So, you are travelling to Argentina.
Excellent.
You have learnt a few Spanish phrases.
You know that Argentina is enormous.
You have investigated the steak situation.
You have probably also discovered that Patagonia contains approximately enough spectacular scenery to completely destroy the storage capacity on your phone.
You are prepared.
Mostly.
But knowing what to do in Argentina is only half the story.
It is equally useful to know what not to do.
Because every country has its own customs, practical quirks and unwritten rules.
Argentina is no exception.
Some mistakes will simply make you look slightly confused.
Others could waste your time, cost you money or make your journey unnecessarily complicated.
And a few may result in you sitting alone inside an empty restaurant at 6pm wondering whether Argentina has collectively forgotten about dinner.
It has not.
You are simply extremely early.
To help you travel confidently, avoid unnecessary mistakes and enjoy your trip without accidentally becoming that tourist, here are 10 things you should not do when visiting Argentina.
1. Don’t Assume You Can See The Entire Country In One Trip
🗺️ Argentina is enormous.
This deserves repeating.
Argentina.
Is.
Enormous.
Look at a map and it is tempting to start enthusiastically adding destinations.
Buenos Aires.
Mendoza.
Iguazú.
Bariloche.
El Calafate.
Ushuaia.
Salta.
Excellent.
You have now accidentally created a logistical operation rather than a holiday.
Distances between major destinations can involve long bus journeys or flights.
Trying to visit everything in two weeks can result in spending more time looking at airport departure boards than Argentina.
💡 Travel Tip: Choose a few regions and explore them properly.
If you have limited time, combine destinations that make geographical sense or use domestic flights for particularly long distances.
Leave something for another trip.
Argentina is not going anywhere.
And neither is Patagonia.
Probably.
2. Don’t Rely On Old Information About Money
💵 Argentina’s financial situation has changed considerably over the years and travel advice about exchanging money can become outdated surprisingly quickly.
An article written several years ago may confidently describe exchange rates, payment methods or procedures that no longer reflect what travellers actually encounter.
Following outdated financial advice is rarely a good travel strategy.
Following outdated financial advice involving your entire holiday budget is even less ideal.
💡 Travel Tip: Check current information shortly before travelling and continue checking during longer trips.
Use reputable banks, authorised exchange services and legitimate payment methods.
Carry more than one payment option and check your bank’s international transaction charges.
Keep some cash available for smaller businesses or situations where cards are inconvenient.
And never exchange large amounts of money with random strangers simply because somebody confidently announces an “excellent rate”.
Confidence is not a financial licence.
3. Don’t Expect Dinner At 6pm
🍽️ You are hungry.
It is 6pm.
Excellent.
Time for dinner.
Argentina disagrees.
Dinner is often eaten considerably later than in many other countries, particularly in Buenos Aires and other cities.
Some restaurants may not even begin their main evening service until later.
Arrive too early and you may discover an impressive collection of empty tables.
You will have excellent service.
Primarily because you are the only person there.
💡 Travel Tip: Adjust your schedule gradually.
Have merienda, the traditional afternoon snack or light meal, to survive the gap between lunch and dinner.
Coffee.
Pastries.
Toast.
Something involving dulce de leche.
You have options.
Then enjoy dinner later in the evening.
Your stomach may initially file a formal complaint.
It will adapt.
4. Don’t Compare Everything To Another Latin American Country
🌎 Argentina is part of Latin America.
Obviously.
But Latin America is enormously diverse.
Food, accents, traditions, politics, history and everyday customs vary significantly between countries and regions.
Avoid arriving with the assumption that something must work a particular way because you experienced it elsewhere in South America.
And perhaps avoid repeatedly announcing:
“Well, in [insert another country], they do it differently.”
Yes.
That is why you travelled somewhere else.
💡 Travel Tip: Approach Argentina as its own destination.
Try the local food.
Listen to the local Spanish.
Learn about regional customs.
Notice the differences.
That is one of the reasons travelling is interesting.
If every country worked exactly the same way, passports would be considerably less exciting objects.
5. Don’t Assume Everyone Speaks English
🗣️ You will encounter English speakers in Argentina, particularly in popular tourist destinations, hotels and travel businesses.
But you should not assume everybody speaks English.
Outside major tourist areas, knowing basic Spanish becomes considerably more useful.
This is particularly important when taking local transport, visiting smaller restaurants, shopping or travelling through less touristy regions.
💡 Travel Tip: Learn a few useful Spanish phrases.
Hola.
Por favor.
Gracias.
¿Cuánto cuesta?
¿Dónde está el baño?
That final phrase deserves priority.
Download an offline translation app too.
And remember that Argentine Spanish has distinctive vocabulary and pronunciation.
If somebody answers your carefully practised Spanish and you suddenly understand absolutely nothing, congratulations.
You have reached the advanced practical examination.
6. Don’t Ignore Your Belongings In Busy Places
🎒 Argentina offers extraordinary travel experiences.
Losing your phone is not one of them.
As in many major tourist destinations around the world, pickpocketing and opportunistic theft can occur, particularly in crowded urban areas and transport hubs.
Busy streets, public transport, stations and tourist attractions are places where travellers should pay attention to their belongings.
This does not mean spending your entire holiday suspiciously guarding your backpack like it contains state secrets.
