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A Whirlwind Weekend in Buenos Aires

Description:

Just one weekend in Buenos Aires means you won’t very likely have the opportunity to kick back and relax - with all of the sights, sounds, and tastes that the city has to offer, it’s go go go for 48 hours straight. Get a quick history lesson in Plaza de Mayo and Recoleta, and be sure to indulge in the steak and wine culinary tradition at La Brigada, and partake of the city's vibrant markets in Plaza Francia and San Telmo.

Author: elizabeth

Day 1 - Buenos Aires

Might as well start with the most important sight in the city, historically speaking. The Plaza de Mayo is fortunately jam-packed with monuments and buildings for a big dose of Argentine culture in two square blocks. Be sure to check out the Casa Rosada, the Catedral Metropolitano, and the little artisan market that runs daily behind the Cabildo on the west side of the plaza. Stroll down the gorgeous Avenida de Mayo for just a few blocks before reaching Cafe Tortoni, one of the oldest and certainly most popular of Buenos Aires’ grand old cafes. Skip the over-priced grub and stick with a coffee and some medialunas as you soak up the atmosphere. Grab a taxi for the quickest access to Plaza Francia, the green patch in the center of ritzy Recoleta. The plaza hosts an excellent art and craft market on weekends that is not to be missed, especially if you need some quick souvenirs. Surrounding the plaza are the famed Recoleta Cemetery and the cemetery church, the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar. Pay the 3 peso fee to access the church conventillo, where picturesque aerial views of the cemetery can be seen. Stop in next door at the Centro Cultural Recoleta for a look at what the best local and international creative talent has put out this time, and then taxi up to chic Palermo Soho for a yummy and well-priced set-menu lunch at cozy corner cafe Freud & Fahler. Take in an expensive, but worthwhile, show at the extravagant outdoor Opera Pampa, where tango and folkloric dancing and music guides viewers through the complex history of the country. Grab dinner at Milion in Barrio Norte - try the shrimp ceviche and definitely claim a courtyard table if the weather agrees and the crowds haven’t crammed in yet. A late-night show at Estilo Campo will wrap up the night before turning in to the glamorous, old-world Marriott Plaza Hotel. Request a front-facing room over Plaza San Martin and Retiro train station for the best views.

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Plaza de Mayo

54 11 48159925

Estilo Campo

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Location:

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Alicia Moreau de Justo 1840
Puerto Madero
1107 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

54 11 43124546

Marriott Plaza Hotel

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Location:

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Florida 1005
At Santa Fe overlooking Plaza San Martín
1005 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone:

+54 11 4318 3000 / +1 800 345 6277 (Toll Free)

Day 2 - Buenos Aires

Just a little bit of time left to soak up the rich culture of Buenos Aires - get things started in La Boca at El Caminito; avoid the overpriced cafes and restaurants and tourist-trap kitsch shops and just take a quick lap around the colorful blocks lining the Riachuelo harbor before catching the #29 bus up to San Telmo. Stroll around the city’s well-preserved, on-the-rise blue collar neighborhood, making certain to hit the Sunday market and street fair along Defensa and the indoor market that occupies the interior block between Carlos Calvo, Estados Unidos, Defensa, and Bolivar. Get lunch at historic Bar Seddon, where live bossa nova entertains on weekends, before walking back down to Plaza Dorrego, the heart and soul of the neighborhood and the host of a Sunday afternoon/evening milonga. Poke through the antiques stalls and original art for awhile before getting a seriously hearty dinner at La Brigada, the neighborhood’s most famous parrilla (steakhouse). Work off your dinner with some tango of your own at La Viruta in Palermo, or just wind down with some tasty malbec, the pride of Argentina’s Andean wine region.

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