I left my glass of Malbec, my girlfriend Charlotte, and my Tango dancers to return to rainy Paris. But since it was a truly awesome trip, I’ve put aside a bunch of cool addresses for you, so that if you ever feel like checking out what’s happening with the gauchos, you’ll have some good tips.

What I can tell you already is that it's a fantastic destination, the Argentinians are very friendly, and the food is great (that's important). I fell in love (I'll stop you right there, not with a handsome Argentinian) but with Argentine culture, the landscapes and the kindness of the Argentine people, their wine, their meat, their music and the atmosphere in the bars and milongas.

With an area of 2,780,000 km², it's difficult to see all of Argentina in 3 weeks, so we chose to postpone Patagonia and enjoy the climate and landscapes of the Northwest of the country.

So we visitedBuenos Aires, the Salta / Cachi / Cafayate loop, the towns of Tilcara, Pumamarca and Humahuaca before spending 5 days in Bolivia.

I invite you to read my prose and get into the mood with a bit of chacarera, the country's music!

What to do in Buenos Aires?

• Buenos Aires
  We wander through the neighborhoods ofSan Telmo, andPalermo,very pleasant streets, paved or not, and we hang out in the milongas in the evening.
  Palermo reminded me of Greenwich and Soho, South American style. It's very pleasant to walk around there on weekends and enjoy a limonada on the rooftops. You can also go toRecoleta, to the contemporary museum, do some shopping or visit the cemetery, a kind of Père Lachaise but where you can see the coffins. Fun. The tourist attraction remains the La Boca neighborhood, super colorful, it's a bit of a tourist trap with restaurants and tango dancers... if you want to buy soccer jerseys, that's the place to go, but otherwise it's not super interesting.
  If you're a little hungry, you'll graba choripan*on the go in the street and in the evening, a good asado de bife de lomo in one of the capital's many restaurants**
  In the evening, head to themilongasto watch the Tango dancers, it's really great. Let yourself be invited, and after a fewdrinks well-guided steps, you'll manage. The dancers are very kind. We lovedLa Catedral de Tango, it's a must if you're in Buenos Aires. And sometimes, as you meet people, you'll end up on rooftops or in squats dancing salsa. Hope to you!

• Salta / Cafayate
  You have to leave Salta early in the morning and takeRoute 58to Cafayate to enjoy the bodegas waiting for you there. With a rental car, count about 60€ for two days. The road isMAGNIFICENT!After the village of Alemania, you will enter the site of theQuebradas de las conchas. The earth turns red, the vegetation becomes arid and the cacti look down on you. Water and winds have shaped forms in the rocks, it's spectacular.
  You can stop and sleep inCafayate and enjoy a wine tasting in the many bodegas in the citythen leave the next day on the other side. The road to Cachi crosses the immense cactus desert, it's beauuuuuuuutiful, on the other hand, be a little careful just after the desert because you go up into the heights and then BAM fog and you can't see anything! A little scary with the cliffs on the right and the landslides on the other side... but it's manageable. You just have to drive at 20 km/h and be careful.

• Tilcara / Pumamarca / Humahuaca
  These are 3 small towns in the Northwest of the country that lead to Bolivia. They are very pleasant. You can discoverthe Mountain of Seven Colors of Pumamarcaand enjoy the climate.
  That being said, it's not a must-see in Argentina, and if you do Cafayate before, the Mountain of Seven Colors is less impressive. If you've never seen the Iguazu Falls, then take advantage of these 2 days to modify your itinerary and arrange to visit the falls. I did them on a previous trip to Brazil and it's great.

Good to know for meals, the dishes are SUPER generous so don't hesitate to order just one for two!

Buenos Aires

if you're a little hungry?
Nuestra Parilla
This is a small stall in the San Telmo neighborhood where you can try the Argentine hot dog: The Choripan. It's good and especially really cheap! €2.50 for the sandwich and the glass of wine.

if you want to eat good meat, head to:
La Cabrera
It's an institution in Buenos Aires, they have 3 restaurants on the same street. The places are very nice and the waiters are very attentive.
We loved: The Bife de Lomo

Las Cholas
This is a great place to share a good parilla. The room is large and there are many tables. There's a good atmosphere and the team is very cool.

Carniceria
Nice steakhouse, more modern than the previous two but tiny! You have to remember to book a few days in advance!

Milanesa Club
You'll have understood, the specialty is the Milanesa, and brace yourselves because they're the size of a horse.

and if you want to try fish
La Mar
It’s a very pretty cebicheria with a lovely terrace under the trees. You can easily dine outside in the spring under the heated lamps. The food is very good and refined.

for brunch?
La Panera Rosa
It's not the most typical, but it's good and the place is pleasant. We really liked the small courtyard and the terrace on the streets of Palermo.