Facts about Argentina in the Land of Iguassu FallsFacts about Argentina in the Land of Iguassu Falls (also named Iguazu Falls) is a brief introduction to Puerto Iguazu, the lodging destination for many Iguassu Falls visitors.
Since Puerto Iguazu is one of the three cities where you can lodge when visiting Iguassu Falls (the other two are Foz do Iguassu and Ciudad del Este ) I’ve gathered information about them to help you choose which city you want to arrive and lodge in. As I recommend in my Air Travel to Iguassu Falls page your rule of thumb should be to lodge in the same city your flight arrives. To better plan your flight to Iguassu Falls please read my
Air Travel to Iguassu Falls page.
Whatever is your arrival and lodging city of choice, visiting all three of them will give you a touch of three South American countries that are quite different in many ways: people, language, food and idiosyncrasy. It’s the “triple advantage” of arriving to the Triple Frontier Area where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay converge around
one of the greatest natural wonders there is on Earth.
Puerto Iguazu
O.K., so what can I tell you about Puerto Iguazu? It is a charming little frontier town in the northeastern Argentine Province of Misiones. With only 30,000 inhabitants it’s much smaller than the neighboring Foz do Iguassu (Brazil, pop. 300,000) and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay, pop. 300,000).
Being the tiniest city has some advantages though. It’s a quiet, tranquil town without the hustle and bustle of Foz do Iguassu or Ciudad del Este. Tinny and peaceful also means you can enjoy the city just walking yourself around without the worries of driving a car, taking a taxi or riding a bus.
Iguassu Falls tourism is the only income source for Puerto Iguazu and this is an advantage for visitors arriving there. “Puerto Iguazuences” (as they call themselves) are the most tourist-friendly and tourist-dedicated people you can find around. This is one of the big facts to consider among all other facts about Argentina when visiting Iguassu Falls.
What we love most is this town’s location alongside the beautiful southern shore of the lower Iguazu River just before it joins the mighty Parana. There is a tranquil road bordering it you can walk for some great views. Let me show you around Puerto Iguazu. Of course you cannot expect Manhattan here but Puerto Iguazu surely has its Hudson… or Iguazu River I should say. There are no skyscrapers but instead of the concrete jungle you will find the most beautiful views that nature has prepared made of real jungles, two great rivers and a blue sunny sky.
Watching the slow, steady flow of these magnificent rivers surrounded by the lush vegetation of the jungles and the trees softly swaying to the warm afternoon breeze is a view that transports me far away from the stressing urban world most of us live in. What about sipping your favorite drink while contemplating the marvels of Puerto Iguazu’s jungles from the terrace of your cozy apartment? And waking up to the sounds of a thousand birds to see the break of dawn reflected on the easy waters of the Iguazu River? These are the kind of facts about Argentina I love to know and enjoy about! If you are in need of some peace and quiet after a stressing year in the urban jungle, Puerto Iguazu is a great place to lodge in. The best Iguassu Falls hotels in Puerto Iguassu offer this kind of peaceful environment and we have some interesting recommendations to make you. Continuing our facts about Argentina and riverside road walk will bring us to Puerto Iguazu’s pier.
This is the same place my parents arrived in 1952 on their honeymoon trip to Iguassu Falls. My mother recalls that, just arriving to Puerto Iguazu, they were walking up the road towards the town when she had the urgent need to pee and since there was no appropriate place she fulfilled her need behind a tree while my Dad waited staring the other way. It’s a silly but funny story to recall because my Mom says she felt so embarrassed then to do this she couldn’t stare my Dad back for the rest of the walk. Nowadays nobody arrives to Puerto Iguazu on boat like my parents did on a 9 day trip up the Parana River all the way from Buenos Aires. But quite a few indeed arrive here crossing the Parana from the nearby Paraguay for tourism and shopping. The rather large docking ship you can see on the picture is long ago out of service. If you enjoy river adventures, from Puerto Iguazu’s pier you can hire different boating tours. One good one is a short boat trip 5 miles (8 km) down the Parana to Moises Bertoni’s home and museum. There’s quite a story behind this remarkable Swiss man. A true idealist and passionate botanist who settled with his family in the Paraguayan jungles in 1894 to put into practice his anarchist ideals brought from Europe. He ended up falling in love with the Guarani culture and people whom, as he discovered, had being practicing his socialist ideals for centuries before he arrived. Going on with our facts about Argentina, after visiting Puerto Iguazu’s pier, we continue walking heading westward along our riverside road and reach the Triple Frontier landmark where the Iguazu River flows into the Parana. Experts estimate the Iguassu Falls were here some 1.2 to 2 million years ago before they receded to where they actually are 12 miles (20 km) up the Iguazu River due to the natural erosion process of the Iguassu Falls.
