A historic restaurant, a nightlife circuit, and Alfonsín's house: a winter getaway to Chascomús

In 1939, Croatian architect Andrés Kálnay, the same architect behind the Munich Brewery and the Crítica newspaper building, designed the Chascomús Regatta Club , a structure that still stands today with its rationalist silhouette overlooking the water. There, where the first water sports enthusiasts once rowed, Sebastián Otero opened his restaurant a quarter of a century ago.

What was initially a timid attempt at a private club became a trademark of the place , to the point of becoming the venue for all kinds of local celebrations.

The Regatas Club restaurant is one of those places that creates memories and flavors at the same time. Not only because former President Raúl Alfonsín, a fan of Roman-style silverside with white wine and flan for dessert, ate there , but also because its menu, anchored in locally sourced ingredients, blends with the lake's postcard image.

"For me, this isn't just about food; it's an experience," says Otero. "The greatest pride I have is that people want to come back."

While the sails of the kayaks and the orange glow of the low sun reflect in the windows, the kitchen uses modern techniques to create classic recipes: pasta, fish, and meat. A restaurant that endures with consistency, passion, and permanence as part of the local DNA .

From this platform, you can plan a getaway that combines the outdoors with heritage, flavors with history, and that makes Chascomús a great option for winter vacations, whether for a day trip or as a destination to stay.

Just over an hour from Buenos Aires , Chascomús is a destination that still exudes tranquility. Its 30 kilometers of paved waterfront allow you to explore the lagoon that gives its name and meaning by bike, car, or even on foot.

Fishermen, athletes, walkers, and birds coexist there, in a landscape that lights up with the most photogenic sunsets in the Buenos Aires interior, even with flamingos.

In addition to its natural surroundings, the city offers a rich heritage and cultural agenda. The historic center , with its cobblestone streets and iron lanterns, feels like a journey back in time.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the Casa del Casco, the Brazzola Theater, and the Municipal Palace (designed by Francisco Salamone) make up a tour that can be done during the day, although there is a different option for those who choose to stay later.

For a year now, Per Calderón and Soledad Luis, a guide and an Afro-descendant respectively, have been organizing a night tour that transforms the anchored city into an unexpected setting .

"The idea was to create something that didn't exist," says Per. "That visitors could see Chascomús illuminated, with its cobblestones, and hear its history from another place."

The tour starts from the square, with a narration that goes from the birth of the town in 1779 to its growth as a city .

Then walk to the Chapel of the Blacks , where Soledad, administrator of the space and descendant of those who built it, welcomes the group.

There begins another story : that of candombe, slavery, and resistance. With drums echoing off the temple walls, tourists dance, clap, and, above all, are moved. The experience ends around a warm, shared fire pit.

The Black Chapel was built in 1862 by freed Afro-descendants from Chascomús as a place of worship and gathering. Made of adobe and unadorned , it was a symbol of cultural resistance, where masses, wakes, and candombe were held.

Declared a National Historic Monument and part of the Slave Route by UNESCO, it is the only site in the country with these characteristics. During the 19th century, African traditions prohibited by the official church were preserved there.

During the day, the city also offers guided tours of the Museo Pampeano (a replica of an old post house) , walks through the Hydrobiological Station (a unique breeding ground for silverside fish), and an interesting range of recreational activities: stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, golf, introductory flights, regional crafts, and bicycles for all styles. The city is also home to the Orquesta Escuela (School Orchestra), a symbol of community service through music.

Gastronomy takes on a life of its own, with coastal bars, beer bars, Creole cuisine restaurants, and more sophisticated offerings like the Casa Laurel restaurant or La Grulla, on the side of Route 2. For those who choose to stay put, there are boutique hotels, cabins with spas, vacation rentals, a chain hotel like the Howard Johnson Chascomús, overlooking the lagoon, and even glamping at ranches.

In the heart of the historic center , where an austere lawyer with six children once lived, today houses one of the province's warmest boutique hotels: Casa Laurel . This is Raúl Alfonsín's former home, restored with a blend of respect, design, and emotion. There are no busts, but there are details that speak volumes. In the property's cool galleries, amidst centuries-old wisteria and original floors, a place was designed that doesn't offer worship, but rather memory.

The "President" room is the one the Radical leader occupied during his years in the city. From those windows, campaigns were hatched, birthdays were celebrated, and grand ideas were orchestrated.

Today you can sleep there, dine in its restaurant, or simply have tea overlooking the inner courtyard, surrounded by furniture designed by Tienda Laurel and local works of art.

The project, promoted by Gastón Sessa and María Eugenia Muñoz, achieves what few others can: keep a house alive without turning it into a mausoleum , with a few stories about Alfonsín's time and a lot of styling.

Chascomús is perfect for those looking to get away without leaving completely , for those who believe that history is also written with one's feet in the mud, and for those who need a few days of peace without straying too far . It seems to have the right balance of nostalgia and novelty.