Things to do in Atlantic Coast
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Cervicería Modelo
Dating from 1894, its ceiling hung with hams and peanut shells strewn on the floor, this classic place serves ice-cold ales to a happy crowd. There are great sidewalk tables, and it’s not too old to boast a big-screen TV and wi-fi.
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Baquina de Pescadores
Mar del Plata is one of the country's most important fishing ports and seafood-processing centers. At Baquina de Pescadores - the picturesque wharf hidden behind the ugly YPF fuel tanks - fisherfolk and stevedores follow their routine on and around kaleidoscopically colored wooden boats, monitored by sea lions who have established a large colony - mostly male - along one side of the pier.
In the early morning, unfazed by the chilly sea breeze, the fishermen load their nets and crates before spending the day at sea, escorted by the sea lions. At about 17:00, the pier gets noisy and hectic as the returning fishermen sort and box the fish, bargain for the best price and tidy…
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Reserva Natural Municipal Punta Rasa
A few kilometers north of San Clemente del Tuyú are several protected areas, including Reserva Natural Municipal Punta Rasa which is managed by the environmental NGO Fundación Vida Silvestre. At the tip of Cabo San Antonio, where the Río de la Plata meets the Atlantic, the park is essentially a beach with a wet pampas grassland beyond it. A path leads through the park, which is visited by more than 100,000 migratory birds each year - some from as far off as Alaska.
This reserve and its neighboring parks area are some of the last protected areas of pampas grassland in the province. There's no public transport to the park, 10km from the center of town, and no visitors ce…
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Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes
Inaugurated by the provincial government in 1938, a decade after the death of Ricardo Güiraldes, author of the gaucho novel Don Segundo Sombra, this museum in Parque Criollo is a sort of gaucholand of restored or fabricated buildings, including an old flour mill, a re-created pulpería (tavern) and a colonial-style chapel. The main deal is a 20th-century reproduction of an 18th-century casco (ranch house), which holds a wooden bed belonging to Juan Manuel de Rosas (a famous Argentine caudillo, or warlord), lots of gorgeous horse gear and various works of gauchesco art. Two rooms are dedicated to Güiraldes himself.
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Palacio de la Legislatura
In front of Plaza San Martín, is the ornate Palacio de la Legislatura, in German Renaissance style. Nearby, catch the French Classic Pasaje Dardo Rocha (Calle 50, Plaza San Martin), once La Plata's main railroad station and now the city's major cultural center, containing four museums. Also close by is the Flemish Renaissance Casa de Gobierno, housing the provincial governor and his retinue.
Over to the northwest a few blocks are the original buildings of the Rectorado de la Universidad Nacional (1905), which was once a bank but is now the university administrative offices. On Sundays, check out the crafts fair Feria Artesanal on Plaza Italia.
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Museo del Puerto
On the outskirts of town – in a former customs building that’s hardly noticeable among the massive grain elevators and fortress-like power plant of Puerto Ingeniero White – the Museo del Puerto is an iconoclastic tribute to immigrants and their heritage, and includes an archive with documents, photographs and recorded oral histories. The best time to visit is for a weekend afternoon tea, when local groups prepare regional delicacies, each week representing a different immigrant group. Live music often accompanies the refreshments. Bus 500 from the Plaza Rivadavia goes to the museum.
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Ship Graveyard
Just past the sea lion colony is the port's fantastic graveyard of ruined ships, half-sunken and rusting in the sun. Here the Escollera Sur (southern jetty) begins its long stretch some 2km out to sea, with panoramic views of the city from its tip. Climb the yellow ladders and walk on top of the sea wall for the best views. You can walk back to the Centro Comercial Puerto (the port's commercial center) and close the day in one of its great restaurants.
Local buses 221, 511, 522, 551, 561, 562 and 593 go to the wharf from downtown. A taxi costs around Arg$15.
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Albúfera Mar Chiquita
Fed by creeks from the Sierras de Tandil and sheltered by a chain of sand dunes, the lagoon, Albúfera Mar Chiquita alternately drains into the ocean or absorbs seawater, depending on the tides. This creates a unique ecosystem boasting huge biodiversity, and is the only lagoon of its kind in Argentina. The spot is a paradise for birdwatchers, with over 220 species, 86 of which are migratory, including flamingoes. There are also over 55 fish species in the lagoon, making it a popular fishing spot.
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Sierra & Laguna de los Padres
A popular weekend destination for marplatenses, the lake and soft hills to its west offer a bucolic setting and a range of outdoor activities, including horse riding, biking, trekking and rock climbing. The spot was first settled in 1746 as a Jesuit Mission aimed at rounding up the nomadic tribes of the area - you can see a replica of the original chapel by the lake's shore. There are plenty of places to eat, and campgrounds as well(take bus 717 from Av Luro).
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Museo del Automovilismo Juan Manuel Fangio
Named for Argentina’s most famous racing driver, the Museo del Automovilismo Juan Manuel Fangio, one of the country’s finest, preserves a multimillion-dollar collection of classic and racing cars in Fangio’s birthplace of Balcarce, 70km northwest of Mar del Plata. The museum stresses the worldwide exploits of Fangio and his contemporaries, but also makes an effort to put automotive history into a global context.
