San Antonio de Areco, a dusty little gaucho town in the north of Buenos Aires province, provides a center for pampas ranch culture. There’s little there but leather and silver shops and a museum or two, but the town is charming with its own character. The tree lined streets and neighborhoods lie along the lazy Areco river, in a place where hitching posts sit outside of stores and kids ride bikes in the street. The town is surrounded by estancías, and you’ll occasionally see a bombacha bedecked gaucho riding through on horseback, or stepping into a bar for a drink. This is a great stop for Argentine culture, especially on either end of an estancía stay. At the top of Arellano street, near the river, a small cabin houses the Tourist Information center, where friendly staff will help with anything you need- they’ll set up activities, give you information about the area, or lend you a bike for the day.