11 Things to Know Before Traveling to Argentina

Argentina uses the Argentine peso, which is abbreviated ARS and confusingly uses the same ($) symbol as the dollar. Since 2010, the peso has fluctuated significantly in its exchange rate with the U.S. dollar and euro. Inflation spiked past 200% from 2018 through 2024 but decreased significantly in early 2025. Always check the exchange rate when you start planning your trip and check again a week before your arrival in Argentina.

Most travelers bring U.S. dollars to exchange in a casa de cambio. Some casas de cambio exchange other currencies, but you’ll get the best rate if you have crisp U.S. dollars without any tears or defects. Depending on the exchange rate at the time, exchanging cash can get you substantially more pesos than withdrawing them from an ATM. Limits for cash withdrawals from ATMs can be as low as 20 dollars.

In particularly touristy areas, like Mendoza and Ushuaia, some establishments may accept U.S. dollars. You’ll likely get a better rate than using a bank card, but not as good as if you go to a casa de cambio.

The Buenos Aires subway system is called Subte and the card used for both Subte and city buses is the Sube card. You can buy the card at any newsstand or kiosk and load money on it at machines in Subte entrances. Download the BA Subte app for more information about the Buenos Aires subway and bus system. Over 60 cities use the same card, so it’s worth picking one up in Buenos Aires, even if you won’t be long in the capital.

Uber and other ride-share apps like Cabify and BA Taxi are available in Buenos Aires and most major cities. On maps and signs, you may see Buenos Aires abbreviated BsAs or CABA, which stands for Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

Argentina’s vast distances make it more comparable in scale to the U.S. or Canada than any European country. Most travelers arrive in Buenos Aires and should book flights to far-flung destinations like Patagonia, Mendoza, or Salta. There are several budget airlines in Argentina, but Aerolíneas Argentinas has the most routes, especially to smaller cities. Pay attention to which Buenos Aires airport your connecting flights leave from because national flights often depart from the Aeroparque Jorge Newbery near the city center, about an hour by taxi from the Ministro Pistarini International Airport, commonly called the Ezeiza airport.

Long-distance buses tend to be quite comfortable, with assigned seats that recline almost horizontally. In the most rural areas, bus service is sparse and you’ll likely need to rent a car. In the most remote regions, hitchhiking is common but should always be done with abundant caution.

The 3,227 miles of Route 40 is one of the greatest road trips in the world but be sure you have a vehicle that can withstand rough dirt and gravel roads, and always carry extra fuel. Most people do a short section of Route 40 and it’s important to research road conditions for the time of year you’ll be driving.

The highlight of Argentina’s food scene is an asado, and the best way to experience one is with an invitation to an Argentine family home. It’s a meal, a social event, and a cultural celebration all in one. An Argentina asado has three courses: starters are a variety of sausages, the second course is sweetbreads and organs like kidneys, and the final course is the famed Argentine steak. If you’re a steak fan, go light on the first two courses. If you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just don’t eat beef, be aware that the salads and side dishes won’t be very filling. Plan to eat something before the asado because they can go past midnight. If you’re invited to an asado, don’t forget to bring a bottle of red wine for your host.

Big cities and even small tourist towns like El Chaltén now have vegetarian options in most restaurants and Buenos Aires has some excellent vegan restaurants. The cosmopolitan capital also has an impressive range of international restaurants, from Peruvian to Japanese to Armenian. Near the posh Palermo neighborhood, you’ll find Buenos Aires’ Barrio Chino, Chinatown, with fantastic bubble tea, ramen, and other Chinese favorites.

One of the highlights of breakfast in Argentina is the medialuna, a bready version of the croissant, often served dripping with butter or honey. Buenos Aires has many fantastic coffee shops with talented baristas, but the farther you get from the capital, the more basic your coffee options become.

Argentines tend to eat very late, and many restaurants don’t open until 8 or 9 p.m. If you’ll be at a resort where dinner isn’t served until 9 p.m., check that they have a tea time around 5 p.m. so you can get a little something to eat before dinner.

Argentina is one of the safest places for travelers in terms of staying healthy. Tap water is safe to drink in most cities and food preparation safety is similar to North America and Europe.

There is a slight risk of malaria on the northern border with Bolivia and Paraguay, but the jungles at Iguazú on the border with Brazil have repeatedly been certified as free of malaria. If you’re going to the jungle, you should still protect yourself from mosquitoes with long sleeves and pants. Dengue is spread by mosquitoes and has been on the rise in South America. Argentina had dengue outbreaks in 2023 and 2024. Check the news for current outbreaks, especially if you’ll be traveling in March or April in Córdoba, Buenos Aires, or Tucumán.

No matter what part of Argentina you visit, make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance that covers health emergencies. Argentina’s requirement for proof of health insurance ended in 2022 but it is still highly recommended. Hospitals in large cities may have translators or English-speaking staff, but small towns will have only the most basic facilities and you’re unlikely to find hospital staff who speak English.

