San Antonio de Areco, Argentina

I was just in Argentina for a few weeks and spent a majority of my time in Patagonia. In lieu of spending my final three days in Buenos Aires (I spent my first two and a half days of this trip in Buenos Aires) I was told about a great little town a few hours drive from Buenos Aires. I found a hotel in San Antonio de Areco and canceled my room in Buenos Aires...

My hotel was, Posada de la Plaza. It's a charming hotel and San Antonio is a wonderful small town. Men, older generally, went out of their way to start conversations with me when I was out in town and often either asked me to join them at dinner or lunch or joined me for a cafe con leche in the late morning at an outside table in front of a bar.

Argentine food is also a real treat. With Spanish and Italian influences, the food in Areco is fantastic.

It was a surreal experience. From the architecture to the people, I left San Antonio de Areco absolutely blown away and wanting to go back...

Here are images from my short time in San Antonio de Areco:

Empanadas & Malbec

A feast with Diego and Antonio. They are kind and gracious men who went out of their way to show me their town. Antonio (pictured on the right) owns this restaurant on the outskirts of town and hosted me to an asado lunch. Empanadas as starters followed by a tortilla (think quiche) and then asado...

Asado

Hotel Posada de la Plaza

Argentina 2017

I just got back from a two week trip to Argentina. It's fall down there and a great time to visit. I was on an assignment for a publication for a story on Jorge Trucco. Jorge is a legend in the Argentine world of fly fishing and it was an honor to have spent time with him at some of his favorite places and rivers (A lot more to come on Jorge).

It was also an honor to work in collaboration with Val Atkinson on this piece. I traveled with Val and his partner Susan Rockrise along with Jorge to 4 different lodges in Argentine Patagonia: Limay River Lodge, San Huberto, Tipiliuke Lodge, and Arroyo Verde.

I'll be posting images from the trip here over the course of the next week or so. Outside of the fishing, I discovered--was directed really by someone from there--an incredible small town pop. 24,000 (approx.) called San Antonio de Areco located about 2 or so hours west by car from Buenos Aires. It was a great surprise!

The people of Areco could not have been kinder. The architecture is also stunning. It's an old world gaucho town. I did not come across another American in my three days there. I befriended a man by the name of Diego, he invited me one night to join him and three others for dinner. He ended up taking me all over the Areco area. He's a kind man and I was really blown away by the overall kindness of everyone I met there.

Many more images to come...

Diego Kelly of San Antonio de Areco sits in a bar during a typical Argentine lunch of Malbec and asado.

Boliche Bessinart. An historic old gaucho bar in Areco.