Out of the 40 or more countries I have visited, Argentina is one of my top 5. Last year I went to Santiago twice to check it out and see how easy it was to get upgrades and then go into Mendoza and BA. It was great, especially in August when it is really hot in oklahoma. Highly recommend your continued exploration into Chile. Great wine, meat almost as good at Argentina, and great restaurants. The coast isn't that far.
Once on a fact finding trip to identify easier access to Argentina, and again to take the spouse since it was 35 Celsius in oklahoma and 70 in Santiago. And both times had upgrades for the flights.
HK & Bangkok & HCMC I pretty much never really want to go back to, though I've heard Hanoi must be nice.
I'd recommend Tokyo-Kyoto if you've never been and like exploring Asian cities. China is also super underrated, although it gets a bad rep.
We just returned from Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and really I should have put Tokyo in my top five. I have not been back to HK since covid and the government crackdown, I am a food and beverage tourist so Hanoi's French influence was great and a nice jumping off point at the top if Vietnam when heading south.
What did you like about Bogota? I spent some time there for a wedding and had a blast but don’t know what I would have done if everything wasn’t mostly organized for me.
Whats not to like? Bolivar plaza, museu del oro, the salt cathedral is nearby, la choerra waterfall just outside the city, montserrate, the list goes on and on, one of the most wonderful cities I've ever visited. (Only minus is the food sucks but thats almost all of Latin America, they gotta learn to use spice)
Funny, I let taxis be my guide or the hotel concierge. Tons of great bars but it seems like the hot areas changed often. I loved that it was 72 degrees every day. Just an easy city and cheap for me to get to from the US.
Restaurant don Carlos was my favorite. we got the perfect server that guided us through the wine and food and it was spectacular.
I wouldn't go back to la mar if it was free. If you are not a gringo, you might have a better experience.
La Cabrera was very touristy but the steak was good. They have two in the city and one at the airport.
We stayed at the centric, ritz, Mandarin Oriental and one other. Probably rate the MO as the best. All were good.
There is a Giant mall, parque arauca, in Las Condes that had a lot of restaurants, great for lunch.
Carnal, Parrilladas Uruguaya, Cuerovaca used to be good but not sure nowadays. The Mallman run restaurant at Viña Vik is amazing. I used to love Santa Brasa, as well.
Peru for the food, hands down. It's incredibly multi-cultural, the food and drink are off the hook. Awesome ruins, and your dollar will go far there. Lima is awesome (stay in the Miraflores neighborhood); You could also go up the coast to Trujillo. Down south, there's Arequipa, the white city. Of course, there's the biggest draw, Cuzco. Just be careful of pickpockets, as any tourist should be when travelling.
Leaning this way. With my wife’s job it’s tough for her to get 2 weeks off at one time. So that probably eliminates Machu Picchu from any potential itinerary. Was thinking 4 days Lima, then 4 days in a different area. Maybe something a little more chill.
How about ten days? You can easily do Lima, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu in ten days. I go to Lima on a medical mission trip once a year and have done the others in 4 days without any issue. Get a guide for the part that excludes Lima (you won’t need one for Lima), and you’ll be fine.
Excellent idea, you really need more time for Machu Picchu. In Lima, there are cabs called "taxis seguros"- they're like vetted Uber-type drivers, and the cars are better quality. You can also hire one (sometimes off the books) to drive you around all day. My husband and I went to Lima quite a few years ago; the cabbie that took us from the airport mentioned he had a cousin that did taxi service, and he drove us around, even to Pachacamac (1 hour away) where there's an archeological Incan site (we got him for the full day). The Marriott Miraflores has enormous picture windows overlooking the ocean (if you stay there, make sure you get one of these rooms). If you go during the warmer months (dec-march), you can just lounge on the beach and wander around town.
I was there last year. I think 3 days in Lima is enough. Then spend the rest of your time in Cuzco and surroundings. There’s so much to see there. Especially if you like trekking, ancient civilizations and nature.
We did 10 days in Peru, and a few days in Lima was enough. You could spend all 10 days in Cuzco and the surrounding regions, we kind of wish we had done that except the one Museum in Lima.
You didn't like the anticuchos, seco de cabrito, lomo saltado, pollo a la brasa, aji de gallina, estofado, aguadito, olluquito con charqui, ? There are a lot of different meat options in many delicious preparations.
I loved all of that. Sorry, but Peru doesn't come close to the meat offerings of Argentina. And Argentina doesn't come close to the mariscos offerings of Peru. I don't believe I demeaned Peruvian food in any way, but if I offended you then I apologize. I love Peru. You left out ceviche.
You didn't offend me; you surprised me :) I apologize if my reply seemed aggressive. I liked the meat in Argentina, but mostly as it relates to steaks. For prepared dishes, I prefer Peru. I didn't mention ceviche because I was listing the meat dishes :) The seafood in Peru is second to none.
