We spent a few days in Ushuaia before our Antarctic trip; so I feel qualified to offer advice:
1. The clothing you need for Antarctica can be bought here. Prices O.K. by Australian standards.
2. There are some upmarket hotels with good views but most are more expensive and a bit out of town. We stayed at the Austral Hotel – small, warm, comfortable, friendly,
and a walk away from everything. Recommended. But have the address written down for the taxi driver; "Austral" has a generic meaning in Spanish, and confused our driver.
3. Visit the museums. Allow plenty of time, but check opening hours.
4. Eat at the Estancia. Lamb in generous chunks. Seafood is supposed to be good in Ushuaia but the seafood restaurant recommended to us was crowded and ordinary.
5. Do the day trip to the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
6. Be very careful walking up the side streets: they are steep, unpredictably paved, and you could easily break a leg.
7. Even if you are not on the way to Antarctica, this is a worthwhile destination in itself.
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