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Argentina Travel Guide, climate:

Argentina Travel Guide - Information and Advice Argentina Travel Guide Information and Advice Argentina Pictures | Argentina Map | South America Map Argentina Travel Guide, climate: This is the eighth largest country in the world so summarizing weather conditions is tricky, but one thing we should point out first, this is mostly not a hot country , with temperatures rarely over 30C [85F] except in the far north. Winter [May-Sept] is driest in most areas, but also coolest, between 7-15C [45-60F] in Buenos Aires, so this time would be best if holidays mean skiing, the north country and/or general sightseeing, but don't think beaches, tank tops or Patagonia. Best: Spring [Sept-Nov] or autumn [March-May] strike a fine balance between warmth and clouds, but still no tank tops. Worst: Jan-Feb. Summertime is hot, humid, expensive and everything's booked up, but this is the best time for beaches and tank tops. Argentina holidays are around January, Easter and July, so transport and accommodation become a problem then. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not incl. flights [bearing in mind that this is a looong flight for most English speaking travel folk]: 2 weeks. 4 days in Buenos Aires, 5 days [flight] in Patagonia for glaciers and mountain hikes, 2 days [flight] to Iguazu Falls, and a few days northwest around Salta for Andean culture [flight], deserts and canyons, or skip that and hydrofoil into Uruguay for a quick look at Colonia, the beaches or Montevideo, the capital. Argentina Festivals Guide: February or March, Wine Harvest Festival, Mendoza, a few days. Parades and various folk events in honour of Mendoza's raisin d'etre , wine. March or April, Easter , unusually for a Latin Catholic culture, no big deal. May 25, Revolution Day , with a military parade in BA. Nov 12 or thereabouts, Tradition Day , with some Gaucho celebrations near BA but especially in San Antonio de Areco. Argentina Activities Guide: Tango: a fantastically complex and sensual dance, enjoyed by Argentinians as much as tourists, it's visible all over BA in clubs, in the street and around Plaza Dorrego at weekends. Try to learn it by all means, but it'll be a long job. See Pictures and more information. Wildlife: most famously visible around the barren cliffs of Peninsula Valdés - seals, elephant seals, killer whales, penguins, guanacos [llamas], but especially southern right whales. Puerto Madryn is the base from which to find a tour or rent a car. Wildlife is also found in Iguazu Park alongside the waterfalls, Ushuaia and in swampy Ibera Nature Reserve [wetlands] for cayman, capybaras, monkeys and birds. Activities below are best mainly in the Patagonian Andes, particularly from Los Glaciers National Park in the southwest to Mendoza in the centre-west. Bariloche, El Calafate and El Chalten are the three best activity centres, though Ushuaia is pretty wild too. Hiking: spectacular hikes, well signposted, long and short, particularly around Bariloche and El Chalten. See pictures and more information. Biking: Mendoza and the Lake District are best but mountain bike hire is widely available throughout Patagonia - in spite of occasionally fierce winds. Rock/Ice Climbing: fantastic challenges, mostly around El Chalten, Ushuaia and Mendoza ; a guide will generally be required. Mt. Aconagua 6,959m, near Mendoza, is the highest. Horse Riding: this is gaucho country so there are plenty of high quality horses and guides out there. The Pampas are the true home of gauchos - particularly in estancias [ranches] near San Antonio de Areco - but being mainly flat are far less scenic than rides in Patagonia. Skiing: good powder and sunshine at good prices; mostly resorts around Malargue, the Lake District or San Martin de los Andes, but also in Ushuaia, way south. Fishing: Sea fishing off Mar del Plata and Necochea or fly fishing [esp. in San Martin de los Andes {Patagonia} or Isla del Cerrito {north}] for trout, salmon, dorado and giant catfish. Kayaking and Whitewater Rafting: Availability is increasing, especially near Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes. Argentina Star Guide: Monuments ** Shopping and souvenirs ***** Walkability **** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money ***** Hotel Prices and Value ** Beaches *** Wildlife **** Landscape **** Local People *** Architecture ** Safety *** Nightlife and Clubbing ***** Health Problems few Museums ** Why Travel to Argentina: This huge country contains climates ranging from tropical jungle thru desert and snow-capped Andes to barren Patagonia and the end of the world, containing some of the world's most stunning natural wonders and a wide selection of activities during which to enjoy them. Argentina has a down-at-heel but relatively sophisticated, energetic capital buzzing with people of south European stock, excellent soccer and rugby and fine dining - which you can afford thanks to incredibly low prices. Downside: - local culture is hardly