Experience Buenos Aires

Overview

The captivating capital city of Buenos Aires in Argentina is a massive metropolitan city and an Alpah global city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network in 2020. Buenos Aires translates to “fair winds” or “good airs” and the city center is built on the original colonial foundation and boasts charming narrow streets at a right angle to form a grid pattern. It is one of the 10 most populated cities in the world, an incredibly desirable destination in South America with an impressive dining scene and red-hot nightlife, Buenos Aires will keep you on your toes. 

The attractive colonial and neoclassical architecture can be admired in the city’s buildings housing trendy restaurants, beautiful boutiques, attractive plazas, vibrant galleries, and fascinating museums. Buenos Aires is one of the most important ports in Latin America. Locals refer to themselves as ‘portenos’ or ‘people of the port’ as so many of its inhabitants historically arrived via boat from Europe. It could also be called the green city boasting over 250 parks and green spaces. Buenos Aires is a seductive city with a love for music, dancing, and entertainment which can be seen in the tango and salsa dancing.

Things to see and do

Wander around the city along the historical colonial leafy streets to check out the neoclassical architecture found in the buildings. Walk around and explore the city and its many great attractions and interesting neighborhoods. Be sure to check out the famous Colon Theatre, the historic Plaza de Mayo, and the iconic Government House. 

The picturesque La Boca neighborhood is home to the most famous street in the city, Caminito Street which is decorated by colorful haphazard buildings made from scrap metal. San Telmo is decorated with colorful houses, quaint cobblestone streets, and interesting antique shops. The vibrant neighborhood of Palermo neighborhood is decorated with street art and some of the best dining and nightlife options in the city along with the Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Palermo Wood, the Planetarium, and the National Polo Field. The exclusive neighborhood of Recoleta is where you can find fancy restaurants, cute cafes, fashionable boutiques, and plenty of entertainment options. 

Check out the famous Feria de San Telmo Flea Market held on Sundays surrounding the main square of Plaza Dorrego. There are colorful market stalls set up selling all kinds of goods with antiques, souvenirs, leather goods, artwork, jewelry, and local crafts. Once the market wraps up there are outdoor tables set up in the plaza where local tango dancers put on a free performance during the summer evenings. 

The city is filled with many plazas and Plaza de Mayo is one of the most important in the country, where the scene of the May Revolution of 1810 that led Argentina to Independence took place. It is home to the Casa Rosada which is the seat of Argentina’s national government, and the presidential offices. Some of the most important historical events in the country have taken place here, and it has long been the site for mass demonstrations and protests. 

Check out the Museo del Bicentenario behind Casa Rosada, a small museum that traces the history of Argentina and its past presidents. The museum displays artifacts and exhibits that include artwork, furniture, clothing, and a 1950s presidential Cadillac.

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is a beautiful art museum featuring a stunning collection of European masters that includes Degas, Monet, and Rodin, along with other Argentinian artists.  

Walk along Avenida de Mayo to Palacio Barolo crossing Avenida 9 de Julio which is the widest street in the world where the famous Obelisco is located. Palacio Barolo is one of the most architecturally interesting buildings in Buenos Aires inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy boasting 22 floors that match the content of the poem directly. It also boasts one of the best views in the entire city and its impressive skyline. There are guided tours of the building offered, there is a lighthouse and a rooftop bar at the top of the building. 

Check out one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world; El Ateneo Grand Splendid on Avenida Sante Fe, this magnificent bookstore is housed in a former theatre and is a gem in the city. The building opened in 1919 as Teatro Gran Splendid Theater and then converted into a cinema showing the country’s first sound films. The ornate carvings and much of the interior are still intact today, and bookshelves replaced the rows of seats with the theater boxes left for customers to curl up with a book. The dark red curtains frame the state that is now a quaint cafe.

Head to the Recoleta Cememtery in the wealthy neighborhood of Recoleta. This is the final resting place of Eva Peron (Evita) and other important historical Argentinian figures. This cemetery is often recognized as one of the world’s most impressive and notable cemeteries with some impressive mausoleums. There are guided tours offered where the guide shares stories and historical details. 

Visit the Jardin Botanico Carlos Thays botanical gardens for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was built by Carlos Thays a French landscape architect, the serene green space includes over 1,500 plant species, Roman-style statues, and a glass-domed greenhouse.

Check out,Teatro Colon one of the finest opera houses in the world and one of the most beautiful buildings in Buenos Aires. It was built in 1908, a seven-story building covering an entire city block, it features ballet, opera, and concert performances. The building features many lavish materials like Venetian mosaics, French stained glass windows, and three kinds of Italian marble all imported from Europe. There are hourly guided tours available from 9 am to 5 pm daily in both English and Spanish.

Visit the National Museum of Decorative Arts housed in a 1917 beaux-arts mansion, originally the home of Chilean aristocrat Matias Errazuriz and his wife, Josefina de Alvear. The family donated the house after he passed away, it features an extensive collection of European and Asian art to the Argentine government under the condition that it would be used as a museum. The museum boasts elaborate decor with a ballroom featuring hand-carved ceilings and artwork by Manet and Rodin. There are rotating art exhibits on the main floor and in the basement galleries. It is the only French mansion that was built at the beginning of the 20th the is open to the public in Buenos Aires.

