December 31, 2025 including New Year’s early Morning - La Plata, Argentina 🇦🇷

December 31, 2025. New Year’s Eve
Buenos Aires to La Plata Argentina 🇦🇷

Today started late as we departed after checkout for the approximately hour-and-fifteen-minute ride to La Plata from Bonos.

Fortunately, we were able to check into the hotel early, giving us a bit of time to explore the local neighborhood. Our hotel is situated right across from the largest cathedral in the Americas. We walked about 25 minutes towards the town area to a local mall, as recommended by the front desk, which offered plenty of options for local food and beverages.

On our way back, we took a detour into the cathedral, and the interior was massive and breathtaking, showcasing impressive engineering and architecture.

The Cathedral of La Plata or the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in La Plata, Argentina, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, is the 58th tallest church in the world. This Neogothic edifice is located in the geographical center of the city, facing the central square, Plaza Moreno, and the City Hall.

After some downtime, we hired an Uber (Jeronimo ) to take us to various areas for the New Year’s celebration. We were lucky to have a driver who was eager to give us a local tour, communicating with us through a translation app.

He took us to several sites where it’s customary to build and burn effigies after midnight, typically around 2:00 to 2:30 in the morning. This tradition began in 1932 at the intersection of Avenue 10 and 40 (see below for more details).

Our Uber driver became more than just a driver; he served as our guide, leading us into his childhood community, which was the original location of this tradition. He introduced us to local community members, who were incredibly welcoming. A couple of them spoke decent English, much better than our Spanish.

Initially, we planned to leave after midnight, but they encouraged us to stay and witness this magnificent tradition, which we happily did. We are all so glad we did because it turned out to be an amazing experience.

One of the best things about traveling abroad is connecting with people from all over the world who share common values and interests, and who are so welcoming. This was an experience we could not have planned for; it happened organically.

We left the area around 2:30 in the morning and walked back to the hotel, never feeling unsafe at any point.



The unique tradition of burning giant effigies, called "Muñecos," in La Plata, Argentina, started on December 31, 1956, at the corner of 10 and 40

Luis Tórtora, president of Club Defensores de Cambaceres, created the first one to celebrate his team winning the amateur league championship, igniting it in front of a local bar, and the custom grew from there. 
Key Details:
Origin: A spontaneous celebration by a football club president.
Location: 10 and 40 street corner in La Plata, Argentina.
Date: New Year's Eve, 1956.
Purpose: To celebrate a championship victory and bid farewell to the old year, a practice that evolved into a city-wide tradition. 


The burning of effigies in La Plata, Argentina is a unique New Year's Eve tradition where residents build and burn large, creative papier-mâché figures (called muñecos) representing popular characters from TV, movies, video games, and even sports figures, symbolizing leaving the old year's problems behind for a fresh start. Over 100 figures, some massive and elaborate, are set ablaze at midnight on January 1st, transforming neighborhoods into vibrant, fiery spectacles and attracting huge crowds to witness the iconic tradition. 
What it is:
A City-Wide Celebration: Entire neighborhoods collaborate to create and burn these giant effigies on New Year's Eve.
Symbolism: It's a symbolic ritual to say goodbye to the past year's negatives and welcome a pure, new beginning, similar to other Latin American traditions like the Burning of Judas, notes Wikipedia.
Pop Culture Focus: Figures often feature contemporary characters from series like Rick & Morty, Avatar, or Mario Bros, alongside sports stars like Lionel Messi, as seen in past years, according to ESPN, 0221.com.ar. 
How it works:
Construction: Neighbors spend weeks building the figures from wood, newspaper, and other materials, often funding them through raffles.
The Event: At midnight, bonfires ignite the figures across the city, creating a spectacular display of fire and light, as shown in this Instagram Reel.
Safety: The municipality organizes and approves the sites, ensuring safety protocols are followed for this popular cultural event. 
Why it's famous:
Unique Spectacle: It's a highly visual and unique way to usher in the new year, drawing international attention and crowds.
Community Spirit: It fosters strong community bonds as people work together on these large projects,