After the Buenos Aires Marathon: La Plata

The Route: Buenos Aires (Constitución) → La Plata → Buenos Aires, repeated across three nights Logistics: Trains run from Constitución station towards La Plata. Check the current timetable and fare with the operator before travelling. Marathon Month: September Duration: 3 nights

Buenos Aires base ──> Constitución station ──(train)──> La Plata
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        └────────────────────(train back)──────────────────┘

La Plata is a city laid out on a grid with diagonal avenues, planned and built in the nineteenth century to serve as the provincial capital. It sits a short train ride from Buenos Aires, so three nights can stay in the capital while one or two days go on the trip. That leaves the other days free for slower things in the city.

September in La Plata: Spring brings mild days and cool mornings, close to the capital's figures. Showers are possible, and the wide avenues feel exposed in wind. A light waterproof helps.

Night one: settle in Buenos Aires

Spend the first evening near the hotel. A short walk in Palermo's parks, an early dinner and a proper night's sleep do more for recovery than a sightseeing programme. Decide the next morning whether the weather suits a day trip.

Day trip: La Plata by train

Trains from Constitución run towards La Plata. The station is a large terminus, and the walk to the platform can be long, so allow time. Check which platform serves the La Plata service on the day. Fares are modest, though the arrangements for paying change, so ask at the hotel or at the station.

The Museo de La Plata, a natural history museum, is the main sight. It is normally open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with last admission at 17:30. Check the current hours before going, because they change. The galleries are indoors and the floors are level, with benches in places. Plan on two hours.

The Cathedral stands on the main square and is another short stop. The streets between the sights are straight and flat, which makes this one of the easier cities in the region to walk. A taxi covers the longer distances between the museum, the square and the station.

Night two and three: back in the capital

Return to Buenos Aires by train in the late afternoon. The following days can be left open. Options include the Teatro Colón guided visit, a slow morning at MALBA, or a walk through Puerto Madero.

Where to sleep

Keep the Buenos Aires hotel for all three nights. Palermo hotels are convenient for the marathon area, and Constitución is reached by taxi or Subte. Ask for late checkout on the final day if a flight is in the afternoon.

Getting home