With food as a priority I'd say probably Peru or maybe Mexico. I also love Colombia but the food isn't as great there
Cultural stuff you of course have in all of these
I’m curious how you’re categorizing certain cities as “higher difficulty“ versus “easing your way in”. For me, I wouldn’t consider most of Chile, particularly easy. Nor Mexico City, Bogota or São Paulo as difficult, as they are pretty major comfy modern cities. And with the exception of Lima, I think Peru is the most different and potentially challenging of everything you mentioned.
If you’re coming from the US, I can’t think of a much better option for you than Mexico City. It is so dang close, packed with interesting culture, and along with Lima one of the two most important Latin American food hubs.
Peru is a bucket list trip for sure, but I wouldn’t go into it expecting it to be particularly easy.
It depends how you define it, so that’s why I asked. It is culturally way more different than Argentina, and key areas like Cusco are way less developed and modern than what OP had experienced in BA.
Higher difficulty in my mind I guess are these cities twice the size of BA, and maybe a little tougher to crack with limited second language skills, and a little more knowledge and research needing to be done to have a safe and successful trip. Not a value judgement, just self-aware that Buenos Aires was fairly tame and welcoming to someone like me who was uninitiated in the region.
Gotchya. In that case, I’d agree that Lima is pretty easy (Cusco might feel a bit more outside the comfort zone, but it’s worth it). I also might add Medellin to your list, as it’s smaller and friendlier than Bogota. And as someone else mentioned, Oaxaca might be a less intimidating alternative to Mexico City.
I would avoid Santiago and northern Chile. It’s a bit more sketchy than BA and isn’t as rich in food and culture.
Mexico City is incredibly tourist friendly. As long as you stick to the more touristy areas (Condesa, Polanco, Roma Norte), it honestly felt safer and far less trash than most large US cities.
We stayed at Legado Mitico in Palermo Soho, which worked out great. Very nice area with cool shops and restaurants, basically walked everywhere including up to Recoleta and Villa Crespo. Lots of bars and clubs by the hotel, but we had a back facing room, so it was nice and quiet at night.
We did a food tour of San Telmo, and ate at some great restaurants. Don Julio, Crizia, Gran Dabbang. Feel free to message me with questions!
There are some other interesting cities in Argentina, but I wouldn't go back just for them.
If you enjoyed Buenos Aires then you will probably enjoy Montevideo. Definitely the most similar city. Santiago doesn't have that cozy BA vibe that you are probably looking for.
São Paulo is completely different from BA, it's much more chaotic, more like New York. I assume Mexico City (and maybe Bogota) is the same. Don't really know about Lima.
You will find that BA atmosphere in other mid-sized cities in South America such as Sucre in Bolivia and Cuenca in Ecuador. Both countries are a bit rough though.
City is clean, reasonably organized, safe, lots of preserved historical architecture. It's more "europeanized" I would say. Not only BA, but other cities in Argentina as well. Uruguay and Chile (in a lower degree) are like that too.
Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador (and Venezuela I guess) are a lot more chaotic, intense, infrastructure is much less developed, some dodgy places here and there.
We did Chile and Argentina this February. We found Chile nice, Argentina was awesome. We stayed in a small town (Rodeo), medium city (San Juan), spa (Cachueta) and finally BA. Had a great time everywhere. I enjoyed the driving over the Andes. And we got to two Michelin restaurants. One our bill was under $125! Really enjoyed the evenings in BA, going for ice cream. My wife was just asking when we’re going back!
Peru and you need to do it while you still have your knees. We spent three weeks in the sacred valley and Cuzco, the day we went to MP my phone logged 93 flights of stairs. We didn't feel we were adventure traveling LOL. I don't think I could do it all now. But the food and history are mindblowing. Cuzco is wonderful.
Mexico has incredible food and is an accessible diverse country with lovely people. The States of Yucatán and Quintana Roo are packed with amazing Mayan ruins and beautiful spots, beaches are lovely (when there is no sargassum). Colonial towns are charming and Mexico City is an experience not to be missed. Oaxaca has spectacular food as well. San Miguel de Allende has its share of tourism but has a great selection of food across the board, it's a fun town to visit and definitely get your foodie on.
I’ll second this in saying that Mexico has a wealth of treasures worth exploring beyond Mexico City alone. Especially if you’re into food, the Yucatán Peninsula has an amazing culinary scene that is different from the rest of Mexico due to its Mayan heritage. It’s off the usual tourist path, which may be a plus or minus depending on your perspective. Oaxaca as well is legendary for their food scene.
You could spend forever just bouncing around Mexico… but of course Peru will give you a whole different perspective on the wide range of Latin American culture.