exotic. - city traffic is hectic, noisy and polluting. - city pavements [sidewalks] sport ankle-snapping potholes, dog doo, or often both. - widespread poverty is common, restrained begging too. Unusually , we recommend giving beggars a few centavos[cents], most really are hard up. Argentina travel highlights: ***Buenos Aires. The capital is terrific for urban spacemen but a bit short on wow! sights. See BA pictures and more information. ***Glaciers National Park, in the southwest : near El Calafate , for glacier views, walks and boat rides or El Chalten for stunning mountain hikes [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. See pictures and more information. ***[San Carlos de] Bariloche is sadly overdeveloped but gateway to activities galore in the spectacular surroundings of Argentina's Lake District . The Seven Lakes Scenic Route is recommended. Hiking, riding, climbing, fishing, skiing, eating chocolate or heading for Patagonia or Chile, Bariloche gets you there. ***Mendoza is a pleasant town on the doorstep of some magnificent mountains, home to excellent wines and en route to Santiago, Chile. ***Iguazu National Park northeast for massive waterfalls, wildlife and plants [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. See pictures and more information. ***Peninsula Valdés for wildlife, see left for more info [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. ***Ushuaia , the world's most southerly town [3,580 kms from BA], offers terrific scenery, hiking, fishing, scenic boat trips, marine wildlife, dog-sledding and skiing [in winter] from a pleasant, if over-touristy town. Also boats to the Antarctic . See pictures and more information. **Cordoba , the country's lively second city has friendly people and a better collection of colonial architecture than BA; partly a World Cultural Heritage Site. **Beaches: Mar del Plata is overbuilt and tacky but has picturesque surroundings and monster beaches that go into overdrive December-February. There're fishing and horse riding as well as beach activities; 400kms [250 miles] from the capital. On both sides are prettier, more peaceful or exclusive resorts, such as Pinamar [posh], Miramar [families], Mar de las Pampas [horses] and Mar Azul . **Peninsula Valdés centre-east coast for marine wildlife. See left. **San Juan and La Rioja provinces sport weird rocks, paleontological delights, petroglyphs and condors passing by in Ischigualasto and Talampaya Natural Parks [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. *Jujuy province in the far northwest contains adobe towns embraced by multicoloured landscapes around Salta and Quebrada de Humahuaca [UNESCO World Cultural Landscape]. *Uruguay - a one hour boat trip gets you to the pretty, laid back old town of Colonia . Return to BA or head off to Montevideo or the posh beaches of Punta del Este . See pictures and more information. Cuisine Guide: Porteños eat late so getting a table at 8pm-9pm should be no problem. Before that time only cheap eats may be available. Argentinian food basically means meat , huge portions of freshly killed cow grilled to perfection and eaten in digestion-challeging mass, or as a snack sandwich [lomito]. Steaks are superb so BA is perfect for confirmed carnivores, but what else is on offer? Cheap eats tend towards good pizzas, terrible pastas, ham and cheese sandwiches, various quality stuffed pies [empanadas] or fast food, but for those who can spare a few pesos more, Buenos Aires is home to a mass of superb foreign restaurants that deliver all kinds of cuisine - including vegetarian [e.g. Japanese, Thai, Middle-Eastern] - that anyone holding dollars/euros can easily afford. Shopping Guide: Argentina produces very high quality, stylish shoes, bags and clothes - particularly leather - at very low cost, so this is the place to do serious fashion shopping if you have room in your luggage. Jewellery and woolen goods are also excellent. Regular souvenirs of all types can be found around any tourist area. Argentina Tours More tour operators offering travel around Argentina can be found in our listings here: Argentina Tours For more information on Argentina Travel try these links: National Tourist Offices Online Travel Guides Cheap Airline Tickets UK Cheap Airline Tickets US Travel Insurance UK Tour Operators Embassies Currency Climate Language Visas: Europeans, Americans, Canadians, Irish, Australians, New Zealanders and most other nationalities can get 90 days permit to stay on arrival at the airport. Electricity: 220v, 2 [slim] round pins and/or three flat angled pins [but a 2 round pin adaptors will be quite sufficient]. Language: Spanish - known as Castellano in Latin America. It's an easy language so learn the basics, they will be useful though locals know some English. Some basic food vocabulary is vital. Safety: Crime is no worse in BA's centre than most of the world's big cities, but don't wear jewellery and stay away from the outer suburbs. Northeast border cities need some care. Health: No huge problems here, though the tropical