Buenos Aires
Top Tips
Here are our top 10 things to do in Buenos Aires, followed by our favourite restaurants, bars and shops.
back to topTop 10 things in Buenos Aires
1. Tango
Be dazzled by the barely-contained passion and fancy footwork of
dancers at a tango show or street performance; then try a few steps
yourself at a milonga (tango club) and class.
2. Shopping
Sumptuous leather, gorgeous home wares, and seriously hip fashion
– all incredibly inexpensive. Go to Palermo for boutiques,
Patio Bullrich for designers, and Calle Florida for everything
else. See below for listings.
3. Eating
Cosmopolitan eateries are everywhere, but those steaks really are
something else: huge, lean, succulent, and grilled to perfection
over wood grills in parrillas everywhere. Vegetarians, don’t
despair! There’s excellent pasta for you. Start at Puerto
Madero, las Cañitas and Palermo.
4. Teatro Colón
Take a tour of the dazzling 1908 theatre, and dress up for some
world class opera or ballet. It's a beautiful classical building
with breathtaking French baroque interiors, on the terrifyingly
wide Avenida 9 de Julio, a block north of the obelisk (but the main
entrance is at the back on Libertad, between Tucumán and
Viamonte).
5. Football
The country’s real religion. See Boca Juniors playing at home
(take an organized tour with
Tangol for a taste of the national
hysteria.
6. San Telmo markets
San Telmo’s deliciously crumbling streets are the backdrop
for a rambling Sunday flea market, with superb free tango
demonstrations.
7. Art Galleries
...abound, but Malba is the
star: a grand collection of modern Latin American art in a striking
minimalist space. There's also a café and cinema.
8. Recoleta cemetery
The tomb of Evita (Eva Perón) is a major pilgrimage site,
but this whole gothic and rococo miniature city is fascinating.
Don’t miss Pilar colonial church outside.
9. Palermo Parque Tres de Febrero
Romantic rose gardens, lakes you can boat on, a Japanese garden,
zoo and planetarium. And the city’s best ice cream at
Persicco.
10. Tigre river delta
Take a boat along the jungly rivers and stay in romantic isolation
at La Pascuala, on stilts!
back to topRestaurants
Stroll around las Cañitas for hip places, Puerto Madero for
safe family restaurants, and Palermo for the chic restaurants. Or
ask at your hotel for tips on puertas cerradas - closed-door
restaurants which are more like eating at a friend's house - albeit
a very talented chef-friend - who's happy to turn their living room
or courtyard into an inpromptu eatery once or twice a week.
La Chacra
Very traditional old parrilla, still much loved for family dining,
and just the best steaks in town. Have a sherry with your spicy
empanada.
Av Córdoba 941, right in the city centre, just off
Avenida 9 de Julio. Tel 4322 1409.
La Brigada
The most atmospheric parilla in San Telmo. Always packed, book
ahead.
Estados Unidos 465, San Telmo. Tel 011 4361 5557.
La Parolaccia
Fabulous seafood, exquisite pastas, and steaks too, at two sister
brasseries in Puerto Madero.
Av Alicia Moreau de Justo 1052, and 1160. Tel 4343
0063
Cluny
Palermo, relaxed style and delicious modern Argentine food.
El Salvador 4618, Tel 011 4831 7176.
Güerrin
A Buenos Aires institution, this is the cheapest pizza in town,
scoffed at a zinc counter with a slice of faina. Great for people
watching.
Av. Corrientes 1368.
Bars and Milongas
Café Tortoni
Dating from the 1850’s, Argentina’s celebrated writer
Borges hung out here, and though it’s become more touristy,
there’s still a great atmosphere. Live music and tango.
Cafe Tortoni, Avenida
de Mayo 825-9
La Peña del Colorado
Hear the stirring folklore music from Argentina’s northwest
in this lively bar, serving delicious regional food, very popular
with Porteños. A great night out.
Güemes 3657, Tel 011 4822 1038
Confitería Ideal
Unchanged from the 1900’s, this is a great place to start
your tango classes.
Suipacha 384. Tel 011 5265 8069
El Viejo Almacén
One of the best of the expensive but unforgettably brilliant tango
shows (US$45 including dinner).
Corner of Independencia and Balcarce, Tel 011 4307
7388.
La Viruta
A real milonga – take classes, and then dance the night away
with a trendy young crowd of tango devotees.
Armenia 1366, Palermo Viejo, Tel 011 4774 6357
La Trastienda
Live music, a great buzz, a young arty crowd.
Balcarce 460, Tel 011 4342 7650
La Revuelta
Favourite jazz venue, live music nightly.
Alvarez Tomas 1368, Tel 011 4553 5530.
back to topShopping
MALLS
An indoor shopping mall - ‘un shopping’ - is the
easiest way to find all the main Argentine brands. There's great
fashion for women to look out for: Chocolate, Rapsodia, Kill, 47th
Street, wanama, Caro Cuore (lingerie), Prune (shoes and
bags)...
Galerias
Pacificos
Most central, on Calle Florida, with all the main brands, a good
cheep food court, and live tango on Fridays. Calle Florida itself
is great for all the shops you’re likely to need.
Corner of Florida and Córdoba. Subte: General San
Martín line C
Patio Bullrich
The poshest and most designer mall, with international labels
too.
Posadas 1245
Alto Palermo
Everything for everyone, easiest for the Subte (Bulnes station is
next door).
Santa Fe and Coronel Díaz
Unicenter
Terrifyingly large, and miles from anywhere. Take a taxi.
Paraná 3745, Tel 011 4733 1166
PALERMO
One big shopping heaven of individual designers in little cobbled
streets. Pick up the free shopping guides everywhere, listing all
shops, bars and restaurants. Places to look out for include:
Calma Chicha for entire cow hides and kitsch interiors; Il Reve,
Airborne and Postman for men’s clothes and accessories; Caro
Cuore for gorgeous lingerie, beautifully cheap; Mariano Toledo,
Rapsodia (also a chain) and Mariana Dappianno for woman’s
clothes; Uma, Renzo Rainero and Elementos for leather bags;
Josefina Ferroni and María Blizniuk for shoes.
MARKETS
Feria de las Artes
Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo, and stretching east and west, on Calle
Defensa – great for antiques and handicrafts on Sunday
Recoleta craft market
Outside Recoleta cemetery, at weekends
Mataderos
Atmospheric gaucho gathering on Sundays selling handicrafts, and
showing off dancing and horsemanship, 30 minutes taxi ride from the
centre of town.
Av de los Corales.
OTHER SHOPPING HIGHLIGHTS
Arte y Esperanza
One of the few places selling the fine handicrafts of the
northwest, which returns profits to the makers. Friendly, and much
cheaper than elsewhere.
Balcarce 234, between Plaza de Mayo and San Telmo.
El Ateneo
Biggest and best branch of this big Argentine book shop is in the
glorious old Grand Splendid cinema, with bar and café too.
Grand, and splendid.
Central, Av. Santa Fé between Av. Callao and Riobamba