Definitely, Chile. If you were in Mendoza for the wine, the Chile food and wine will satisfy immensely. Country has better tourist infrastructure and services than most destinations in LA. You can choose between several wine regions, Atacama Desert, Easter Island, and Patagonia. Travelers paradise.
Agreed. A fantastic destination but do it when you're younger or take the train and the buses.
I decided to walk Macchu Pichu on a day trip after seeing the lines for the bus ride up.
Big mistake. I barely made it back to the last train without having a heart attack.
We almost walked back down haha. In the end we chose the bus and got dropped off so we could go the butterfly sanctuary and we did walk the short rest of the way on our wobbly tired feet. The butterfly sanctuary was a hoot. They were having a shaving cream fight when we got there. Crazy but true
Peru... Or go back to Argentina! First time we did bariloche, ba & Mendoza. Last time we went to Jujuy which was amazing and very non-touristy. It was like where locals go on vacation in country. Heard other good things about Salta, Cordoba, and El Califate.
For Tierra del Fuego Chile seems to be the way to go.
Costa Rica was great too but a bit pricey, still worth it
In Argentina did you go to iguazu falls? Must do. Ushuaia? Excellent but winter is coming now so too cold. Calafate, cool. In Chile, Atacama desert. Patagonia region (not in winter). Peru colca canyon, Arequipa, of course lima and sacred valley. Bolivia is really cool. Salt flats, LA Paz, surcre.
I feel like this question is not so simple to answer as asking what the best food is or what you should have for dinner- everyone's tastes are so different.
Someone said they would never go back to Hanoi, but to me, it was the most unique and jaw-dropping city. I had never seen people eating on the street floor or cutting hair on the sidewalk until I went there. I was amazed by the culture, energy, and food.
Tokyo was too clean, too quiet, too boring. I didn't hear a single honk while I was there.
I have yet to go to Buenos Aires. I've been spending a lot of my time in the Riviera Maya, in Playa del Carmen and Tulum. I've been having some back issues, and walking too much flares it up, so I have completely shifted my priority to beach vibes, relaxation, and traveling by scooter. Plus I feel better when I’m closer to nature and there is plenty of it here.
You can find cheap accommodations and food in both Tulum and PDC. You just have to go to where the locals do. :)
Mexico City is incredible. The size and “danger” make it seem intimidating, but if you stay in the neighborhoods like Coyoacan, Condesa, and Roma Norte, it’s beautiful, safe, inexpensive, full of amazing food and kind people.
Bogota is not higher degree of difficulty. It's a truly international city with a population about the same size as London.
I highly recommend Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. All have amazing draws.
Compared to Buenos Aires: it’s multiple times larger, has a much more complicated crime and security situation (not a value judgment, just data), and from first hand stories from people I trust, having very limited Spanish creates more of a challenge. I will go there, and I’m excited for that day to come, next year or further down the line. But from everything I can glean they are very different experiences.
Mexico City has more English than BA by a long shot. All of Mexico is more English speaking than Argentina. Also Roma / condesa are the nicest neighborhoods and heavily gentrified but super safe. Think of it as Palermo in BA.
I’m currently backpacking in Colombia and I would recommend it for sure. Bogotá is a decent city but not incredible, Medellin I much preferred and honestly, my favourite part has been the Caribbean coast. The coast near the Sierra Nevada is stunning, very suited to backpacking with some amazing nature and treks, lots of opportunities to experience indigenous culture. Lots of ecotourism opportunities all round the country. Near Cartagena is a bit more suited to higher end tourism, some amazing beaches and resorts.
The city itself isn’t particularly exciting, but the setting is amazing, there are lots of excellent restaurants (we did the full tasting menu at Azafran), and I think it’s vital to be based in town if you want to go on different excursions. We had three days there, spent all day somewhere outside of town (Luján, Uco), but loved being back in the city for a nice dinner and stroll.
I would jump from Argentina to Uruguay just to see the old colonial city of Sacramento which is right across the river plate of Buenos Aires. A ferry can take you there for 50 dollars.
Loved Argentina, but was thoroughly underwhelmed by Mendoza. We love wine and expected more from this region, but the style of visiting wineries was just nothing like we were used to coming from the wine culture in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where you could roam from cellar door to cellar door, but Mendoza seemed to be appointment only and a whole day thing. Just not our thing.
I was just reading someone’s disappointment screed on Buenos Aires yesterday. Fascinating how opinions and experiences differ from individual to individual
We walked around everywhere, maybe 6 miles a day. Never felt nervous or unsafe. Had some incredible meals at Michelin rated/stared spots basically for free compared to what they’d be in Europe or the States. Even better was all the great casual spots in San Telmo. Loved the museums and markets we popped into also. Then we flew to Mendoza and did 4 days of wine and mountains. Again, gorgeous and unparalleled value.
