San Antonio de Areco
A colonial town on the Pampas grasslands, known as the cultural capital of Argentine gaucho culture. Estancia day trips offer horseback riding, horse-taming shows and asado barbecue.
San Antonio de Areco lies about 110 km northwest of Buenos Aires. The town preserves low colonial houses and cobblestone streets, with silver and leather workshops, the Ricardo Güiraldes Gaucho Museum (named after the author of the novel Don Segundo Sombra), and old pulperías, the traditional country taverns. Most visitors take an estancia day trip, which includes an asado barbecue at a grassland ranch, horseback riding, gauchos demonstrating horse-taming, and traditional dances. Transfers are included, and the trip costs about USD 100–150. The Día de la Tradición, a traditional festival held in early November each year, is the liveliest time to visit. To travel independently, take a long-distance bus from the Retiro bus terminal, a journey of about 2 hours.
Opening hours
Town open all day; manor day tours approx. 10:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Tigre Delta
- Palermo
- Buenos Aires Botanical Garden
- Parque Tres de Febrero (Bosques de Palermo)
- Galileo Galilei Planetarium
- Evita Museum
- Japanese Garden (Buenos Aires)
- Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires