All posts by ggnb

Day Trip from Buenos Aires #2: Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

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Hop on a ferry from Buenos Aires and visit Colonia, Uruguay for a day
Hop on a ferry from Buenos Aires and visit Colonia, Uruguay for a day

My second time around in Buenos Aires, having ticked most of the tourist boxes successfully on my first visit, I found myself with some time to explore the surrounding areas. I visited Tigre for the day on one occasion, and on another I thought, “Well, why not be a bit cheeky and add Uruguay to the list of countries I’ve visited?” after all, it is only across the river (the mighty Rio de la Plata).

 

The two most famous destinations are the capital, Montevideo, and THE beach, Punta del Este; instead, I chose the old (since the 1680s), small city (less than 30,000 people) of Colonia del Sacramento. The barrio historico (historic district) is a UNESCO designated world heritage site. I have visited a few of these protected colonial historic districts in Latin America, such as Old Havana, Pelourinho in Salvador, Cartagena in Colombia, Sao Luis in the north of Brazil, the Centro Historico in Quito, etc., but Colonia’s rivals the best of these in terms of how well it has been preserved.

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Day Trip from Buenos Aires #1: Tigre

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If you have an extra day in Buenos Aires, why not visit Tigre?
If you have an extra day in Buenos Aires, why not visit Tigre?

If you are fortunate enough that your 3-day weekend in Buenos Aires turns into a 4-day weekend, I recommend a short excursion north by train to the quaint community of Tigre. The train from Retiro Station in Buenos Aires covers the 30km trip north in just under an hour.

 

Despite the appearance of the run-down house in the cover photo to this post, Tigre is a beautiful town that in appearance is not unlike parts of the Northeast United States. Quaint picket fences and manicured lawns encircle pretty houses, each with their own pier. Why is a pier necessary? Well,  a significant portion of the town is networked not by roads but by canals and so the way to get around is by boat–either your own or by using the ferry service. Fortunately for visitors, the ferry service is a great way to get around the area and have a pleasant cruise among the waterways and nice houses. Below is a brief cruising tour via photography.

Tigre, named for the panthers (“tigers”) that used to be seen in this Rio Parana delta town, is very much worth your spending an afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires.

A 3-Day Weekend in Buenos Aires, Part 3

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Sunday charm in Buenos Aires
Sunday charm in Buenos Aires
Part Three: Day Two Continued…
This is part three of my series on Buenos Aires. I’ve chosen to publish my photos here in black and white to reflect the charm of the city. Each thumbnail has been cropped, but will expand to full size with a click.
The next morning I enjoy a bit of a sleep-in. I’ve chosen to stay at the OWN Hotel Palermo location this time, where I have a large studio on the top floor of the hotel, with an ample wrap-around private balcony with commanding views of the parks and apartment buildings nearby (no views of the beautiful, historic downtown core from here). When I last stayed there in 2010, my room rate was around $160 a night. My latest check shows that this room is now $230 a night, with junior suites with no balcony running around $160. Not as cheap as it once was, but still more affordable than many big cities, and there are more than a few options from which to choose.

 

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