Tigre is an island bordered by the Reconquista, Tigre and Luján Rivers, located 32 km north of the Federal Capital. Its colonisation dates back to the year 1580, when Garay distributed the lands extending between the coast of the nascent City of Buenos Aires and the River Las Conchas, current Reconquista River, as estancias; this is why the zone was eventually named District of Las Conchas.

The Tigre Stream, a nonchalant arm of the former River Las Conchas, began getting larger with successive floods until the great inundation of 1820 finally transformed it into the wide canal it now is.

In the mean time, the old arm of Las Conchas in turn reduced little by little its size until it became the narrow canal it currently is. In this way, the long-suffering Town of Las Conchas has become the isle we love to visit.

In 1821 governor Martin Rodriguez gave relief aid to the Town of Las Conchas to rebuild its pier and modify its church; but the new port and docks were built on the arm of the Tigre River, and building in the sector of Las Conchas was absolutely forbidden.

At the same time, all the fluvial movement was derived to the new San Fernando Canal, which was to be the arriving point for the ships coming from the wealthy territory of Paraguay. In 1865 Tigre and San Fernando were connected to Buenos Aires through the railroad, and in 1916 the area was electrified. In 1954 the name of the district was changed for that of Tigre, and the River Las Conchas was likewise changed to Reconquista.

Towards 1880 Buenos Aires' social upper class chose Tigre as their summer centre. The wealthiest families built huge mansions in there, many of which are still standing and inhabited by the same families. This boom extended itself until the late decade of the 20s in the XX century. Nowadays Tigre is regarded as "Argentine's Rowing Cradle", and it offers both national and international travellers an infinit list of options. It has the Paraná Guazú, the Paraná Miní and the Paraná de Las Palmas Rivers as its largest fluvial ways.

This paradise invites to enjoy its 1170 km2 surface beyond the Paraná de Las Palmas River to the north, and the Arias Canal, the Luján River and Rio de la Plata towards the east.

The current population is of 3000 inhabitants and its "isles" are exploited chiefly to supply the paper industry with cellulose and agglomerate. Likewise, its cultivation of wicker for craftsmanship purposes represents between 80 and 90% of the entire national production of the country.

This tourist paradise, rich in flora and fauna, has now awakened the greed and interest of national and foreign investors alike.

The main activities nearby the Port of Tigre are relaxation and aquatic sports. There are rowing clubs, recreational areas and houses to rent during weekends. One of its most relevant attractions is the chance of going on long rides on beatiful vessels, touring the infinit rivers and streams of the Paraná Delta.

Likewise, while touring along the beautiful promenades in the city you can take a glance at the classical mansions of the late XIX century, which were important gathering places for the aristocracy of Buenos Aires in those days, as we mentioned a few lines above.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Port of Fruits
It is one of the main spots of attraction in the zone, and the produces cropped in the market gardens and orchards of the delta are traded here. Amongst the handicrafts artisans offer we can find furniture made of reed and basketworks made of wicker; and if travellers wish to do so, they can visit the sheds or workshops and appreciate their work. This pier is located 15 blocks from the main port, on Sarmiento and Peru Stts.

Park of the Coast
It is the largest amusement park in Argentina, and was opened on1997 with more than 50 different attractions and shows for all ages. It can be reached through the Train of the Coast; you pay a fee that allows the visitor to enter all the attractions in the park, and if you add a plus you can go on a ride aboard a catamaran across the delta. It is found on 1509 Vivanco St, and can be visited between Thursdays and Sundays, and on holidays, from 11:00 till 21:00 hours.

Trilenium Casino of Tigre
It is a unique amusement centre in Latin America, located between the Park of the Coast and the Port of Fruits, and opened without stop. It has 20000 m2 distributed on 3 storeys with more than 60 gambling tables, roulette, blackjack, point and bank, and a VIP hall. Its spectacular shows of jazz, bolero, salsa, meringue, tango and hot dance, amongst other rhythms are amazing. There are also first-class restaurants where you can eat in a candlelight atmosphere, while looking at the moon and the stars. It opens its doors to the public every day from 11:00 am till 4:00 am; at 1385 Peru St.

The Delta and its Isles
Tigre is the starting point to take a tour through the delta of the Paraná, and go across the extensive serie of island localities through the Sarmiento, San Antonio, Luján, Paraná de Las Palmas and Capitan Rivers, and the Vinculación Canal, where you can experience navigating offshore, fishing dolphin fish, atherine and surubí; and moreover, practice any nautical and aquatic sport. The only means of transportation that communicates islanders with the mainland are motorboats, and numerous lines of collective motorboats provide this public service abiding by fixed timetables. They transport the locals on a daily basis or take them on tours. The typical island constructions are something worth watching; they stand on piles that raise the dwellings several metres and constitute a unique characteristic, levelling the houses with the dense vegetation that surrounds them.