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Centro Cultural Usina Vieja
Set in an old power plant dating from 1901, the Centro Cultural Usina Vieja is an eclectic museum with a funky collection of ancient radios, typewriters, sewing machines and record players. Farm equipment, sculptures, an old-time grocery store and even a small airplane are also on display, as are rotating exhibits of local artists’ work and some of Florencio Molina Campos’ amusing caricatures of gaucho life.
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Museo de La Plata
Popular with school groups, this notable museum has paleontological, zoological, archaeological and anthropological collections of famous Patagonian explorer Francisco P Moreno. Countless display rooms offer something for everyone: Egyptian tomb relics, Jesuit art, amusing taxidermy, amazing skeletons, mummies, ancient pottery, scary insects and reconstructed dinosaurs. There’s also a cafe. Arrange English tours in advance.
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Cathedral
Near Plaza Moreno is the neo-Gothic cathedral, which was begun in 1885 but not inaugurated until 1932. The cathedral was inspired by medieval predecessors in Cologne and Amiens, and has fine stained glass and polished granite floors; tours (daily at 10:30am, 2:30pm and 4pm) are AR$20.95 and include a museum and elevator ride to the top. There’s also a gift shop and cafe.
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Reserva Mar Chiquita
Most visitors come here to explore the Reserva Mar Chiquita, a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve. It takes in several types of landscapes and ecosystems, including the lagoon, pampean grasslands and the coastal dunes to the north (Reserva Provincial Dunas del Atlantica Sur). Tours of the area last around four hours and depart from the visitor center at 09:00 every day except Monday.
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Aquarium Mar del Plata
Located 10km south of the center, near the lighthouse, is Mar del Plata’s aquarium. Animals on display include penguins, flamingoes, crocodiles and lots of fish. There are sea-lion, dolphin and water-skiing shows, along with a cinema. You can also swim with sharks (among other watery creatures) and sit on the beach. Get here on bus 221 or 511.
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La Cuadrada
A wonderfully eclectic place with a personality disorder – it’s a tea house, cultural center, restaurant and theater. There’s a wide range of teas, along with pastries, for your afternoon enjoyment, and the restaurant has good, well-priced food. It also does dinner shows with folklore, tango and murga music (among many other kinds).
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GeoTur
Lots of outdoor pursuits are on offer in this region, and you can tackle some of them on your own. If you'd rather hire a guide, GeoTur offers tours to Garganta del Diablo, which is the only way to explore the gorge. They also offer hikes to Cerro Tres Picos, as well as activities like rappelling and horse riding.
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El Tonel Kiosko
For a funky good time, check out the second-largest wine barrel in Argentina; it's at the kiosk just across the Puente Viejo. Take a gander at the goods inside, or sit down for coffee or mate, but don't expect a traditional café or many tables; it's a very eclectic place run by an odd couple.
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Museo Y Taller Draghi
The small Museo y Taller Draghi highlights an exceptional collection of silver facones (gaucho knives), beautiful horse gear and intricate mate (tea) paraphernalia. It’s mainly the workshop of Juan José Draghi and family, however, so guided tours are given.
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Palacio Municipal
Opposite the cathedral is the Palacio Municipal, designed in German Renaissance style by Hanoverian architect Hubert Stiers. On the west side of the plaza, the Museo y Archivo Dardo Rocha was the vacation house of the city's creator and contains period furniture and many of his personal knickknacks.
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Cantina Venezia
Still going strong after 40 years, this Italian/seafood restaurant is the pick of the seafood joints near the port. Prices are a little higher than the rest, but more than justified by the quality and size of the meals. It's not a great area, so you might want to get a taxi (around Arg$7) home.
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Museo Municipal de Arte Juan Carlos Castagnino
Built in 1909 as the summer residence of a prominent Argentine family, the Villa Ortiz Basualdo is now the Museo Municipal de Arte Juan Carlos Castagnino. Resembling a Loire Valley castle, its Belgian interior exhibits paintings, photographs and sculptures by Argentine artists.
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Museo Archivo Histórico Municipal Roberto T Barili
In the Villa Emilio Mitre (1930), a former summer residence of the Argentine oligarchy, the Museo Archivo Histórico Municipal Roberto T Barili houses a superb collection of late-19th-century photographs, along with other exhibits recalling Mar del Plata’s colorful past.
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Pasaje Dardo Rocha
In front of Plaza San Martín, is the ornate Palacio de la Legislatura (Plaza San Martin), in German Renaissance style. Nearby, catch the French Classic Pasaje Dardo Rocha, once La Plata's main railroad station and now the city's major cultural center, containing four museums.
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National Parks
Parque Nacional Campos del Tuyú was declared a national park in late 2007, and is the only national park in the Buenos Aires province. At the time of research, it was not yet open to visitors, though there are plans to make it accessible. Call National Parks to check.
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