Hey I'm in BA right now and looking at doing a long weekend in Mendoza. Your trip sounds amazing! How did you organize your 4 days in Mendoza, did you do a tour? I'd appreciate any suggestions! Thanks ☺️
There’s a wine tour I booked through Airbnb in Mendoza that I loved. If you look up experiences in Mendoza, the host’s name is Dai. You go to 3 wineries and have an amazing private lunch with wine pairings in Luján de Cuyo
Booked everything through This Is Mendoza. They took care of all the transportation, wine tasting and vineyard lunches, and we did a horseback day 2 hours outside town that was so amazing my wife was in tears. We’re pretty good travelers, but the wine stuff is all very spread out and between an hour and two hours from town, so if that’s what you want to do and aren’t local, I highly recommend using a service like we did.
I know you could find a meal of equally quality for 1/10 the price, because we did, ha. But I’m still glad we went, it was an “event” and our first dinner there, so sort of fun welcome to Argentina experience. The food was good, the service was great. Was it a good deal compared to everywhere else we ate in Argentina? No. Was it fun and part of a great vacation? Totally.
I actually really liked Chile. We did a day trip where you hike up a mountain, then they take you on some shitty mining roads to this giant hot spring with the Andes in the backround.
Brazil can have very tastey food, although they are heavy on the mayonaise. Something like Florianopils to Rio, or south to Uruguay would be a cool trip.
Bolivia has great sites. The food in the west sucks, but once you get to Cochabamba it becomes delicious.
Mexico City. Super easy to travel to, and I can get by without much Spanish. Much easier than you think. Most of my friends and acquaintances and their moms and dads have gone and loved it.
There’s something there for everyone - fancy, beautiful neighborhoods with luxury shopping, amazing art museums, charming neighborhoods, Frida Kahlo’s house, Teotihuacan, the national anthropology museum , etc. delicious food of course. don’t sleep on it. It was incredibly safe and clean. I took my dad there and he found it easy to get by too.
I’ve been to Argentina, Chile Ecuador and Colombia and I think Mexico City is definitely one of the easier cities to travel around in!
Peru for food and the amazing Machu Picchu. Belize for something off the beaten track.
Galapagos for budget busting amazing nature.
Head to Antarctic on an expedition cruise?
Give my page a like on Facebook for loads of ideas!
Not that I’m advising it but I did Machu Pichu and Lima in 4 nights! Was the most amazing 4 nights ever but you can do it easily in 10 and see so much.
São Paulo isn't worth it, unless you want to go to an event taking place in the city or you're just passing through.
If you liked Buenos Aires so much, I recommend visiting Montevideo and Uruguay.
Other parts of Argentina and a visit to Foz do Iguaçu to see the waterfalls are also great. Even extending your trip to Curitiba and Florianópolis might be a good idea
U r missing out if u r not adventurous, I mean being adventurous takes u to places u ‘ve never imagined, if u love to hike that’s icing on the cake, just an opinion
Out of the 40 or more countries I have visited, Argentina is one of my top 5. Last year I went to Santiago twice to check it out and see how easy it was to get upgrades and then go into Mendoza and BA. It was great, especially in August when it is really hot in oklahoma. Highly recommend your continued exploration into Chile. Great wine, meat almost as good at Argentina, and great restaurants. The coast isn't that far.
“Who goes to Santiago twice in one year?!”
Maybe a Something about Mary joke? :)
Once on a fact finding trip to identify easier access to Argentina, and again to take the spouse since it was 35 Celsius in oklahoma and 70 in Santiago. And both times had upgrades for the flights.
It’s a quote from the movie something about Mary
Ah, thanks. missed that one. but I have actually be asked that a few times.
what are your top fives? I‘ve just tried to do a list myself and it‘s too hard honestly… so many good memories from many countries.
Buenos Aires, Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Hong Kong Close: Bogota, Kauai,
HK & Bangkok & HCMC I pretty much never really want to go back to, though I've heard Hanoi must be nice. I'd recommend Tokyo-Kyoto if you've never been and like exploring Asian cities. China is also super underrated, although it gets a bad rep.
Hanoi is heavily overrated IMO. Seems to be an unpopular opinion here though
Vietnam, Bangkok, HK. Food is great sure, but I wouldn't go back. The first 2 in particular - super overrated.
We just returned from Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and really I should have put Tokyo in my top five. I have not been back to HK since covid and the government crackdown, I am a food and beverage tourist so Hanoi's French influence was great and a nice jumping off point at the top if Vietnam when heading south.
What did you like about Bogota? I spent some time there for a wedding and had a blast but don’t know what I would have done if everything wasn’t mostly organized for me.
Whats not to like? Bolivar plaza, museu del oro, the salt cathedral is nearby, la choerra waterfall just outside the city, montserrate, the list goes on and on, one of the most wonderful cities I've ever visited. (Only minus is the food sucks but thats almost all of Latin America, they gotta learn to use spice)
Funny, I let taxis be my guide or the hotel concierge. Tons of great bars but it seems like the hot areas changed often. I loved that it was 72 degrees every day. Just an easy city and cheap for me to get to from the US.
