Neuquen

For many travellers, the word ‘Patagonia’ is anathema to city life, conjuring up images of glacial mountains, chiselled peaks, and vast untouched hinterlands where Gauchos herd sheep and whales decorate the waters. But contrary to popular belief, there is metropolitan life in the region; it’s headed up by 225,000-strong Neuquen, which sits spread out across the banks of the Limay River in a medley of wide avenues and lively city squares. Of course, this is the perfect base point for tourists eager to break out into the wilds of greater Patagonia or the wealth of paleontological sites in the neighbouring area, as the overload of Neuquen tour guides stands to testify. The chirpy town however, also has some attitude of its own, with gaucho steak joints sitting next to sun-kissed riverside parks and the occasional tango bar revealing twirling senoritas and potent Pisco sours. Then there are the wines, which are arguably amongst the finest in all of Argentina—hailing in from the altitudinous vineyards of San Patricio del Chanar in a mix of sauvignon blanc, merlot and malbec!