Bahía Blanca

This city was founded on April 11^th, 1828, as a fortress (Fortaleza Protectora Argentina), but it was gradually changed towards the end of the 19^th Century. Thus, from 1890 onwards the historical center of Bahía Blanca has developed, with its first inhabitants who settled there and built the first buildings and the most representative institutions at a local level.

Located to the southeast of the province of Buenos Aires, Bahía Blanca has a population of about 330,000 people and is one of the most important urban centers of the region.

The National Southern University (Universidad Nacional del Sur), which ranks among the top five Argentine universities due to its academic level, makes Bahía Blanca locals proud and gathers students from all around the city and the region. Currently, the University offers 34 courses and the student body adds up to 10,000 people, which gives a youthful profile to the city.

Likewise, Bahia Blanca is an important industrial and service hub, and houses an important national port, Ingeniero White, which is suitable for cruise ships and features a quaint landscape of cobblestone streets and typical canteens.

The diversity of attractions related to urban tourism results in a rich and varied cultural offer: museums, monuments, theaters, exhibitions and heritage sites can all be found in this city full of history and with a booming economic growth. You can also enjoy many shopping circuits, gastronomy and entertainment services, a wide hotel offer, outdoor tours, pedestrian walks, parks, sports events, cinema theaters, concerts, night clubs, pubs and an exciting night life. This special urban center provides attractions for all tastes and ages.

The access routes to Bahía Blanca are excellent. That is why the city whether as a stopover, recreational or services center, articulates communications and facilitates connections with other major cities in the country through national and provincial routes, railways an air transport.

SIGHTS
The architectural and cultural heritage of this area preserves the value of its past and honors Bahía Blanca's legacy. In the historical center of the city, there are buildings which date back to the beginning of the 19^th Century and feature a variety of styles.

Alem Avenue is one of the most picturesque streets in the city: the different architectural styles the city adopted over time can be found here. It used to be known as the "farm houses street", since the first Italian immigrants settled there and horticulture was their main activity. Over time, the owners sold their lands, which were purchased by upper class citizens, who built important mansions; that is why the street was then called "the Mansion Avenue".

Bahía Blanca offers you the chance to get in touch with nature at Bahía Falsa and Bahía Verde Multipurpose Natural Reserve, with unique natural landscapes composed by a group of islands. The native flora and fauna characterize this incomparably rich area: recreational fishing, flora and fauna watching, photographic safaris and interpretative visits are some of the alternatives to enjoy ecotourism activities or simply rest and relax.        

The city posses several green spaces: the most remarkable ones are Parque Independencia, which features a 5 ha (12.36 acres) zoo and a botanical garden, and Parque de Mayo, which features a monument to General San Martín and a playground for kids, a BMX track, soccer and softball courts, boats to sail through the artificial lake, an amphitheater and bike lanes. To the east, the city is lined by the Napostá Creek, which rises in Sierra de la Venta, 120 km (74.56 mi) away from Bahía Blanca, and flows into the bay, crossing the whole city. The banks of the creek were turned into parks for recreational purposes. This part of the city has recently become an esplanade during the day and a busy area during the night, due to the large number of night clubs that were opened here.

Over the Napostá Creek’s channel, you can stroll along the Sculptures Lane, decorated with works of art made from recycled railroad scrap, which were created during the 1^st National Symposium on Monumental Sculpture which took place in 1993, organized by the Contemporary Arts Museum.

If you are a Golf enthusiast, you will be able to play their favorite sport at the Palihue Golf Club, which is next to the Palihue quarter (where the Guernica Tree Square is located) and which allows golfers to enjoy a unique setting.

Only 5 km (3 mi) away from the city center, we can visit the first Autonomous Deep Water Port of the country, as well as the Industrial Park, the Petrochemical Hub and the town of Ingeniero White, an ideal place to listen to stories about immigrants, appreciate the railroad-port architecture (with tin and wood houses), and enjoy port cuisine, traditions and popular festivals, all of which reflect the love of locals for their land. Another point of tourist interest is the Port Museum, inaugurated in 1987, which explores immigrant life, their cultural background and daily work.

For those who are fond of historical-cultural heritage sites, 15 km (9 mi) away from Bahía Blanca they can find the port city of General Daniel Cerri, where time does not seem to have gone by.

Founded in 1876, this city is characterized by its quietness and its cultural and natural wealth. Recreational activities are organized based on cultural circuits organized around the historical and industrial heritage sites. The Fortín Cuatreros Museum is located in an old defense fortification on the Sauce Chico Creek, which used to be the original town center.

Bahía Blanca’s cultural and artistic offer is very attractive, with 16 museums and 5 theaters. The History Museum, the Contemporary Arts Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, the Science Museum, the Historical Café Museum, the Fifth Army Corps Museum, the Naval Aviation Museum, the Ezequiel Martínez Estrada Foundation Museum, the Caldén Rojo Museum, among others, expand the recreational offer.

The city, strongly connected to science and technology, features the Science and Technology Museum, a privately owned museum, where visitors become "active subjects" and "amateur researchers”, participative actors of their own visit. This museum was designed with education and physics experimentation in mind. It features Mechanics, Waves, Optics, Perception and Electricity rooms which invite you to learn in an active way.

EVENT VENUES
The city hosts meetings, sports and academic events, exhibitions, business meetings and fairs, specially related to its several academic institutions: important universities such as the Universidad Nacional del Sur and the Universidad Nacional Tecnológica; private and public institutes; and specialized research centers which, in addition to the high number of professional associations, find a production space which positions Bahía Blanca as an ideal place for business oriented tourism.

Fostered by recent investments in the hotel sector, the city offers accommodation for 2,100 people, a variety of high-quality gastronomic services, investments in more than 77 conference and meeting rooms, and a fairground with a total exhibition surface of 3,000 m²(32,291.73 ft²) distributed along one pavilion and five rooms, which can accommodate up to 4,000 people in a banquet with equipment and comfortable facilities.

The Municipal Theater is one of the most remarkable cultural centers in the city. This building is even more remarkable due to its privileged location, at the beginning of the Alem Avenue. Inaugurated in 1913, this theater can accommodate up to 850 people, distributed in preferential seats, boxes, economic seats and an official box. It also features six rehearsal rooms and multiple workshops. It is considered one of the ten most important theaters in the country, with an average of 300 shows per year.

Offering attractions for all tastes, Bahía Blanca is a city that combines relaxation and recreation in its parks and green spaces. It also features a varied cultural offer with various museums and theaters, ideal to carry out successful meeting events, thanks to the availability of professionals and quality services.

HOW TO GET THERE
Comandante Espora Airport, in Bahía Blanca, receives daily flights, all year round, from Buenos Aires. Moreover, there are 20 companies connecting this city with the rest of the country.
By land, visitors can reach the city through national routes 3, 22, 33, and 35 and provincial route 51.

USEFUL INFORMATION
Province of Buenos Aires Secretariat of Tourism
Phone: +54221 - 4295789
E-mail: info@turismo.gba.gov.ar / mice@mice.turismo.gba.gov.ar
www.mice.turismo.gba.gov.ar / www.buenosaires.tur

General Direction of Tourism and International Affairs
Government of Bahía Blanca – Municipal Management Center
Phone: +54291 - 4813993 / 4813773
turismo@bb.mun.gba.gov.ar
www.bahiablanca.gov.ar

COPROTUR (Association for the Development and Promotion of Tourism Related Activities in Bahía Blanca)
Phone: +54291 - 4813993 / 4813773
info@bahiacoprotur.com.ar
wwww.bahiacoprotur.com.ar