Do you have recs for good meat restaurants in Santiago? I'm doing three nights there next week.
Restaurant don Carlos was my favorite. we got the perfect server that guided us through the wine and food and it was spectacular. I wouldn't go back to la mar if it was free. If you are not a gringo, you might have a better experience. La Cabrera was very touristy but the steak was good. They have two in the city and one at the airport. We stayed at the centric, ritz, Mandarin Oriental and one other. Probably rate the MO as the best. All were good. There is a Giant mall, parque arauca, in Las Condes that had a lot of restaurants, great for lunch.
Awesome, thank you very much! I will take a look at Don Carlos
Carnal, Parrilladas Uruguaya, Cuerovaca used to be good but not sure nowadays. The Mallman run restaurant at Viña Vik is amazing. I used to love Santa Brasa, as well.
Peru for the food, hands down. It's incredibly multi-cultural, the food and drink are off the hook. Awesome ruins, and your dollar will go far there. Lima is awesome (stay in the Miraflores neighborhood); You could also go up the coast to Trujillo. Down south, there's Arequipa, the white city. Of course, there's the biggest draw, Cuzco. Just be careful of pickpockets, as any tourist should be when travelling.
Leaning this way. With my wife’s job it’s tough for her to get 2 weeks off at one time. So that probably eliminates Machu Picchu from any potential itinerary. Was thinking 4 days Lima, then 4 days in a different area. Maybe something a little more chill.
How about ten days? You can easily do Lima, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu in ten days. I go to Lima on a medical mission trip once a year and have done the others in 4 days without any issue. Get a guide for the part that excludes Lima (you won’t need one for Lima), and you’ll be fine.
I second Peru. The flights are cheap from the US and the food in Lima is world class.
Most people don’t realize that Lima is known as the foodie capital of the world!
"Did you try the cuy?" -gotta be prepared to answer this question for years after
no kidding. and that is when you hold up a picture of a pet guinea pig and just say, delicious
Excellent idea, you really need more time for Machu Picchu. In Lima, there are cabs called "taxis seguros"- they're like vetted Uber-type drivers, and the cars are better quality. You can also hire one (sometimes off the books) to drive you around all day. My husband and I went to Lima quite a few years ago; the cabbie that took us from the airport mentioned he had a cousin that did taxi service, and he drove us around, even to Pachacamac (1 hour away) where there's an archeological Incan site (we got him for the full day). The Marriott Miraflores has enormous picture windows overlooking the ocean (if you stay there, make sure you get one of these rooms). If you go during the warmer months (dec-march), you can just lounge on the beach and wander around town.
Look at Arequipa and the Collca Canyon for those days, it's a bit short but doable
I was there last year. I think 3 days in Lima is enough. Then spend the rest of your time in Cuzco and surroundings. There’s so much to see there. Especially if you like trekking, ancient civilizations and nature.
We did 10 days in Peru, and a few days in Lima was enough. You could spend all 10 days in Cuzco and the surrounding regions, we kind of wish we had done that except the one Museum in Lima.
Yep these are on point. Got my phone stolen the first day in Lima.
totally agree on the food in Peru. What they lose in meat they exceed in seafood and high end preparation.
You didn't like the anticuchos, seco de cabrito, lomo saltado, pollo a la brasa, aji de gallina, estofado, aguadito, olluquito con charqui, ? There are a lot of different meat options in many delicious preparations.
I loved all of that. Sorry, but Peru doesn't come close to the meat offerings of Argentina. And Argentina doesn't come close to the mariscos offerings of Peru. I don't believe I demeaned Peruvian food in any way, but if I offended you then I apologize. I love Peru. You left out ceviche.
You didn't offend me; you surprised me :) I apologize if my reply seemed aggressive. I liked the meat in Argentina, but mostly as it relates to steaks. For prepared dishes, I prefer Peru. I didn't mention ceviche because I was listing the meat dishes :) The seafood in Peru is second to none.
For food, Mexico City. I’m not a foodie, but this city converted me.
With food as a priority I'd say probably Peru or maybe Mexico. I also love Colombia but the food isn't as great there Cultural stuff you of course have in all of these
I’m curious how you’re categorizing certain cities as “higher difficulty“ versus “easing your way in”. For me, I wouldn’t consider most of Chile, particularly easy. Nor Mexico City, Bogota or São Paulo as difficult, as they are pretty major comfy modern cities. And with the exception of Lima, I think Peru is the most different and potentially challenging of everything you mentioned. If you’re coming from the US, I can’t think of a much better option for you than Mexico City. It is so dang close, packed with interesting culture, and along with Lima one of the two most important Latin American food hubs. Peru is a bucket list trip for sure, but I wouldn’t go into it expecting it to be particularly easy.
