Buenos Aires isn’t just a concrete city. During the weekends, many locals wander off to the north of Greater Buenos Aires to a quaint and scenic town called Tigre, which lies on the Paraná Delta, to relax. We took a 30-min train from Mitre station to Maipu station, where we alighted and crossed over to another building to take the Tren de la Costa to Tigre.

 First we took this train from Mitre to Maipu station

 The main San Martin train station

 The train platform

At Maipu, we took another train called the Tren de la Costa (Train of the Coast) to Tigre. This train is more expensive than the city train because it goes through a more scenic route to Tigre. The journey takes around 20 minutes.

Parque de la Costa is the largest amusement park in Argentina, and was inaugurated in the year 1997. We skipped this and headed straight to the river promenade where it’s more exciting!

There are rowing clubs and recreational areas in Tigre

 You could row in one of those boats along the Delta if you want to!

 

Tigre sits on an island created by several small streams and rivers and was founded in 1820, after floods had destroyed other settlements in the area, then known as the Las Conchas Partido. The only means of transportation that connects the islanders with the mainland are motorboat. All the stuff and food supplies you need have to be transported from the mainland.

We took a ride in a local passenger boat to tour the many rivers and streams of the Delta of the Paraná.

 Argentinians take this boat to and fro their summer houses in Tigre

A rowing club

 

Museo de Arte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We alighted from the boat after 45 minutes to explore this little nook around here. This is how a pickup point looks like!

Looks like a nice place to have a picnic, but alas, there are tons of mozzies buzzing around everywhere.

A leisurely stroll along the river

 A makeshift wooden bridge connecting two islets

A winding path

 These boat pickup points connect people from their holiday cabins to the town of Tigre

 A resting dog

Towards 1880, Buenos Aires’ social upper class chose Tigre as their summer base.

The typical island constructions are something worth observing; houses are often raised several meters above ground, and the landscape looks idyllic as the dwellings are separated from one another by dense vegetation.

 Another waterway

 Horses on someone’s property

 You can canoe or travel by your own motorboat to explore the surroundings

 Marvelous autumn colors

The area’s name is derived from the tigres (Spanish for Tigers) or jaguars that were hunted there on occasions, in its early years. The area was first settled by Europeans who came to farm the land, and the port developed to serve the Delta and to bring fruit and wood from the Delta and ports upstream on the Paraná river.

The local boat ride was so relaxing; every few meters we passed, the scenery would change. You never know what you are going to see next.

 A man stepping into his canoe

Many people who own houses there have their own motorboats to go from place to place

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