Rio Gallegos - capital and largest settlement of the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz in Argentina

Rio Gallegos (Río Gallegos) is a town in southern Argentina. There may not be much to see in town but it can be a base for exploring the wider area. The town serves as the provincial capital of Santa Cruz.

Understand

Rio Gallegos was originally established to enforce the influence of Argentine over the southern Patagonia. For tourists it can be good jump-off point for exploring Tierra del Fuego and southern Chile.

Get in

By plane

Patagonia has cheap connections to Rio Grande (~AR$100) and in high-season to Ushuaia. Ask around in one of the tour agents in town. Aerolineas Argentinas and LADE operate to Buenos Aires and other towns throughout Argentina.

By bus

The bus terminal is about 3 km from the center. There are bus connections to Rio Grande (Tierra del Fuego) and Ushuaia. Buses arrive from Buenos Aires (36 hours) and Puerto Madryn (16 hr) along Highway 3.

By car

From Buenos Aires the drive goes along the fully paved but sometimes heavily trafficked Highway 3. The distance is 2,587 km. Ruta 40, going along the whole of Argentina from north to south passes through Rio Gallegos. Its southern end is in Punta Loyola, 37 km from Rio Gallegos.

Get around

Walk.

See

• Museo de Arte "Eduardo Minnicelli": Small art museum with free admission.
• Pioneer Museum (Museo de los Pioneros), -51.615366°, -69.225985°. Weekdays 10:00-19:30. The city's oldest standing house furnished with items from the late 19th and early 20th century. Free 2017-01-15
• Museo Ferroviario Roberto Galián (Railroad Museum), Pellegrini 840, Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina, -51.612650°, -69.225001°, +542966426766. 14ː30 - 17ː30 (closed Saturday, Sunday). History of railroads in Argentina, much of collection is rusty and unrestored. 2023-02-13

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

• La Barrica, Comodoro Rivadavia 379, -51.619723°, -69.207877°, +54 2966 43-8572. Wine bar with a large selection of Argentinian wines. 2017-01-15

Sleep

• Casa de Familia Elcira Cantreras, Zuccarrino 431, +54 2966-429856. Offers cheap dormrooms. Only a 15-min walk from the bus terminal.
• Hotel Patagonia, Monseñor Fagnano 54, -51.621592°, -69.216797°, +54 2966 44-4969. Modern, centrally located hotel. 2017-01-15

Go next

• There is a penguin reserve about 2 hours south that is right on the Strait of Magellan.
• The glacier Perito Moreno is the only glacier in the world that is still advancing, and is 4 hr or so to the west, close to the village of El Calafate. It is a treat to see chunks of ice the size of a ten-story building falling into the blue depths of Lake Brazo Norte.
• Fly with Latam to the Falkland Islands.