Big, busy and brash, Mar del Plata towers above all other resorts on Argentina's Atlantic coast. Around three million tourists holiday here every summer, drawn by the familiar charms of its busy beaches and lively entertainment. If the thought of queuing for a restaurant makes you shudder, Mar del Plata in the height of summer is best avoided, but if you prefer to mix your sunbathing and swimming with a spot of culture, nightlife or shopping, you'll probably find it one of Argentina's most appealing resorts. Despite some haphazard development, Mar del Plata is a solid and attractive city, favoured by the gentle drama of a sweeping coastline and hilly terrain and while its rather urban beaches may lack the wild charm of less developed strips of sand, they are fun places to hang out - good for a spot of people-watching as well as swimming and sunbathing. Mar del Plata is also the only resort really worth visiting out of season: while the city may breathe a sigh of relief when the last of the tourists leave at the end of the summer, it certainly doesn't close down - Mar del Plata has just over 500,000 inhabitants and its port is one of Argentina's most important.
The town was founded by Patricio Peralta Ramos in 1874, but it was Pedro Luro, a Basque merchant, who had the idea of turning the growing town into a European-style bathing resort three years later. As the railway began to expand into the province, previously isolated settlements such as Mar del Plata became accessible to visitors from the capital; the first passenger train arrived here from Buenos Aires in September of 1886. The subsequent opening of the town's first hotel - the luxurious Hotel Bristol - in 1888 was a great occasion for the Buenos Aires elite, many of whom travelled down for the opening on an overnight train. Hotels in Mar del plata |
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