With a nickname like the Paris of South America, Buenos Aires, Argentina, can’t be missed. But aside from its must-experience architecture, museums, tango, malbec wines, and Argentine beef, BA also served as our refueling station. After our five weeks running around Brazil and with three months ahead of us in Spanish-speaking countries, we needed to get grounded. So we moved into a proper Argentine home (with an adorable, grandma-like caretaker), enrolled in Spanish classes for the week, and took our time getting to know and loving this world-class city.
Part of what makes BA such an interesting place is its feistiness. Coming off both a military dictatorship and an economic collapse in the past 30 years, Portenos aren’t going to put up with any more shenanigans. This photo is of the Casa Rosada, their “white” house, and the backdrop for near-daily protests.
To get a grasp on this “historia viva,” we signed up for an amazing political history walking tour called Cultour. We learned a bit about the current president, Cristina, the Dirty War, and the Perons with a visit to Evita’s memorial and her workers’ party building, CGT.
Touristy as it may be, tango lessons and a show are a must. We went to Club Catedral, a renovated warehouse outfitted with 1940s decor, for a class, and then to watch the good dancers show us up. We would highly recommend this place- with an unlikely vegetarian menu and excellent & inexpensive wine!
A cemetery struck me as a strange highlight of the city, but Recoleta’s ornate graves had us roaming its creepy, beautiful passageways all morning.
We took a long stroll from our flat in Microcentro to get to Malba (Museo America Latina Buenos Aires) through a series of lively parks. On a grassy knoll filled with people drinking mate tea (we cannot begin to explain what a cultural phenomenon this is–no one leaves home without their thermos, gourd cup, tea leaves, and straw), playing music, and even practicing acrobatics up a tree.
The street wrapping around the park attracts a slew of fantastic skateboarders. (Mike may come back to the States as a sports and nature photographer).
Popping into El Ateneo, a gorgeous old theatre turned into a grand bookstore, was an inspiring spot to do a bit more research on Argentina and grab a café con leche.
The San Telmo neighborhood is a dream for antiquing. On Sundays, they turn half the streets into a flea market, and every day you can pop into boutiques like this gem: Gabriel del Campo (the chicest store spotted in South America to date!!)
Buenos Aires, Argentina, Favorites
La Cabrera: Top-notch menu, half off from 7-8:30 (don’t be late)
Pizzeria Guerrin: Classic pizza joint, be sure to order the pizza bread so you can do as locals do and eat your slice like a sandwich
Bar Plaza Dorengo: A place to get a raw taste of Buenos Aires cafe culture if the infamous cafe Tortoni’s tourists get you down
Catedral: the trifecta of great ambiance, tango lessons, cheap eats, and entertainment
Cadare Ice Cream: This town just knows how to make ice cream, but here the dulce de leche with chocolate chips is beyond delish!