If you’re looking for a relaxing day trip not too far from Buenos Aires, look no further than the Tigre Delta, nestled quietly a mere 17 miles (28 km) to the north of the city. For only 7 Argentinian Pesos (~$0.50 USD), you can buy a roundtrip train ticket to Tigre from the Retiro Station in Buenos Aires, which takes roughly an hour each way. At only 50 cents for a roundtrip ticket, it’s hard to say no to this excursion!
How To Spend A Day At The Tigre Delta
I recommend leaving Buenos Aires no later than 9 AM so you’ll arrive in Tigre by 10 AM. Trains leave Buenos Aires every 10 minutes, so it shouldn’t be hard to catch a ride no matter when you get to the station. Once you arrive in Tigre, begin your day with a relaxing boat ride down the river to get a lay of the land. I purchased a one-hour ride for $100 ARS (~$7 USD) on a double-decker boat with an open air top. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really shop around, and later found some boats with prices as low as $70 ARS (~$5 USD). That being said, I recommend two things. One, get a double-decker boat with an open air top. Along the ride, I saw many smaller boats that were all enclosed and were probably cheaper than mine. That being said, I’m a big fan of letting the cool breeze hit me in the face and breathing in the fresh water air, but it’s your choice! Second, if I had to do it over, I’d splurge a little more and go for the two-hour ride, roughly $150 ARS (~$10 USD). Trust me on this one. Once I got out there I didn’t want the ride to end and was thirsting for more. So do your soul a favor and spend a few extra bucks for double the freedom on the open water.
Now depending on your boat, you’ll probably either head down the Rio Tigre, Rio Lujan, Rio Sarmiento, or a combination of the three. However, no matter where you go, you’re bound to have fun! Founded by European settlers in 1820, the Tigre Delta was formed at the mouth of the Paraná River (the second largest river in South America) and named after “tigres” (jaguars) that were hunted there in the early days. Nowadays, the jaguar population is somewhat non-existent, but what Tigre lacks in wild cats, it makes up for in scenery. Along the ride you’ll see things ranging from rusty old ships and quaint houses to an amusement park surrounded by a plethora of gargantuan trees and beautiful landscapes. More importantly, you’ll be taking a break from all the sight-seeing you’ve been doing and receive a quick reminder of what life truly is about.
Puerto de Frutos
After you’ve finished with your boat ride, make your way to one (or all) of the many attractions Tigre has to offer. I decided to check out the Puerto de Frutos (Fruit Market) located about 10 minutes away by foot. Here you can walk around hundreds of small shops full of fresh fruit, handcrafts, flowers, and antiques that can keep you busy for hours on end.
If history and art are more your style, head over to the Museo de Arte Tigre. The building and landscape itself are worth the walk alone, but once you head inside, you’ll get a true taste of Argentinian culture. If money and greed are more your thing, check out the Trilenium casino – the largest casino in Buenos Aires!
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, take a walk down Lavalle or Av. Victorica for a bountiful selection of delicious restaurants. I ended up searching for the perfect restaurant for about an hour… story time.
The first restaurant I went to was bustling around packed with people, but once I sat down and received the menu, I realized there were no prices on anything! While I realize there is a small chance that everything there was free, I don’t tend to trust places that do not list prices, so I quietly stood up and walked away. The second restaurant I went to was called Via Toscana, ranked one of the top restaurants in Tigre and listed as a “Vegan” cuisine. While I’m not vegan by any means, I thought this might be fun. Though when I arrived, the restaurant was empty and the prices were a little more than I was willing to spend, but I figured I might as well give it a go. However, once I realized the “Vegan” menu included pollo con queso (chicken with cheese… um… not vegan) and the waiter decided to not approach me for about 10 minutes, I once again quietly stood up and walked away. I walked across the street and finally found the oasis I had been looking for – Maria del Lujan! Nestled along the Rio Lujan, this restaurant was exactly what I was looking for.
Maria del Lujan
I came to realize that all of the restaurants in Tigre were generally priced more than places in Buenos Aires as it is more of a “touristy” location. That being said, the quality of the restaurant, attentiveness of the staff, and taste of the food, was second to none. I went with the chicken and spinach stuffed ravioli with a mix of the mushroom sauce and bolognese sauce, and it was a perfect meal to accompany a relaxing view of the river. If you’re looking for a place to eat, I highly recommend Maria del Lujan.
In my opinion, if you’re looking for how to spend a day at the Tigre Delta, this is it. After a relaxing boat ride, historical attractions, a fruit market, and a delicious meal, it’ll finally be time to head home to Buenos Aires. It may seem hard to believe that this relaxing getaway is only a short train ride away from the city, but once you get there, you might not want to leave.
