Argentina Part 3: Bustling Buenos Aires

I’ve finally gotten around to being able to put into words the last part of my Argentina trip – the complex and wonderful Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires is a metropolis of close to 3 million people, with an interesting history of European influence and South American flair. It was the perfect place to end my first trip to Argentina (definitely won’t be the last) – great food, shopping, culture and entertainment. There’s a reason why it holds the title of most visited city in South America!

Buenos Aires, like a number of metropolitan cities, consists of many different neighborhoods, each with their own unique vibe. Recoleta, Puerto Madero, La Boca and Palermo are some of the most popular of these areas. Part of the fun of visiting Buenos Aires is just walking these different areas, sitting at cafes, observing the local customs and indulging in the scene.

Things To See

Cemetery La Recoleta

It may seem odd that one of the biggest sights in Buenos Aires is a cemetery, but once you get there you will understand why this is the case. The little village of its own that is the cemetery is fascinating, filled with enormous and posh mausoleums passed on through generations. What is equally fascinating and a sad sight at the same time is seeing tombs that are in decay, because the families that own them can no longer maintain their upkeep.

You can spend hours in the cemetery walking the “streets” and examining the exteriors and contents of the different burial sites. Of course, you have to stop by Eva Perone’s (Evita’s) tomb before you head out – it’s not easy to find (requires a few turns into the heart of the cemetery) but you will know when you’re close by the line of people outside of it! The cemetery offers free tours on certain days of the week (and in different languages), so check the schedule before you go if you are interested in this.

Camineto La Boca

La Boca, one of the barrios of Buenos Aires, was one of my favorite things about Buenos Aires. The energy and festive streets, especially Camineto La Boca, of this area are unlike any other area of Buenos Aires. From circus performers lining the walls as street art to brightly colors caricature characters peeking out from balconies along the streets, Camineto La Boca screams quirky and fun. It was created by a local artist, Benito Quinquela Martín, when he painted the walls of an abandoned street and put up a stage for local performances. The area soon became home to a number of artists. Barrio La Boca has a very European feel, consisting mostly of Italian immigrants to Argentina.  On any given day you can easily wander La Boca and find cafes with tango performers, its residents sitting on their stoops and soaking in the sun, and colors galore.

Teatro Colon

Teatro Colon is Buenos Aires’ opera house. It has been ranked #3 in the world, behind Berlin’s and Austria’s opera houses. If possible, look up the schedule ahead of time and catch a show, but if you can’t, definitely head over and catch a tour of the majestic theater (go early, as you will have to wait for an appointment once you do).

El Ateneo Grand Splendid

This beautiful book store was built in a former theater. It has been ranked as the second best bookstore in the world! It’s sophisticated and grand, and worth a visit just to take a look and explore the books sold in a different country from your own. Note before you go that there are limited English language books.

Plaza de Mayo/Walking Tours

Plaza de Mayo and the surrounding area is an important part of history. It is in the city center, and has been home to a number of protests, to the point where all of the government buildings in the plaza are no longer open to the public, and are gated for protection. It’s still a very pretty area to visit despite the main buildings being closed off to the public, with historic architecture on display in full force. If you are interested in taking a walking tour, many of them also start or end in this area, and these walking tours are an integral part of understanding true Buenos Aires.

Things To Do

La Bomba de Tiempo

One of my favorite and coolest things to do in Buenos Aires is to go to a performance by La Bomba de Tiempo. This percussion performance, an extremely popular local attraction that is gaining more and more attention as the days goes by, is the perfect thing to do if you are looking for a true Argentinian experience. Standing in line outside of the venue, you’ll see beers sold by vendors on the side of the street and will likely whiff aromas of certain plants being smoked. Once you make it inside to a field full of locals swaying to the beat of the drums, you won’t be able to control yourself as the infectious music takes hold. La Bomba de Tiempo is not for the conservative, and the crowd skews more millennial, but anyone can definitely go (I took my parents to the show and they loved it)! Performances are held every Monday night.

Tango

A first time visit to Buenos Aires is not complete with a visit to a tango show. Part of the heart and soul of Argentina, tango performances exemplify the fiery and passionate personalities of many Argentinians. There are numerous places to catch a show, from proper performance houses to more casual cafes, to tango clubs where you can partake in the experience as well! The performances houses often offer dinner and a show, but some of them also offer the option to just attend for the show and skip the dinner (which is what I did when I went).

Palermo

The Palermo section of Buenos Aires is tres chic. You can find a variety of shops, wine tasting rooms and fun nightlife (head over to Plaza Serrano at night for a number of bars with exciting decor and neon lights). I barely scratched the surface of this area in my few hours spent there, and it’s a must for my next trip back. This area consists of subparts Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood, which are very representative of their US counterpart names!

Things To Eat

Steak and Wine

The two most famous things in terms of consumption about Argentina are fabulous steaks and delicious malbec wines. Both of these things are readily available all over Buenos Aires, and I highly recommend trying as much of it as you can while there. There is nothing as authentic as trying these two things in Buenos Aires, especially if you can’t make it all the way to Mendoza for the wines!

Cafe Tortoni

Cafe Tortoni is a historic cafe in Buenos Aires. It’s been open since 1858 and the second oldest in Buenos Aires. It’s full of old world charm, including rooms on display for visitors. This place is definitely full of tourists (and may have a wait as a result), and priced that way, but worth a visit regardless.

The Argentine Experience

The Argentine Experience delves deep into the food culture in Buenos Aires, giving visitors an in depth look at popular foods such as steak. It’s a great way to spend time with friends or loved ones apart from traditional dining at a restaurant. Despite it’s emphasis on steak, there are vegetarian options as well, so there is something for everyone.

Hope you make it to Buenos Aires and Argentina soon, would love to hear about your experiences! XOXO