north [i.e. not BA] can deliver dengue fever via mosquitoes, so keep the buzzers off you. Also be careful of AMS [Altitude Sickness] when hiking above 3,000m. See Travel Health Money Guide: When this research was done in late 2005 Argentina was amazingly cheap, apart from hotels - $10 for a fine dinner with drinks and $4 for a 20 minute taxi ride. ATMs all around, $ cash is king and accepted instead of pesos. Travellers cheques can be a little hard to change and the rate is poor. Traveling Around: Argentina is a massive country and best locations are widely spaced so unless you are ready for seriously long distance bus rides domestic flights will be necessary. These are efficient and reasonably priced but buy an airpass to get the best deals. And if you plan to travel in Argentina you may want to also check: Brazil Travel Guide Peru Travel Guide Ecuador Travel Guide Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog

Central America Travel

A backpacking travel guide to Asia & Central America ! A backpacking travel guide to Asia & Central America ! Passplanet is a free practical travel guide that offers the latest backpacking information about Asia & Central America : 15 countries & 230 places precisely covered plus surveys, photos, essay, etc. Free as a backpacker ! You will find in this free travel guide lots of tips and most of the budget info you need to prepare your trip to Asia &Central America on a shoestring ("before"), live your backpacking adventure in the best conditions ("during") and share your experience with other backpackers ("after") plus a photos gallery, a backpacking forum, surveys on the asian& Central American countries or localities in Asia & America (backpacker 's ratings), travelogues, an essay in French, links to other asian travel guidebook or related budget informationabout latin America etc. All in one convenient stop ! Go for it : backpack Asia & America with pass planet ! If you know what you are looking for in Asia or America, use the Search Form to find backpacking info. Otherwise, have a look at the backpacker's Index or let Passplanet be your free guidebook to Asia & America The original features of this free backpacking travel guide to Asia &America include : - Budget & practical travel information about asian & central american countries only. - Ratings of the localities by the backpackers themselves : more than 230 localities precisely covered in Asia& Central America in 15 countries. - What to do there & what you may not like while you backpack Asia &Central America - The cheapest budget accommodations (guesthouse or hostel on a shoestring ) for backpackers - The various transportations' options for easy backpacking - Travel information on how to save money - Lots of backpacker's photos in special sections - A guidebook with frequent updates But Passplanet will, hopefully, be more than a free backpacking travel guide toAsia & Central America. My ambition is to make it a place where backpackers can freely exchange the latest info from "on the road" of the asianand americas countries and communicate with each others. In the world of backpacking, information indeed changes with the blowing of the winds. But while a guidebook is out of date by the time it reaches the shelves, a web site can be updated daily. Pass planet will strive to keep the budget information about Asia andCentral America warm ! But to achieve the above, we need your help & support. Passplanet is not supposed to be a single backpacker's journey and travel guide. There are too many trips ahead. Asia,Central America and the world are too vast to be covered by one individual. Let's share ! Everyone is welcome to join the backpacking adventure and submit travel information ! Passplanet is looking for new backpackers, budget writers, partners and ideas on a shoestring. And Passplanet also counts on you for its promotion. If you find it useful, please give the direction to other backpackers. The more traffic, the more updated info in the future to backpack Asia &Central America ! Passplanet is also a place of exchange related to Asia and Central America. Beside all the forms which allow you to share your budget info about asian& american countries, experiences about a place, Passplanet also hosts a forum and a links section to other travel guide. You are welcome to submit your own travel web site in the latter and benefit from Passplanet's growing popularity in the world of backpacking on a shoestring. Together, let's keep Passplanet as free & independent as a backpacker so more and more people can use this free travel guide to backpack Asiaand Central America ! I wish you a good backpacking experience, on the site and around Asia &Central America ! Ben. Founder. START YOUR TRAVEL TRIP HOME - ASIA - China - HK & Macau - Thailand - Laos - Cambodia - Myanmar - Malaysia - Singapore - Indonesia C.A. - Guatemala - Honduras - Nicaragua - Costa Rica - Panama www.oasis-centre.com www.guidebienetre.com www.lebienetre.org Passplanet :a backpacking travel guide to Asia & Central America !

