24 Hours of Tango

Our Local Expert Says:

.Eating in el Caminito can be very expensive and of poor quality because you are mostly charged for the tango performances during your meal. You might consider sitting at an outdoor café for a drink instead, and you can watch all of the street shows for free.

Description:

This open-air "museum" brings the brushstrokes of painter Benito Quinquela Martín to life in its colors, sculptures and ceramics. In fact, more than a museum, it is an art market where a constant exhibit of works inspired by the surrounding port area and neighborhood are sold. A stroll through here is sure to thrill the tourist for its uniqueness and air of bohemia. Humble dwellings painted in vibrant colors frame the pedestrian street known as el Caminito and immortalized in a tango tune of the same name. Its first inhabitants were the working-class Genoese immigrants who settled along this path, which led from the river to the railroad tracks and is now home to innovative artists. Italian cantinas can be found in the surrounding vicinity near the port area.

Description:

These picturesque city blocks run along the edge of the winding river inlet Riachuelo, in the famous port neighborhood of La Boca. Genoese immigrants, settling here in the early 1900s, built their housing on elevated sidewalks as a precaution against flooding. Wrought iron balconies characterize these dwellings, painted in spectacular colors, originally from leftover paint from the dockyard ships. Together with the port and the railroad, Vuelta de Rocha, comprises a unique district, rich in immigrant history and heritage.

Description:

Criollo cuisine, from the north of Argentina, is an obvious stimulus for foodies to step into the Caminito Tango Show. Another reason being the Tango, which is Argentina's famed dance form. The entrance fee includes supper and drinks.

Our Local Expert Says:

Don't be fooled by San Telmo's reputation as the "old neighborhood." While crumbling buildings abound, this place is now buzzing with hip new cafes, bars, and restaurants featuring a huge variety of cuisine, along with a wealth of independent designers opening up shops all along Defensa.

Description:

In 1871, with the outbreak of Yellow Fever, these mansions were soon overtaken by squatters, creating the city's historic conventillos (tenement houses). It was not until 1970 that an edict stipulated protection for property owners. Today the neighborhood of San Pedro Telmo is an important historic corner of the city. Locals and tourists alike flock to the Plaza Dorrego on the oldest street in the city, for the antique market and vibrant street performances, including tango. On the corner of Independencia and Balcarce streets is El Viejo Almacén, a traditional tango establishment.

Our Local Expert Says:

When the antiques stalls are taken down at sunset on Sundays, take a seat at an outdoor café in the plaza and watch as the locals slowly drift in to create an outdoor milonga, or tango hall. The spectacle rivals just about any overpriced tango show.

Description:

This historic plaza was the sight of the swearing of National Independence in 1816 before Don Juan Martín de Pueyrredón. During the colony, it was a resting post for wagons travelling from the port to what is now Plaza de Mayo along the first roadway, known today as Calle Defensa. Today it is the site of the San Pedro Telmo Antique Fair, where street performances by tango dancers, musicians, mimes and colourful characters mingle with the painters, antiquarians and street vendors in a bohemian rhapsody of song, dance and nostalgia. Ramble the colonial cobblestone streets of the Barrio de San Telmo to Avenida Independencia and Balcarce, to see El Viejo Almacén from the early colonial days, now a traditional tango bar/restaurant.

Our Local Expert Says:

Tortoni's tango show is one of the more authentic, less pricey shows in town. Call ahead to make reservations.

Description:

This café has formed part of the Porteño landscape since 1858. A shrine to local tango culture, it houses the Academia Nacional del Tango and stages performances as well as literary events in the basement. Legendary literati such as the disquieting poets Argentine, Alfonsina Storni and Spanish Federico García Lorca gathered here. Porteño bohemia and nostalgia fuse here over a game of chess, domino and billiards. Chocolate con Churros (hot cocoa and deep fried batter) are a traditional Argentine breakfast.

Description:

If you visit Buenos Aires, you must see a great tango show and taste the amazing Argentinean meat. Madero Tango lets you kill two birds with one stone. The cuisine is led by up and coming chef Martiniano Molina and offers not only the best meat cuts, but also world-class signature dishes as well. And while you are eating, highly regarded dancer Mora Godoy performs "Tangorama," a wonderful journey throughout the world of tango. Friday is the best day to see the show as the full house creates a wonderful atmosphere. You should make a reservation to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Description:

La Diabla is located in a lively area in the Belgrano district. This club, unlike others, opens its doors at 7:30pm for tango, salsa, or rock & roll lessons (depending on the day). Professional dancers teach the basic steps, so that beginners don't feel out of place when the real dancing gets under way after the lessons end. It has a bar on each of its two floors.

Description:

This is a neat dance hall in the district of Villa Ortúzar, in front of where composer and pianist Osvaldo Pugliese used to live. His daughter supports the meetings with suburban gracefulness. Patrons' ages are around the 40 years, although the inclusion of tango classes draws young people. Everything moves to the rhythm of the two by four, presided over by disc jockey Néstor Farkas (recognized operator of Radio del Mundo) who also knows to mix some waltzes, milongas and several jazz classics.