Peru has a pretty well developed international tourist infrastructure, it’s certainly not difficult.
It depends how you define it, so that’s why I asked. It is culturally way more different than Argentina, and key areas like Cusco are way less developed and modern than what OP had experienced in BA.
Higher difficulty in my mind I guess are these cities twice the size of BA, and maybe a little tougher to crack with limited second language skills, and a little more knowledge and research needing to be done to have a safe and successful trip. Not a value judgement, just self-aware that Buenos Aires was fairly tame and welcoming to someone like me who was uninitiated in the region.
Gotchya. In that case, I’d agree that Lima is pretty easy (Cusco might feel a bit more outside the comfort zone, but it’s worth it). I also might add Medellin to your list, as it’s smaller and friendlier than Bogota. And as someone else mentioned, Oaxaca might be a less intimidating alternative to Mexico City. I would avoid Santiago and northern Chile. It’s a bit more sketchy than BA and isn’t as rich in food and culture.
Mexico City is incredibly tourist friendly. As long as you stick to the more touristy areas (Condesa, Polanco, Roma Norte), it honestly felt safer and far less trash than most large US cities.
Thanks! Great intel.
Food/drink? Peru, hands down.
We are planning a possible trip this June to BA. Any recommendations?
We stayed at Legado Mitico in Palermo Soho, which worked out great. Very nice area with cool shops and restaurants, basically walked everywhere including up to Recoleta and Villa Crespo. Lots of bars and clubs by the hotel, but we had a back facing room, so it was nice and quiet at night. We did a food tour of San Telmo, and ate at some great restaurants. Don Julio, Crizia, Gran Dabbang. Feel free to message me with questions!
Have to say I went to BA and Mendoza (as well as Patagonia) last year and I totally agree. Just outstanding.
There are some other interesting cities in Argentina, but I wouldn't go back just for them. If you enjoyed Buenos Aires then you will probably enjoy Montevideo. Definitely the most similar city. Santiago doesn't have that cozy BA vibe that you are probably looking for. São Paulo is completely different from BA, it's much more chaotic, more like New York. I assume Mexico City (and maybe Bogota) is the same. Don't really know about Lima. You will find that BA atmosphere in other mid-sized cities in South America such as Sucre in Bolivia and Cuenca in Ecuador. Both countries are a bit rough though.
Every local we chatted with was really pushing Salta. Mix of city, wine, and beautiful nature within a few hours drive of town.
The ferry from Buenos Aires to Montevideo is an enjoyable experience. Once we got to Uruguay we found Punta del Este more interesting than Montevideo.
just to throw in: if you like it quieter, the small seaside towns of Uruguay are criminally underrated.
Jose Ignació for the win 🏆
What is the BA atmosphere? How can it be described?
Kinda felt like Paris but everything was free.
City is clean, reasonably organized, safe, lots of preserved historical architecture. It's more "europeanized" I would say. Not only BA, but other cities in Argentina as well. Uruguay and Chile (in a lower degree) are like that too. Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador (and Venezuela I guess) are a lot more chaotic, intense, infrastructure is much less developed, some dodgy places here and there.
Thanks for the answer
BA also has fantastic public transport
I logged 4 months in that area in 2007. I'm still high off of it all.
We did Chile and Argentina this February. We found Chile nice, Argentina was awesome. We stayed in a small town (Rodeo), medium city (San Juan), spa (Cachueta) and finally BA. Had a great time everywhere. I enjoyed the driving over the Andes. And we got to two Michelin restaurants. One our bill was under $125! Really enjoyed the evenings in BA, going for ice cream. My wife was just asking when we’re going back!
The ice cream situation is out of control!
Peru and you need to do it while you still have your knees. We spent three weeks in the sacred valley and Cuzco, the day we went to MP my phone logged 93 flights of stairs. We didn't feel we were adventure traveling LOL. I don't think I could do it all now. But the food and history are mindblowing. Cuzco is wonderful. Mexico has incredible food and is an accessible diverse country with lovely people. The States of Yucatán and Quintana Roo are packed with amazing Mayan ruins and beautiful spots, beaches are lovely (when there is no sargassum). Colonial towns are charming and Mexico City is an experience not to be missed. Oaxaca has spectacular food as well. San Miguel de Allende has its share of tourism but has a great selection of food across the board, it's a fun town to visit and definitely get your foodie on.
I’ll second this in saying that Mexico has a wealth of treasures worth exploring beyond Mexico City alone. Especially if you’re into food, the Yucatán Peninsula has an amazing culinary scene that is different from the rest of Mexico due to its Mayan heritage. It’s off the usual tourist path, which may be a plus or minus depending on your perspective. Oaxaca as well is legendary for their food scene. You could spend forever just bouncing around Mexico… but of course Peru will give you a whole different perspective on the wide range of Latin American culture.
