Argentina is often type cast in the minds of travellers as the home to Evita, the tango and the gaucho, an expensive facsimile of a European nation in the southern hemisphere. But travellers who explore beyond the country's classic icons will stumble upon some of the most stunning scenery in South America and get a chance to soak up some serious culture.

Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world and stretches from the humid cataracts and waterfalls of Iguazu all the way down to Ushuaia, the gateway to the windswept region of Patagonia, on the doorstep of the Antarctic. In between these extremes are terrains as diverse as the dry deserts of the Andean Northwest where unusual cactus crafts are sold and the soaring peaks in the Andes, where Swiss inspired villages like El Bolson host skiing and winter sports in July.

The capital city of Buenos Aires offers a slice of Parisian chic on the banks of the Rio de la Plata. Here you can grab a local for a night of sensuous tango, the nation's most famous dance, leaving room afterwards to explore one of the world's most serious café cultures.

Read the full story - background and travel essentials

Locations Lowdown on essentials regions and cities to visit in Argentina		Culture Argentina's answer to sensualismo is the tango, a unique dance and striking icon of Argentinian culture.
TV Get the lowdown on the TV Shows Globe Trekker: Argentina		Treks Spectacular glaciers and ice blue caves ice hiking the Parque Nacional los Glacieras.
Food From mighty meats to sticky sweets: Argentinian Food & drink specialities		Festivals A Catholic Pilgrimage to the Virgin of the Valley
Nature The 'Big Water' of Iguazu Falls are the most impressive in South America Travel Writers An Argentinian Wedding By Brandon Mc Allister Mate drink, meat, and plenty of partying in Argentina - remember your Armani suit.		Shopping Prickly Presents: Shopping for Cactus Crafts in the Andean Northwest.