This is Argentina by de Dios Editores

TOP DESTINATIONS

THIS IS

ARGENTINA

200 PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BEST PLACES IN ARGENTINA

This is Argentina Copyright © 2010 de Dios Editores Buenos Aires / Argentina Concept: Julián de Dios. Edition: María Virginia Salazar Translation: Nicholas Tozer & Ruth Muchnik Reserach: Gabriel Magda y Soledad Acuña Art: Francisco Quesada

de Dios Editores. info@dediosonline.com www.dediosonline.com

This is Argentina I.S.B.N. 978-987-9445-51-8 ® Third Revised Reprint - March 2010 Printed in Buenos Aires / Argentina Printed in Latingráfica, Rocamora 4161 (1184) The material used in this publication has been approved by the IGM through resolution GG07 0953/5 dated May 2007. Special Sales: For special copies, translations or wholesale purchases, contact: ventascorporativas@dediosonline.com Rights reserved: The deposit required by Act 11723 has been made. The partial or total reproduction of the material contained in this publication is expressly prohibited. The Editor shall not be responsible for errors or omissions of information contained in this publication or for the consequences thereof. Photographs: Julián de Dios / Eduardo Longoni / Gianpaolo Pagano M., Fotolia / Niv Koren, Fotolia / Sascha F., Fotolia / JOETEX1, Fotolia / Pablo Hernán, Fotolia / Maccoyouns, Fotolia / Rrruss, Fotolia / Holger Mette, Fotolia / Galina Barskaya, Fotolia / Alma, Fotolia / Sduggan, Fotolia / GlobalTraveller, Fotolia / Guillermo Vasto, Fotolia / Eduardo Rivero, Fotolia / Anton Prado, Fotolia / Gaelj, Fotolia / Mavit, Fotolia / Rm, Fotolia / Fainmen, Fotolia / Tebi34, Fotolia / Joan Albert Lluch, Fotolia / Benjamin Cabassot, Fotolia / Hotte, Fotolia / Nahza, Fotolia / Antonia Kalle, Fotolia / Pablo Debat, Fotolia / King, Fotolia / Christian Heit, Fotolia / Leonardo Jerez, Fotolia / Giacomo Ciangottini, Fotolia / Tango, Fotolia / Santa001, Fotolia / Andrew Martin, Fotolia / Maria Mitrofanova, Fotolia / Olga Canals, Fotolia / Lafinur, Fotolia / Sebastián Fernández Díaz, Fotolia / Fernando Giani, Fotolia / Tebi34, Fotolia / Peterz, Fotolia / Carlos Ameglio, Fotolia / Lino Beltrame, Fotolia / Kkaplin, Fotolia / Steve Estvanik, Fotolia / Staphy, Fotolia / Norberto Lauria, Fotolia / Chameleoneyes, Fotolia / Pablo Hernán, Fotolia / Photoxpress/i-ken / Sectur Nación / Imágenes Argentinas / Sandra Olmos, Sectur Jujuy / Subsecretaría de Turismo de San Juan / Bodegas Etchart / Programa Antártico Argentino / Museo Histórico Naciona / Museo Eva Perón / Editorial Atlántida / Grupo Burco / Agencia Córdoba Turismo / Guillermina Gómez Romero / Secretaría de Turismo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires / Secretaría Turismo y Deportes Pcia. De Bs. As / La Pascuala Delta Lodge / Daniel Dapari / Dirección Turismo de Corrientes / Joaquín Carrillo, Sectur Jujuy / Sectur Nación /Imágenes Argentinas / Sandra Olmos / Joaquín Carrillo / Juan Rodriguez, SecTur Salta / Mara Miura / SecTur Salta. / Bodegas Etchart / Secretaría de Coordinación Regional de Catamarca / Agencia de Turismo de La Rioja / Subsecretaría de Turismo de San Juan / Bodegas Trapiche / Mauro Leone, Agencia Córdoba Turismo / Agencia Córdoba Turismo / SecTur San Luis / Estancia La Candelaria / Estancia La Enriqueta SA. / Estancia La Isolina / Arelauquen Golf & Club, Grupo Burco / Melito Cerezo, Asociación Argentina de Polo / Gabriel Rojo, Subsecretaría de Turismo de La Pampa / Hotel Correntoso, Palmiro Bedeschi / SecTur Neuquén / Posada La Escondida, Villa Pehuenia / Neuquentur / SecTur Bariloche / Catedral Alta Patagonia – DeFotos.com / El Pedral Lodge, gentileza Grupo Burco / SecTur Chubu / NA Town & Country / SecTur Santa Cruz / Michel Biquard y Alberto del Castillo / José Guaquel / Osvaldo Peralta, Infuetur / Andrés Camacho, SecTur Ushuaia / A. Camacho, SecTur Ushuaia / Programa Antártico Argentino / Osvaldo Peralta, Gentileza Infuetur.

