Buenos Aires
In 2.5 days I covered a lot of ground on my whirlwind exploration of beautiful Buenos prior to heading to Antarctica. I certainly didn’t get to do everything I wanted, but I tried!
Buenos Aires: home to arguably the greatest fútbol stars of all time and sometimes called “the Paris of South America”, I had high expectations. The truth is, Buenos has many bragging rights: food, culture, arts, music, architecture, people etc. Standard components of any global city, but with a unique Buenos flare. The magic is in the details if you take time to look around. As a local accurately stated: Argentines are intense and passionate about everything they do. As a tourist who stuck out like a sore thumb (thanks in part to the $1 rain poncho I purchased to avoid being water-logged the first day), I had several locals stop me on the street or engage at stoplights to point out something I should see. The friendliness and pride surely came through. Also, I’ll mention since I often travel with kids, I would have loved to have my kids and husband with me! There were so many family/kid-friendly things to do. Next time!
Also, one of my fondest memories is that the streets were scattered with lilac-colored jacaranda and buttercup-colored tipuana petals that looked like a festive explosion confetti. And it didn’t hurt that spring brought a sweet, honey-like scent that filled the lungs at the most unexpected moments.
Overall highlights:
Recoleta – The trendiest place to stay for a reason + fantastic restaurants, endless streets to wander (including the grand Avenue Alvear) and of course do not miss the cemetery!
San Telmo – oldest part of BA. Cobblestone streets and antiques abound. Apparently, the area is really hopping on weekends and when there is an official market day, but even on a cold, rainy weekday, the enclosed market was fun to explore.
Puerto Madera – an interesting economic development area – skyscrapers tower over trendy new restaurants, old fountains, and a lovely ecological reserve.
Mirador Guemes – A nice transition point between Playa de Mayo and the chaos of Florida Street. Ascend 14 flights in an old sliding-door elevator for 360 views of BA and beyond.
Palermo Hollywood/SOHO – Perhaps a little off the beaten path for the average traveler, this trendy neighborhood boasts beautiful Spanish architecture, quaint restaurants, and people watching galore.
Palermo Chico – weather permitting, take your pick of beautiful parks: botanical, zoological, rose, Japanese, etc…
Dog walkers!!!! Throughout Recoleta and Palermo were the most adorable packs of dogs being paraded and exercised around town. I’m sure someone has made a calendar of this…if not, someone get on it!
Tips:
I was told to check out “Cabify” as a better alternative to Uber, but I couldn’t manage to set it up with a USA phone number (Google told me others experienced the same issue). I found Uber worked just fine.
Bring crisp $100 USD bills to get the best exchange rate (changing money on the street is common and advised for the best rate right now – it felt a little sketchy at first until I realized it is what is done these days…then it became a little fun…). A crisp $100 USD bill would return around 97,000 pesos at the time of our visit. Far better than an ATM or changing money at a bank. For $20 x 5 we got 87,000 pesos. Check what’s recommended before you go! And as always, be guided by my favorite app. Florida Street was a good place to do the exchange. Look for the people lingering in doorways and near vendor stalls. You can’t miss their calls: Cambio! Cambio!
December is summer in Buenos, but we hit a cold pocket. I was so happy to have layers because the weather quickly changed from pouring rain to sun and back again. While my casual attire was accepted, I wish I’d brought a couple additional “smart” outfits + shoes for dinner.
Meat lovers watch out! I know Argentina is known for its meat scene, but vegans will thrive! I found so many delicious vegan restaurants and/or vegan options at regular restaurants. There were too many to visit. See food recs for details.
On several occasions Google Maps had inaccurate operating hours listed for businesses and attractions. I know this is common worldwide, but I made the mistake a couple of times and was disappointed something wasn’t open. Call ahead or be flexible!
Book Stores – in my attempt to pack super light for Antarctica (and my stubborn refusal to not read eBooks…don’t ask me why…) left me searching for an English bookstore. I was surprised they were hard to find. I stopped into several large Argentine bookstores and found extremely small English-language sections. Two good options are Walrus (in San Telmo but check hours because it was closed both times I stopped by) and Kel.
After almost 24 hrs of travel I opt for the mini elevator at Deco Collection Hotel - the kind one person barely fits in with their suitcase.
Where to stay:
The Recoleta neighborhood came highly recommended and did not disappoint (also, this is where Viking booked us on the front end of our Antarctica trip, so we booked two extra nights nearby for convenience). Parts of Recoleta were super high-end and bougie (think Hermés and an invite-only DJ ’ed party at a fancy men’s shirt shop at upscale Patio Bullrich Mall…I was DEFINITELY not dressed for or glamorous enough for that invite), but also, it was charming, lined with art, pocket parks, great restaurants/bars and interesting streets to wander through. And, it felt extremely safe. Both nights I walked solo well after dark and felt secure (the frequent police presence helped…especially because I saw so many female police officers!).
