SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO + RIO HONDO NATURAL TERM BATHS + MOTO GP

The local area around Termas de Rio Hondo and wider Province of Santiago del Estero has a great deal to offer if you feel like going exploring.

The Vicecomodoro Ángel de la Paz Aragones Airport connects Santiago del Estero to Buenos Aires – otherwise it is a 1000km-plus, 12 hour drive to and from the capital.

Once you are within the province you may wish to visit the capital city of Santiago del Estero, which is the oldest city in Argentina, founded in 1553, though showing little sign of its Spanish colonial past.

Santiago del Estero is a relaxed and warm-hearted city, known elsewhere in Argentina for its folk music and laid back ambience, the main focal point being the pleasant central plaza, home to Santiago’s attractive cathedral. The city’s Parque Aguirre, an extensive eucalyptus-filled park on the riverside, is a good place for a stroll.

The town of Termas de Rio Hondo itself is an agreeable destination, with natural thermal baths, a man-made lake, hotels specialising in spa treatments and its many restaurants all catering for the streams of visitors who stop by each year.

MotoGP ™ returned to Argentina in 2014 after a long 15-year break, with the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in the northern province of Santiago del Estero becoming the host venue for the Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina – a race that had previously been held in Buenos Aires.

Indeed, the first ever Argentinean Grand Prix took place in 1961 close to Argentina’s capital, and was the first time that a GP had been run outside Europe. In the modern era Termas de Rio Hondo continues the legacy of motorcycle racing in Argentina. The annual visit to the South American country creates a festival atmosphere, providing a spectacular show on and off track.