Buenos Aires
Transportation and Accommodations
Getting There
Buenos Aires is located on the east coast of Argentina close to Uruguay. The city is one of the largest and busiest South American cities, with a population over 13 million. When traveling to Buenos Aires from neighboring countries further international destinations, you will fly into Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini Airport (EZE). The airport is about 30 km from the city center. After arriving and exiting customs, follow signs outside to taxis and then look for the taxi queue. You'll want to make sure you get into a black and yellow taxi officially labeled as a taxi. They are quite obvious as they very much look like taxi cabs. A taxi from the airport into the city center are approximately 50 USD.
For those traveling here from within the country, you'll be flying into Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP) which is close to the city center as it sits on the coast just northwest of the neighborhood of Palermo.
Getting Around
As the city is large, there are a lot of different areas to explore. A mix of walking and taxis is how we managed to get around the city when visiting for two days. If staying central, you'll be able to walk to many of the notable destinations but may not want to walk all day. Fortunately, taxis are cheap and provide an option to help jump from location to location as needed. Uber is also available in the city if trying to get around easily.
For those keen to explore many of the main points of interest, consider taking a bike tour to help see many of the points of interest.
Accommodations
Buenos Aires Marriott - The Marriott is located 1 minute from the Obelisco, an iconic white tower in the middle of Buenos Aires. It is about a 45 minute drive from EZE and a 20 to 30 minute drive from AEP, but always depends on traffic as the hotel sits on one of the largest and busiest streets in Buenos Aires. The Marriott is a very nice option for those looking for familiarity and convenience. The rooms are nice and the location is great for visiting the city. There is a nice rooftop pool at the top of the hotel which guests can visit, as well as a fitness center for those who want to get a workout in.
Things to do and see
La Boca
A colorful and unique neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Caminito is the main point of interest drawing visitors in, but the streets around it are all very colorful. It definitely gets busy with tourists, so might be somewhere you want to check out earlier in the morning.
Recoleta Cemetery
Perhaps it sounds like an odd place to visit, but this is one of the must see sights in Buenos Aires. With approximately 4800 mausoleums, the cemetery has anywhere from 115,000 to 140,000 remains buried. Originally, the mausoleums were purchased by a family for perpetuity. However, now as nearly 40% of the mausoleums are abandoned, the government only permits mausoleums to be sold for a 99 year lease which can be renewed once they reach their expiration.
Families which own a mausoleum can continue to fill it with new family members, meaning it is very much still an active cemetery. There are tons of stories about the individuals buried here. One of the most famous individuals buried here is Eva Peron, the wife of Juan Peron a former Argentinian president. Others buried here include a Nobel Prize winner, a boxer, military commanders, presidents among many others.
Purchase tickets to visit at the entrance. For those interested, there are usually some tour guides around at the entrance who can guide you through the cemetery and tell you stories of some of the different individuals buried in the mausoleums. You will surely be amazed at how grand some of the mausoleums are in the cemetery.
San Telmo Market
At its peak on Sundays with the most stalls open, this market has lots of food options. With street food, fresh produce, and other household food to purchase, you can pop in here for a snack to enjoy the local culture
El Ateneo Grand Splendid
A beautiful bookstore in an old theater, known for being the second most beautiful bookstore in the world. Worth a visit as the unique setting in an old theater makes for a pretty interior
Bike Tour
A 4-hour bike tour across the city hitting many of the key sights including Plaza General San Martin, Puerto Madero, Reserva ecologica, La Boca, Caminito, La Bombonera (football stadium), Parqu Lezama, and Plaza de Mayo.
La Bombonera
A futbol stadium found in La Boca with max capacity around 54,000 spectators. In Argentina, futbol is more than just a game. It is the culture, and is something the people gather together around to cheer on their team. This stadium is home to Boca Juniors, one of Argentina's top football clubs.