Standing on the 260 ft (80 m) tall cliff here gives you a breathtaking view of these two colossal rivers. Westward you see Paraguayan territory and to the North Brazil’s land with a crystal visibility of more than 20 km towards the horizon. The first European to navigate this waterway was Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in 1542 when he was heading to Asuncion to assume the government of these newly discovered territories.
Right here in the Triple Frontier standing point you can visit some interesting souvenir shops that sell all kinds of handmade local crafts.
Among them the mural that most called my attention was this one. This is an indigenous point of view of the Spanish Conquerors taking possession of this land under the power of the horse, the Cross and the sword. A theme that gives us something to think about, doesn’t it? Downtown Puerto Iguazu
Let’s face one of the facts about Argentina(s) Puerto Iguazu, Downtown is tiny but a neat and friendly place for tourists. Sometimes it’s not places but people's warmth what attracts you more.
What I liked most here are some nice “cafeterias” or coffee-shops, a favorite reunion spot of Argentineans and tourists, especially at night. Nothing better to make personal contact with the locals than sitting on a sidewalk table while drinking a tasty “capuchino” (or an icy cold Argentinean beer if you like), a relaxing pastime after a long day exploring the mysteries of the Iguassu Falls jungle, don’t you think?
Eating Time in Puerto Iguazu One of the facts about Argentina we love is food and we discovered a couple of restaurants recommended and visited by local Puerto Iguazuences. There are also high-cuisine high-end world-class restaurants here to recommend you. They all have in common Argentineans passion for good cooking. To know about popular Argentina foods and great eating (and drinking) experiences we had in Puerto Iguazu please move from
Facts about Argentina to our Popular Argentina Foods page.
Puerto Iguazu’s Bus Terminal is your hub to the Iguazu Falls National Park and to Foz do Iguassu and Ciudad del Este. The “El Practico” bus company provides reliable transportation from here to the falls every 30 minutes. There are travel agencies located here where you can hire different tours in the area and request any information you may need.
Leather Works in Puerto Iguazu Another of the facts about Argentina is quality leather works. In downtown Puerto Iguazu you can find some of the finest leather works and clothing that money can buy but at a fraction of its value in Europe or America. To know about this please read our Argentina Clothing page.
Romance in Puerto Iguazu There can be no arguing on this; Iguassu Falls is a magic place for a romantic escape. If you are considering this possibility don’t miss reading our Honeymoon in Argentina page. We have some family experience on this that goes all the way back to 1952! Knowing about Argentinean ways One of the facts about Argentina is Argentineans boast to have a superior education compared to neighboring countries. A local joke told by Brazilians and Paraguayans portraits the sense of superiority of Argentineans. One man asks “What is the fastest way to become wealthy?” and he answers, “To buy an Argentinean for what he is worth and sell him for what he says he is worth”. One of the facts about Argentina we’ve noticed is Argentineans are well mannered people always willing to pay attention to visitors and it’s easier to find English speaking people here than in Brazil’s Foz do Iguassu and Paraguay’s Ciudad del Este. Much in the same way it happened in the United States, one of the facts about Argentina is its demography and culture was shaped by European immigration waves that occurred between 1880 and 1930. With migration coming mostly from Spain and Italy, culturally speaking, Argentina is a blend of Placido Domingo and Pavarotti. Yet another of the facts about Argentina is English influence here. Great Britain has also left a mark in Argentina’s culture as Britons made massive investments in infrastructure and agri-business development during the 1880-1930 period. What clearly still remains today from the British influence are some of the most popular sports practiced by Argentineans: soccer, rugby, tennis, polo and golf all of which were introduced by British expatriates working in Argentina during those times. Britons also seeded some of the finest schools in Argentina that still exist until today. It’s not surprising many Argentineans can speak Shakespeare’s tongue. Another interesting one on this facts about Argentina chapter is Argentineans speak Spanish but their Spanish includes many Italian words and expressions that make it so characteristic of this land. The Italian influence is notable not only in words but also in the way Argentineans express themselves. They communicate as much with the mouth as with their hands and body gestures and tend to speak pretty loud (the same way southern Italians do).
Demographic facts about Argentina(s) Puerto Iguazu. What about Argentineans in Puerto Iguazu? There are two distinguishable groups of Argentineans living in Puerto Iguazu. Those who have roots here for several generations have much in common with the Paraguayans. This group tends to be quiet and reserved in their manners. They are ethnically a blend of Spanish and Guarani blood and can understand the native Gauarani language as well as Spanish. On the other hand, Puerto Iguazu has attracted entrepreneurs and professionals coming from all parts of Argentina wanting to earn their living on Iguassu Falls tourism. These are the typical extroverted and proactive Argentineans I described you on the above paragraphs. And that's all for our facts about Argentina for the moment. If you want to know all the facts that matter about Iguassu Falls before traveling there please move to our
Iguassu Falls Facts page.
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