Discovering Buenos Aires: A Guide for First-Timer's

Description:

Author: elizabeth

Day 1 - Buenos Aires

Start with the basics at Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires’ most historical square that continues to the be the backdrop for political demonstrations and protests - hence the need for the heavy-duty riot fencing dividing the plaza in half. Circle around the perimeter for a condensed dose of history, starting at the Casa Rosada, Argentina’s equivalent to Washington’s White House (where, like the White House, visitors have to remain outside). Work your way over to the magnificent Catedral Metropolitana before skipping across the square to the Cabildo, Buenos Aires’ original city hall and the site of a city museum. Be sure to round the building to the back passageway where local artists and craftspersons hawk their best wares. The history continues down Avenida de Mayo - walk along the wide boulevard to Cafe Tortoni, one of the city’s oldest and most grandiose cafes and an excellent spot for a coffee break. Once you’ve got your buzz it’s time to hit the pavement again, working your way down Ave. de Mayo to the Plaza de los dos Congresos and the National Congress building, where, again, visitors are not allowed inside. Keep your eyes peeled for more demonstrations in this plaza - Buenos Aires is renowned for restless union workers fighting for their rights. Zip down to the famous La Brigada in cobblestoned San Telmo for a hearty steak dinner, the first of many on this trip. As the evening winds down, turn in at the Design Suites Hotel in Barrio Norte, a sophisticated, centrally-located style hotel. Try to get a front-facing room over the plaza opposite the hotel for the best view.


1

Plaza de Mayo

Location:

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Avenida de Mayo 800
Plaza de Mayo begins at the eastern terminus of Av. de Mayo and is surrounded by calles Yrigoyen, San Martín, Rivadavia, and Balcarce
1084 Buenos Aires, Argentina


2

Viejo Almacén (El)

Location:

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Avenida Independencia y Balcarce 1064
1100 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4307 6689 / 54 11 4307 6919 / 54 11 4307 7388


3

Pirámide de Mayo

Location:

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Avenida de Mayo 800 - Plaza de Mayo
1084 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4312 2232 (Tourism Information Centre)


4

Catedral Metropolitana

Location:

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San Martín 27
San Martín, At Rivadavia overlooking Plaza de Mayo
1004 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4331 2845 / +54 11 4345 3369


5

Palacio de Gobierno

Location:

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Bolívar 1
1406 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4323 9400


7

Café Tortoni

Location:

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Avenida de Mayo 825
At Esmeralda
1084 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4342 4328


8

Plaza de los Dos Congresos

Location:

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near Monument of The Thinker
1033 Buenos Aires, Argentina


10

La Brigada

Location:

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Estados Unidos 465
At Bolívar
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4361 4685


11

Design Suites Buenos Aires

Location:

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Alvear Marcelo T. De 1683
1060 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

-11 4814 8700

Day 2 - Buenos Aires

Day 2 kicks off with a stroll down Avenida Corrientes, the bustling Broadway of Buenos Aires. Take in a show at one of the classic theaters along the avenue, or drop into a pizza joint for some steamy, cheesy pie. Whether you start at the east or west side of Corrientes, you’ll end up at the 16-lane Avenida 9 de Julio intersection, crowned by one of Buenos Aires’ most recognizable monuments, the Obelisco. Circle around the imposing tower and then walk north a few blocks the the Teatro Colon, South America’s most important opera house. Inexpensive tours will shed light on post-renovation changes and the inner workings of the theater - don’t miss the wig collection in the costume closet. Dinner is just a short walk away at Milion, a restored mansion with an eclectic South American menu and the best frozen mojitos in town. If the weather is agreeable, request a patio or courtyard table. Work off your dinner with some dance lessons at the Academia Nacional de Tango in Montserrat, just to the south of Milion. Taxi back up to the Design Suites when it comes time to call it a night.


1

Avenida Corrientes

Location:

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Avenida Corrientes
1125 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4312 2232 (Tourism Information Centre)


2

Obelisco

Location:

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Av. 9 de Julio
San Nicolás
1043 Buenos Aires, Argentina


3

Teatro Colón

Location:

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Cerrito 618
C1010AAN Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4378 7100 / 54 11 4378 7344


4

Milión

Location:

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Parana 1048
Barrio Norte
1018 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4815 9925


5

Academia Nacional de Tango

Location:

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Ave de Mayo 833
1084 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4345 6968 / +54 11 4345 6967

