"Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, currently the second-largest metropolitan area in South America. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata. Greater Buenos Aires has a population of around 13 million. It is the financial, industrial, commercial, and cultural hub of Argentina. Its port is one of the busiest in South America; navigable rivers by way of the Rio de la Plata connect the port to northeast Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Buenos Aires' physical structure is a mosaic as varied and diverse as its culture. The city has no dominating monument, no natural monolith that serves as its focal point. Instead, Buenos Aires is composed of many small places, intimate details, and tiny events and interactions, each with a slightly different shade, shape, and character. Glass-sheathed skyscrapers cast their slender shadows on 19th century Victorian houses; tango bars hazed with the piquant tang of cigar smoke face dusty, treasure-filled antique shops across the way. The city's neighborhoods are small and highly individualized, each with its own characteristic colors and forms. The Argentinian currency is the peso. The current exchange ratio to the dollar is about 3.91. A 100 peso bill is notoriously hard to break. Avoid changing to round numbers so you get some change (e.g. when changing money change the amount that will give you 90 pesos instead of 100). Coins are rare and required for buses, so try not to spend them in stores. Buenos Aires is a large city, so you will need transportation to the majority of sights.
La Recoleta Cemetery is the final resting place for the nation's most illustrious figures. It is a virtual city of the dead covering 13½ acres that are rumored to be the most expensive real estate in town. The cemetery has more than 6,400 elaborate vaulted tombs and majestic mausoleums, 70 of which have been declared historic monuments. The mausoleums resemble chapels, Greek temples, pyramids, and miniature mansions. Be sure to visit the tomb of Eva Perón, the daughter of an aristocrat who, despite having the most visited tomb in the cemetery, is considered by many to be too "low class" for eternal interment in Recoleta. Her small art deco tomb is by no means the grandest in the cemetery, being sandwiched between larger tombs in a densely packed side alley. Subsequently, the narrow space is permanently packed with groups of tourists jammed like sardines between the towering mausoleums. Open 7am to 6pm.
Sights:
Teatro Colón (Colón Theater) is among the world's top five operas. An ever-changing stream of imported talent bolsters the well-regarded local lyric and ballet companies. Luciano Pavarotti said that the Colón has only one flaw: the acoustics are so good every mistake can be heard. The theater's sumptuous building materials with three kinds of Italian marble, French stained glass, and Venetian mosaics; were imported from Europe. The seven-tier main theater is breathtaking in size, and has a grand central chandelier with 700 lights to illuminate the 3,000 mere mortals in its red-velvet seats. Tours in English and Spanish are offered daily for 10 pesos, with the English tours at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. It's well worth the effort, as the tour takes you behind the scenes to view the subtleties and intricacies that add to the splendor of the theater.
Círculo Militar (Peace Palace) is one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Buenos Aires. Most rooms are reminiscent of Versailles, especially the bedrooms and the gold-and-white music hall with an ornate parquet floor and windows overlooking the plaza. Other rooms are in the Tudor style, and the Presidential Room, where men would retreat for political conversation, is the most unusual. Very masculine and dark. It is lit by strange chandeliers decorated with naked hermaphrodite characters with beards and breasts, whose faces contort as they are lanced through their private parts. The six elevators are original to the building and the overall height of the building is eight stories, though with their high ceilings, there are only four levels to the building. The most impressive room is the round Hall of Honor, which sits under an interior rotunda and even has a balconied second level overlooking a stage.
Café Tortoni is a historic café that has served as the artistic and intellectual heart of Buenos Aires since 1858. Wonderfully appointed in woods, stained glass, yellowing marble, and bronzes, the place tells more about its history by simply existing than any of the photos on its walls. This is the perfect place for a coffee or a small snack when wandering along Avenida de Mayo. Twice-nightly tango shows in a cramped side gallery are worth seeing. Do not expect great service, however: sometimes only jumping up and down will get the staff's attention, even when they are just a few feet from you.
Casa Rosada and the Presidential Museum is perhaps the most photographed building in Buenos Aires. The Argentine president does not live here, contrary to what many tourists think, but she does work here. It is from a balcony of the north wing of this building that Eva Perón addressed adoring crowds of Argentine workers. You can watch the changing of the guard in front of the palace every hour on the hour. To the side of the palace, at the subte (subway) entrance, you'll find the Presidential Museum, with information on the history of the building and items owned by various presidents over the centuries. Portions of the museum extend underground into basements of former buildings.
Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) houses the private art collection of art collector Eduardo Costantini. It is one of the most impressive collections of Latin American art anywhere; temporary and permanent exhibitions showcase such names as Antonio Berni, Pedro Figari, Frida Kahlo, Cândido Portinari, Diego Rivera, and Antonio Siguí. Many of the works confront social issues and explore questions of national identity. Even the benches are modern pieces of art. The atrium allows access to the various floors under an enormous metal sculpture of a man doing pushups over the escalator bay. Be sure to leave time to browse the art books and funky design objects of the museum's excellent gift shop.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts) has over 11,000 works, from drawings and paintings to statues and tapestries. They are displayed in a huge golden-colored stone building whose elegant columned front belies the fact that it used to be the city's waterworks. The ground floor European collection has 24 rooms of dimly lit galleries arranged chronologically. Information about the works is in Spanish only; it's also lengthy and overly academic, so if you don't speak Spanish you're not missing much. If you speak only English, check into the MP3 audio guides (15 pesos) in the gift shop at the bottom of the stairs.
Evita Museum: the mystique of Eva Perón persists, more than 50 years after her death. The Peronist faithful still flock to her grave in La Recoleta Cemetery. The Evita Museum is housed in a mansion constructed for the Carabassa family during the first decade of the 20th century. The Evita Museum tells the story of her life and death and features memorabilia from her careers as actress and political idol.
Fundacion Proa art institute is one of BA's top destinations for international art, film, video, photography, theater, and literature exhibitions. Housed in a classical harbor-front building, the space features various light-washed galleries, a large amphitheater for events, screenings, and lectures, and a brand-new, stunning art library, complete with a reading room. Continue up to the top level for lunch at the terrace cafe overlooking the colorful La Boca docks and nearby Caminito.
El Congresso (Congress building) is quite impressive. Finished in 1906 in an Italian academic style with some classical touches, the building is a four-storied rectangle and has two pavilions. In front of the Congreso Congress building is a beautiful park. The park features the sculpture "Le Penseur" by August Rodin, along with a fountain sculpture "Monument of the two Congresses", an allegory that represents the Andes Mountains with the main rivers of the plains: Parana, Uruguay, and Rio de La Plata flowing into a large pool below.
Cabildo (Town Hall) was a government house during colonial times. Currently it hosts the National Museum of the Cabildo and the May Revolution with 18th century paintings, artifacts, clothes and jewellery.
Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral) with the columned neoclassical facade makes it seem more like a temple than a church. The embalmed remains of General José de San Martín, known as the Liberator of Argentina for his role in the War of Independence, rest here in a marble mausoleum lit by an eternal flame. Soldiers of the Grenadier Regiment, an elite troop created and trained by San Martín in 1811, permanently guard the tomb.
Calle Florida (Florida Street): When the cruise ships dock in nearby Puerto Madero, most tourists head directly to Calle Florida. This is where the tourists of Buenos Aires come to shop for fur, leather and souvenirs. A trip down the pedestrian-only street could take a couple of hours or an entire day. The strip begins at Avenida de Mayo just west of the Plaza de Mayo where the seemingly endless array of kiosks, retail stores, and street madness begins. In the evening, local artisans gather to sell their wares on top of blankets.
Feria de San Pedro Telmo packs a small San Telmo square every Sunday. Elbow your way through the crowds to pick through antiques and curios of varying vintages as well as tango memorabilia, or watch dolled-up professional tango dancers perform on the surrounding cobbled streets. As it gets dark, the square turns into a milonga, where quickstepping locals show you how it's done.
Feria Artesanal de la Recoleta winds its way through several linked squares outside the Recoleta Cemetery. Artisans sell handmade clothes, jewelry, and house wares as well as more traditional crafts. Open: Weekends 10-6.
Puerto Maderos is the waterfront around the La Plata River. It is a good area to walk around and there are also all sorts of good restaurants and great nightlife. Stroll along the lengths of docks 3 and 4 and enjoy the lively atmosphere of the area. When you've had enough walking, you can take the tram
Puente de la Mujer (Womans Bridge) is a contemporary urban sculpture designed by Santiago Calatrava and is an important tourist attraction since its asymmetrical shape and elegant aesthetics resemble to the locals a woman dancing the tango. The 335-foot suspension pedestrian bridge is in three sections, two static and one mobile. The central portion of the bridge was designed to rotate 90 degrees to allow water traffic to pass.
El Obelisco (The Obelisk) how does one digest that a smooth 223-foot column stretching to the sky is the representation of a city and its people? The Obelisk of Buenos Aires has little historical significance and no real purpose of function in the city. Its lack of utility, however, does not stop it from being one of the main tourist attractions since its completion in 1936 and a fun conversation topic amongst mixed company. To accentuate its blatant sexuality, the Obelisco is covered by an enormous condom on International Aids Awareness Day.
Torre Monumental has a Renaissance clock set on a platform 115 feet high with four staircases to access the interior. Each entrance is adorned with an English Empire ornamental frieze. The four quadrants of the clock were built in English opal and above each quadrant are five bronze bells. Atop the tower is an octagonal dome that is covered with layered copper. A weather vane that represents an Elizabethan three-mast ship crowns the peak.