It means being sensible.
💡 Travel Tip: Keep bags zipped and close to your body.
Avoid carrying wallets or phones in easily accessible back pockets.
Do not leave your phone casually sitting near the edge of an outdoor café table.
Keep backup cards and emergency cash separately from your main wallet.
And make digital copies of important travel documents.
Your phone should return from Argentina with you.
It deserves to see the photographs too.
7. Don’t Underestimate Patagonia’s Weather
🏔️ Patagonia is spectacular.
Mountains.
Glaciers.
Lakes.
Hiking trails.
Vast landscapes.
And weather that occasionally appears to be making decisions in real time.
A morning can begin beautifully.
Then the wind arrives.
Then clouds.
Then rain.
Then sunshine.
Then somehow more wind.
You may experience several seasons before finishing your sandwich.
💡 Travel Tip: Dress in layers and carry waterproof clothing when exploring outdoors.
Check local weather forecasts before hiking or joining outdoor activities.
Follow advice from park authorities, guides and accommodation providers.
Do not assume clear weather in town means conditions will remain identical in the mountains.
Most importantly, do not ignore warnings simply because your itinerary says today is “Hiking Day”.
Patagonia has not seen your itinerary.
Patagonia does not care.
8. Don’t Visit A Parrilla And Rush Your Meal
🥩 Argentina takes meat seriously.
Very seriously.
A traditional parrilla is not merely somewhere you quickly consume dinner before moving to the next attraction.
Meals can be relaxed and social.
Different cuts may arrive at different times and the entire experience is often intended to be enjoyed slowly.
Arriving at a parrilla and attempting to complete dinner in 27 minutes rather defeats the point.
Also, be careful when ordering.
Portions can be substantial.
Your confidence may be larger than your stomach.
💡 Travel Tip: Ask about portion sizes and different cuts if you are unsure.
Share dishes if appropriate.
Take your time.
Try chimichurri.
Order something unfamiliar.
And leave room for dessert.
Yes, you are full.
That information becomes surprisingly irrelevant when an alfajor, flan or something involving dulce de leche appears.
9. Don’t Treat Tango As Just A Tourist Performance
💃 Tango is internationally associated with Argentina, particularly Buenos Aires.
Naturally, travellers want to experience it.
You will find spectacular professional tango shows designed partly with visitors in mind.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying them.
But tango is also part of Argentina’s cultural history and continues as a living social tradition.
There are milongas, social events and venues where people actually gather to dance.
Not because a tour bus has arrived.
Because they enjoy tango.
💡 Travel Tip: If you are interested in tango, explore beyond the large tourist performances.
Consider attending a beginner lesson or visiting a milonga where visitors are welcome.
Learn a little about the etiquette before attending.
Observe.
Be respectful.
Do not walk onto the dance floor with absolutely no idea what you are doing because you watched three minutes of tango on YouTube.
Confidence is admirable.
Collision avoidance is better.
10. Don’t Plan Every Minute Of Your Trip
⏰ You have created the itinerary.
Excellent.
9:00 breakfast.
9:45 museum.
11:17 coffee.
12:03 photograph important building.
12:08 continue enjoying holiday.
There is just one problem.
Argentina may have other plans.
Perhaps you discover a neighbourhood you want to explore, perhaps lunch lasts considerably longer than expected, perhaps the weather changes.
Perhaps somebody recommends a place you had never heard of.
Perhaps the bus is late.
Perhaps you sit down for coffee and decide that moving again seems unnecessarily ambitious.
💡 Travel Tip: Book the important things, particularly domestic flights, popular accommodation and activities with limited availability.
Then leave breathing room.
Argentina rewards travellers who occasionally abandon the schedule.
Walk another street.
Stay for another coffee.
Visit the market you passed earlier.
Watch the sunset.
Order another empanada.
Your itinerary is supposed to help your holiday.
Your holiday is not supposed to work for your itinerary.
✨ Final Argentina Thoughts
Argentina is a relatively easy country to fall in love with.
There are enormous landscapes.
Energetic cities.
Mountains.
Glaciers.
Waterfalls.
Wine regions.
Football.
Tango.
Steak.
Empanadas.
Dulce de leche.
And approximately 400 opportunities per day to realise that you should probably have allowed more time.
Most travel mistakes in Argentina are easily avoided with a little preparation.
Do not underestimate the distances.
Do not rely on outdated financial information.
Do not expect everybody to speak English.
Keep an eye on your belongings.
Respect local customs.
Prepare properly for outdoor adventures.
And please do not arrive at a Buenos Aires restaurant at 5.30pm expecting the full dinner atmosphere.
You may technically be correct that it is evening.
Argentina has chosen a different interpretation.
Most importantly, do not travel through the country so quickly that you forget to actually experience it.
Sit in the café.
Walk around the neighbourhood.
Take the scenic route.
Eat the empanada.
Try the wine.
Learn some Spanish.
Watch the tango.
Spend longer staring at the mountains than is strictly necessary.
Argentina is enormous.
You are probably going to miss something.
Actually, you are definitely going to miss something.
That is not a travel failure.
It is an excellent excuse to return.
And when somebody asks what you should not do in Argentina, perhaps the most important answer is surprisingly simple:
Do not assume one trip will be enough.
