Meet El Calafate Homestay Host Maria

1. Describe yourself in five words

Communicative, sociable, coordinator, nature lover

2. What do you enjoy about meeting new people?

All my life I´ve been travelling around (Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Germany, United States, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela), visiting many countries, getting to know other customs and culture. Now I’ve settled down with my husband in El Calafate, I´m still connecting with tourism and enjoy welcoming/interacting with my guests.

3. What can people expect when they stay with you?

Friendship, care, guides, recommendations, incredible unique moments together. I coordinate activities with the local companies such as ice trek in viedma lake in el chalten, navigating argentino lake and trekking in cañado de los fosiles in estancia cristina. (wonderful view to upsala glacier) We also offer our guests the option to share with us typical patagonic styles of meals at our barbecue place. Especially the last night of stay, we barbecue (al disco) specialities such as salmon grilled and homemade pizza

4. What’s one of your favourite things to do in El Calafate?

Visiting the glaciers Perito Moreno. You can choose to do the trek in the perito moreno, full day, always with professional guides of the national park. You can navigate between Upsala Glacier, enjoy the panoramic views and activities outdoor such as Trekking/Hiking. The will give you your own crampons!

5. What’s your favourite restaurant in El Calafate?

Isabella Cocina al disco serves local patagonian style food. My favourite dish is “pollo al disco”. “Al disco” or “al disco de arado” is a traditional patagonic cooking method where the food is cooked on a huge iron disc heated outdoors over a wood fire.

6. Your favourite bar in El Calafate?

Borgez y Alvarez libro bar. During the day you have soft music. They have specialities of coffees and teas, as well as artesanal beers from Patagonia. You can borrow a book and read away. During the night it is a meeting point for listening to bands, dj, etc.

7. If there was one thing people shouldn’t miss in El Calafate, what is it?

Upsala kayaking experience in Argentino lake.

8. What’s your most memorable travel experience?

Travelling by my own when I was younger, visiting United States & Canada.

9. What is your dream travel destination?

Italy – I want to visit the origins of my surname "petraglia" and Rome especially

Caribbean – I would love to do scuba diving in the caribbean, I’ve done it in Cozumel, Mexico and in Porto Gallinhas, Brazil

10. Why should you stay in a Homestay?

I feel that if I would have the chance some years ago to travel like this, by sure I would decide to have more adventures in my life. Since I began with my Homestay, I have new friends from Germany, France, England, Belgium that we continue in contact for any event or anniversary, I have received surprise presents and amazing words from most of them! I have fun while I discover a new way of connecting with foreigners, you are very wellcome travellers!

View Maria's Homestay called "Kiritina"

Photo of Librobar courtesy of Casafox

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