My List

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• Sunday, September 28, 2008

Here is my list of things you should try to do while visiting Buenos Aires. Most of these places can also be found in any guidebook to the city, but I listed the things I like the most. It is ordered in no particular manner. Some items can be found at previous articles, other will be the focus of future work.

1. San Telmo: On a Sunday morning the barrio de San Telmo sometimes seems close to being a tourist trap but the antique fair and the atmosphere still make it worth a visit. If you want to avoid the crowds then come on a weekday. The fair is only on Sundays but San Telmo is worth wandering around on any day of the week. Some of the restaurants around the plaza are overpriced and not very good but stop in at Bar Dorrego on calle Defensa for a snack.
2. Cementerio de la Recoleta: Must be one of the greatest cities of the dead in the world. Fascinating to wander among the tombs.
3. Teatro Colón: The city's great opera house. Performances are relatively inexpensive but if you are not into opera or classical music then, at least, take a tour which will show you not only the beautiful auditorium but take you backstage. It is nowadays closed for renovation.
4. Tango at the Confitería Ideal: I don't dance but I do enjoy watching others dance, particularly ordinary people. The Ideal is one of those old style places with tango dancing on the upper floor. In the afternoons, after the tango lessons, the place will be filled with a mostly older crowd. Even if you don't go for the dancing, the Ideal is a great place to eat or have coffee.
5. Madres de Plaza de Mayo: Thursday afternoons at 3:30, the mothers of the disappeared still march every week in the plaza. After their march, which lasts thirty minutes, the madres gather in front of the Casa Rosada for a short speech. It is worth staying and listening.
6. Café Tortoni: the oldest and most beautiful of the cafés in the city. Mostly a tourist spot now but still worth the visit.
7. Plaza San Martín: a nice shady area in the heart of the city. Plenty to see and do around there so the plaza makes for a nice place to take a break. Go up to the top of the Torre Monumental (former English Tower) for great views and then take a look inside the old Retiro train station.
8. Stroll down calle Florida: not the best shopping and you're likely to be hounded by touts trying to sell you leather jackets or other overpriced goods but the pedestrian street still has an energetic appeal to it. There are some great buildings in the area. An easy one to explore, since it is a shopping mall, is Galerías Pacífico; the top floor is a cultural center (Centro Cultural Borges) that usually has very good exhibitions. If you're hungry then the Richmond Café is an interesting place to stop.
9. La Boca: Oddly, it is one of the least desirable neighbourhoods in town but it is also the most touristy. Actually, it is only one small area of Boca that has found its way into practically every book's photograph of Buenos Aires. I do think that the picturesque small street of Caminito is a tourist trap (and the tour buses lined up there seem to prove it). The colourful street was the idea of artist Quinquela Martin, whose paintings are superb. His nearby house and studio are now a museum of his works and should definitely be visited.
10. Fútbol: While we're talking about Boca, if you are a football fan (or soccer to those in the US) then a game at Boca Juniors is a must. If you are not a fan of the sport, then you can probably skip this one though it is still an interesting experience.
11. El Ateneo: Simply one of the most incredible bookstores in the world. Located at Av Santa Fe 1860 in a splendidly restored old theatre.
12. Manzana de las Luces: historic tunnels under 18th century Jesuit buildings.
13. Palacio San Martín: Only a hundred years old but once a massive home for one of Argentina's wealthiest families. Guided visits on Thursday and Fridays.
14. Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernándes Blanco: nice small collection of Spanish-American art in a lovely neo-colonial house.
15. Plaza Carlos Pellegrini: the plaza itself is nothing but there are some fantastic buildings here, particularly the two that are now the Brazilian embassy and the French embassy. Walking down Avenida Alvear towards Recoleta provides a glimpse of the luxurious life in Buenos Aires.
16. Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Parks & Botanical Gardens): very nice green spaces and a decent zoo.
17. Palermo Chico and around: more examples of massive houses. Nice area for walking and looking at the architecture.
18. Palermo Viejo: Many people love this area. Very lively and trendy. Lots of restaurants and bars. Great night life.
19. Subte A line: the only subway line in the city that still has the old wooden cars. Board at Perú station and ride out to the Castro Barros stop where you can visit one of the city's wonderful cafes: Las Violetas at Rivadavia 3899
20. Avenida Corrientes: browsing the many used bookstores on Corrientes in the evening is one of my favorite activities. A crowded street, some decent places to eat, and some very tacky theatres. Zivals at the corner of Corrientes and Callao is a good place to find tango CDs.
21. Avenida de Mayo: the best architecture in the city. Start at Plaza de Mayo and walk toward the Congreso Nacional. There is an entire book that discusses nothing but the architecture of this avenue. Take your time and enjoy the scenery. Look for the Palacio Barolo.
22. MALBA: Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires has one of the best collections of contemporary Latin American art. The modern building is another great example of architecture for museum spaces.
23. Feria de Mataderos: I don't think many tourists make it out to Mataderos for the Sunday fair. It is quite a ways out but for those interested in life in rural Argentina and gauchos then it makes for a nice journey.
24. Estancias: Visit an estancia around San Antonio de Areco, spending the night if possible. I usually recommend Don Silvano. You should find it very enjoyable. There are also many other estancias located around the pampas.
25. Asado and Parrilla: If you're lucky and know someone living here, you may get invited to asado at a local's home. Otherwise, you have to try one of Argentina's famously huge steaks at a parrilla in the city. Generally, I avoid any restaurant that has a stuffed cow at the front door. The small parillas in the barrios are often better than the fancier restaurants but it's a hit-or-miss effort.