The beauty is in the detail everywhere you turn…
Recoleta is home to the fanciest hotels in Buenos: 4 Seasons, Hyatt, the famous Alvear Palace etc. You can find everything from 5-start to cute, boutique hotels. A friend mentioned this place as a favorite. Here’s where we stayed (both were more than adequate, but nothing to get overly excited about):
Deco Collection – great location, comfortable, but very basic amenities, average breakfast, semi-helpful staff. The price of this hotel must have been surging while we were there because we paid $250USD/night (studio, room + living area with an extra bed), which felt high for what we got. I booked on Booking.com because I wanted the convenience of last-minute cancellations. I see the price is sometimes as low as $60USD, which would have been worth it.
Hotel Emperador (around the corner from Deco) – this is the hotel Viking booked for our pre-departure. Great location, elegant, comfortable (bed and pillows were a dream!), great bar (made exceptionally great because of their internationally-award-winning mixologist, Pablo, who is a true artist at his craft). Our room was refurbished from what is shown online. All of this being said, it was also “conventionally upscale”, so if you want something with a bit more character, perhaps explore other options.
Food – Buenos is a foodie town. There is no shortage of high-end restaurants, bars, breweries, cafes etc. A lesser talked about food scene in Buenos are the vegan options. Here’s what I found:
Sparaw Juice Factory – mostly take-away. The food appeared a bit picked over when I made my selection, but my salad and juice ended up being fresh and flavorful. It was a particularly nice dose of veggies after a long flight! Note – my travel companion opted for an omlette at the Pasadena Café next door (they kindly let me eat my takeaway salad at their table) and I noticed they had plenty of vegan breakfast options such as avocado toast. Also, the ubiquitous “limonata” was so delicious everywhere – it seemed to be a fresh lime, mint and ginger juice. I recommend drinking as many as possible in BA!
VICEN restaurant (not vegan, but were able to make a delicious pizza) – Very decent if you’re in the area.
Raiz Plant Mood (Puerto Madera) – highly recommend! Inventive, delicious. This place had a hip vibe and looks like a social-media Influencer’s dream (trendy décor etc). But beyond that, the food was genuinely creative and yummy.
Green Eat – put on my radar by an influencer who recommended the view (and they were right), this casual café has good coffee, vegan muffins, and healthy bowls etc… that make for a good, quick meal.
Seibo – Fully vegan. Excellent location overlooking Recoleta cemetery. They’ve veganized some local classics (like empanadas). Food was tasty and I’d go back.
Artemisia – highly recommend! Adorable spot in Palermo Hollywood. The kind of place you imagine meeting up with friends for brunch on Sunday (or maybe every day because it is so good!). This spot also has a great selection of curated goods (hand-made children’s dolls, beautiful tea towels, soaps, essential oils, and perfumes etc…).
Let it V – a few doors down from Artemisia, I recommend this tasty vegan sushi spot. Rolls are made-to-order and super fresh.
Sacro – I didn’t get a chance to visit, but it was recommended by a reliable source and is high on my list for next time!
Craft Vegan Bakery – fantastic spot between Palermo and Recoleta for a coffee and vegan baked goods. The almond croissant was fantastic.
Gioia Cocina Botanica – Inside the fancy Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Recoleta, I simply felt too under-dressed to venture in. But it gets excellent reviews and is on my list for next time!
MARTi – vegetarian spot in Recoletta. Saved for next time because I’d already stuffed myself with all of the other delicious options!
Wine – (deserving of its own “food” category) high-end wine stores are everywhere in BA and lure you in with artistic labels and curated displays. The wine in Argentina is delicious. Obviously. And sometimes the basic house Malbec tasted like the greatest thing on earth!
My 2.5 days in detail:
You can see my full walking itineraries below. I chose to cover a lot of ground by foot (after some initial rain, I lucked out with cool temps and sunny skies).
Day 1 –
Uber from airport (45 minutes and around $15US via Uber)
Couldn’t check in until 3pm (and wanted to fight jetlag), so we ventured out:
Florida Street – VERY touristy (great place to get a $5USD Messi jersey) and to exchange money.
Avenue Alvear – lovely avenue full of architecture, Alvear Palace Hotel (we stopped in for a bathroom break, but tea would have been a good option too), pocket parks etc. It is worth a stroll.
Galerieas Pacifico – it was raining so we headed to the mall in the evening. I read the ceiling murals were worth it as well as the Centro Cultural Borges (art and cultural display) on the entire top floor (which was sadly closed when we arrived). Since it was December, the holiday decorations were also impressive. It felt like Gallery Lafayette in Paris…. A lovely place to get a cappuccino and people watch.
