If
there is one place Argentines choose to go on their summer vacations,
Mar del Plata is it. Lying about 400 km south of Buenos Aires
on the Atlantic Coast, Mar del Plata and its surroundings offer
miles of some the best beaches in South America. Along with
the natural beauty of the area's wind-swept dunes and dramatic
cliffs, there are ecological reserves, fancy resorts, charming
fishing villages, and of course the culture and vibrant nightlife
of the city itself.
Compared
to some of Argentina's other cities, Mar del Plata is young.
It was founded in 1874 by a developer named Patricio Peralta
Ramos, who turned the town into an industrial center. The true
wealth of the city, however, has come with the overwhelming
tide of tourism that has taken place in the last 50 years. Though
many of the resorts once catered to the rich, Mar del Plata
today rests firmly in the hands of the middle class.