Shopping

There are some fun shopping experiences to enjoy in Buenos Aires including popular neighborhoods and streets lined with local shops, and unique boutiques. The City features many independent designers, private showrooms, and historical bespoke artisans selling local clothing, arts, and crafts. There are some beautiful bustling malls in the capital city as well as vibrant markets to check out. Some unique items to purchase in Buenos Aires include leather goods as the country is known for its leather products. Handcrafted jewelry, Perfumes, dulce de leche, Alfajor de Maicena, and wine.

Galerias Pacifico is located on the corner of Avenida Cordoba and pedestrian Calle Florida, It's an impressive structure that was built to house the Argentine Bon Marche, modeled after a French store of the same name. It is one of the best shopping malls in the city and a beautiful sight with a mural-covered dome in the heart of the building, there is a coffee shop directly under the dome. It is home to the biggest Christmas tree in the city during the holiday season. 

Patio Bullrich is a historic mall located at Posadas 1245 in the posh area of Retiro in the city. Built in 1876 when it was an auction house for the Bullrich family with everything from cattle to heirlooms sold on the auction floor. It was established as a shopping mall in the 1980s and housed international and local luxury brands. 

Palermo Soho is one of the city’s major shopping hubs featuring stylish boutiques, it's one of the best places to shop in Buenos Aires, as well as home to some of the city’s top restaurants, and entertainment. The blocks that surround Plaza Armenia, and Plaza Serrano are home to boutiques, markets, and a mixture of independent designers with clothing and design shops that are stylishly decorated. 

Sports

Soccer, Football, or Futbol are huge in Argentina, it's the predominant sport in Buenos Aires which is home to numerous football teams like Arsenal, Quilmes, Banfield, Lanus, Tigre, and Defensa y Justicia. The Rivals Club Atletico Independiente and Racing Club de Avellaneda are the most successful, and famous clubs that are followed. There is a museum on site and guided tours of the stadium are offered. 

Buenos Aires is home to La Bombonera Stadium which is the home of the famous Boca Juniors football club. The 1978 World Cup was held in Buenos Aires. Famous players include Diego Maradona of Argentina, as well as Osvaldo Ardiles, and Gabriel Batistuta. Polo is also enormously popular and has become the country’s national sport. 

Dining

The dining opportunities in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires offer some unforgettable experiences and flavors. The food scene is on fire in the capital with world-class chefs serving up outstanding dishes in famous restaurants across the city. Dining options in the city are quite diverse with cute cafes, pasta shops, beautiful bakeries, produce markets, empanada shops, and vegetable-forward restaurants there is an abundance of dining options to choose from. Argentine cuisine is heavily influenced by European cuisine including the Levant, the Caucasus, East Asia, and Latin America. Asado and Parilla are two terms you will learn quickly in Buenos Aires where restaurants serve up high-quality beef. Asado is both a technique and an event and the equivalent of barbecue with meats that are slow-cooked over a grill or parilla. Parilla refers to both the grill itself and the restaurants that specialize in serving up grilled meats, especially succulent steaks which are the tradition and cornerstone of Argentine cuisine and culture. Most of Buenos Aires’s beautiful bustling neighborhoods are jam-packed with amazing restaurants, especially in the popular Palermo Soho, and Palermo Hollywood. 

Other Argentine favorites are the Empanadas con carne (fried or baked), Milanesa a la Napolitana (breaded and fried meat covered with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and ham), Chimichurri (Argentine pesto used to marinate meat or as a dipping sauce), and Choripan (sausage). If you want to try something different, the Pacu fish is delicious as long as the human-like teeth don't unnerve you! According to National Geographic, Argentina is one of the 5 places in the world to have the best Hilado (Ice cream). We suggest you try the dulce de leche or the tiramisu. Alfajor de Maicena (dulce de leche cookies) is another Argentine favorite. Malbec wine makes a great complement to every steak meal. If you're looking for something softer, Yerba Mate the national drink of Argentina is a herb placed in a mate pot - it is a focal point for social gatherings.

Nightlife

Buenos Aires offers partygoers various nightlife options with a vibrant dance and music scene throughout the city's great selection of bars, clubs, and outdoor plazas. It is known for being a nocturnal city with many nightlife scenes that don't start until 2 am! There are many fun and exciting opportunities to get out on the town in the evening with pub crawls, outdoor plazas with music and salsa dancing, bars with outdoor seating, craft beer, and cocktail bars, rooftop bars with a view, underground theaters, milongas, nightclubs, and even bookstores open past midnight. Every option offers its unique atmosphere, and regular crowds, the open-air atmosphere prevails in Buenos Aires where all are welcome to listen to live music and watch locals dancing. 

There are several popular neighborhoods to check out for nightlife in Buenos Aires and Palermo is one of the biggest and best for buzzing nightlife. There are many bumping clubs located around the Costanera Norte playing different kinds of music anything from jazz, hip hop, house, electro beats, and drum and bass. The commercial theatre circuit is centered around Avenida Corrientes by the junction with 9 de Julio, it's the perfect location to grab some dinner and catch a show, there are so many cute cafes, coffee shops, and pizza joints along the same street. Teatro Colon is one of the most famous and beautiful opera houses in the world, and catching a performance here is an excellent experience. There are many excellent tango dinner shows found in the city’s central neighborhoods, as well as traditional milongas (social dances) in the hubs around San Telmo, and Constitucion in the south, and Palermo and Villa Crespo in the north. On Sunday nights at La Glorietta a gazebo in Barrancas de Belgrano Park, there are tango performances held outside.