Day 3 - Buenos Aires

Now it’s time to see Buenos Aires like a local at the Bosques de Palermo, Buenos Aires’ biggest city park. Porteños stream out to the park on weekends throughout the year, rain or shine, to enjoy the bike and jogging paths, the paddle boats, and the rose gardens, or just to bask in the sunshine on the wide lawns. The busiest spot is along Avenida Libertador and La Infanta Isabel, where food and coffee carts stocked with sausage and steak sandwiches roll out around lunchtime in case you get hungry. If you fancy a sit-down lunch, pay your few pesos entrance to the Japanese Gardens at the southern end of the Bosques and head straight for the traditional teahouse, where sushi and noodles are served throughout the day. Once satisfied, you can continue your lazy park- and garden-heavy day at the Botanical Gardens in Plaza Italia, where the cats are the main feature. Stroll around Palermo for awhile, making sure to hit Plaza Serrano’s hectic weekend design market, before grabbing dinner at the gourmet cafe inside the lovely Museo Evita, Finish your night off by putting your tango moves to the test (or just kicking back and watching with a glass of Argentina’s pride, malbec) at the milonga La Viruta, located in the basement of the Armenian Cultural Center of Palermo.


1

Bosques de Palermo

Location:

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Avenues Del Libertador, Dorrego y Figueroa Alcorta
Palermo
1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina


2

Japanese Garden

Location:

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2966 Casares
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4804 4922


3

Botanical Gardens

Location:

view in google maps
Santa Fe and J.L. Borges
Av. Las Heras, at Plaza Italia, across from the subway entrance
1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 48314527


4

Museo Evita

Location:

view in google maps
Calle Lafinur 2988
At Gutierrez
1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+ 54 11 4809 3168


5

Viruta Tango (La)

Location:

view in google maps
Armenia 1366
At Cabrera
1414 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4774 6357 / 54 11 4779 0030

Day 4 - Buenos Aires

Sunday is always San Telmo day in Buenos Aires, as the neighborhood comes alive, as it has for over 20 years, with the sights and sounds of a lively mix of old and new Argentina. The feria runs from sunrise to sundown from Plaza de Mayo along Calle Defensa to the southern edge of the neighborhood (not to mention San Telmo’s sole green patch), Parque Lezama. Stroll around the sleepy park to catch a glimpse of men enjoying their own weekend tradition of sipping mate and playing chess before dropping in to the tiny but worthwhile Museo Historico Nacional. Back on the street, stroll up past the street performers to San Pedro Telmo. The former psychiatric hospital and women’s prison next door opens on Sundays for interesting tours as well, and a new Basque tapas restaurant across the street is an excellent spot for a midday drink or snack. Turn back to befriend the antiques hawkers in Plaza Dorrego, or bypass the commotion and opt for a corner window table at the Plaza’s namesake bar, Bar Dorrego. Prices have skyrocketed in recent years, so skip the food and indulge in a rich coffee or glass of wine to help you soak up the atmosphere. Afterwards, slowly make your way up the street through the tango orchestras, dancers, and puppeteers to the Iglesia de San Ignacio, Buenos Aires’ oldest church. A peek inside gives a glimpse of the ongoing renovations trying to keep the building from crumbling. As night sets in, grab some friends and go for a steak dinner at the iconic El Desnivel, where a few cheap dishes and pinguinos of hearty red wine will feed a crowd. Wrap the day up with a nightcap at classic Bar Seddon, where live bossa nova or tango is performed most weekend evenings.


1

Barrio de San Telmo

Location:

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Defensa 1200
1065 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4312 2232 (Tourist Information)


2

San Pedro Telmo Antiques Fair

Location:

view in google maps
Dorrego Square
Defensa and Humberto, 1
Buenos Aires, Argentina


3

Parque Lezama

Location:

view in google maps
Calle Defensa and Calle Brasil
1098 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4313 0187(Tourist Information) /+54 11 4315 4265(Tourist Information)


4

Museo Histórico Nacional

Location:

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Calle Defensa 1600
1143 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4307 1182


5

Parroquia San Pedro Telmo

Location:

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Humberto Primo 340
1103 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 43611168


6

Plaza Dorrego

Location:

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Defensa and Humberto Primo
Plaza Dorrego, at the intersection of Defensa and Humberto I
1065 Buenos Aires, Argentina


7

Bar Dorrego

Location:

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Defensa 1908
1143 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4361 0141


8

Iglesia de San Ignacio

Location:

view in google maps
Bolívar y Alsina
Zona Centro
1066 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 43312845


9

Desnivel

Location:

view in google maps
Defensa 855
At Independencia
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4300 9081


10

Bar Seddon

Location:

view in google maps
Defensa 685
1002 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 43130669


