Argentina

[bertie21]

Hello, we are travelling to Argentina next year to watch football at the River Plate and I wondered if anyone knew of a 4/5 * hotel near the ground and any tips on Argentina in general. Many thanks.

[SteveD]

We have just come back from our second trip to Argentina.

The first thing to bear in mind is that Argentina is a VERY big country. So, before we go any further, three questions:

- How long will you be staying in Argentina?

- At what time of year will you be there?

- What do you want to do apart from watching a football match?

[bertie21]

My husband and step son would like to stay in Buenos Aires, but I have no idea if this is anyway near the River Plate stadium. They will be there for approx 5 nights and as I haven't yet got information on the football fixture date I am not sure when they will be travelling. A bit vague I'm afraid but I have only just started researching their trip for them so any info would be very useful, thank you.

[SteveD]

Here are some links about the team and the stadium:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Atl%C3%A9tic o_River_Plate

The above will also tell you about the Nu�ez district of BA where the stadium is.

Assuming that they will be travelling from Europe, their flight will probably arrive in BA early morning. That will give plenty of time to get to their hotel (can't help you much there but just Google for Hotels buenos Aires)?

I have to go now but I'll post again later.

[dzug]

The stadium is in Nunez, a northern suburb of Buenos Aires

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BA%C3%B1ez%2 C_Buenos_Aires

It looks a reasonable area, but I don't know about hotels. There are plenty in the city centre and there's a train out to Nunez

[NORMANTHEDOG]

if you get tickets,and go to the game,be very careful,the fans absolutely hate each other and deaths have occured between them in the past,dont mean to be negative but its a bit of a hotbed place when they play each other,otherwise have a good trip and enjoy.

[dzug]

Suggestions for the non-match days:

boat trip around the delta at Tigre
day trip to Colonia or Montevideo in Uraguay
trip to a ranch outside town with barbecue
city tour

[missmoore]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Travel/Question 270392.html

lots of ideas of things to do in buenos aires here...

[Pomp]

I have spent some time in Argentina. I watched Argentina vs Brazil at the River Plate stadium and also watched Boca play.

When I went I stayed at Milhouse Hostel (http://www.milhousehostel.com/) which I would not describe as 4/5*. But they do have 50 season tickets for both River Plate and Boca. They organise trips to the stadiums and general look after you.

Ticket prices are considerably cheaper in Argentina than in the UK ie Argentina vs Brazil was �2 a ticket. I would probably just go to the ground a couple of days before or the morning of the game and buy a ticket.

The River Plate ground is in a posh suburb of BA. The Boca stadium is in the working class suburb of La Boca. Parts of La Boca, are very touristy, and we were advised not to stray outside of these areas.

Most Argentine clubs have links to very hard core fans. These fans generate a huge amount of atmosphere in the ground, but I would not want to be too close to them!! A number of games have recently been abandonded due to crowd violence.

Another piece of advice is not to admit to being British, particulalry in a football crowd of 50,000 Argentines. They have not forgotten the war!! Another place to be careful about being British is in Ushuai, as lof the Argentine navy came from there.

I loved the country and some of the places we went to were El Calafate (to see Moreno glacier), Ushuai (worlds most southerly city), Los Penitentes (to go skiing), Salta (beautiful city), Mendoza (wine growing region), Iguaza Falls. Also go to Uruguay to Montevideo, and Colonia.

[bertie21]

Just to say thank you so much for all your answers so far, they are very helpful.

[SteveD]

I agree with dzug. Take a city tour which will visit the main sights and allow them to orientate themselves. They will be able to pick up a free city map at the hotel. Note that, on Buenos Aires maps, north is rarely at the top! The BA shore-line runs northwest - southeast.

The Tigre delta boat tour is good (we did this a couple of weeks ago). They take you through a labyrinth of waterways and you see many fascinating water-side houses (some looking very luxurious with expensive motor-boats lifted out of the water on hoists attached to the jetties).

If they find themselves in the renovated dock area (Puerto Madero) at a lunchtime, I thoroughly recommend the restaurant La Caballeriza, Av Alicia Moreau de Justo (in one of the renovated warehouses and right next to a floating museum (worth a visit). They do a lunch menu for 40 pesos per person for which you get a starter, a main course, dessert, coffee, a bottle of water and a glass of wine! 40 pesos is about �6.70. The view of the boats is free!

One last thing: The symbol for Argentinian pesos is $. The prices in shops look like dollars but are not! One pound sterling is about 6.68 pesos.