Mar de Plata and the Atlantic Coast

We know that no matter the season, many people are attracted to coastal tourism, both for the landscapes plus gastronomy and activities. Mar del Plata is a coastal tourism gem in Argentina since the city offers a wide range of places to visit and activities for the public of all ages. However, there are other options if you are thinking about vacationing or taking a few days off by the sea. There are many spots other than La Feliz along the Atlantic Coast, each one with its particular mark.

We are going to take a tour around “Mardel”  and the Atlantic beaches. Are you in?

Mar del Plata

This wonderful place is one of the most recognised resorts and is just 4 hours from Buenos Aires. Stunning cliffs, a renowned port and a wide range of tourism activities make Mar del Plata one of the top destinations during the summer season.

The city is known as La Feliz for this reason, since every summer up to 3 million visitors spend their holidays there. In addition, Mar del Plata offers a spectacular theatrical billboard with the most outstanding art and cultural exhibitions.

It is one of the best-connected cities in Argentina: it receives four daily train services from Buenos Aires and more than 50 coaches arrive daily. You can also fly to the Brigadier Bartolomé de la Colina Airport located just 10 minutes from the city of Mar del Plata, or take Provincial Route 11 and visit the different beaches with their respective resorts to enjoy Argentine coastal tourism.

Let’s get to know the must-sees of this wonderful city:

Beaches

Mardel has different options to spend your day at the beach: for traditional families, young people and artists, lovers of 4×4 vehicles and nautical athletes, but also for fishermen and those seeking calm and private spots. Everyone will easily find a place in La Feliz.

The offer is multiple, and there are plenty of gems to uncover. You will find modern beach clubs with comfortable changing rooms and gastronomic spaces, keeping safe beaches, thanks to the service of lifeguards. Here is a list of the most popular :

The beaches of Camet: located in the northern area and framed with breakwaters to moderate the waves. This is where the area of beach clubs begins and usually tends to be quieter than those in the centre.

La Perla Beach: It has a panoramic view of the city centre. The beach clubs were designed by renowned architect Clorindo Testa.

Bristol Beach: One of the most famous and crowded, is located in the heart of the city. Thanks to its dimensions, people choose it for sunbathing or playing beach volleyball. There are also many bars and restaurants nearby where you can enjoy traditional quick meals.

Varese Beach: Two long stone breakwaters form a bay by the Playa Varese coast. It makes a perfect place to practise sport fishing and different water sports.

Playa Grande: Thanks to its location a little further from the city centre, this popular beach is known for its quiet atmosphere and for its impressive ocean view. It‘s also a popular spot for surfers seeking big waves.

Punta Mogotes beaches: The popular area is located between the port and the lighthouse, featuring 24 exclusive beach clubs with modern design.

Hidden Beach: In 2001 it was officially opened as a nudist beach and is the only one in Argentina. Visitors may choose to wear bathing suits.

The Lighthouse

The heart of this area is a 35-metre-high lighthouse, which is powered by a photoelectric cell.

Located south of Punta Cantera since the early 1890s, El Faro was built in France, then brought to Mar del Plata and finally assembled piece by piece at its current location. Made of iron sheets at the top, it continues with a cylindrical glass opening for lighting.

A staircase of 160 steps allows visitors to ascend the Lighthouse. Local guides will tell about former times and its construction, which dates back to 1891, although its equipment was completely renovated in 1975. This place functions nowadays as a memory space In honour of those who were illegally arrested at the former clandestine detention centre.

The Port

The Port of Mar del Plata is absolutely worth visiting, as it is one of the main tourist attractions in the city, being one of the most important fishing centres in Argentina. The wide port area covers 8 km to the south.

Incredible views and unforgettable walks make it a real gem. You will also enjoy contact with nature thanks to its reserve of sea lions, which snooze and play on the dock, very close to tourists.

However, public access to the pier and its graveyard of ruined ships, half-sunk and rusted by the sun, is now restricted.

We recommend visiting the port commercial centre, which is ideal for spending an afternoon with the family and buying and trying fresh fish, plus dishes of coastal cuisine—the unmissable classic:  freshly caught white bait with beer.

The Cliffs

The cliffs are part of an area of beaches and resorts south of the Punta Mogotes Lighthouse. Its name is due to the large rock faces surrounding a group of rocky and solitary beaches, where the erosion caused by water and wind for thousands of years can be seen in the elevations of the particular landscape.

Keep in mind that you can access the beach by walking down the stairs, and it is ideal if you like tranquillity and getting away from busy places.

Theatres and Pedestrian Promenade

Mardel also has numerous theatres and cinemas with great offers of artistic shows. Usually, the most successful theatre companies in Avenida Corrientes Capital Federal are on stage during the summer season in Mar del Plata.

Another attraction is the pedestrian San Martín, which extends for seven blocks from the coast to the cathedral area. Both during the day and at night, this street is filled with tourists as it is the commercial space par excellence. You will find galleries, clothing and garment stores, banks, restaurants and cafes.

Beaches on the Atlantic Coast

The Atlantic Coast of Buenos Aires has plenty of beaches that attract a huge number of tourists. Within the Costa District, coastal towns closest to the City of Buenos Aires start at the southern end of Samborombón Bay.

San Clemente del Tuyú, Las Toninas, Santa Teresita, Mar del Tuyú, Costa del Este, Aguas Verdes, La Lucila del Mar, Costa Azul, San Bernardo del Tuyú, Mar de Ajó and Nueva Atlantis are some of the destinations chosen by beach vacation lovers and coastal tourism.

The first two towns founded were San Clemente del Tuyú and Mar de Ajó in 1935, San Bernardo in 1943 and Santa Teresita in 1946. In these resorts, you will find cities with good hotels and resorts plus a wide gastronomic and entertainment offer.

In San Clemente del Tuyú you’ll find the famous Mundo Marino and the hot springs at the Termas Marina, while in Santa Teresita you can visit the water parks such as Poseidon, Tobomar and Costa Acuático.

On Your Way to Mar del Plata

Beyond the Partido de la Costa and its resorts, there are beautiful beach towns like Pinamar, Valeria del Mar, Cariló, Mar de las Pampas, Mar Azul and Villa Gesell.

The energy of Pinamar and Villa Gesell is of youth and movement. They are destinations chosen by young people for their holidays (the same happens in San Bernardo) and have a wide range of dance clubs, recreational activities and events.

On the other hand, Cariló and Valeria del Mar are quieter places, ideal for enjoying the peace of the forests and the sea surrounded by a magical silence, as well as Mar de la Pampas and Mar Azul.

Beaches Further South

Apart from Chapadmalal, a beach south near Mardel, the most important beaches that attract tourists who love the sea: Miramar, Necochea, Quequén Grande, Orense, Claromecó, Monte Hermoso and Pehuén-Co.

These soft sandy beaches are enormously spacious and windy, ideal for relaxing with the family and very tempting for fishing lovers. 

Miramar is a tourist centre chosen for families and has a national park known as El Bosque Energético, a space to recharge your batteries and connect with nature.

Necochea is an important summer centre situated three kilometres from the sea. Its enormous dunes, and unparalleled sandboard track, offer a unique experience for fans of 4 x 4 adventure.

Quequen’s thick sand and beautiful dunes make it a unique place to enjoy tranquillity. Surfers and lovers of serene places choose this town as a destination.