Germany Travel

Dresden, Germany - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Dresden car from Dresden Dresden Railway station (only days after the use of the West German Mark (1990), a mobile Burger King arrived) Dresden , city in east central Germany, capital of Saxony (Sachsen). A port on the Elbe River, near the Czech Republic, it is the focus of one of Germany's largest metropolitan areas and is a major manufacturing, transportation, and cultural center. At the heart of the city is the historic Altstadt (Old Town), on the southern bank of the Elbe, now partly restored after receiving severe damage in World War II (1939-1945). On the northern bank are the Neustadt, Antonstadt, and Albertstadt districts. Suburbs include Loschwitz, Blasewitz, Plauen, and Lbtau. Zwinger Palace The economy of Dresden centers on port activities and the manufacture of high-technology items. Products include specialized optical and medical equipment, business machines, computers, musical instruments, machinery, and tools. Dresden china, a fine porcelain once made in the city, is now produced at nearby Meissen. Dresden Technical University (1828), Carl Gustav Carus Medical Academy of Dresden (1954), Friedrich List University of Transportation of Dresden (1952), and a school of music (1856) are in the city. central part of the Zwinger Palace One of Europe's foremost cultural centers before World War II, Dresden's major landmark is the carefully restored 18th-century Zwinger Palace. The Zwinger houses several noted museums, the most famous of which is the Semper Gallery. The highlight of its collection of more than 2000 paintings is the Sistine Madonna by Raphael. Meissen porcelain, pewter items, scientific instruments, coins, and the crown jewels of Saxony are among other exhibits in the Zwinger museums. a bride Also rebuilt since World War II are the Dresden State Opera House (1878), once associated with the German composers Richard Wagner, Carl Maria von Weber, and Richard Strauss, and several fine churches, such as the rococo Hofkirche (1739-1751) and the Kreuzkirche (in part dating from the 15th century). Also of note in the city are the Dresden Technical Museum, the Dresden History Museum, and museums of transportation and military history. Sachsen Palace with a mural of the Sachsen Rulers More Photos of the Sachsen Palace part of the mural showing the Saxony notables More Photos of the Saxony Rulers First mentioned in the early 13th century, Dresden gained prominence from 1485 to 1918 as the capital of the powerful dukes (later electors and kings) of Saxony. The city emerged as a leading cultural center in the 17th century, most notably during the reign (1694-1733) of Frederick Augustus I, elector of Saxony (also during the reign, 1697-1733, of King Augustus II of Poland). During this period the alchemist John Friedrich Bttger invented the Meissen porcelain technique, making possible European production of the porcelain previously imported from Asia. bridge between sections of the Sachsen Palace Sachsen Palace and the royal church More Photos of the Sachsen Palace The city was partly rebuilt after suffering heavy damage during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and subsequently became known as the Florence on the Elbe because of its magnificent baroque and rococo architecture and its fine museums. Napoleon achieved his last major military success here in 1813. Dresden developed into an important industrial center in the late 19th century. ruins (1990) of the area where the Dresden Frauenkirche once stood Photos of the reconstructed Frauenkirche On the night of February 13, 1945, hundreds of Allied bombers released a firestorm of bombs on Dresden, killing 135,000 people and demolishing 80 percent of the city. Much of the city was meticulously restored after the war. Population (1997) 474,443. Text from Microsoft Encarta Dresden 2004 horse of Saxony the count down to Dresden's 800th anniversary Dresden Philharmonic Gothic fountain in the midst of modern buildings