Martin Grosz
02/09/2021 19:13
Clarín.com
Society
Updated 02/09/2021 19:37
Every time there is less and less for the extra long weekend of Carnival, that time of rest that for many will be the last chance to make a "cut", a pause of enjoyment and relaxation before the beginning of classes.
In the middle of an atypical summer, with less movement than normal due to the pandemic, these
four days between Saturday the 13th and Tuesday the
16th
of February, however, promise to be
an oasis
for the tourism sector.
Reservations in the main destinations of the country are at high levels for those dates, and still
growing
.
So much so that, four days before departure, in many cases the accommodation capacity - diminished because many hotels this year did not open - became scarce.
And there are routes with
practically exhausted tickets
.
The effects of this high demand can surprise and impact those who come up with the idea of
improvising a "getaway"
during these hours
,
and begin to find out the available prices.
Is that, to travel to the most required cities of the moment, what is available comes to be offered at
exorbitant values
: for example, no less than
$ 50,000 or $ 87,000
for a roundtrip plane ticket.
Although, at the same time, in other destinations there are still
opportunities
: abundant supply of tickets and much more moderate accommodation rates.
That is what arises, at least, from a
Clarín
survey
that this Tuesday tried to determine and compare how much money someone who lives in Capital or the GBA needs to
improvise a getaway
on the "XXL weekend" of Carnival heading to the most typical destinations , if you have not yet booked tickets or accommodation.
The buses, this summer, do not leave from Retiro but from the Dellepiane terminal.
Photo Luciano Thieberger
For the exercise, it was planned to
leave on Saturday
from Buenos Aires
and return on Tuesday
.
For this purpose, tickets were searched on the websites of the main domestic airlines (Aerolineas Argentinas, JetSmart and Flybondi) and on the sites that concentrate the sale of bus tickets.
And for accommodation,
rates
were compared
on a double basis
(for a couple) with breakfast from medium-sized establishments near the center of each city.
The results, destination by destination, are detailed below:
PUERTO IGUAZÚ
Micro
.
The cheapest means of transport to get from Buenos Aires to the city of the Falls is the micro: a round trip ticket costs
$ 11,000
for the long weekend, but it
takes between 18 and 19 hours
, which does not seem ideal for such a short stay.
Plane
.
If you opt for the plane, the problem is the price: the tickets do not lower than
$ 50,700 per person
round trip on the flag line, although for those who can leave on Friday and return on Wednesday that cost can be reduced a little, to $ 38,100.
Accommodation
.
As for hotels, there are still 3-star options with breakfast starting at
$ 3,200 a night
and for a 4-star one you have to pay at least
$ 8,600 a night
.
The excursion to Las Cataradas, a classic that does not stop even in a pandemic.
Photo Télam
THE CALAFATE
Plane
.
Without the option of the bus available, towards the city of the glaciers it is necessary to fly.
But the availability of seats is extremely limited: at this time there are only higher class seats.
Traveling from Saturday to Tuesday,
the cheapest flight is $ 87,200
per person.
Although from Friday to Wednesday, the same rate collapses to
$ 25,300
.
Accommodation
.
In the heart of El Calafate, these days you can get accommodation with breakfast from
$ 3,400 a night
in a 3-star category and from
$ 8,000 a night
to sleep in a 4-star establishment, always with breakfast included.
The glacier viewpoint is enabled for visits and excursions.
JUMP
Plane
.
To fly from Ezeiza to Salta, Aerolineas Argentinas found options starting at
$ 45,400
per passenger roundtrip on the dates that allow you to make the most of the extra long weekend.
At JetSmart the fare was
$ 36,900 only with hand luggage
and $ 42,500 with the right to check one bag.
Micro
.
Taking a bus costs is greatly reduced: the tickets cost
$ 13,300
per person, but you have to be willing to allocate
20 hours
of travel for each section.
And at the time of the survey, they could not get seats for the return.
Accommodation
.
To stay in the center of the provincial capital, there are 3-star hostels and inns from
$ 3,500 per night
and the 4-star alternatives do not go below
$ 7,400 per night
.
BARILOCHE
Plane
.
Towards the city of Rio Negro, there are no bus tickets on the dates of the long weekend.
The plane tickets still available, meanwhile, start at
$ 34,300
only with hand luggage and at
$ 36,200
if a suitcase is dispatched.
In this case, leaving a day earlier and returning a day later does not lower the price.
Accommodation
.
At no more than a kilometer and a half from the Civic Center, to sleep in a 3-star with breakfast there are options starting at
$ 5,400 per night
, while in a 4-star that value can easily triple, being over
$ 15,000 per night
.
In summer, in Bariloche, tourists sunbathe in front of Lake Gutiérrez.
Photo Marcelo Martinez
CORDOVA
Micro
.
