Argentina ranks as the world's eighth largest country immediately behind India. Thanks to its longitudinal position, the country encompasses a staggering diversity of climates and landscapes. The landscape ranges from the hot and humid jungles of the northeast and the bone-dry highland steppes of the northwest down through windswept Patagonia to the end-of-the-world archipelago of Tierra del Fuego. Across Argentina’s broad midriff the scenery is mostly flat pampas grazed by millions of cattle – subtly beautiful scenery of horizon-to-horizon plains interspersed with low sierras punctuated by small agricultural towns, the odd ranch and countless clumps of pampas grass. These wide open spaces are among the country's best assets.

Wildlife and adventure in the extensive outback are the real attractions outside of the capital. Adventure activities include horseback riding, trekking, white-water rafting, kayaking, skiing and hang-gliding along with more relaxing pursuits such as wine-tasting, bird-watching or photography safaris. Lush tea plantations and parched salt-flats, palm groves and icebergs plus the world's mightiest waterfalls are just some of the sights that will catch visitors unaware if they were expecting Argentina to be one big cattle-ranch.

Argentina is less obviously exotic than its neighbors to the north, and its inhabitants will rightly admit how great an influence Europe has been on their nation. It's a country with a very special character all its own. Argentina is so huge and varied that it's hard to take it all in one visit – most visitors are not surprised to find they want to return to explore the areas they didn't get to see the first time around

The huge metropolis of Buenos Aires, home to two-fifths of Argentina’s population, is one of the most exciting, charming and fascinating of all South American capitals. A city with its own personality, open to the world's architecture, culture and art, cosmopolitan and contradictory, dynamic and traditional, historical and avant-garde, it is the great doorway to South America.

Its many barrios, or neighborhoods, are startlingly different. Some are decadently old-fashioned, and others are ultra-modern, but all of them full of character and charm.

Added to that, Buenos Aires is the country's gastronomic mecca and it boasts a frenzied nightlife that makes it one of the world's great round-the-clock cities. Many of its residents typically dine between 11:00 PM and 1:00 AM, and go out dancing or clubbing from 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM. This can wreak havoc on a tourist’s schedule, but it's worth doing to experience the lifestyle of Buenos Aires. It also works out perfectly if visitors come in on a long flight and can't sleep due to jet lag. There will always be something to eat or to do at any hour.

Visitors to Buenos Aires are bound to be impressed by the spontaneous curiosity and intense passion of its citizens for so many things. Their passions are dominated by the national religion of football, politics and living life in the fast lane (especially when it comes to driving). However, not everyone dances the tango, is obsessed with Evita, or gallops around gaucho-style on a horse. Thanks to their sense of humor and other charms, the people of Buenos Aires will help to make any trip to the country a memorable experience.