remnant from the Communist era glimpse of a Saxony Castle from the bus window monument to the "War of the Nations" Leipzig, Battle of , called the Battle of the Nations, decisive engagement between the French armies of Napoleon and those of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden, fought on October 16-19, 1813, at Leipzig, Germany. Threatened by the Allies with the loss of a vital communications line through the city, Napoleon fought a standoff battle on October 16, but the following day the Allies, vastly superior in strength, closed in with reinforcements. They began their assault on October 18, and early the next day, after some nine hours of fighting, Napoleon ordered a retreat over the Weisse Elster River. In the confusion the bridge across the river was blown up before the retreat was complete, leaving some 30,000 French troops to be taken prisoner in the city. Casualties on both sides were estimated between 90,000 and 120,000. The Battle of Leipzig effectively eliminated Napoleon's power east of the Confederation of the Rhine. Other Photos from Leipzig Return to Germany page Return to Europe page Return to People and Places

Spain Travel Information Spain

Spain Travel Information - Getting there and getting around Home :: Contact :: About Us :: Site Map :: Site Search Return to Spain Travel Information Spain Travel Information With the abundance of cheap flights from the UK, Ireland and Northern Europe these days the tourism industry is booming. Last year approximately 78 million people visited Spain making it the world's 3rd most popular tourist destination. Below you'll find travel information on how to get to Spain and and how to get around once you're there. Buen Viaje .... Spain Travel Information > Contents Flightsto Spain Information on the wideselection of airlines offering services to Spain and domestic carriers offeringinternal flights .... Airportsin Spain A guide to Spain's airportswith information on how to transfer to your final destination .... Railtravel in Spain The high speed AVE servicedelivers you from Madrid to Seville in just 2 hours .... Ferriesto Spain There are direct ferries intoBilbao and Santander from the UK and a whole range of possibilities if you go toFrance then drive down .... Drivingin Spain With a first class roadsystem, self-drive is a great way to discover Spain whether in your own vehicleor in rented one .... CarRental in Spain Renting a car on the internetin advance is a good idea as prices on the spot tend to be significantly higher.... Paradors of Spain Spain's paradors are 91 state owned hotels often located in former castles, monasteries and palaces. This directory of paradors tells you what type of building the hotel is and provides further information on select paradors as well as providing for online bookings. A real treat. Weatherin Spain The rain in Spain falls mainlyon the plain, or does it? Check out the forecast for the next few days atselected destinations around the country .... SpainTravel Information Guides In association with RoughGuides and TravelNow we've included a selection of destination guides to some ofSpain's major cities .... Spain Hotel Offers Hotel reservation Hotel, bed and breakfast, apartment-venere.com Destination: From: To: Guests: Rooms: Flights to Spain It's hard to keep track of all the new flight services to Spain. On our flights to Spain page we've listed some of the most popular carriers and companies offering discount deals. Spain Car Rental Car rental in Spain is big business. To make sure you get the best deal you MUST book the car on the internet in advance. The competition between all the car rental brokers is such that you can get some excellent deals. We've provided some advice on car rental in Spain with a few of the most reliable and best value online brokers who offer deals from all over the country. bookmark this site Home :: Barcelona Hotels :: Madrid Hotels :: Private Tours of Spain :: Football Tickets :: Spain Map :: Links Directory 2005 Spanish Fiestas Ltd.