Iguazu Falls

You can check out the usual web sites but after our visit there is only one place that I would stay and that is a gem called the Secret Garden, www.secretgardeniguazu.com which is owned by the excellent host John Fernandes. There are only three cabins in the garden which are well fitted out and with your own terrace seating outside. Breakfast is included and is a great selection of fruits, toasts and amazing preserves.

John is a mine of knowledge and will advise on how to get to the park, arrange visits to the Brazilian side and of course your transfers  as well as the best restaurants and arranging taxis if needed. However the street with most places to eat  is only 13 minutes walk as we were reliably informed.

Saving the best to last, John serves caipirinhas on the terrace at 7pm these are accompanied by great snacks, excellent music and the good company of your fellow guests and John. A great place to stay

Acqua, Av Cordoba, stands out for everything, the food, the service, the staff, including the excellent manager. The beef is as you would hope, fantastic, try Las Terrazas Malbec, and enjoy your complimentary drink after your meal. It was so good we went back. The local fish is also very good.

La Rueda, also in Av Cordoba is a nice looking place and the food was fine but the service was nowhere as good as at Acqua.

When you are in the park at the end of the lower trail you can walk up the hill to the Sheraton, yes it is a horrible looking building but sit on the terrace and have lunch while looking over the falls, it doesn’t get much better and the burger is excellent, also it does not cost that much more than a snack and drink in the park. You can get the local bus from the main road in front of the hotel back to town.

There are lots of other places to eat, some basic grill type places, Parillas, and a more upmarket one which overlooks where Argentina, Brazil & Paraguay meet.

Bars

Not a lot, but if you stay at the Secret Garden the sweet shop and café at the top of the street just round to the left on the main road does a great selection of chilled beers including Patagonian Amber which is lovely and stays open late. Great chance to meet some locals.

Across the main street is a garage and up the side street there towards the football courts is a little Italian place with a very friendly owner, it is a good for a stop in the late afternoon or evening.

Drink

If this is your first entry into Argentina as it was ours, then your first chance to have a wonderful steak and a bottle of Malbec, what a start to the adventure. There will be lots of wines from Argentina to try with meals, also local beers.

Well no words can describe the falls, they are amazing, you probably need two days to do all the routes. Access to the park by local bus is very easy and cheap, the park is incredibly well organised, if you are going to spend two days there then get your ticket stamped at the end of day one, you should have a passport copy with you, and you will get access for 50% discount the next day.

Do take a cheap raincoat or poncho with you as you will get soaked particularly on the lower trail at one point.

If you are eating at the cafés in the park watch your food as the coatis, similar to raccoons, will jump on the table and eat your lunch before you can blink.