Some of the best beaches in South America are found in the relatively modern city of Mar del Plata, situated on the northern Atlantic coast, 400km/228mi from Buenos Aires. Here beaches sprawl for 8km/5mi and the ones nearest to Mar de Plata's cruise-port are the Chica and Grande Beaches where sea-lions like to supervise the fishing activities around the wharves.
Once a playground for the rich, mansions from the area's heyday mingle with newer, more modest resorts. Many early 19th C buildings, modern high-rises, numerous parks, squares and gardens are found along "Mardel's" waterfront. Mar del Plata has a population of approximately 500,000.
Mar del Plata offers museums, restaurants and a colorful nightlife, plus the natural beauty of the outlying area's wind-swept dunes and dramatic cliffs.
Preserved behind the 1906 facade of the J M Fangio Automobile Museum in Mar del Plata are more than 100 cars and 500 trophies belonging to the collection of racer Juan Manuel Fangio. Among the well organized displays in this 5,000sq m/54,000sq ft shrine to motoring is the first automobile in the world, a Daimler 1886.
Address: Fundacion Museo Del Automovilismo "Juan Manuel Fangio", Balcarce, Buenos Aires 7620, Argentina
Mar del Plata Aquarium offers many marine attractions with the dolphin and seal shows as the most popular. Other highlights include penguins, tortoises, flamingos and 3D films at the on-site cinema.
Address: Mar del Plata Aquarium, Avenida Martinez de Hoz 5600, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires 7600, Argentina
Hours:
January 1 to February 28: 10am-9pm
March 1 to March 15: 10am-8pm
March 16 to March 29: 10am-7pm
April 1 to October 30: 10am-6pm; Sun:10am-7pm; Sat:10am-7pm
November 1 to November 30: 10am-6pm; Sun:10am-8pm; Sat:10am-8pm
Mar del Plata is one of the country's most important fishing ports and seafood processing centers. Picturesque Banquina de Pescadores is busy with brightly colored boats as fishermen follow their daily routine. Fishers return with their catch at around 5 p.m. The sea-lions monitoring the activities make a great photo-op.
Laguna Sierra de los Padres is Mar del Plata's premier ecological reserve. It encompasses over 200ha/494ac of marshland and is ideal for bird watching.
Mar del Plata is the site of Argentina's most important film festival, the Argentine version of Cannes. The festival used to be held in March but the format has changed and is now held in November.
Address: Festival Internacional de Cine, Lima 319 Piso 10, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1073, Argentina
The Museo Archivo Historico Municipal is housed in the 1930s Villa Emilio Mitre. On display are old photos and documents recounting the history of Mar del Plata.
Address: Museo Archivo Historico Municipal, Avenida Lamadrid 3870, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires 7600, Argentina
The Museo Municipal de Arte Juan Carlos Castagnino is housed in the former summer residence of a prominent family from Mar del Plata. The building itself is very ornate in a Tudor style and worth a look around. On display inside is a range of artworks in a variety of mediums by Argentine artists.
Address: Museo Municipal de Arte Juan Carlos Castagnino, Avenida Colón 1189, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires 7600, Argentina
Paleontological, archaeological, geological and zoological exhibits are displayed in the Municipal Museum of Natural Sciences Lorenzo Scalia whose ground floor aquarium features fresh and salt-water species.
Address: Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales Lorenzo Scalia, Libertad 3099, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires 7600, Argentina
Victoria Ocampo once hosted salons in this house, whose guests included Jorge Luis Borges and Igor Stravinsky.
The iron and wood for the mansion, now the Villa Victoria Ocampo Cultural Center, was brought from England to Argentina by boat in 1912. It is now a museum and cultural center.
Address: Centro Cultural Villa Victoria, Avenida Matheu 1851, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires 7600, Argentina
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Mar del Plata