de Dios, Julián This is Argentina - 3a ed. - Buenos Aires : De Dios Editores, 2010. 96 p. ; 26x20 cm. ISBN 978-987-9445-51-8 1. Turismo-Argentina. I. Título CDD 338.479 109 82

Perito Moreno Glacier. One of the country’s locations that has been designated as UNESCO Heritage of Humanity sites due to their importance.

Argentina in few words With a surface of 3,761,274 sq. km, Argentina is one of the largest countries of the Americas. It borders Bolivia and Paraguay to the North; Brazil, Uruguay and the Atlantic Ocean to the East; and Chile to the West. Its territory is divided into twenty three (23) provinces and has a population of about 40 million inhabitants. The five Argentinean regions offer the traveler a menu that is as varied as it is tempting. In the Central region is where Buenos Aires, a creative and captivating metropolis, cradle of Tango, Jorge Luis Borges and Diego Maradona, is located. A few kilometers away there are various attractions, from the Delta of the Tigre to the enormous beaches of Mar del Plata or the majestic “estancia” farms open to the public. Further into the center, the provinces of Córdoba and San Luis are well-known because of their mountain towns and churches, witnesses of their Jesuit past. Bordered by several rivers, the Mesopotamia is a famous region because of its natural wealth: the Iberá

wetlands, the Iguazú waterfalls, the woods of Misiones and the El Palmar National Park. In the far north of the country, the NWA (North West Argentina or NOA in Spanish) is a magical region where the traditions of the original peoples co-exist with the colonial customs. The Puna highlands of Salta and Jujuy, the Quebrada de Humahuaca gorge, the Train to the Clouds, the small enchanted towns such as Iruya and the wine cellars of Cafayate are some of the region’s ‘must’ places. Bordering the Andes mountain range, the Cuyo region presents great contrasts, from the deserts of San Juan to the snow-white peak of the Aconcagua, passing through the wine-cellar route of Mendoza, famous for of its Malbec wines, and the geological Parks of Talampaya and the Valle de la Luna. Also in the South, we find the Patagonia, a fascinating region where the Seven Lakes Circuit, the Valdés Peninsula, famous for the yearly visits by whales stand out as do the Perito Moreno Glacier and the city of Ushuaia, with its lighthouse at the end of the world, that Jules Verne dreamt of. 3

