6 Important things you need to know before visiting Argentina

If you are set on visiting Argentina, you could be understandably excited by the prospect of seeing many of its fascinating sites — such as the stunning Iguazú Falls as well as the provinces of Jujuy and Salta, which are noteworthy for their awe-inspiring rock formations.

However, you are advised to commit the following to memory before heading off. Here are a few things you should know before visiting Argentina.

Argentina’s official currency 

This currency is the Argentine peso, and it would be a good idea for you to have at least a modest amount of pesos in the form of physical cash at close hand when you are in Argentina itself.

In an article for Travel Awaits, travel coach Heather Markel warns that “most people want to be paid in cash” — and attempting to withdraw pesos from ATMs in the country can have haphazard results, as these ATMs are not always reliable.

Argentinians speak Spanish… in a sense 

Culture Trip explains: “In Argentina, like most of the rest of Latin America, Spanish is spoken, but here it is called Castellano.”

This variant of the Spanish language is rooted in the country’s history of attracting large numbers of Italian and Spanish immigrants, meaning that the Spanish here is noticeably Italian-influenced.

Markel insists: “Rest assured that if you speak any version of the [Spanish] language you’ll find your way!”

Where to get free Wi-Fi 

You could enjoy surprisingly good quality Wi-Fi connectivity even just as you are traveling to Argentina. There are, for example, Silversea cruises where unlimited Wi-Fi is included in passenger cabins on ships that travel to Buenos Aires. 

Meanwhile, Buenos Aires itself has about 250 free Wi-Fi hotspots, according to Geekybar, which adds: “Many pubs, cafés, and restaurants provide free Wi-Fi to customers.”

Where you can purchase SIM cards and prepaid telephone cards 

Prepaid cards are available from many tobacconists and newsagents — ‘kioscos’ — as well as cyber cafés, otherwise known as ‘locutorios’ in Argentina.

For your smartphone, you can buy a local SIM card at a mobile phone retailer or kiosk. The main telephone networks in Buenos Aires are Movistar, Personal, and Claro.

The high availability of meat

It wouldn’t be harsh to say that Argentina can be a challenging place to be if you are a vegetarian or vegan, as meat eating is very much a way of life in this South American country.

It is, for a start, resplendent in steakhouses — and any locals you become friendly with might invite you to attend a barbecue with them. In any case, the meat served in Argentina is arguably among the tastiest in the world.

Dogs are often left to wander

Other than in major cities, people often leave their dogs to wander off-leash in Argentina. You might not even see many of them wearing collars.

While these canines are likely to be friendly if you pet them, they could also follow you. Markel recalls: “I once had three dogs follow me for an entire afternoon! They came on a hike with me and waited as I entered and exited shops.”

If you’re looking for more travel planning resources, head to my travel resources page next.