Feria de Mataderos: Every Sunday more than 100 artists and craftspeople cram the Mataderos barrio on the corner of Avenida Lisandro de la Torre and Avenida de los Corrales. The feria was established to bring a sense of tradition back to the city. Happy visitors mix with locals in a veritable orgy of delicious homemade foods like killer empanadas, tamales, and asado topped with tempting cakes and sweets. Even the most budget-conscious travelers will find it tough to avoid the well-priced goods available from leathers, woolens, gorgeous maté gourds, intricate metal carving, and unique works of art. Into the evening the music gets going and dancers kick up their feet. Folk dancing with traditional costume is colorful and lively.
Floralis Genérica The Steel Flower - was designed and funded by architect Eduardo Catalano in 2002 and is one of BA's most stunning landmarks. It opens its six enormous metallic petals every morning and closes them again at dusk. The shiny flower consists of 6 petals (each measuring 43 feet long and 23 feet wide) and 4 pistons. The petals close in the evening from sunset to sunup; a 20-minute process mimicking the actual movement of a flower.
Jardín Japonés is a lovely oriental park filled with fish ponds, large stands of bamboo, a beautifully crafted arched bridge and a traditional Japanese tearoom. Inaugurated in 1967 by Japanese immigrants, its current layout was designed by famed landscape artist Yasuo Onomata to resemble the surroundings of a Zen temple. The garden's five acres are occupied for the most part by an artificial lake filled with exotic fish. The restaurant serves delicious sushi and there's a tea ceremony included in the garden entrance fee. Open 10am to 6pm.
Tren de la Costa is a light rail that stretches for 9 miles along the River Plate, from Olivos to the Tigre delta. It stops at eleven stations each one with its own history and special theme. There are all kinds of shops, food establishments and fruit and regional product markets at each stop. Each carriage is air-conditioned and has a tourist guide. Its green rail cars look as if they had just been painted. It is primarily a tourist service and is served by nine trains each with two cars. Each train has a capacity of 200 passengers and travels at an average speed of 21 miles per hour. The journey length is 30 minutes, with a train frequency of about 20 minutes. International Tourist fare, one-way is 12 pesos and round trip is 24 pesos. Train runs 7 days of the week from 6:40am to midnight. Weekends service starts at 8:00 am.
The eleven stations:
Maipú: The start. located a block away from the President's summer residence.
Borges: this is the station of the arts.
Libertador: food court, gamming, grocery store and top clothing stores.
Anchorena: you can enjoy the view of Río de la Plata while dinning.
Barrancas: You can rent bikes or just visit the antiques fair on weekends.
San Isidro: is next to the Cathedral and right on a pretty cute outdoor mall.
Punta Chica: taste great Argentinean wines at the La Avelina Restaurant.
Marina Nueva, San Fernando and Canal: permanent residents use these three stations.
Delta: final destination. Train arrives and you find yourself in the middle of a crafts fair.
TANGO SHOWSSabor A Tango has a great dining hall that can sit 500 guests and is decorated by paintings and has beautiful balconies on the first floor. It occupies the former Palazzo Rossini, the historic Societá Italia Unita premises, which was built entirely with materials shipped from Italy in 1878. Tango Show and Dinner at 8:30pm $150 US. Tango Show Only at 10:30pm $80 US.
SIGHTS OUTSIDE TOWN
Tigre Delta is formed by the Paraná River flow which drags sediments that end up forming islands, streams, rivers and channels. This is one of the 5 greatest deltas in the world and the only one ending its course in sweet water as it finds the Rio de la Plata instead of the ocean. You can take a catamaran tour or go on a canoe or kayak excursion to admire the islands. People live in these islands and they can get there only by boat. It is fun to see water taxis and boats carrying groceries to sell. There are yacht clubs, water skiers, regattas, surf, wake-boarding and fishing. This is a great place for ecotourism as you are surrounded by nature. Many bird species can be found in the islands. It is about 18 miles from Buenos Aires.
Tigre is another great place on the outskirts of the city that has a quaint amusement park, a great crafts fair on the weekends, a multi-storied casino, and a beautiful river to walk along. A popular choice is to take a boat ride along the river.
Las Pampas is the heart of Argentinean criollo culture, home of the gauchos and birthplace of the asado. The pampean plains cover the most extensive part of the region, with the exception of a small mountain range to the south of the province of La Pampa. This region is home to the gaucho culture, the Argentinean version of cowboys that developed in the 18th century when cattle raising became generalized. They are an essential part of the Argentinean national identity, as they represent the freedom of the criollos forced into the plains, surviving in spite of harsh conditions. There are a great many estancias, or farms, scattered throughout the area. Closest to Buenos Aires is the town of San Antonio de Areco, which is the capital of traditional Argentine culture. Gaucho lifestyle is celebrated here, and in addition to a great variety of estancias there are many handicraft markets and traditional festivals throughout the year.
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