Argentines like to own country homes. In a nation where banks were recently the bad guys who didn’t let you withdraw your own funds, real estate makes for a convenient investment. From modest to lavish, it’s customary for those who are able to invest in a second home outside of the city. If you happen to be visiting Buenos Aires and would like to get away for a day in the countryside, you can follow the local tradition and drive an hour or so out of town along the river to relax in meadows amongst the trees.

The neighborhood of La Boca is, as many would say, a tourist trap. It is not uncommon to encounter more foreigners than locals wandering through the streets. You can definitely expect to see overpriced everything. And the tourist shop workers will go to any length to draw you in with hopes that you’ll buy some of their souvenirs. Yet, even knowing all of that, it is a spot that I recommend every Buenos Aires traveler should experience. There is a reason that so many tourists make La Boca a priority on their itinerary, and once you are there you will soon be overwhelmed by its charm and understand exactly why.

Just a two hour bus ride from Buenos Aires and a few centuries back in time, there is a bona fide gaucho pueblo. San Antonio de Areco, 112 km from the capital city, is by presidential decree a historical town of national interest, and with good reason. Dispersed amongst the beautiful period houses are authentic pulperias, almacénes and the long-established workshops of craftsmen and artisans.

La Plata, located only 60km south of the capital Buenos Aires, has more to it than meets the eye. My first trip to this apparently sleepy town was uninspiring, and I decided to leave before lunchtime. The next time I visited was on a hot summer afternoon and a friend showed me around the city. When the time came to catch the bus back to Buenos Aires, I didn’t want to leave.

Walking the quaint streets around the plaza, or watching the sun set over the lake, it is easy to forget that you are just outside the bustle of Buenos Aires. In San Vicente, just passed the southern districts of greater Buenos Aires, the pace of life slows down dramatically, the people are less self-occupied, and the visitor has the undeniable feeling that this is a taste of rural Argentina. There is basically no tourist infrastructure in San Vicente, and the resulting advantage is that the accommodations available (a campground by the lake with all the facilities) caters to locals and costs only two pesos per night (about US$0.70).