The most beautiful places to visit when teaching English in Argentina
This great cut out of South America really is a stunning country. With Patagonia and bustling Buenos Aires alike, there’s always something to get stuck into on those weekends and holidays when you won’t be teaching English in Argentina. Check out our list of some of the top suggestions below…
El Calafate
El Calafate is the famed gateway to the Los Glaciares National Park. It sits close to the border with Chile in the very depths of Patagonia; a land of ice fields, tundra, lakes, and mountains that look like something out of Dr Seuss. Of course, the wild location has given it a rep as a hiking hub. These days, the town is packed with outdoorsy outfitters and trekking suppliers, all of which can help you hit the trails that ring the needle-like tops of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy. However, it’s the Perito Moreno Glacier that really tops the chart. Head to its mighty face to witness colossal chunks of ice being carved off and dropping into the waters below.
Bariloche
Get your taste of Switzerland up in the highlands of Patagonia by making the intrepid journey through the peaks to little Bariloche (full name: San Carlos de Bariloche). Clutching the edge of the mighty Andes on the side of Nahuel Huapi Lake, it’s a town that rarely fails to enchant and enthrall. For one thing, it’s got rows of characterful little chalets along its streets, reminiscent of Austrian ski towns in the Alps. And talking of ski towns, this is also the epicentre of the Argentinian ski season, with the Centro de Ski Nórdico and the Alta Patagonia resorts on the horizon – head to those for groomed runs on the side of rugged Cerro Catedral (Cathedral Mountain).
Ushuaia
Down where the icy Beagle Channel carves through the Patagonian fjords and sounds is where Ushuaia makes its home. It’s hailed as the southernmost city in the world, which means it might be something of a hefty journey to get here from the TEFL classrooms if you’re teaching English in Argentina. It sure is worth the trip though, if only for the breathtaking vistas of the hulking Martial Mountains as they stand against the sloshing Pacific Ocean. The national reserves of the Tierra del Fuego add to the draws for explorers. They are pockmarked with peat bogs and cut through by gushing rivers, spilling into the waves where seals and whales splash in the currents.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires’s big concrete blocks and shimmering modern skyscrapers might not instantly feel like one of the most beautiful spots for folk teaching English in Argentina looking to escape the classroom. But there is certainly charm and character to be found in this sprawling metropolis. Make for the area of San Telmo, where Italianate mansions line the bustling streets and enticing art galleries lurk on the corners – it’s one of the cultural hubs of the capital. You’ll also spy out small Spanish-style homes and marketplaces that throb with life there. Meanwhile, off-beat La Boca is a district plumed in color and graffiti, with shanty buildings that dance to the tune of street entertainers and ad hoc tango sessions.
Mendoza Province
Wine lovers the world over should be putting the postcard-worthy region of Mendoza at the very top of that Argentina bucket list, let anyone teaching English in Argentina who’s partial to a tipple of red and white. That’s because this vast cut-out of territory along the edge of the Andes boasts one of the most amazing growing climates on the continent. The hub of Lujan de Cuyo is the place to go to meet gauchos and wine makers in the rustic cellar doors, while the capital of Mendoza itself has plenty of tasting rooms and wine tours on the menu. And it doesn’t end there, because the ski resort of Las Lenas also drapes over the Andean peaks here. It’s considered the biggest and best in the country.
Are you a veteran TEFL-er who’s been teaching English in Argentina for years with something to add? We know there are LOADS more places that could make this list and we’d love to hear about them below. Or, perhaps you think it’s time you got qualified and teaching? We have both online courses and internships for those looking to get stuck straight into teaching English in Argentina.