucho capital of Argentina.
• Find out more information about what to do in this beautiful city.

Do you have another great tip what to do on the weekends around Buenos Aires? Share it in the comments.

Originally published on Ailola by Julia Phillips on August 12, 2017.