Argentina’s impressive spans north to south, about 2,300 miles, means that each region experiences drastically different weather. For comparison, it’s only about 1,670 miles from the top of Maine to the tip of Florida. On the same day, it can be below 0º and snowing in Patagonia but humid and sweaty at Iguazú. The farther south you go, the more extreme you’ll find the weather.

Summer in Patagonia, from December to February, has long days, high winds, and occasional snow. Winter, from June to August, has very short days and plenty of snow. If you crave snow in July, head to Ushuaia.

Argentina’s north has two distinct regions: the low jungle and the high desert. Any time of year, the jungles on the border with Paraguay and Brazil tend to be hot and wet. The high-altitude deserts that border Bolivia and northern Chile are very cold at night and can be very hot in the day, with some seasonal variation in the amount of rain.

Like the weather, packing depends on where you go. Buenos Aires can be pleasantly chilly in the winter and sweltering hot in the summer, but you’ll want some snappy outfits either way. Porteños, as residents of Buenos Aires are called, tend to dress more like Parisians than like citizens of other South American cities. If you’re going to a tango show, don’t dress the part unless you’re there to dance. Especially at informal milongas, where locals go to dance, anybody dressed to the nines has signaled they are there to tango.

For any expeditions to Patagonia, make sure you have all the outdoor equipment you need. Buying gear in Argentina is usually more expensive than in North America or Europe and can be very time-consuming. A trip to the northern jungles requires light layers that protect your arms and legs from mosquitoes and the intense sun. If you’ll be at altitude, especially in the northwest, remember that nights are bitterly cold, no matter how hot it gets in the day.

Argentina tends to be safer than other South American countries, but crime is a concern in big cities. Always ask at your hotel how safe the area is and what precautions you should take if you’re out at night. Cell phones are now targeted even more than wallets, so be extra careful with your phone when out in public.

Though Argentina has recently been a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community, political events in 2024 sent the community out protesting in the streets of major cities. Avoid political protests which may turn violent and keep an eye on local media for protest notifications.

You’ll need some Spanish if you want to venture beyond the most touristy parts of the beaten path. Even in the touristy areas, speaking just a few words of Spanish shows you care about local culture.

In the morning, greet people with buenos días, and in the afternoon switch to buenas tardes. At night, buenas noches is used for both hello and goodbye.

Both adiós and the Italian ciao are universal goodbyes at any time of day. A simple gracias, with a smile, can convey all kinds of thanks and appreciation.

If you need directions, say dónde está followed by the name of the hotel, restaurant, or place you want to go.

Argentina uses the formal usted and the informal vos, but it’s best to stick to usted when you’re speaking with strangers. Ask how somebody is doing with ¿Cómo está usted? and ask their name with ¿Cómo se llama usted? (The double l in Spanish sounds like the letter y).

If you’ve learned Spanish with the informal tú that’s used in Spain and most of Latin America, it’s fine to use in Argentina. Spanish and Mexican movies and shows are so popular that all Argentines will understand you if you use tú, just be aware that they’ll automatically use vos when they speak to you. Verb conjugations are only different in the present tense. For example, tú comes (you eat) would be vos comés, and tú vienes (you come) is vos venís. ¿Vos comés en casa o vos venís al restaurante? Are you eating at home or are you coming to the restaurant?

Learn an expression or two in Lunfardo, the slang of Buenos Aires, and Porteños will be delighted. Many Lunfardo words have some roots in Italian, like mina, which means girl, and pibe, which means boy or youth. Pick up a Lunfardo phrasebook from the bookshops along Calle La Florida in the center of Buenos Aires.

Hotels at all cities in Argentina, and most restaurants and cafés will have wifi. Most people in Argentina use the free messaging service WhatsApp for both messages and calls. You only need wifi and a phone number to use WhatsApp, which lets you text or call Argentine numbers free of charge.

Get a SIM card, or an e-SIM, if you want to use local cell service. Having an Argentine number is helpful if you want Argentines to be able to call you without WhatsApp.

In remote, rural areas, you might not have cell service, and even hotels might not have wi-fi. On a road trip down Argentina’s famous Route 40, expect that the farther south you go, the less connectivity you’ll find.

Tipping is not mandatory in Argentina, but it’s common to tip 10% for good service at restaurants and bars. Tipping taxis is less common, but rounding up the fare is always appreciated.

Argentina has some unique electric plugs, similar to North America but with the two flat parts angled. Bring a universal adaptor, or buy adaptors when you arrive, which are available in most cell phone shops. Also, bring charging cords that plug into a USB as many modern outlets now include USB ports. The electric current is 220 volts, the same as in Europe.

The Falkland Islands, called Islas Malvinas in Spanish, is a very touchy subject that’s best avoided. Argentina lost the 1982 Falkland Islands War to the U.K. and the fallen soldiers are commemorated in plazas and parks around the country. The airport in Ushuaia, on the Argentine side of Tierra del Fuego, is named the Islas Malvinas International Airport, but don’t worry, you can’t accidentally buy a plane ticket from Buenos Aires to the Falklands when you’re trying to go to Ushuaia. Flights to the Falklands depart from Santiago, Chile, despite President Javier Milei’s 2024 announcement that Argentina still claims the islands.