To move between Buenos Aires and the Cordovan capital, for now the offer of bus tickets is abundant, with fares that start at $ 7,000 round trip.
In this case, it is a journey of around
5 hours
.
Plane
.
Flying is considerably more expensive.
With carry-on baggage alone, airlines are charging at least
$ 17,500
per passenger roundtrip for travel between Saturday and Tuesday.
And more than
$ 22,500
if you want to dispatch a suitcase.
Accommodation
.
In the city center, and with breakfast included, a couple who book now are charged this long weekend at least
$ 3,500 per night
to stay in a 3-star hotel, and
$ 5,800 per night
in a 4-star hotel.
In Villa Carlos Paz, meanwhile, there is already very little availability and for a 3-star you have to pay at least
$ 5,100 per night
.
ROSARY BEADS
Micro
.
With good seat availability, the trip, which lasts four hours, starts at
$ 3,000 round trip
per passenger.
Plane
.
There are tickets starting at
$ 7,500
, without luggage, round trip departing on Saturday and returning on Tuesday.
Accommodation
.
In centrally located hotels, a couple who have not booked yet are charged at least
$ 4,000 per night
in 3-star establishments with breakfast.
And if you aspire to one of 4 stars, find options from
$ 6,300 per night
.
The beaches on the Paraná river and a typical postcard of Rosario.
Photo Santa Fe Tourism
MENDOZA
Micro
.
By land, the bus companies offer tickets for
$ 9,000
round trip per passenger between Buenos Aires and Mendoza, a journey of 14 hours.
Plane
.
The availability of tickets is very low and the rates account for that.
To fly to the capital of Mendoza from Ezeiza, the tickets on offer do not lower than
$ 39,900
round trip.
Returning on Wednesday, meanwhile, you can pay at least
$ 31,500
.
Accommodation
.
In 3-star category and with breakfast, a couple must pay at least
$ 3,000 a night
to sleep in a hotel.
And to stay in a 4 star, there are options from
$ 9,300
.
The Potrerillos dam, one of the places that are chosen to enjoy the heat in Mendoza, near the capital.
Photo José Gutierrez / Los Andes
The panorama on the coast
MAR DEL PLATA
Micro
.
The cheapest option to get to Mar del Plata is the train, but for this long weekend all tickets are sold out.
Yes you can get bus tickets: with this option, the trip from the Dellepiane terminal lasts about 5 hours and the cost per person is
$ 5,570 round trip
.
Flight
.
To go by plane, traveling from Saturday to Tuesday you can get tickets from $ 18,600 round trip just carrying hand luggage, and from $ 21,300 with a checked suitcase.
In this case, if the departure is on Friday and the return on Wednesday, only first class options are found starting at
$ 30,800
.
Accommodation
.
For this weekend, a couple wishing to book a room in a 3-star downtown La Feliz must pay at least
$ 5,200 per night
, and in a 4-star category, the options found start at
$ 7,500 per night
, always with breakfast. included.
They expect high occupancy for the Carnival weekend in Mar del Plata.
Photo Nicolás Torreiro
PINAMAR
Micro
.
For the weekend, the bus tickets that are bound for Pinamar cost
$ 5,120 per person
, also including the return to Buenos Aires.
It is a journey of about 4 and a half hours.
Accommodation
.
It is much more complicated at this point to find a place to sleep in this seaside resort, since the offer on the portals is very limited and what is seen has very high values.
In 3 stars it is hardly possible to find options for the weekend.
And in 4 stars, one in the center with a pool asks, for example,
$ 16,000 a night
for their last double room.
And others like it, more than $ 21,000 or even
$ 34,000 a night
.
Couple plans, among the trends
"One of the particularities that we observe among Despegar travelers for the Carnival weekend holiday are the
trips of two people
, which is related to the coincidence of Valentine's Day,"
Paula Cristi, general manager
, told
Clarín
of the agency for Argentina and Uruguay.
Valentine's Day falls on Sunday, February 14.
The executive added that, as had happened last year, they detected a preference for
nearby destinations
for this long weekend
.
"The cities that take more strength are the coastal tourist centers, such as
Mar del Plata and Villa Gesell
. There will also be very good occupation in
Bariloche, Villa Carlos Paz and Iguazú,
" he explained.
In that company, for example, for those who book at the last minute, they offer packages to
Córdoba
with a direct flight, 4 nights of accommodation and an excursion to the Sierras for
$ 47,471 per person
.
And another to
Puerto Iguazú
with direct flight, 4 nights in a jungle inn with a pool and the excursion to the Falls for
$ 72,473
per person.
In the travel company, they highlight that the destinations closest to the City of Buenos Aires - such as
Pilar, San Antonio de Areco, Tandil or Tigre
- also aroused great interest, as part of a trend that is consolidating.
"We already anticipate very good occupation for them during Holy Week," Cristi closed.
MG