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Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the primary and capital city of Argentina. It is an enormous city that has nearly half of
the countries entire population of 45 million! Buenos Aires is a city that never sleeps and is a great place
to visit in South America. It's full of delicious food, culture and entertainment. Here is my guide to
Buenos Aires.
Visiting a cemetery isn't the most conventional tourist activity but the cemetery in
Recoleta is definitely worth a visit. The whole cemetery is a work of art full of impressive tombs and statues.
It was opened in 1822. I'd go as far as saying it's the most impressive cemetery I've ever been to. As far as I
remember the entry is free. The cemetery is the resting place for many former prominent people. While I
don't remember any names specifically there is a lot of history behind who is buried there and how they ended up
in this cemetery. When I visited I was doing a walking tour which began in El Centro then went through
Recoleta and eventually ended at the cemetery. The walking tours in Buenos Aires are great and many are free!
You are expected to tip though. You can find more information on these by searching Buenos Aires free walking
tours on
google.
Argentina is famous for its tango. You will see people dancing tango all over the streets
throughout many different neighbourhoods. Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s
along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the
impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combination of Rioplatense Candombe celebrations,
Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Argentine Milonga. The tango was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of
ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons with music. The tango then spread to the
rest of the world. Many variations of this dance currently exist around the world. You can also take lessons if
you're feeling ambitious! If you're interested in learning tango this is probably the best place. Note the
picture below isn't mine.
The nightlife in Buenos Aires has to be amongst the best on the planet. I can't think of
anywhere I've been that has a better nightlife scene, though of course I haven't been anywhere. If you are a
night person you will love this city. It's quite common for people to have dinner between 9 pm to midnight then
to stay out all night partying. Sometimes people even end up at after parties well into the afternoon of the
next day. I've only ever seen comparable nightlife style in Uruguay but on a smaller scale. Most clubs and bars
don't really get going until 3 am then stay open all night. The best area to party in Buenos Aires in my opinion
is Palermo. There are tons of bars and clubs in this area, especially near Plaza Serrano. Not to mention that
because of inflation if you are using USD, CAD or another stronger currency you won't spend very much money at
all. A night out is a must. Ideally, you could go for a parrilla (which I will mention under food) and then go
explore the Plaza Serrano area.
I think there are three staples worth mentioning that everyone should try in Argentina
(and also Uruguay). Argentina is famous for it's beef. You have to try an asado at a parrilla style
barbeque place. They serve a huge variety of meat at parrilla restaurants such as chorizo, mollejas, and of
course asado. In my opinion, parrilla is the best type of barbeque. The parrilla restaurants I've been to
(mostly in Uruguay) are among the best restaurants I've ever eaten at. Aside from the famous asado, some common
street snacks include delicious empanadas and alfajores which are like little cookies filled with dulce de
leche. These are also must tries here! (Note: The photo below is actually from Uruguay but is very similar to
what you'll find in Argentina.)
There are a few famous drinks you should try in Argentina. Most people have already
heard of Argentinian wine as it's world famous. They do produce great wine and there is a huge variety around.
My understanding is that the wine growing region of the country is further West near Mendoza so this area would
be good to visit if you are interested in wine tasting tours. Another notorious lesser known Argentinian drink
is fernet. It's a type of alcohol like rum but is uniquely Argentinian. It's extremely cheap here and you will
see many locals drinking it.
These are the neighbourhoods that I spent my time in Buenos Aires in and they are also the most common areas for
foreigners visiting and living in the city. Each one is quite unique and they all offer different things be it
nightlife, culture, food or art.
El centro is the area I stayed in and is considered the center of the city (obviously).
It's an interesting area with a central location, lots of cool archetecture and some famous sights like Teatro
Colon and el Obelisco. Public transport is very accessible from here and can take you to other areas of the
city. There are lots of restaurants, malls and activities going on in this area. You can also take a free
walking tour starting from El Centro.
La Boca is an iconic neighbourhood of the city. It's unique for it's colourful buildings
and of course La Bombonera (the stadium of Boca Junior pictured at the top of the page). Argentinians are
fanatic about soccer and this is the stadium of their most famous club. Down the street from it is a very
picturesque area full of cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. I didn't go to a soccer game while I was there
but it would truly be a fantastic cultural experience. You would have to take a bit of caution though!
Palermo is my favourite part of the city for nightlife. If I were to visit Buenos Aires
again I would likely choose to stay in this area so I could explore it more. It's definitely worth exploring and
having a night out. There are also lots of restaurants, cafes and markets as well. Plaza Serrano is a great
place to explore at nighttime for some great nightlife. This area is also known as the polo capital of the
world!
Recoleta is the area just North of El Centro. The area is perhaps best known to be the
home of the Recoleta Cemetery mentioned above. It is a traditional upper-class and conservative neighborhood,
with
some of the priciest real estate in the city. The architecture is inspired by European styles from the Spanish
and French. There are many beautiful buildings and parks in this area. There are free walking tours leaving from
El Centro that take you through Recoleta which then end at the cemetary. It's a great way to see some of the
cities best sights and not spend much money!
Puerto Madero is the newest part of the city full of highrise buildings. I took a bike
tour through this area with Biking Buenos Aires. This was an awesome bike tour that began in San Telmo and then
went
through La Boca and Puerto Madero before ending in El Centro. It cost about 60usd if I recall but it was a great
experience and my guide was very knowledgable and friendly. In Puerto Madero you can enjoy a choripan or other
delicious street food alongside the river while looking at the epic backdrop. You can also see Puente de la
mujer (Woman's bridge) in this area which is pictured below.
San Telmo is the oldest neighbourhood in Buenos Aires. It's full of historical and
well-preserved buildings. It also had in my opinion the best street art in the city. There is a bohemian
vibe here and there is plenty of life in the streets. There are markets, parks, and cool buildings like the
Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Biking Buenos Aires offer tours through different areas of the city beginning in
San Telmo. If you enjoy biking around and want to explore lots of the city I'd recommend a tour like this.
