Ten getaways for the long carnival weekend

With the carnival comes the first

of the year, a four-day break that not only says goodbye to summer, but also presents itself as a tempting break to rest before the start of the school year.

For those who still haven't decided what to do on those days, or who prefer not to travel far, here is a proposal for

, short tours that can be done in the day or -more recommendable-, in two or three days to soak up the landscapes, activities, flavors and stories of cities, towns, landscapes and countryside.

Plaza 1810 and the Nuestra Sra. del Carmen church, in the center of Lobos.

Photo Fabio Natale

Wolves, Villa Logüercio, Salvador Maria

The birthplace of Juan Domingo Perón is one of the attractions of

, a city of almost 50,000 inhabitants at the crossroads of national route 205 with provincial route 41.

But not the only one in its historic center, where it is also worth visiting the old Italian Cinema Theater -from 1918 and very well restored-, Plaza 1810, surrounded by centenary buildings such as the corner of Banco Nación and the Social Club, and the famous corner where the gaucho Juan Moreira was murdered.

The historic Cine Teatro Italiano, in the center of Lobos.

Photo Tourism Lobos

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19, Lobos there will be a

, music, plastic arts, acrobatics, drawing workshop, craft market and food court.

In addition, 9 de Julio street will be made pedestrian to host, on Saturday, the

, and on Sunday, the “

”, starting at 9:00 p.m.

There will also be the now traditional free guided tours of the old town and the cemetery.

Those in the center will depart from the Teatro Italiano on Saturday 18 at 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday 21 at 10 a.m.

The Lobos Lagoon from the Villa Logüercio waterfront.

Photo Tourism Lobos.

15 km from Lobos is

, a small town on the shores of the Lobos lagoon, with a beautiful waterfront with lots of greenery, benches, tables, public bathrooms and games for children, where on weekend evenings a cycle takes place of astrotourism.

It is worth exploring the quiet, tree-lined streets of the town, where there are interesting bird-watching walks and you can visit a chapel and the old “Fortín Lobos” train station.

In the lagoon you can rent boats and kayaks, practice windsurfing and kitesurfing and activities such as skiing or jet skiing, although the water level is currently very low.

And on Monday 20 at 6:30 p.m. from the waterfront there will be a

.

The Lobos Lagoon is currently home to a large number of bird species.

Photo Tourism Lobos

Between Lobos and La Laguna, the flying club is "the" place for those who dare to do a parachute baptism jump

since Lobos is the "National Skydiving Capital".

If not, in any case, the place has a beautiful green property with a swimming pool, restaurant and, right next to it, the

, with an 18-hole course.

4 km from the lagoon,

is a rural town with an elegant central boulevard where there are shops, a pharmacy, a couple of places to eat and a bakery that is famous throughout the area.

A street in Salvador María, near the Lobos lagoon.

Photo www.conocelaprovincia.com.ar

For years the town shone with the most famous carnival corsos in the entire party, and although they were interrupted by the pandemic, on Monday the 20th the carnival will close here, with dances, live music and a costume contest.

How to get.

To Lobos it is 98 km by Ricchieri highway, Ezeiza-Cañuelas highway and RN 205.

www.lobos.tur.ar

San Martín square, center of San Andrés de Giles.

Photo Tourism SA de Giles

San Andres de Giles, Cucullu, Villa Espil

98 km from Buenos Aires along National Route 7,

invites you to take a quiet walk through its historic center, where some old buildings such as Casa Méndez, with its beautiful stained glass dome, the old railway station and the palace are surprising. municipal, inaugurated on May 25, 1910.

There is also the house where former president Héctor Cámpora lived and carried out his professional activity, the Alberdi library and, in the North cemetery, the tomb of the artist Enrique de Larrañaga, declared a “national historic tomb”.

Casa Gallo, since 1880 in a corner of Cucullu.

In the Municipal Park, 15 hectares of trees with

.

On 2/17 there will be a folkloric carnival club at the Municipal Museum and Cultural Complex (admission: school supplies).

After having a good drink in an old bar like El Viejo Tropezón or 2 de Mayo, it is worth traveling 8 km along a rural road to

, a

in one of whose corners stands out the old room of the Casa warehouse bar Gallo, with its original shelves and wooden floors, from 1880, and nearby, the white chapel of Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús.

And the various kilns of a town that has always been dedicated to

, which every November celebrates the Fiesta del Hornero.

The San Felipe chapel, in front of the Villa Espil square.

Photo Tourism SA de Giles

Take a walk through

, a town about 10 blocks close to the Luján-Junín highway, with a beautiful central square.

Just opposite is the Aromas de Campo restaurant with “abuela Teresa's dishes”, and in a corner facing the highway, a general store.

On Sunday the 18th, Espil will host a mountain bike race.

How to get.

To San Andrés de Giles there are 102 km by West Access and RN 7.

sanandresdegiles.gob.ar

Empanadas fresh from the oven at La Pulpería de Payró, Magdalena district.

Roberto Payró, The Destination, Punta Indio

The surroundings of the city of

are populated with rural accommodation and ranches with hotels, which is an indicator of the profile of this neighboring area of ​​La Plata, 109 km from Buenos Aires and on the banks of the river.

Whoever arrives around noon will probably be guided by the aromas of the empanadas at La Pulpería de Payró, a nightclub that for decades has brought together no more than 65 inhabitants of the

area , in the middle of the countryside, between the routes 11 and 36.

La Pulpería is a ritual for the residents of the area and its surroundings, and for visitors on weekends, when in its centenary room they serve meat with French fries, casseroles or disco dishes.

El Destino Nature Reserve, with trails between the forest and the river.

Photo reservaeldestino.org

There is the old station, abandoned since 1980, the 24 school and a lonely YPF pump that today serves as a model for photos.

nature reserve

is a surprise: a 500-hectare property dedicated to preserving flora and fauna.

A conditioned English-style shed offers accommodation in comfortable dormitories, and there is also a campsite with all services. In addition, you can do activities such as horseback riding, walks along paths between the forest and the river and visit the Museum House to see part of the rural life of the last century.

.A nature reserve with a beach in Punta Indio

And finally, it is worth doing 20 km to

, heart of the Southern Coastal Park, declared a "Biosphere Reserve" by Unesco.

It is a corridor 70 km long by 5 km wide that covers the Buenos Aires coast with logs, dunes, ravines and shells, from Magdalena to Samborombón Bay.

There is no center in Punta Indio, because the houses, cabins, lodgings and eating places are scattered throughout the forest.

But there is a 800 meter long beach in the El Pericón resort.

How to get.

From Bs. As. to Payró it is 120 km by highway to La Plata to Hudson, route 2 to El Pato, rp 36 and Roberto Payró Access Road.

tourismmagdalena.gob.ar

puntaindiomunicipio.tur.ar

The waterfront over the Salado de Gral. Belgrano, at the crossroads of routes 41 and 29. Photo Turismo Gral. Belgrano

Gral. Belgrano, Termas del Salado, Enchanted Forest

At the crossroads of routes 41 and 29, 165 km from Buenos Aires,

awaits with an interesting proposal on the banks of the Salado, and with a schedule of activities and shows for the carnival weekend.

In the city, take advantage of its four tourist circuits -historical, productive, brewing and architectural-, the free cycling tours and the beautiful waterfront on the Salado River, a wide green space and water where there is a health track, a circuit of rural biking, artisan and gastronomy fairs and benches to relax looking at the greenery and the river.

The Enchanted Forest, a few km from the town.

Photo Tourism Gral. Belgrano

There, every weekend free bird watching outings are organized.

A curiosity of this area of ​​Salado: it has some of the best duck teams -national sport-, and the well-known Pato Picadero tournament is held.

From 24 to 26/2 the 30th edition of the Festival Mayor de Tango y Folclore will take place, with various artists on stage;

including Raúl Lavié, on Saturday the 25th, and Los Tekis as the closing, on Sunday the 26th.

3 km from the main square,

invites you to "exchange stress for relaxation" with four thermal water pools at different temperatures -one covered and three uncovered-, spaces for gastronomy and for children, a spa and, in summer, two recreational pools, with cold water.

The Termas del Salado have thermal water pools and other cold water, recreational.

Photo Tourism Gral. Belgrano

Another unmissable and quite surprising attraction is the

, which is the park of the old Santa Narcisa ranch, designed by the famous landscape architect Carlos Thays.

Among its at least 90 hundred-year-old plant species, home to some 30 species of birds, there are trails that lead to the old town, where the Museum of the Estancias works, perfect for exploring the history of these key institutions in the history of the countryside and the country. (The forest is open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the Museum, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

How to get.

From Buenos Aires to Gral. Belgrano it is 160 km by highway to La Plata, routes 2 and provincial 215 to Brandsen, and RP 29.

www.generalbelgrano.tur.ar

termasdelsalado.com.ar

The old Argentine Tearo, a treasure of Ernestina, in the party of May 25.

Photo PB/Travel

Ernestina, Pedernales, Riestra

This proposal could well be a journey, more than a destination: a trip along Provincial Route 40, between Provincial Routes 41 and 30, between towns and places with history.

If we start from the intersection between routes 41 and 40, it is 60 km to the west -47 of dirt and 13 of asphalt-, passing through towns and places such as José Santos Arévalo, Carboni and Elvira, in the Lobos district.

The then Prince of Wales passed through the station in 1925 on his way to the Huetel ranch.

Photo PB/Travel

Then, you cross the Salado River and enter the 25 de Mayo district, where

appears , with a great history: today it has about 120 inhabitants but it knew of better times, since in the first decades of the 20th century, the town -with the surroundings- came to count about 1,800 residents and exhibits two blocks of a "paved" street for the visit of the Prince of Wales.

It is Avenida San Martín, a boulevard that starts at the old train station and progresses with a stately appearance, with a central flowerbed with an attractive fountain and populated with palm trees that arrived from the Canary Islands at the end of the 19th century.

Under the ground there are remains of the pitch and tar that were placed anticipating the visit, in 1925, of the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, on his train trip to the Huetel ranch.

But the man kept going, he didn't get off at the station.

The old Casa Aguerre country store, in Pedernales, was carefully restored and reopened as a country restaurant.

Ernestina's heyday lasted until the end of the 1930s, when large carnival parades were held on the avenue.

The beautiful avenue remains as testimony with treasures such as the Teatro Argentino -from 1938-, the old Enrique Keen school and the neo-Gothic church, from 1912. And the train station, which was inaugurated in 1896 by the work of Enrique Keen.

His brother Jorge was the one who founded

, 7 km to the west along rp 40 and which is worth visiting, for its train station, its history and the corner of the old Casa Aguerre store, which reopened last year restored and converted into a spectacular country restaurant (for 2023 there are no opening dates yet).

And 13 km from Pedernales,

, the main town and end point of this tour, with hotels, restaurants, a central square with games and the old station transformed into a museum.

How to get.

From Buenos Aires to the junction between routes 41 and 40 there are 106 km along the Ezeiza-Cañuelas highway, national route 205 and rp 41. From there, 47 km of dirt to Pedernales and 13 km of asphalt to Riestra.

turismo25demayo.gob.ar

www.lobos.tur.ar

The La Paz store, an icon of the "store corridor" of Roque Pérez.

Roque Perez/La Paz Chica/Carlos Beguerie

135 km from Buenos Aires,

will celebrate the carnival from February 18 to 21 with murgas, a parade of floats, live shows and proposals for the little ones.

Great excuse to get closer and see the "other" birthplace of Juan Domingo Perón (an old discussion with Lobos), and also visit the train station where the City's History Interpretation Center operates.

The "Sanfra", a store from 1933 in La Paz Chica.

Just crossing Route 205,

is a place that was very prosperous at the beginning of the 20th century, as witnessed by the building of the old La Paz warehouse, where the "Corredor de los Almacenes" begins, linking several country clubs They feed and tell stories.

5 km away along a rural road,

is another place famous for its stores such as San Francisco (the “Sanfra”), which once had a gasoline pump, soccer field and bocce ball and organized great dances.

It still preserves the original construction, together with the furniture of the time (prior reservation at 1155680407).

Also the La Paz Chica store, which opened in 1981 and never closed its doors.

You can buy merchandise, have snacks and eat some snacks, have lunch or dinner (reservations, 2227-617949).

Cine Club Colón, a unique country cinema that came back to life in La Paz Chica, Roque Pérez.

Photo Rafael Mario Quinteros.

Another must-see is the Cine Club Colón, a unique rural cinema, from 1933, which after being closed for many years was carefully restored and once again shows films and hosts plays and concerts.

Open Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 6 pm and serves drinks and snacks.

And from Roque Pérez to the other side, to the south, it is 25 km to

, a town that went out with the closure of the railways, but is revived thanks to rural tourism and its jewels such as the La Perla store and, in the old and spectacular water tank of the station, the La Perla del Provincial Railway Museum, which transports you to the golden ages (Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.).

The La Perla store, in Carlos Beguerie.

A stop that attracts believers and photographers is the Our Lady of Perpetual Help chapel, one of the most attractive in the province.

How to get.

From Buenos Aires to Roque Pérez there are 135 kilometers along the Ezeiza-Cañuelas highway and route 205.

www.turismoroqueperez.com.ar

El Boliche de Bessonart, in the heart of San Antonio de Areco.

San Antonio de Areco/Vagues/Villa Lía

San Antonio de Areco

, 112 km from Buenos Aires, is "the" ideal place to reconnect with the gaucho culture.

For example, with a visit -a must- to the Ramos Generales Warehouse, in a house from 1850. The old objects that decorate the place invite you to travel back in time while tasting local flavors.

The restaurant is open every day from 12 to 16 and from 20 to 12 at night.

Or with a drink at the corner of Don Segundo Sombra and Zapiola, where the Boliche de Bessonart has been for many years, an emblematic bar chosen by gauchos.

Today he receives visits and gives food (Wednesday and Thursday from 5:00 p.m. and from Friday to Sunday from 11:00 a.m.).

The famous Old Bridge of San Antonio de Areco.

Other points of interest: Parque Criollo and Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes (Thursday to Monday from 11:15 to 16:30) and the Pulpería La Blanqueada, a place with more than 150 years and a National Historic Monument.

About 10 km to the south, with less than 90 inhabitants and only two paved blocks,

is a refuge for those seeking tranquility: a town that grew thanks to railway life, and although the train no longer runs, the old station continues to be the protagonist , because the Railway Interpretation Center works there (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

The Vagues station, in the San Antonio de Areco district.

7 km away, a related proposal: Los Vagones de Areco, an accommodation in which the rooms are old train carriages and conditioned subways.

19 km from Areco,

is a town that captivated various television producers, who chose it to film series or movies.

One of its main attractions is the Los Rostros de la Pampa museum, which shows what the home of the immigrant and his family was like, as well as the trades and occupations of the town's inhabitants.

For visits, write to info@crlasegunda.com.ar.

Free entrance.

The Faces of the pampas, in the Villa Lía museum.

It is also recommended to visit Casa Bellavista, Capilla San José and Puente Castex.

How to get.

San Antonio de Areco is 112 km from CABA by RN 8.

sanantoniodeareco.tur.ar

Relax on the shores of the lagoon in Chascomús.

Photo Shutterstock

Chascomús/Gandara/Oliden

The main attraction of

, 130 km from Buenos Aires on Highway 2, is the lagoon, where water sports such as windsurfing or kitesurfing are practiced and pedal or rowing boats are rented.

There are also gastronomic options on its shores, to savor while contemplating beautiful sunsets.

And going around the mirror of water, calmer shores, with greenery and forests, to enjoy the tranquility and silence.

The municipality also proposes free thematic circuits to discover the most emblematic buildings of Raúl Alfonsín's hometown.

Gándara, very close to the city of Chascomús.

El martes 21 a las 19.30 en el parque Libres del Sur, frente a la laguna, se hará la gala de apertura del Festival SOIJAr (Fundación Sistema de Orquestas Infantiles y Juveniles de Argentina), con entrada gratuita.

A 23 km de Chascomús, Gándara es ideal para curiosos y nostálgicos: fue sede de una importante fábrica de lácteos pero, con su cierre, el pueblo vivió un éxodo masivo, al punto que las calles están vacías y la mayoría de las casas, abandonadas.

El convento San José, construido en base a planos del arquitecto Alejandro Bustillo, y la capilla Nuestra Señora del Rosario, también de Bustillo, son construcciones que cautivan a amantes de la arquitectura, en tanto la estación de tren mantiene con vida al pueblo y se puede visitar.

Panadería La Olidense, símbolo de Oliden. Foto Turismo Provincia Buenos Aires

Unos 50 km al norte de Chascomús -como de regreso hacia Buenos Aires- Oliden es una pequeña y pintoresca localidad del partido de Brandsen en la que todo gira alrededor de la estación, centro de su trazado urbano.

No se pierda la panadería La Olidense y el almacén de ramos generales La Vieja Etel. En Cabaña Los Gringos se puede comprar miel, y en Peces Oliden, conocer sobre la cría y venta de peces.

Cómo llegar.De Buenos Aires a Chascomús son 130 km por autovía ruta 2.

www.chascomus.gob.ar
turismo www.brandsen.gob.ar

La famosa Pulpería de Cacho Di Catarina, en Mercedes. Foto Constanza Niscovolos

Mercedes/Tomás Jofré/Altamira

Son menos de 100 km desde la gran ciudad hasta una localidad que mantiene la esencia de los años de gloria de los almacenes de campo.

Como La Pulpería de Cacho Di Catarina, que en su salón de 1830 exhibe tesoros que cuentan más de 100 años de historia, mientras afuera resiste el viejo palenque donde los gauchos ataban sus caballos. Fue declarada Patrimonio de interés cultural por la municipalidad de Mercedes, y Patrimonio histórico por la provincia. Abre los viernes de 12 a 15 y sábados, domingos y feriados de 12 a 18, con empanadas y platos como asado o cordero al asador (reserva previa).

Otros viejos almacenes de la ciudad famosa por sus salames quinteros son La Vieja Esquina, Laurino, El Trompezón y Oveja Bar. El Observatorio Astronómico Municipal se puede visitar cada viernes (con cielo despejado) de 21 a medianoche.

Lechones al asador en el restaurante de campo Antenor, en Tomás Jofré.

A 16 km de la ciudad, la pequeña localidad de Tomás Jofré se ha transformado en un impresionante polo gastronómico, con gran cantidad de propuestas, especialmente alrededor de la plaza. Las pastas caseras, el asado al asador, el pan de campo y las picadas con el infaltable salame quintero son algunos de los platos estrellas.

Cada fin de semana, las calles de tierra se llenan de vida con cientos de turistas que luego de deleitarse con los sabores locales pasean por la plaza, donde hay locales de antigüedades, artesanías y la pequeña capilla.

Muy cerca está el paraje Altamira, donde también hay almacenes de campo como Lo de Puri, que recibe gustoso a quienes buscan tomar algo disfrutando del paisaje campestre o jugar un partido de truco. Hay picadas, empanadas, pizzas y sándwiches de bondiola, entre otros platos. ¡Ah! Y también funciona como almacén.

Tradiciones gauchas en Altamira, partido de Mercedes. Foto turismo de la provincia de Buenos Aires.

Lo de Curly, frente a la plaza y cerca de la hermosa y antigua estación, es otro de los boliches de campo que componen esta ruta de sabores, con sus pisos y mostradores de madera que llevan décadas despachando mercadería a los clientes del campo.

Cómo llegar. Mercedes está a 98 km de Buenos Aires por Acceso Oeste, RN 7 hasta Luján y luego RN 5.

turismo.mercedes.gob.ar

Panorámica de Carmen de Areco.

Carmen de Areco/Gouin/Rawson

Rodeado por numerosos espacios verdes, Carmen de Areco -a 135 km de Buenos Aires- sabe de conservar tradiciones, y el próximo fin de semana largo los protagonistas serán los carnavales: domingo 19 y lunes 20 habrá murgas, comparsas, concursos y shows en vivo. La primera noche se presentará “Los Leales”, y el lunes, Gladys “La Bomba Tucumana”.

Antes de los festejos -o al otro día- vale la pena visitar algunos de los puntos destacados de la ciudad, como el Museo Histórico, el balneario y la pulpería Longo.

Gouin es famoso por sus pastelitos. Foto Turismo Carmen de Areco

Un destino rural del partido, 15 km al sur de la ciudad, es Gouin, famoso por organizar la Fiesta Nacional del Pastel y por su rica gastronomía.

En este pueblo de pocas cuadras se recomienda visitar el bar Don Tomás, que estará abierto de sábado a martes al mediodía, y el restaurante La Estación (otra opción para comer rico), donde funciona el Museo Ferroviario. De sábado a lunes abrirá a mediodía y a la noche; el martes, solo para almorzar.

Conocida por su pastelería, la casa de té La Casa del árbol es otro imperdible de Gouin. Abre todos los días pare desayuno, almuerzo y merienda.

En Rawson se entregan bicis en forma gratuita para recorrer el pueblo. Foto Fernanda Zanlungo.

Y a 32 km de Gouin, Rawson suma varios atractivos y una recomendación inicial: vale la pena conocerla pedaleando (pedir bicicletas -son gratuitas- en la heladería Calabrono o en el hospital. Hay un circuito callejero con 16 puntos con carteles explicativos de cada sitio emblemático.

On the station premises there is a small museum that reflects the history of the railway in the town, while another must-see is Almacén de Sabores, with a menu of steps: appetizer, picada, main courses, dessert and infusions.

How to get.

Carmen de Areco is 145 km from CABA by Acceso Oeste and RN 7.

www.carmendeareco.gob.ar

​chacabuco.gob.ar

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