Tailor-Made Chile & Argentina: Culinary Discovery

If a getaway devoted to gastronomy should include incredible street food through to 5-star restaurants, traditional markets bursting with regional produce, and beautiful landscapes ranging from orchards to vineyards (and the fine wines to go with them), then a trip through Chile and Argentina is almost impossible to beat.

Stretching 4,300 km from the towering Andes in the north to the vast glaciers of the south and yet averaging just 175 km in width, Chile is home to some of our planet’s most picturesque natural plateaus that remain unaltered by humans. Volcanoes, ancient forests, parched dunes, fertile valleys and fjords decorate Chile’s landscape. With such beauty abound, it’s no wonder buena onda (good vibes) characterises the local culture – ‘those who hurry waste their time’, as they as say in Patagonia. The laid-back nature of Chile is reflected in its food scene; great wine, friendly company, and tasty cuisine that doesn’t need to be fancy to be unforgettable.

And then there’s Argentina, a fast-paced and vibrant nation with thumping metropolises like Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Salta, Mendoza and Bariloche. There are also spectacular natural settings that include rich wetlands, blue lakes, rust-hued deserts, arid steppes and lichen-clad Valdivian forests, not to mention the stunning Mendoza winelands. What’s for dinner? It could be a new gourmet trendsetter, an Argentinian-style pasta, or a steak from the local parrilla (grill house). Whatever it is will go down smoothly with a glass or two of Malbec.

Argentina & Chile at a Glance

In South America, nations don’t get much friendlier towards the LGBTQ+ community than Argentina. It became the continent’s first country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2010. In 2012, the right to change gender was made legal, while hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community became punishable by life imprisonment. Buenos Aires has a thriving gay scene, mostly centred around the Recoleta and Palermo neighbourhoods – certainly worth a few days of your vacation time. Smaller cities like Mendoza and Cordoba are also hubs of LGBTQ+ activity. In Puerto Mardryn, same-sex marriage ceremonies take less than five days from start to finish. The most popular times to visit Argentina are winter (June, July and August), and summer (December, January and February). While landscapes range from subtropical to desert in the north, you can expect extremely cold conditions in the south.

Chilean society isn’t quite as liberally minded as Argentina due partly due to the nation’s Catholic and conservative values. Same-sex relationships have only recently been made legal, and public displays of affection tend to be rare even in the larger cities. Gay scenes exist, but many locals prefer to keep their gender identity and sexual orientation private. Nevertheless, LGBTQ+ visitors to Chile are unlikely to encounter discrimination or prejudice. Same-sex civil unions have been legal since 2015, homosexual activity has been legal since 1998, and LGBTQ+ discrimination was made illegal in 2012. Chile’s capital, Santiago, is home to a vibrant gay scene, with the Bellavista district being the epicentre. We recommend visiting Santiago between September and November or March and May, when crowds disperse and the weather is cool and crisp.