5 best day trips from Buenos Aires

Day trips compared

The day trips

30 km · About 1 hour by train

1.Tigre and the Paraná Delta

Tigre sits where the Paraná Delta's maze of channels and islands meets the northern suburbs. Wooden river launches serve stilt houses and riverside restaurants among the islands, and the Puerto de Frutos market sells wicker, furniture and crafts by the water.

Getting there

Mitre line train from Retiro

Best for

Families, Couples, Quiet stays

50 km · About 1–1.5 hours by fast ferry

2.Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay)

Across the Río de la Plata in Uruguay, Colonia's UNESCO-listed old town has cobbled streets of Portuguese and Spanish colonial houses, the Calle de los Suspiros and a lighthouse with views over the water. It is small enough to see in a day and much quieter than Buenos Aires.

Getting there

Ferry from Puerto Madero; an international crossing, so carry your passport

Best for

Couples, Culture, Quiet stays

113 km · About 2 hours by bus or car

3.San Antonio de Areco

The pampas town most associated with gaucho culture has a colonial centre, silversmiths' workshops and the Ricardo Güiraldes gaucho museum. Nearby estancias offer day visits with horse riding and asado, and the town's Día de la Tradición festivities are usually held in November.

Getting there

Bus from Retiro bus station, or car

Best for

Culture, Families, Quiet stays

60 km · About 1–1.5 hours by train or bus

4.La Plata

The provincial capital was planned from scratch in the 1880s on a grid cut by diagonal avenues. Its neo-Gothic cathedral is one of the largest churches in the Americas, and the natural history museum in the Paseo del Bosque displays dinosaur skeletons and fossils.

Getting there

Train from Constitución, or bus

Best for

Culture, Families, Budget

68 km · About 1.5–2 hours by train or bus

5.Luján

Argentina's main pilgrimage town is dominated by the twin-spired neo-Gothic Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, the country's patron saint. Next to it, the Enrique Udaondo museum complex covers colonial history and early transport.

Getting there

Train from Once with a change, or bus

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Tell the driver your destination before tapping your SUBE card, as fares on many lines vary by distance.
• Suburban trains from Retiro station run north to Tigre on the Mitre line in about an hour, and other lines serve La Plata and Luján.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask