Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Tourists at the popular Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur
Right
A currency exchange office
Planning Your Trip
!
When to Go
$
Passport and
&
Customs
Visas
Citizens of the EU, the
USA, and Canada do not
require visas for
Argentina. A 90-day entry
permit is granted at
immigration, which can
be extended by a further
90 days on exiting the
country (usually via a
day-trip to Uruguay) or by
paying a US$125 charge
at the Dirección Nacional
de Migraciones. d
Avda.
Antártida Argentina 1355
Retiro • 4317-0234
• Open 8am-1:30pm
Mon-Fri • www.
migraciones.gov.ar
The best time to visit
Buenos Aires is during
the southern hemi-
sphere's spring or fall,
when temperatures are a
pleasant 64-73°F (18-
23°C). In summer it can
get hot and humid. In
January and February,
when temperatures reach
95°F (35°C), porteños
leave the city en masse
for Atlantic beach resorts.
Short-term visitors
can bring the following
items into Argentina
without paying import
duties: 11 lb (5 kg) of
foodstuffs, 64 fl. oz.
(2 l) of alcoholic drinks,
400 cigarettes, and 3.4 fl.
oz. (100 ml) of perfume.
Photographic equipment,
medicine, and personal
computers may also be
imported duty-free.
@
What to Pack
*
Driver's Licenses
In summer, pack light
clothes, especially cotton
and linen, since humidity
reaches high levels. Also
pack sunglasses, high-
factor sunscreen, and a
light raincoat. Heavy rain
is common in January
and February. In spring
and fall, a light jacket and
sweater will be needed,
and in winter, a warm
coat. Do pack some
smart, stylish clothes too
- porteños love to dress
up when going out.
You can drive with a
valid license issued from
your own country, an
international license is
not necessary. Carry one
other form of identi-
fication such as passport
or national ID card
whenever you drive.
(
Time Zone
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Currency
Information
The local currency is the
Argentinian peso (AR$),
divided into 100 centavos
or cents. Bills are issued
in 2-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 50-, and
100-peso denominations.
Coins come in 1- and 2-
peso and 5-, 10-, 25-, and
50-centavo denomina-
tions. The exchange rate
hovers around AR$3
to US$1.
^
Health
Buenos Aires is 3
hours behind Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT) during
the summer and 4 hours
behind GMT in the
winter. It is 2 hours
ahead of United States
Eastern Standard time.
Daylight Saving Time is
not observed.
)
Electricity
£
How Long to Stay
Allow at least a week
for Buenos Aires. Seven
days will give you enough
time to explore the city's
most important neighbor-
hoods and sights, take in
a tango show, and maybe
squeeze in a day trip to
Colonia in Uruguay too.
Ten days to two weeks is
ideal and will allow you
to really get to know this
amazing city - its stores,
restaurants, parks, and
other out-of-town attrac-
tions such as Tigre and
San Antonio de Areco.
Preparations
No compulsory
vaccinations are required
for Buenos Aires and the
city's tap water is safe to
drink, though many
visitors prefer bottled
water. Visitors should
take out their own
medical insurance since
Argentina does not have
reciprocal health
agreements with any
other country.
Argentina uses a
220-volt, 50-cycle electrical
system. Electrical sockets
accept two- or three-
pronged plugs. To use
American appliances you
will require a transformer
and an adaptor, while
British appliances need
an adaptor only. Both
can be bought at local
hardware stores.
103
Southern hemisphere's seasons are: Spring: Aug-Oct, Summer:
Nov-Jan, Fall: Feb-Mar, Winter: May-Jul