11

Home Hotel

Location:

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Honduras 5860
Between Carranza and Ravignani
1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

5411 4778 1008

Day 5 - Buenos Aires

Day 5 takes on a different type of sightseeing that is just as porteño as soccer and steak - shopping along Avenida Alvear, the poshest address in Buenos Aires. Top couture designers have their locales along the leafy boulevard - don’t bypass the Alvear Palace Hotel galeria just off the street, where various jewelers and high-end craftspeople showcase some of the finest Argentine silver and wool products. At the end of the street is Plaza Francia, the heart of Recoleta and a popular meeting place for locals, young and old alike. Do a bit of people-watching outside of La Biela before venturing into the maze that is the Recoleta Cemetery, and then next door to see what’s on at the Centro Cultural. Hop on a bus to zip up Libertador to the Hipodromo for some hedonistic fun in the form of horse races and some slot machine action. As nighttime rolls around, head back to Ave Alvear’s award-winning French eatery, La Bourgogne. If you take to the scene, bear in mind that La Bourgogne serves a well-priced, stuff yourself silly high tea daily. Turn in for the night at Home Hotel, one of Buenos Aires’ most stylishly comfortable lodgings - grab a poolside nightcap if you’re not quite ready to hop into bed.


1

Avenida Alvear

Location:

view in google maps
Avenida Alvear 1300
1014 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+51 11 4312 2232 (Toursim Information Centre)


2

Plaza Francia

Location:

view in google maps
Avenida del Libertador, entre Agote y Pueyrredón
1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 (0)11 4372 3612 (Tourist Information)


3

Cementerio de la Recoleta

Location:

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Azcuénaga 1901-1999
Recoleta District
1116 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4804 7040


4

Centro Cultural Recoleta

Location:

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Junín 1930
1113 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4803 1040


5

Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo

Location:

view in google maps
Avenida del Libertador 4101
1426 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4778 2800


6

La Bourgogne

Location:

view in google maps
Av. Alvear 1891
At Ayacucho in the Alvear Palace Hotel
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

11/4805-3857

Day 6 - Buenos Aires

Now’s time for some of the other major tourist sights that you simply can’t leave without seeing - namely, El Caminito in La Boca. Take a morning coffee at Fundacion Proa’s terrace cafe, where patio tables have the best views over the Riachuelo harbor. Grab a cab up to the Boca Juniors Stadium, a national landmark that can be toured if no game is on. The neighborhood’s finest eatery, Patagonia Sur, is the place for lunch, where you can fill up on meat, potatoes, and red wine to your belly’s content. Head over to the Reserva Ecologica for the closest possible encounter with the Rio de la Plata, before crossing over the picturesque, modernist Puente de la Mujer in Puerto Madero, on the way to an upscale Argentine dinner at the expensive but very worthwhile Cabaña las Lilas.


1

El Caminito

Location:

view in google maps
Caminito entre Magallanes y Lamadrid.
1160 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 (0)11 4545 2073


2

Boca Juniors Stadium

Location:

view in google maps
Brandsen 805
At Del Valle Iberlucea
C1161AAQ Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4362 2260


3

Patagonia Sur

Location:

view in google maps
Rocha 801
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 4303-5917/18/19


5

Puente de la Mujer

Location:

view in google maps
Dock 3
C1107AAP Buenos Aires, Argentina


6

Puerto Madero

Location:

view in google maps
Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo 200
1007 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 (0)11 4515 4600


7

Cabaña Las Lilas

Location:

view in google maps
Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo 516
At Villaflor, in Dique 3
1107 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 43131336

Day 7 - Buenos Aires

Start the morning off right with breakfast at the cozy Home cafe before heading out to take in the works by Argentine masters such as Antonio Berni and Xul Solar in the collection at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Jump down the road to the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo for a quick coffee break at the delightful outdoor tables of the museum cafe, then continue on to the Constantini collection at MALBA - admission is waived and the galleries stay open until 9 on Wednesdays, so take your time poking around. As nighttime falls take in an essential Buenos Aires dinner time tango spectacle at San Telmo’s corner theater, Bar Sur.


1

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Location:

view in google maps
Av. del Libertador 1473
Recoleta
1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4803 0802 / +54 11 4803 4691


2

Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo

Location:

view in google maps
Av. del Libertador 1902
At Lucena
1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4802 6606 / +54 11 4801 8248 / +54 11 4806 8306


3

Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA)

Location:

view in google maps
Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3415
C1425CLA Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4808 6500


4

Bar Sur

Location:

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Estados Unidos 299
1101 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 43626086

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