History

Historic Images. Juan de Garay, Cabildo of Buenos Aires, José de San Martín, Domingo Sarmiento, Eva Perón and Jorge Luis Borges.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America and changed the history of this part of the world. In February 1516, the Spanish seaman Juan Diaz de Solis entered the estuary of the River Plate, becoming the first European to arrive in the region that, 400 years later, became Argentina. Solis was looking for a passage towards the East Indies when he died on the banks of the River Plate in an ambush by local natives. In 1526, Italian navigator Sebastian Gabot arrived in the area and sailed up the Parana River in search of food.Then he built a fortress close to present city of Rosario and received silver pieces from the natives, marking the beginning of a legend that centuries later would give its name to the country.The territory’s colonization was started in 1536 when Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza founded Buenos Aires, that was followed by the foundations of Santiago del Estero in 1553, Cordoba and Santa Fe in 1573. In 1580 Juan de Garay re-founded Buenos Aires for the second time since the first settlement had been destroyed. In the mid 18th century, the population of Buenos Aires was 20,000 inhabitants. In 1776, the territory occupied by present-day Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay was separated from Peru and this was how the Viceroyalty of the River Plate was created. In 1806 and 1807, a British fleet attacked Buenos Aires and was expelled by a nascent popular militia. For the inhabitants of the colony, this incident was crucial in relation to the possibilities of becoming independent. On May 25, 1810, a public assembly was held at the colonial town council Cabildo that ousted Viceroy Cisneros and named a provisional Junta headed by Cornelio Saavedra. An army was formed and the heroic war of independence began led by General Jose de San Martin, considered to be the “Father of the Nation”. Finally the representatives of the different provinces met in Tucuman and on the 9th July, 1816, proclaimed independence from Spain under the Constitution of the United Provinces of South America (later on the United Provinces of the River Plate). Suddenly internal struggles began and in 1824 Bernardino Rivadavia was appointed President of the Argentine nation, a name that started being used at that moment.The National Constitution was approved in 1853, establishing the foundations for present-day Argentina

Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO has awarded this distinction to nine Argentine sites.

Description The name ‘Argentina’ stems from “argentum” that, in Latin, means “silver”, since the first Spanish conquerors arrived in this part of the world looking for this valuable metal. The Argentine territory is composed by twenty 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the country’s federal capital. It has a representative, republican and federal government that is divided into the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Powers. The official language is Spanish and its currency is the Argentine Peso. The main religion is the Roman Catholic, although there is total freedom of belief and an ample variety of religions are professed. Most of its 37,000,000 inhabitants are the descendants of European immigration, especially from Spain and Italy. Compared with other Latin American countries, Argentina has a small percentage of mixed race ‘mestizo’ or pure indigenous population. The Argentine territory is characterized by its vast extension stretching 3,779 kilometers between the extreme north and south. This ampleness is characterized by a variety of weathers and unbelievably fertile soils that range from the aridity of the Puna

valleys to the fertile fields of the pampas, from the ski resorts of the Andes mountain range to the beach resorts of the Buenos Aires coast. Examples of such a diversity of landscapes can be seen by the number of Argentine locations that UNESCO has designated as Heritage of Humanity sites: the Quebrada de Humahuaca gorge, the Ischigualasto Natural Park, the Talampaya Natural Park, the Los Glaciares National Park, the Iguazú National Park, the Jesuit Missions of Mesopotamia, the Jesuit Route of Córdoba, the Valdés Peninsula and the Cueva de las Manos rock paintings. As a country, Argentina is extremely wealthy as far as culture and traditions are concerned, with its own gastronomy, that includes typical dishes like the ‘asado’ barbecue, still prepared with methods similar to those used by the Creole people during the 19th century. Other Argentine delicacies are the ‘locro’ meat and vegetable stew, the ‘empanada’ turnovers whose filling changes according to the different provinces, the ‘carbonada’ stew,‘humita’ tamales and the caramelized milk ‘dulce de leche’.The ‘mate’ is a beverage prepared with’‘yerba mate’ herb, that became the national beverage and to share it round the fireside is one of the Argentine countryman’s long standing traditions. 5

Puerto Madero. The old port of Buenos Aires was remodeled and became one of the most modern and interesting districts of the city.

Teatro Colón. One of the world’s most famous opera houses where, among other stars, Enrico Caruso and Maria Callas performed.

Buenos Aires at night. From Puerto Madero, one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city can be truly appreciated.

Floralis Generica. Emplaced here in 2002, it is 20 meters high and its petals open as the day goes by.

The falls seen from the water. At the lower Iguazú River´s quay, rubber dinghy excursions to foot of the falls in an unforgettable trip, can be hired.

