Mar del Plata walking tour & city guide

The coast

Playa Bristol is the central beach, overlooked by the grand casino and stone sea lion statues. The coastal road runs past cliffs and beaches for kilometers.

The port

The port has colorful fishing boats, a sea lion colony and seafood restaurants. The Torreón del Monje, a castle-like tower, offers views over the sea.

A day in Mar del Plata

Walk along the Rambla by the Casino and the sea lion statues, then visit the port, where real sea lions rest on the rocks.

Explore the Torreón del Monje and the Los Troncos district of old villas.

Good to know

Mar del Plata is Argentina's most popular beach resort, very crowded in January.

Try the alfajores, a famous local sweet.

Beyond the beach

Mar del Plata was built as an elegant seaside retreat for wealthy families from Buenos Aires in the early 20th century, and some of their Tudor-style and Norman-style villas still stand in the Los Troncos and Stella Maris neighborhoods. The Villa Ocampo and Villa Mitre are now cultural centers. At the port, colorful fishing boats crowd the harbor and dozens of seafood restaurants serve fried calamari and fish of the day. Outside the summer peak, the city is calm, and walking the long coastal road from Playa Grande to the cliffs south of town is a pleasure.