Bahía Blanca is a major port city in southern Buenos Aires province, the gateway to Patagonia and the largest urban centre between Buenos Aires and the south. It is a working city rather than a tourist destination, but it has a lively university atmosphere thanks to the Universidad Nacional del Sur, and serves as a practical base for exploring the surrounding coast and mountains.
The city has a pleasant central area around Plaza Rivadavia, flanked by the Bahía Blanca Cathedral and the handsome Municipal Palace. The Mercado Municipal is a fine early 20th-century market building, and the Teatro Municipal runs an active cultural programme. The Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes has a good collection of Argentine painting.
The port area of Ingeniero White, a few kilometres south, has a different character entirely — a working-class neighbourhood that gave Argentina some of its finest tango musicians, with a cluster of seafood restaurants along the waterfront and the fascinating Museo del Puerto. The nearby Monte Hermoso beach resort draws summer visitors from across the region.