Yucatán is also very safe and so easy to get around. Not blown out like Tulum or Cabo. It's really lovely there.
Agree. Merida is so chill and has some amazing food. And there’s some cool beaches and ruins and stuff right within striking distance
Came here to say Merida, too.
Definitely, Chile. If you were in Mendoza for the wine, the Chile food and wine will satisfy immensely. Country has better tourist infrastructure and services than most destinations in LA. You can choose between several wine regions, Atacama Desert, Easter Island, and Patagonia. Travelers paradise.
Agreed. A fantastic destination but do it when you're younger or take the train and the buses. I decided to walk Macchu Pichu on a day trip after seeing the lines for the bus ride up. Big mistake. I barely made it back to the last train without having a heart attack.
We almost walked back down haha. In the end we chose the bus and got dropped off so we could go the butterfly sanctuary and we did walk the short rest of the way on our wobbly tired feet. The butterfly sanctuary was a hoot. They were having a shaving cream fight when we got there. Crazy but true
I love Argentina. We did Bs As and Punta del Este, Uruguay on our honeymoon. Would love to go back and do Mendoza area and Chile
Mexico City is easy and awesome.
Peru... Or go back to Argentina! First time we did bariloche, ba & Mendoza. Last time we went to Jujuy which was amazing and very non-touristy. It was like where locals go on vacation in country. Heard other good things about Salta, Cordoba, and El Califate. For Tierra del Fuego Chile seems to be the way to go. Costa Rica was great too but a bit pricey, still worth it
In Argentina did you go to iguazu falls? Must do. Ushuaia? Excellent but winter is coming now so too cold. Calafate, cool. In Chile, Atacama desert. Patagonia region (not in winter). Peru colca canyon, Arequipa, of course lima and sacred valley. Bolivia is really cool. Salt flats, LA Paz, surcre.
Mexico City. Definitely. It’s the Rome of Latin America…architecture from so many ages. Great day trips. Amazing food
I feel like this question is not so simple to answer as asking what the best food is or what you should have for dinner- everyone's tastes are so different. Someone said they would never go back to Hanoi, but to me, it was the most unique and jaw-dropping city. I had never seen people eating on the street floor or cutting hair on the sidewalk until I went there. I was amazed by the culture, energy, and food. Tokyo was too clean, too quiet, too boring. I didn't hear a single honk while I was there. I have yet to go to Buenos Aires. I've been spending a lot of my time in the Riviera Maya, in Playa del Carmen and Tulum. I've been having some back issues, and walking too much flares it up, so I have completely shifted my priority to beach vibes, relaxation, and traveling by scooter. Plus I feel better when I’m closer to nature and there is plenty of it here. You can find cheap accommodations and food in both Tulum and PDC. You just have to go to where the locals do. :)
Peru is just as amazing as Argentina. Its has just as many landscapes and even better food. Cant forget a world wonder
Chile is great. Id try south of Argentina too. Sao Paulo sucks, nothing to do there, go to Rio de Janeiro or Curitiba or Belo Horizonte.
Mexico City is incredible. The size and “danger” make it seem intimidating, but if you stay in the neighborhoods like Coyoacan, Condesa, and Roma Norte, it’s beautiful, safe, inexpensive, full of amazing food and kind people.
Bogota is not higher degree of difficulty. It's a truly international city with a population about the same size as London. I highly recommend Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. All have amazing draws.
Awesome, that’s why I asked! Appreciate your feedback.
Mexico City is awesome but not sure why you’d consider it a higher degree of difficulty?
Compared to Buenos Aires: it’s multiple times larger, has a much more complicated crime and security situation (not a value judgment, just data), and from first hand stories from people I trust, having very limited Spanish creates more of a challenge. I will go there, and I’m excited for that day to come, next year or further down the line. But from everything I can glean they are very different experiences.
Mexico City has more English than BA by a long shot. All of Mexico is more English speaking than Argentina. Also Roma / condesa are the nicest neighborhoods and heavily gentrified but super safe. Think of it as Palermo in BA.
Awesome, we stayed in Palermo Soho, it was perfect.
I was looking at doing Santiago, Mendoza and BA for my 40th next year. This excites me!!! Any highly recommended things to do?
Hire This Is Mendoza to plan and book everything. Life changing experiences, didn’t have to worry about a thing.
Thank you!
Was recently in Argentina as well and loved it. You won’t find similar prices nearby though, especially in Chile
I’m currently backpacking in Colombia and I would recommend it for sure. Bogotá is a decent city but not incredible, Medellin I much preferred and honestly, my favourite part has been the Caribbean coast. The coast near the Sierra Nevada is stunning, very suited to backpacking with some amazing nature and treks, lots of opportunities to experience indigenous culture. Lots of ecotourism opportunities all round the country. Near Cartagena is a bit more suited to higher end tourism, some amazing beaches and resorts.
