Mar del Plata
Argentina's largest seaside resort and major fishing port.
Mar del Plata is a city on the Atlantic Coast in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón district, the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province, and the fifth largest city in Argentina. It is one of the major fishing ports and the biggest seaside beach resort in the country.
- country
- Argentina
- province
- Buenos Aires
- known_for
- Major fishing port and largest seaside beach resort in Argentina
Lore & Background
The region was originally inhabited by Günuna Kena nomads, later influenced by Mapuche culture. Portuguese entrepreneur José Coelho de Meirelles built a pier and salted meat factory near Cabo Corrientes in the 1850s, but it lasted only a few years.
Reader's Guide
Mar del Plata's significance lies in its dual role as Argentina's premier seaside resort and a major industrial fishing port. Tourism remains its main economic activity, with over eight million annual visitors supported by a sophisticated infrastructure of hotels, casinos, and theatres. Economically, Mar del Plata has diversified beyond tourism into fish processing, shipbuilding, light industry, and technology. The city became a wine-producing area in 2012 and saw microbreweries flourish.
Did You Know?
- The name 'Mar del Plata' means 'sea of the Río de la Plata basin.'
- Mar del Plata became a wine-producing area in 2012, with a vineyard at Chapadmalal beach.
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