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Left Tourists at the popular Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur Right A currency exchange office<br />
Planning Your Trip<br />
! When to Go<br />
The best time to visit<br />
<strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong> is during<br />
the southern hemisphere’s<br />
spring or fall,<br />
when temperatures are a<br />
pleasant 64–73°F (18–<br />
23°C). In summer it can<br />
get hot and humid. In<br />
January and February,<br />
when temperatures reach<br />
95°F (35°C), porteños<br />
leave the city en masse<br />
for Atlantic beach resorts.<br />
What to Pack @ In summer, pack light<br />
clothes, especially cotton<br />
and linen, since humidity<br />
reaches high levels. Also<br />
pack sunglasses, highfactor<br />
sunscreen, and a<br />
light raincoat. Heavy rain<br />
is common in January<br />
and February. In spring<br />
and fall, a light jacket and<br />
sweater will be needed,<br />
and in winter, a warm<br />
coat. Do pack some<br />
smart, stylish clothes too<br />
– porteños love to dress<br />
up when going out.<br />
£ How Long to Stay<br />
Allow at least a week<br />
for <strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong>. Seven<br />
days will give you enough<br />
time to explore the city’s<br />
most important neighborhoods<br />
and sights, take in<br />
a tango show, and maybe<br />
squeeze in a day trip to<br />
Colonia in Uruguay too.<br />
Ten days to two weeks is<br />
ideal and will allow you<br />
to really get to know this<br />
amazing city – its stores,<br />
restaurants, parks, and<br />
other out-of-town attractions<br />
such as Tigre and<br />
San Antonio de Areco.<br />
$ Passport and<br />
Visas<br />
Citizens of the EU, the<br />
USA, and Canada do not<br />
require visas for<br />
Argentina. A 90-day entry<br />
permit is granted at<br />
immigration, which can<br />
be extended by a further<br />
90 days on exiting the<br />
country (usually via a<br />
day-trip to Uruguay) or by<br />
paying a US$<strong>10</strong>0 charge<br />
at the Dirección Nacional<br />
de Migraciones. d Avda.<br />
Antártida Argentina 1355<br />
Retiro • 4317-0234<br />
• Open 8am–1:30pm<br />
Mon–Fri • www.<br />
migraciones.gov.ar<br />
% Currency<br />
Information<br />
The local currency is the<br />
Argentinian peso (AR$),<br />
divided into <strong>10</strong>0 centavos<br />
or cents. Bills are issued<br />
in 2-, 5-, <strong>10</strong>-, 20-, 50-, and<br />
<strong>10</strong>0-peso denominations.<br />
Coins come in 1- and 2peso<br />
and 5-, <strong>10</strong>-, 25-, and<br />
50-centavo denominations.<br />
The exchange rate<br />
hovers around AR$3<br />
to US$1.<br />
^ Health<br />
Preparations<br />
No compulsory<br />
vaccinations are required<br />
for <strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong> and the<br />
city’s tap water is safe to<br />
drink, though many<br />
visitors prefer bottled<br />
water. Visitors should<br />
take out their own<br />
medical insurance since<br />
Argentina does not have<br />
reciprocal health<br />
agreements with any<br />
other country.<br />
& Customs<br />
Short-term visitors<br />
can bring the following<br />
items into Argentina<br />
without paying import<br />
duties: 11 lb (5 kg) of<br />
foodstuffs, 64 fl. oz.<br />
(2 l) of alcoholic drinks,<br />
400 cigarettes, and 3.4 fl.<br />
oz. (<strong>10</strong>0 ml) of perfume.<br />
Photographic equipment,<br />
medicine, and personal<br />
computers may also be<br />
imported duty-free.<br />
* Driver’s Licenses<br />
You can drive if you<br />
have an International<br />
Driving Permit. Carry<br />
your permit whenever<br />
you drive, along with one<br />
other form of identification<br />
such as passport<br />
or national ID card.<br />
( Time Zone<br />
<strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong> is 3<br />
hours behind Greenwich<br />
Mean Time (GMT) during<br />
the summer and 4 hours<br />
behind GMT in the<br />
winter. It is 2 hours<br />
ahead of United States<br />
Eastern Standard time.<br />
Daylight Saving Time is<br />
not observed.<br />
) Electricity<br />
Argentina uses a<br />
220-volt, 50-cycle<br />
electrical system.<br />
Electrical sockets accept<br />
two- or three-pronged<br />
plugs. To use American<br />
appliances you will<br />
require a transformer<br />
and an adaptor, while<br />
British appliances need<br />
an adaptor only. Both<br />
can be bought at local<br />
hardware stores.<br />
Southern hemisphere’s seasons are: Spring: Aug–Oct, Summer:<br />
Nov–Jan, Fall: Feb–Mar, Winter: May–Jul<br />
Streetsmart <strong>10</strong>3