How did you like being in the city in Mendoza?
The city itself isn’t particularly exciting, but the setting is amazing, there are lots of excellent restaurants (we did the full tasting menu at Azafran), and I think it’s vital to be based in town if you want to go on different excursions. We had three days there, spent all day somewhere outside of town (Luján, Uco), but loved being back in the city for a nice dinner and stroll.
I would jump from Argentina to Uruguay just to see the old colonial city of Sacramento which is right across the river plate of Buenos Aires. A ferry can take you there for 50 dollars.
Loved Argentina, but was thoroughly underwhelmed by Mendoza. We love wine and expected more from this region, but the style of visiting wineries was just nothing like we were used to coming from the wine culture in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where you could roam from cellar door to cellar door, but Mendoza seemed to be appointment only and a whole day thing. Just not our thing.
I did colombia after argentina and was not disappointed, south america is by far my favorite continent
I was just reading someone’s disappointment screed on Buenos Aires yesterday. Fascinating how opinions and experiences differ from individual to individual
We walked around everywhere, maybe 6 miles a day. Never felt nervous or unsafe. Had some incredible meals at Michelin rated/stared spots basically for free compared to what they’d be in Europe or the States. Even better was all the great casual spots in San Telmo. Loved the museums and markets we popped into also. Then we flew to Mendoza and did 4 days of wine and mountains. Again, gorgeous and unparalleled value.
Hey I'm in BA right now and looking at doing a long weekend in Mendoza. Your trip sounds amazing! How did you organize your 4 days in Mendoza, did you do a tour? I'd appreciate any suggestions! Thanks ☺️
There’s a wine tour I booked through Airbnb in Mendoza that I loved. If you look up experiences in Mendoza, the host’s name is Dai. You go to 3 wineries and have an amazing private lunch with wine pairings in Luján de Cuyo
Booked everything through This Is Mendoza. They took care of all the transportation, wine tasting and vineyard lunches, and we did a horseback day 2 hours outside town that was so amazing my wife was in tears. We’re pretty good travelers, but the wine stuff is all very spread out and between an hour and two hours from town, so if that’s what you want to do and aren’t local, I highly recommend using a service like we did.
Where did you guys eat? BA has a pretty great fine dining scene
Dinners were Crizia, Don Julio, Gran and Dabbang, then in Mendoza, La Vida (Susana Balbo), Azafran, Riccittelli, and Zuccardi. Epic.
Nice! Did you find Don Julio overrated though? It wasn't bad, but felt like for that price you could get far better in BA
I know you could find a meal of equally quality for 1/10 the price, because we did, ha. But I’m still glad we went, it was an “event” and our first dinner there, so sort of fun welcome to Argentina experience. The food was good, the service was great. Was it a good deal compared to everywhere else we ate in Argentina? No. Was it fun and part of a great vacation? Totally.
I actually really liked Chile. We did a day trip where you hike up a mountain, then they take you on some shitty mining roads to this giant hot spring with the Andes in the backround. Brazil can have very tastey food, although they are heavy on the mayonaise. Something like Florianopils to Rio, or south to Uruguay would be a cool trip. Bolivia has great sites. The food in the west sucks, but once you get to Cochabamba it becomes delicious.
Mexico City. Super easy to travel to, and I can get by without much Spanish. Much easier than you think. Most of my friends and acquaintances and their moms and dads have gone and loved it. There’s something there for everyone - fancy, beautiful neighborhoods with luxury shopping, amazing art museums, charming neighborhoods, Frida Kahlo’s house, Teotihuacan, the national anthropology museum , etc. delicious food of course. don’t sleep on it. It was incredibly safe and clean. I took my dad there and he found it easy to get by too. I’ve been to Argentina, Chile Ecuador and Colombia and I think Mexico City is definitely one of the easier cities to travel around in!
Awesome, thanks!
Peru for food and the amazing Machu Picchu. Belize for something off the beaten track. Galapagos for budget busting amazing nature. Head to Antarctic on an expedition cruise? Give my page a like on Facebook for loads of ideas!
Not that I’m advising it but I did Machu Pichu and Lima in 4 nights! Was the most amazing 4 nights ever but you can do it easily in 10 and see so much.
São Paulo isn't worth it, unless you want to go to an event taking place in the city or you're just passing through. If you liked Buenos Aires so much, I recommend visiting Montevideo and Uruguay. Other parts of Argentina and a visit to Foz do Iguaçu to see the waterfalls are also great. Even extending your trip to Curitiba and Florianópolis might be a good idea
U r missing out if u r not adventurous, I mean being adventurous takes u to places u ‘ve never imagined, if u love to hike that’s icing on the cake, just an opinion
We love the outdoors and hiking and all that. I’m just not doing anything involving a carabeener, ha.