3 Slow Travel Tips for Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Are you a slow traveler on a budget looking for a laid-back city to visit abroad?
Well you’ve landed on the right article - Bahía Blanca is a beautiful town in Argentina with a beautiful culture. I highly encourage you to visit!
I stayed there for three months. That’s right - I exhausted the 90 days of my visa-free tourism opportunity on my very first trip. Click here to see which countries can come visa-free as a regular tourist. I left with two days worth of wiggle room in case there were any flight mishaps. (A little risky - I know - but totally worth it since I fell in love with the city!)
I’m from Alaska and the smaller local community of Bahía Blanca gave me home-away-from-home vibes. I’m not one for big cities or crowded towns. I found it to be less intimidating than the capital, Buenos Aires, and easier to process for my first trip abroad.
Lucky for me, my boyfriend and his family are locals there who found the perfect set up for my stay before I even flew out. I couldn’t be more thankful for their help and I’m excited to pass on this knowledge and experience to other slow travel enthusiasts!
In this post, I reveal where to stay, where to shop, and what to do for slow travelers in Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
Keep reading to learn what’s waiting for you in this charming town!
#1 Choose your housing option
Your price range will determine your housing choices. There were various Airbnb listings throughout Bahía Blanca, as well as hotels, hostels, and apartments. My advice to budgeting slow travelers: stay at a daily rent apartment.
Seriously, it was way more cost effective than the options I saw on Airbnb, plus it had a homier atmosphere than a hotel.
Comfort and privacy were big priorities for me, and I’m sure they are for many of you as well. I stayed with Martinique Apartamentos y Viajes in their Laprida and Arroyo buildings and had a fantastic experiences. Not to mention rent was about (drum roll please…) a whopping USD $150 per month. Not enough to convince you? Utilities were only $30 a month. Keep in mind that you will be charged in pesos and prices are subject to change due to inflation in the country. I had extended my trip last minute and camped out in the second apartment for a few weeks. My rent went up slightly but it was still very manageable ☺️.
#2 Pinpoint your amenities
Say you’ve got a couple of housing options. How do you narrow them down?
Check what's around!
If you’re traveling on foot, consider how far you’re willing to walk for groceries, pharmacies, etc. I mostly walked to wherever I needed to go with the exception of a few rides from family and friends.
Everything I needed was within a 1 to 15 minute walk from my apartment:
A supermarket called “Las Chinitas” with the friendliest staff (~45 second walk - literally across the street)
The pharmacy “Farmacia Larrañaga” that was also a minute away from my stay
“Tintoreria y Lavanderia - La Mulata” about 2 minutes away for weekly laundry (the ladies were so kind and there’s a discount if you book with Martinique!)
A Western Union that was about 15 minutes into the downtown area for exchanging dollars to pesos
A fun path called Paseo de las Esculturas (about 7-10 minutes away from where I was staying at)
#3 Have fun and find new hobbies
The best part about slow travel is the emphasis on relaxing, enjoying yourself, and connecting with people!
I know putting yourself out there can be a bit daunting (shout out to my fellow introverts 😉).
Practice your favorite activities and self care to help you feel grounded in a new space; once you’re more confident, go out and explore. There are tons of restaurants, bars, cafes, businesses, and some parks in Bahia Blanca to check out by yourself or with friends! Here are some of my favorites…
Paseo de las Esculturas
This path begins on General Urquiza and Martiniano Rodriguez and is a popular spot for teens and young adults. There are a bunch of cool sculptures to check out and admire along the path. Grab a sweet treat from the La Herencia bakery located at the start of the path, or visit various kioskos to buy snacks and refreshments.
Plaza Rivadavia
This one is more common to visit with family on weekends. Located in the center of Bahia Blanca, Plaza Rivadavia is the perfect place to enjoy merienda and check out the downtown stores. On weekends you might even find local artists and businesses selling their products in some of the stands. It also makes for a cute walk in the park at night, especially if you’re craving dessert from the McDonald’s ice cream/pastry stand on its corner - yum!
Cafes
Mulata and Cafe Martinez are two cute coffee shops I visited. Mulata was super closer to my apartment and I had a delicious tarta manzana with a mint lemonade (super refreshing!). Cafe Martinez had more space with an extra floor upstairs for customers. I got an iced coffee for a hot day pick-me-up and was pleased to find some free cookies with my order. There were at least two Cafe Martinez locations in case you're in a different spot of the city than I was, although I can’t say the same for Mulata.
Relax y Masajes
Go ahead and book your appointment already - my experience here was amazing.
I was stoked to learn that the spa is within the Martinque apartment neighborhood; check it out at Florencio Sánchez 169. If you have a partner you can book a couple’s appointment there and get a discounted price for the two of you. Prepare to feel your stress and anxiety melt away after just one session. You can bet I’m going to treat myself to this weekly!
In conclusion…
Bahia Blanca is a great destination in Argentina for explorers wanting a laid back experience. The people were super friendly, welcoming, and patient while I explored their city and butchered the Spanish accent! Go ahead and open up your Duolingo again 😅 Book your stay with Martinique Apartamentos y Viajes to get a great rate for housing. The trip was affordable overall and I managed to finance it in about 2.5-3 months in advance. Sit down, plan your activities, crunch out the numbers for your trip, and be sure to budget for any potential accidents/emergencies.
There are definitely places, activities, and events that I didn't see there or acknowledge in this article. If you’ve been to Bahía Blanca before, comment below on how your experience was and what activities you did for others’ future travel inspo!