Day 2 –
San Telmo – Oldest part of Buenos. Although it was a weekday, so the market wasn’t in full swing, it was still worth a visit (also a great place to hang during more rain…). The market is an enclosed maze of vendors selling everything from vintage dolls to spices and dates. It is a great place to grab a cerveza or full lunch – the homemade focaccia with roasted sundried tomatoes smelled fabulous.
El Zanjon de Granados – A restored residence with underground tunnels, it was recommended by Pablo our bartender, but we arrived to learn you had to go on a tour and the next English-speaking group wasn’t for 4 hours. Saved for next time! It appeared to be a popular spot.
A view of Puerto Madero between rainstorms…
Puerto Madero – I read this rejuvenated dock area was worth a visit. Views of skyscrapers, hip restaurants, and the ecological reserve made me want to move in. Unfortunately, the weather turned to a downpour so I was left imagining the splendor of this area on a sunny day. I imagine running along the eco-reserve, stopping in to spot a few birds, and ending on the river with an americano or cerveza would have made for a pleasant afternoon. Next time!
Plaza de Mayo – Featuring the President’s ‘Casa Rosada’ (apparently painted pink in the 40’s to encourage unity of parties), the area is a hub of museums, cathedrals, and banks. There is plenty to photograph, or to sit on a bench and take it all in.
Juan B Ambrosetti Ethnographic Museum – Again, recommended by our fave bartender, Pablo, I’m happy I popped into this small museum that features prehistoric artifacts from the entire Andean area. The enthusiasm of the docent trying so hard to explain the museum in slow, deliberate Spanish (probably 50% of which I caught) was a highlight in and of itself. There is an upstairs exhibit and two small rooms on the main floor. Sometimes it is nice to grab a quick museum visit and a bit of fascinating history without committing to the hours that large museums necessitate. This is the place to do that.
Puenta de la Mujer is a lovely pedestrian bridge that crosses the Rio Darsena Sur. Again, on a nice day, there are cafes galore just begging to provide a respite from a long day of walking.
Mirador Guemes & Green Eats – I stumbled upon Mirador Guemes as a “point of interest” that came up on Google maps. The entry is in a mall (BA seems to have endless malls). You can walk 14 flights of stairs or take what looks like an ancient, iron-wrought, sliding-door elevator with a drop chain. I couldn’t decide if the elevators and stairwell were charming or made for a horror film, but I was committed to going up. I am glad I did! At the top you walk through a small art gallery and then a final spiral staircase that take you to a circular overlook. Luckily there was only one other family (and an operator) at the top. It would be much less pleasant on a crowded day, but to have the whole place to myself was magic. I got a beautiful orientation of the city in all directions.
After a quick refresh at my hotel (I walked from Mirador Guemes down Florida Street and back to my hotel), I ventured north towards Recoleta Cemetery and ended up eating in the area (I visited the cemetery on Day 3).
I Ubered to San Telmo then walked back to Hotel Deco Collection (shown here) - then in the evening I walked from the hotel to a restaurant near Recoleta cemetery (not shown).
Day 3-
Recoleta cemetery – do not miss! While seeing the tomb of Eva Person is very cool (although spoiler, she is no longer buried here), there are endless interesting people and stories to uncover in what is often deemed the most attractive cemetery in the world. I wandered for about 1.5 hours (there are free tours in English at 11am, but I chose to wander independently because of time). It is also a photography-lovers dream. While some information suggested the cemetery is free, that is only for locals. We paid about 12,000 pesos each.
Next up: I Ubered to Artemisia in Palermo Hollywood (and lingered at breakfast for way too long!).
Hollywood to Soho Palermo – I walked for hours popping into a vintage shop here or there, but mostly looking at architecture, the famous dog walkers and dreaming about life in BA as I people-watched.
Palermo Chico – Filled with different parks and green spaces. Unfortunately, many of the parks closed by the time I made it this far (6pm, but the sun was still high making me feel like it was early afternoon!).
I walked back along the busy Av. Pres. Figueroa Alcorta.
In the morning I walked from Hotel Emperador to the Recoleta Cemetary (not shown on map), Ubered to Palermo, then walked back (which is the route here). It took all day!
One of the particularly tragic stories from Recoleta Cemetery is that of Liliana Crociati de Szaszak
For next time: I wish I’d made it to the fine arts museum, a milonga (I’ve heard despite being touristy, they are worth it, and a soccer game…… oh, and so many more things….
A favorite street performer outside the Recoleta Cemetery @HILARIOELSINCABEZA
Buenos Aires is lovely. Like many major cities in South America, it has grand boulevards lined with beautiful trees and old architecture. The continuous cycles of birth, destruction, and rebirth of history are apparent in structures, food and culture. But in the end, any city that has fine wine and dogs wearing knit sweaters is my kind of town. I hope I get the chance to go back one day.
