Travelling Argentina by bus – from Buenos Aires to Patagonia wilderness via wine country
The South American nation’s allure lies in its multitude of wonders, which encompass hot-blooded cities and dramatic landscapes, all of which can be enjoyed from the comfort of a luxury long-distance bus
Besides countless cool bars and glamorous clubs, this most European of South American cities is an addictive assemblage of broad boulevards and leafy parks, monumental palaces and art deco treasures. But every glitzy neighbourhood has its malevolent counterpart.
“Visit in daylight and stay on El Caminito street,” well-meaning locals advise me, when I tell them I plan to see the working-class barrio of La Boca. The colourful thoroughfare is lined with brightly painted houses, taverns and tango clubs but, after a recent spate of muggings, police officers busy themselves reminding tourists to be vigilant. Backpacks are worn as frontpacks in La Boca.
The down-at-heel neighbourhood feels safer than the city centre, where a raucous anti-government demonstration is gathering momentum when I visit. Huge, noisy crowds make their way along 9th of July Avenue, the world’s widest street, bringing traffic to a standstill. The publicity-savvy protesters march past the health ministry building, with its iconic 10-storey steel likeness of Argentina’s most famous friend of the poor, Eva Peron, known to the world as Evita.
For travellers with a chronic case of wanderlust, the departure boards at Buenos Aires bus terminal evoke adventure, romance and wonder. There are services to Montevideo and Rio, Santiago, Lima and Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city. As overwhelming as an Indian railway station, the transport hub is used by an average of 40,000 visitors daily, although many aren’t actually going anywhere. Passengers are outnumbered by locals, who drop by for a haircut, a spot of retail therapy or to meet friends for coffee.
