Places of Interest
You will find here our selection of the best things to do and to see and gastronomic places to really get to know this town full of history.
The old center
For those who love culture and History, the best way to start your visit is to go and see the main square called Ruiz de Arellano, home to the parish of San Antonio de Padua. You’ll get to know the story of how the first Spanish conquistadors, importing from Europe noble materials as wood and floor tile, began to build the city around 1730.
From 1885 when it was built, up to 1966 when the town decided to buy it, the town hall, right in front of the parish, is an old colonial mansion which belonged to one of the wealthiest families in town. Today you can visit it and admire its large interior patio, its period tiles, old well and wrought-iron grids.
Handicraftsmen
Not far away is the Draghi museum with its jewelry and silverwork workshop, which opened in 1960. The exhibition hall, located under the dome of the house, shows an impressive collection of 19th century gauchesco objects, 100% pure silver. You will also admire a great number of facones and tiradores (traditional knives and gaucho belts), and pieces representing the typical gear of a gaucho’s horse : bridle, saddles, bits, or even stirrups made of silver. Today, scattered all over the town, more than thirty silversmiths still live out of that craft, sharing their skills with leather weavers (sogueros), natural wool weavers (tejedores), saddlers and ceramists. They will be most proud and happy to show you what they can make.
In the same way, still in association with the artistic “gaucho image”, the Las Lilas museum presents a selection of original paintings by Florencio Molina Campos (1891-1959). The watercolours first happened to get known through calendars that were published after the name of a brand of “Alpargatas” (a sort of sandals). They represent scenes of gaucho everyday life, into the Pampa. The museum also hosts various exhibitions of artistic expressions from pre-Columbian times to the present day.
The Ricardo Güiraldes Museum
On the outskirts of town, but very near it, you’ll be happy to walk across the very old bridge; Puente Viejo, built in 1857. It is the emblem of the town. On the other side of it is the famous Ricardo Güiraldes Gauchesco Museum. This state museum pays tribute to the emblematic traditional gaucho and to the famous Argentinian writer, novelist and poet Ricardo Güiraldes (1886-1927). Walking across the pulpería La Blanqueada and the six rooms of the museum, you will discover a great variety of objects evoking the life of Ricardo Güiraldes, but also the customs and habits of the gauchos.
Where to eat?
Our town offers a wide variety of places where to eat, from the small snack to the most refined cuisine. Let us guide you through a selection of our best addresses in San Antonio de Areco, for the delight of your taste buds!
Restaurants
The image that comes to the mind of any traveler arriving in San Antonio de Areco, cradle of gaucho traditions, is that of a good asado (barbecue meat, a great national pride!). Mind you, there’s a huge variety of them!
Along the Areco river, you will be happy to sit in the traditional pulpería of the town; El Palomar (Pasaje De La Riestra 423, facing the tourist office), in the quite simple, but spacious restaurant: La Arcadia, or in the nice La Porfiada (Bolivar 66), where you´ll be greeted warm-heartedly.
Walking up the street Zapiola, 300m from the river, you will get to one of the best restaurants in town: El Almacén de Ramos Generales (Zapiola 143).
For the most curious ones who will want to get into the very heart of the town, the natives will recommend the restaurant Mestizo (Alsina 219), Rossita (San Martin 326) or Zarza (San Martin 361) where a more modern, diversified sort of food will be served.
Finally, if you like to eat surrounded by nature but not too far from the city, do not miss La Casa de los Fogoneros, the excellent restaurant of the Estancia La Cinacina (10min walk from Arellano square), or Las Dueñas (Route 8 Km 115, Camino del Quinton, 10 minutes by car).
Bars and Tea Rooms
100 meters from Arellano Square, the famous bar Boliche de Bessonart (at the intersection of Segundo Sombra and Zapiola) will surprise you with its architecture and decoration full of history.
Los Principios and San Martin are also emblematic bars of the town, frequented by the countrymen and gauchos who meet there to share a beer and play cards.
Right in the town center, you will be greeted most kind-heartedly and be served excellent quality products in coffee-shops like Juana Canela (Arellano 45) or La Martina (Bolivar 70) or Ambigú (Zapiola and General Paz).
Chocolate and Ice-Cream
If you feel like having a sweet delicious ice-cream, just go to the Tokio bar (Arellano square) or Dell’ Olmo (Alsina 365), you won’t regret it!
Finally, do not leave San Antonio de Areco without stopping at La Olla de Cobre (Matheu 433). The place is quite famous for its chocolates and its alfajores, the best ones in town and all around! Highly recommended for the greedy ones!
Villages & Estancias nearby
Located all around San Antonio de Areco, the small picturesque villages Vagues, Duggan and Villa Lia are well-worth a visit too!
If you have time, don’t miss the opportunity to meet a real gaucho working in an Estancia. There are lots of them working in these huge farms all around the place. You might even be lucky enough to be given the opportunity to ride a criollo horse across the Pampa.
Whichever guided tour you may select (one or two days), our team will always be there for you to make you discover all the gorgeous places and treasures in the area!