Plaza de Mayo
The center of politics for Buenos Aires, this square is home to Casa Rosada, a pink building where the president completes their work. It also has a large sculpture in the middle, the May pyramid, to represent the start of the Argentinian fight for independence
Obelisco
Found in la Plaza de la Republica, this is a tall white monument at the center of the plaza with large BA letters in front on one side
Teatro Colon
Opera house found in the center of the city. 1 hour tours are available a few times a day in English.
Puerto Madero
Dockside area in Buenos Aires which can be nice to walk or bike along. This area is a more recently developed area of the city, with residential buildings, office buildings, restaurants and bars.
Palermo
Trendy neighborhood in Buenos Aires with some great food spots throughout the area
Food and Drinks
Food
Confiteria Ideal
This café is found not far from the Obelisco and is well worth a visit. They have an expansive menu, and the food is outstanding. We shared a variety of plates for lunch / brunch across the group, but a few favorites were the omelette, the ham and cheese sandwich, the ham and cheese toastie, and the shared platter which include bites like empanadas, croquettes, cheese, meat and more. The interior décor is unique and creates a nice dining atmosphere.
Petit Colon
Another café, this one is located minutes from Teatro Colon, the opera house. Also providing a variety of options, this is another good option for an afternoon bite.
La Perla
Café in the heart of La Boca right near Caminito
Fogon Asado
An outstanding dinner experience can be enjoyed at Fogon Asado. The experience includes a 9 course tasting menu accompanied by local Argentinian wines. The first few courses are vegetable or cheese based, while the majority of remaining dishes are meat based, with the final course being an Argentinian dessert. From eggplant with ricotta cheese, to melted cheese, to pork steak, to chorizo, to blood sausage and ribeye, there's an abundance of delicious flavors to take-in during the meal.
Even better, all the cooking is done right in front of you as the table is around the center of the kitchen where the large fire is blazing to cook many of the dishes on.
This is a must do for meat lovers when visiting Buenos Aires!
The Argentine Experience
Found in the neighborhood of Palermo, the Argentine Experience aims to give you as a visitor a feel for how larger families and friends enjoy meals together. The tasting experience includes a small bite to start, followed by a variety of Argentinian appetizers, meats and sides to share, and finally a dessert spread. At the beginning of the meal, you will also learn how to make an empanada and will make your own to enjoy with your meal.
The whole experience is accompanied by local wines, and great service. Be sure to book this for a unique dining experience.
Buller Brewery
Located right outside the Recoleta Cemetery, this is a great spot to stop for a cold one after your explore the cemetery, or try their sampler to get a taste of a few of their different beers
Food to Try:
- Empanadas: baked or fried pastry often filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables
- Meat: Argentina is the highest meat eating country in the world
- Wine: Malbec is the most famous, but many others are produced here including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Torrentes (a crisp white wine), among others
- Dulce de leche: similar to caramel but made with milk
- Medialunas: an Argentinian pastry that is like a denser croissant with many layers of dough
- Tostados: often with jamon and cheese, but in different forms and are a sandwich that is toasted
- Mate: an herbal drink, similar to tea
- Alfajores: made from two shortbread-like biscuits glued together with a dulce de leche, a sweet caramel paste. Often found covered with chocolate or coconut.
Drinks
Buller Brewery
Located right outside the Recoleta Cemetery, this is a great spot to stop for a cold one after your explore the cemetery, or try their sampler to get a taste of a few of their different beers
Other Notes
Currency
Accepted currencies include the Argentinian Peso and the USD. The Peso to USD conversion changes, but it is very easy to pay using USD. Be sure to have some cash as you'll need it for tips, small payments and taxis. Overall, it is a very cheap country to visit with taxis in the city only costing a few US dollars, and fancy meals being very affordable for the value.
Language
Spanish is the language spoken in Argentina. Although some may speak English, especially if you opt for a hotel, many people only speak Spanish so be prepared to practice some Spanish if you're not fluent
Seasons
As Argentina is in the southern hemisphere, their seasons are swapped from the Northern Hemisphere. When visiting in March, end of summer / beginning of fall, we experienced high temperatures in the 70s and 80s (Fahrenheit).
Navigation
Transportation and Accommodations
Things to do and see
Food and Drinks