Quick guide to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is one of the great capitals of the world and one of my favorite cities. Let me take you on a quick but concise tour of this unique place…
The great avenues:
July 9 – The widest boulevard in the world and the most emblematic of this city, with the huge obelisk at the intersection of Corrientes.
Avenida de Mayo – A street full of elegant old buildings in the best Parisian style that shoot out from the Plaza de Mayo. It is on this street that you will find the famous Café Tortoni.
Corrientes – The Broadway of Buenos Aires, plus the obelisk, of course! Here you will get your dose of tango!
Santa Fe – The very, very long shopping street.
Calle Florida and Lavalle – Pedestrian esplanades that actually intersect, both full of shops and department stores.
The Neighborhoods (Districts):
San Telmo – The bohemian neighborhood, full of antique shops, flea markets, tango and restaurants. The focal point is Plaza Dorrego. The crowds can be overwhelming on the weekends.
Recoleta – The wealthy neighborhood: mansions, embassies, museums and the cemetery. Yes, the cemetery is a major tourist attraction, thanks to Evita’s tomb. The Museum of Fine Arts has an excellent collection of classical artists.
Palermo Viejo / Palermo Soho: the young and modern area just outside the center. It offers an incredible variety of elegant restaurants and bars and is the destination of choice at night. You can start at Plaza Serrano and explore the streets that fan out from there.
Boca – The neighborhood with the wildly painted corrugated metal houses. Very quaint, but be aware that it is the worst tourist trap in the city, much more expensive than the rest of Buenos Aires, so plan to dine and shop for your souvenirs elsewhere, and don’t let the scammers fool you! for you to buy!
Puerto Madero: A series of renovated warehouses in the port area, now home to dozens of restaurants. Walking along the endless piers is a popular activity for visitors and residents alike.
Belgrano – An elegant residential neighborhood quite a distance from the city center. I mention it for its little Chinatown.
The great old shopping malls:
Abasto: a renovated central train station that has a Ferris wheel!
Patio Bullrich – The mall of the very rich, in Recoleta
Galerías Pacífico – Another elegant shopping center, just off Florida Street, on the corner of Córdoba.
The Ancient Monuments:
Plaza de Mayo – Here you will find the Casa Rosada (Yes, where Evita waved to the crowd), and the Cathedral of San Martin, among other things. Almost always some group protesting in the square, although these days in a peaceful way.
Plaza Congreso – The plaza with the imposing national congress building at one end and a variety of other interesting old buildings.
Other interesting things:
– During the day, try to get on the subway. Wait for one of the trains with vintage cars that are over a hundred years old and have all wooden interiors. Your best bet to catch one is on the Avenida de Mayo line.
– In fact, you can get a view of the surrounding city from the top of the obelisk, which can be reached by climbing 206 steps.
Restaurants and Cafes of Note:
Café Tortoni: the historic and luxurious café where tango greats like Gardel hung out. They also offer world-class tango and brass jazz shows. May Avenue 825
Las Violetas – The other famous grand old cafe, all mahogany and tiffany, famous for its desserts. Almagro area. Rivadavia, 3899
El Balcón – Typical Argentine food, a charming atmosphere and a fabulous free show (tango, gaucho, etc) in the heart of San Telmo. Humberto Cousin 461
Palitos – The best Chinese food you will taste, in Belgrano’s Chinatown. Arribeños 2243.
Chan Chan – A favorite Peruvian restaurant in the Congreso area. Hipolito Yrigoyen 1390.
Fast facts:
Language: Castilian Spanish. English is widely spoken in the tourism trade.
Exchange rate: You will get around 3.80 Argentine pesos per US dollar.
Meals: Expect to spend at least 35 pesos per person for a normal meal. Food prices have increased up to 100% in the last two and a half years. Porteños eat very late, so don’t expect to find many restaurants open before 8:30pm, because most people will be dining at 11pm or later, and going dancing at 3am!
Hotels: They range from the grand luxury like the Alvear to the hideous like the Lion d’Or. You can have a good clean room with breakfast for around 280 pesos per night. The Once (“Ontsay”) area is where you’ll find the cheapest hotels, but you’ll waste the difference on taxi fares. I usually stay at the Howard Johnson in Congreso, (Bartolomé Miter 2241), which is semi-luxury but very affordable. Note that the star rating used in Argentina does not reflect the quality, but rather the size of the hotel, so a five star could actually be a big dump.
Taxis: Black and yellow taxis are metered and cheap. About 35 pesos the race from the center to Belgrano. Remises do not have meters and are normally only used to go to the airport.
Subways, regional trains, and buses: Public transportation is cheap and reliable, but the dirt that comes with it can surprise you. Avoid wearing them at night and beware of thieves at all times.
Tips: Argentinians generally don’t tip, but be generous: their wages are pittance!
Airports: Ezeiza (“Eyssayssa”) International is about 40 kilometers from the city center, while the Aeroparque, used for domestic and Uruguayan flights, is about 5 minutes away. Please note that if you are flying to Ezeiza and you are from Canada, USA or Australia, a high arrival tax will apply. Avoid using taxis for your safety. Use the fixed rate discounts (“raymeessayss”) that the kiosks have at the arrivals exit.
Crime: Be careful. Organized groups of pickpockets and street urchins abound. Avoid walking after dark. Only use ATMs inside shopping malls. If you are the victim of a crime, know that the police here won’t do much for you after the fact. Most unsafe downtown areas: Retiro and Once.
Souvenirs: Typical souvenirs include leather goods, mate, and wines.