Argentina is nearly 3,700 km long from north to south, and 1,400 km from east to west. It can roughly be divided into four parts: the fertile plains of the Pampas in the centre of the country, the source of Argentina's agricultural wealth; the flat to rolling, oil-rich plateau of Patagonia in the southern half down to Tierra del Fuego; the subtropical flats of the Gran Chaco in the north, and the rugged Andes mountain range along the western border with Chile. Argentina's main characteristic is the enormous contrast between the immense eastern plains and the impressive Andes mountain range to the west, which boasts the highest peak in the western hemisphere: the 6,959-metre-high Aconcagua.

Official Tourism Body: Secretaría Nacional de Turismo (www.turismo.gov.ar)

EXCHANGE_RATE: 1 Euro = 4,7 Pesos
1 USD = 3.04 Pesos

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The country’s territory offers a wide variety of climates: subtropical in the north, sub-Antarctic in the south Patagonia region, and mild and humid in the Pampas plains. The average temperature from November to March is 23° C, and 12° C from June to September. Remember that south of the equator, the seasons are opposite. So winter is June, July and August, spring is September, October and November, summer is December, January and February, and autumn is March, April and May.

Visitors coming from countries not bordering Argentina are exempt from all taxes on travelling articles and new articles up to US$ 300 and an additional US$ 300, if purchased at duty free shops within the national territory. At the airport you may obtain a VAT reimbursement corresponding to any purchases made within the country for an amount over $70 (per invoice) and in shops operating with the “Global Refund” system.

Australia - 0061-292-622-933
Brazil - 0055-613-647-600
Bolivia - 00591-232-2172
Canada - 00514-842-6582
Chile - 00562-633-1076
Colombia - 00571-288-0900
Costa Rica - 00506-213-438
Ecuador - 00593-256-2292
El Sal - 00503-244-238
France - 00331-455-33300
Germany - 0030-226-6890
Guatemala - 00502-231-4969
Italy - 0039-064-742-551
Mexico – 00525-555-405-011
Nicaragua - 00505-274-412
Panama - 00507-646-561
Paraguay - 00595-212-12320
Peru - 00511-433-1887
Portugal - 00351-1797-7311
Spain - 00341-442-4500
UK - 0044-207-318-1300
Uruguay - +902-8166
USA - 00202-238-6464
Venezuela - 00582-731-3311

There are a lot of public holidays in Argentina, when businesses and government offices shut down. Public transport is also limited on these days. If the holiday happens to fall on a weekend it is usually moved to Monday so the people can enjoy a long weekend. Christmas and New Years are celebrated as usual. Easter Week (Semana Santa) is a big deal here, everyone joins in the festivities and the religious processions. Most businesses are closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Carnaval is celebrated at the end of February, beginning of March, just before Lent. It's not as big as the Brazilian Carnaval but, especially in north-eastern Argentina, the parties can get pretty loud and raucous. The Argentinians celebrate lots of holidays that are marked to commemorate special events in their history, such as Día de las Malvinas, 2nd April, the day they laid claim over the Falkland Islands. Revolución de Mayo, 25th May, commemorates the revolution against Spain in 1810. There are also a lot of religious festivals. October has the Fiesta Nacional de la Cerveza or Oktoberfest, the national beer festival where you can get merry trying all the different types of beer. Eisteddfod is also in October, it's a Welsh festival with lots of food and drink accompanied by choral singing, Welsh style.

Pay phones work with cards that may be purchased in kiosks and telephone company offices, or with legal tender coins. There are also stores with pay phones (open 24 hours a day) where you can pay in cash. When calling to Argentina from abroad, dial the country code (54) and then the area code of the place you want to call. For domestic calls, dial 0 before the area code. For international calls from within Argentina, dial 00, then country code and then the city code followed by the number. Note that tariffs are reduced from 10.00pm to 8.00am. Emergency numbers are; Police – 101, Fire – 100, Ambulance 107. The number for directory assistance is 110.

If you are planning on spending some of your time in Argentina near the borders of Bolivia or Paraguay then it is recommended that you protect yourself against malaria. Areas such as the lowland provinces of Salta, Jujuy, Misiones and Corrientes all carry a risk of contracting the disease. You should start a course of malaria pills about two weeks before you depart, you should carry on taking the pills for the entire duration of your trip and for an additional four weeks after your return.

Any medication you take with you abroad will need to be in its original, labelled container. You should also carry a letter from your doctor describing your medical condition and what the medication is for. No vaccination certificate is required to enter the country, but do make sure that you are up to date on all of your booster injections, especially diphtheria and tetanus.

If you are planning on visiting the north-eastern forested areas, near the borders of Brazil and Paraguay, then it's highly recommended that you have a yellow fever vaccination at least ten days prior to travel. A vaccination for typhoid and also for hepatitis A and B are recommended too.

Almost all the land crossings from Chile to Argentina involve crossing the Andes. Be aware that, due to the weather, some of the mountain passes close in winter. You can cross the Chile/Argentina border from San Pedro de Atacama into Salta, from Santiago to Mendoza, from Chile Chico to Los Antiguos and from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. From Villazón in Bolivia you can cross into La Quiaca, there are also crossings at Bermejo and Yacuiba in Bolivia. It is possible to arrive by land from Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as well. Airlines flying to Argentina mostly arrive at Ezeiza International Airport, which is 37km away from the city of Buenos Aires.

You can fly to Argentina from most countries in South America as well as England, France , Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and New Zealand and Australia too. You can travel to Argentina by boat from Puerto Montt in Chile to Bariloche. The trip takes about 12 hours. You can also reach Buenos Aires by boat, across the river, from Uruguay.

Argentina has an extensive public transport system including buses, taxis, trains and, in the capital, the subway. However, because the country is so vast a lot of it can only be explored if you have your own vehicle.

By land: Long-distance buses are equipped with toilets, air conditioning and a bar. They are generally very comfortable, they play films-usually in English or with English subtitles, and they often served food. It's just like being on an aeroplane. If you want to get off the beaten track then you can hire your own vehicle. Local dealers tend to be cheaper than the international companies. You must be over 21, with a valid license and a credit card.

By air: Due to the country’s large size, planes are best to travel long distances, and you can then take overland transportation to get to your final destination. Buying 'Airpass Visit Argentina' in your own country will make sure you obtain more economical prices for flights within Argentina. They are valid for foreign visitors or Argentinians residing abroad, and all foreign tourists holding an international air tickets, on domestic flight connections served by Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral. Only one 'Airpass Visit Argentina' will be allowed per each paid international ticket.

When leaving Argentina through the airport you will be required to pay a small tax fee. Make sure you ask if the fee is included in the price of your ticket, it usually is not. You will have to pay it in Argentine pesos or US dollars and then put the tax paid sticker onto your ticket.