Argentina Handbook, 5th: Tread Your Own Path (Footprint Argentina Handbook)

There was a day when Rough Guide and Lonely Planet were the best guides for travelers that sought to leave the tour groups behind and explore on their own. But slowly, year by year, Footprint has improved, and now this 4th edition is one of the best guides for Argentina that you can buy. *Note that this review is for the the 4th edition, other reviews below are probably refering to the 3rd Edition.

I took five travel guides with me to explore Argentina/Patagonia, and I found myself consistently reaching for Footprint first. It is the most current (2006) and the guide consistently listed quality accommodations and good restaurants, some of which were exemplary. The city maps in the guide are excellent. All the restaurants and hotels are well marked on each map. Kudos.

Footprint Argentina's background section (history, religion, culture etc.) is well written, brief, yet informative. There is an abundance of website references throughout the text and a...Read more

There are some better books about Argentina... in Spanish an in six volumes. The best single-volume that I've seen for a traveller is here: the Footprint series at last got it right! (I speak about this last edition only). A lot of good sites that I know from my wanderings in my home country are here, and some others... too! Read carrefully the guide, if you found one sentence that says: this place is breathtaking, believe it even if is only mentioned in that sentence: Argentina is a VERY big place, so many of his attractions may be shortly described, because of that you must put attention to the words that are used. Enjoy!! (and believe the book about security concerns, the guide recomends to visit the country and I agree, the places where it says that you must take care are exactly the places where you must do it).
Update 2008: more info about the unknown province of Catamarca would be welcomed: it have the highest volcanoes out there, natural thermal baths in front of the...Read more

very impressed by the depth of intelligent coverage on history/economics and politics as an added bonus to the extremly helpful maps and local information. Loved the lay-out. The suggestions of HOW a trek to one city could naturally lead to a visit to another... very fluid. Very well done. I have never bought a footprint book before... i think this will be my first of many. A cut above the rest! Even my argentine boyfriend agrees!!