The Iguazú Falls Declared as Heritage Site of Humanity by the United Nations, the Iguazú Falls are one of the most dazzling waterfalls of the planet. Over its 275 cascades the waters of the Iguazú River fall from heights that go from 40 to 80 meters. This natural show is completed with an almost permanent rainbow in the clouds formed by the spray of the falling water. They were discovered in 1541 by the Spanish Governor Alvar 8

Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, who named them the Saint Mary Waterfalls. Later, they were mentioned in the maps and writings of the Jesuits.The culminating point of the falls is the Garganta del Diablo or Devil’s Throat: a natural horseshoe in the river at which the 14 falls carrying the largest volume of water, converge. Through a footbridge that is over a thousand meters long, built on the river, you are just steps away from the abyss and the Garganta del Diablo’s natural show can be enjoyed in its full dimension.

Other remarkable waterfalls shared by Argentina and Brazil are the San Martín fall, with a height of 75 meters, the Two Sisters, the Adam and Eve and the Bosetti falls, the bottom of which can be reached by a footbridge, one of the favourite spots for photographers. Another attraction here is San Martín Island, located in the midst of the waterfalls, with three paths and viewpoints from where panoramic views of other falls, such as the hidden “Escondido” and window-shaped “La Ventana”, can be spotted.

The falls are part of the Iguazú National Park, 67,620 hectares of virgin jungle, where various endangered species are protected, including the ‘yaguareté’ jaguar, over 400 bird species and around 2,000 plants, explaining why it is one of the world’s largest bio-diversity landscapes. The park also has an interpretation center, an ecological train and various paths that go deep into the jungle and which can be visited both on foot or bicycle.

The best polo. Polo players with the best handicap in thedeworld Argentina. Polo del mejor. En Argentina se encuentran los jugadores más are alto in handicap del mundo.

Polo

with inicia the a mediados world’s de highest agosto handicaps. con distintos The certámenes, tournament season siendo begins los más in importantes mid August with aquellos different quecompetitions conforman Undoubtedly, Sin lugar a dudas, the best en Argentina polo of the se juega worldelismejor played among la Triple which Corona: the most el important Abierto are de those Hurlingham, included in Argentina. polo del mundo. The sportElwas deporte introduced fue introducido in the country al in el Abierto the TripledeCrown: Tortugas they,Hurlingham a fines de noviembre, Open, the th by English país por los farmers estancieros at the end ingleses of thea19fines century del siglo and Tortugas el Abierto Open deand Palermo, the Palermo que Open se lleva that a takes cabo place en el the XIXlocal y los“criollo” criollos,Creole que practicaban people, whouna used competencia to practice at Campo the Argentine Argentino Polo Field de Polo of Buenos de Buenos Aires. TheAires. latter asimilar similarllamado game called “pato”, ‘pato’’– lo adoptaron or duck after conthe facilidad. animal is Este both último a sporting es un evento and social deportivo meetingy social with over con más one that Actualmente was originally en el used país hay in the más game de tres – rapidly mil jugadores adopted hundred de 100 años yearsdeofhistoria, history behind al que asisten it, whichpersonalidades is attended by it. inscriptos, At present, entrethere los que are over se encuentran three thousand los delisted más personalities de todo el mundo from all y en over el cual the world el equipo withtriunfador the winning es players alto handicap in thedel country, mundo.among La temporada whom we de torneos find those se team considerado considered el “campeón to be the world mundial”. champion. 10

Triple Corona Crown. The del polo Hurlingham mundial. Open, En los themeses Tortugas de noviembre Open and the y diciembre Palermo Open se realizan are theel most Abierto important de Hurlingham, polo tournaments el Abierto de of Argentina. Tortugas y They el Abierto take place de Palermo duringconsiderados November anlos December. torneos de polo mรกs importantes de Argentina.

TOP DESTINATIONS 200 colour photographs of the most beautiful places in Argentina Complete map of Argentina, with cities, towns, routes, airports and national parks. Scale 1 : 7.125.000 Descriptions of the main attractions: Buenos Aires, Esteros del Ibera, The Iguazu Falls, Quebrada de Humahuaca, The Puna, Talampaya, Train to the Clouds, Valle de la Luna, Cuyo, The Wine route, Patagonia area, Bariloche, Seven Lakes Circuit, farms, Peninsula Valdés, Nahuel Huapi Lake, El Chaltén, El Calafate, Perito Moreno Glacier, Ushuaia, Beagle Channel, Antarctica and much more... ® www.dediosonline.com

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