Who: Michael & Sally Buonpane of Loveland with head gaucho ‘Ramon’ at Estancia El Ombu of San Antonio de Arreco Argentina.
Where: San Antonio de Arreco, Argentina
Out and about: The Argentinean pampas are home to many traditional ‘estancias’ that welcome guests to spend the day enjoying the facilities or as overnight guests. We stayed in the historic center of the gaucho region, San Antonio de Arreco-an UNESCO world heritage site. A charming room in an impeccable small inn, with breakfast, cost $28/night. The area is home to many artisan workshops where we observed exquisite silversmithing and leather crafting This was our second winter vacation in Argentina. The weather is wonderful and it is a tremendous bargain, but the real highlight is the warmth and charm of the Argentinean people.
Travel tip: After a few days in Buenos Aires we took a deluxe bus to San Antonio de Arreco (about 115 miles) for $7 roundtrip.
