Buenos Aires is one of my favourite cities in the world and I’d happily live there if I could. The city has everything that interests me; good restaurants, beautiful architecture and a strong music culture. I’ve been four times for work; in 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2018, so I’ve written a fair few posts on it (thirty and counting). I realise they can be quite hard to access as there are so many, so here’s a list of links by subject, and again by neighbourhood, and finally a list of my top tips. You can also use the geographical menu above, or get a chronological list here, and you’ll find my Google map here (key top left).
By subject…
SECURITY:
Scams and tricks here.
ARCHITECTURE:
Art Nouveau along Avenida de Mayo here.
Art Nouveau Teatro Colon and Plaza Lavalle here.
Art Nouveau and Neoclassical along Calle Florida here.
Art Nouveau and Neoclassical along Avenida Rivadavia here.
Art Nouveau and Art Deco around town here.
Various in Recoleta cemetery here.
Various around Plaza San Martin here.
Various in Recoleta here.
Brutalism in Recoleta here.
STEAKHOUSES:
La Brigada and Desnivel in San Telmo here.
La Cabrera, La Carneceria and Don Julio in Palermo here.
El Obrero in La Boca here.
Pobre Luis in Chinatown here.
La Cabana las Lilas in Puerto Madero here.
FOOD & DRINK:
Fast food in Palermo here.
Medium-range restaurants in Palermo here.
Posh restaurants in Palermo here.
Bars and clubs in Palermo here.
More restaurants in San Telmo here.
Old bars and cafes in San Telmo here.
Food and drink in Retiro https here.
Italian fast food along Avenida Corrientes here.
Peruvian in Monserrat here.
And by barrio…
PALERMO:
Staying in Palermo Zoológico (AWWA Suites) here.
Fast food here.
Medium-range restaurants here.
Steakhouses here.
Posh restaurants here.
Bars and clubs here.
CENTRO (SAN NICOLAS):
Plaza Lavalle and Teatro Colon here.
Art Nouveau along Avenida de Mayo here.
Architecture along Calle Florida here.
Italian food along Corrientes here.
CENTRO (MONSERRAT):
Peruvian restaurant here.
SAN TELMO:
Walking around here.
Steakhouses here.
More restaurants here.
Old bars and cafes here.
LA BOCA:
El Obrero steakhouse here.
RETIRO:
Bars and restaurants here.
Calle Florida architecture here.
Plaza San Martin architecture here.
RECOLETA:
Places to eat and drink here.
Cemetery walk here.
Other things to see and do here.
Brutalist library here.
Changing money here.
BELGRANO:
A steak in Chinatown here.
PUERTO MADERO:
La Cabana las Lilas steakhouse here.
BALVANERA:
Art Nouveau walk along Avenida Rivadavia here.
And finally my top tips and favourite things:
FAVOURITE EXPERIENCES:
1) Tango lessons and clubs – my memory is hazy but I had a great time!
2) Plaza Dorrego for the Sunday market or an evening Milonga here.
3) Watch Boca Juniors play at home in La Boca – an ambition yet to be realised for me, but I hear it’s pretty wild.
4) Not being mugged in La Boca, or scammed anywhere else here.
5) A boat trip to Montevideo here.
INTERESTING TOURS:
1) Palacio Barolo, an eccentric office block with great views here.
2) Teatro Colón, one of the world’s greatest opera houses here.
LEG STRETCHING ARCHITECTURE WALKS:
1) A walk round Cementerio de la Recoleta here.
2) A visit to Mercado de San Telmo here.
3) Along Avenida de Mayo in the Centro here.
4) Along Calle Florida, starting in Retiro here.
FAVOURITE BUILDINGS:
1) Palacio Barolo, an architectural rendition of the Divine Comedy here.
2) Confiteria Molino, a beautiful but derelict cafe here.
3) Art Deco police station on Avenida de Mayo here.
4) Edificio Wulff, a Jugenstil office block in Monserrat here.
FABULOUS FOOD:
1) Sweetbreads and steak during happy hour at La Cabrera or at La Carnicería, both in Palermo Soho, here.
2) Sushi and ceviche at Osaka in Palermo Hollywood here.
3) Modern Jewish cuisine at Mishiguene in Palermo Zoológico here.
4) A choripan (sausage sandwich) anywhere but quality hipster joints include Chori in Palermo Soho and La Choripanería in the San Telmo market here.
OLD CAFES:
1) Cafe Tortoni, an Art Nouveau coffee shop in the Centro here.
2) Las Violetas, an Art Nouveau coffee shop in the Balvanera here.
3) La Biela, an iconic terrace next to the Cementerio de la Recoleta here.
FANTASTIC BARS:
1) Floreria Atlantico, a ‘secret’ bar in Retiro here.
2) DaDa, an arty cocktail bar in Retiro here.
3) Milion, a posh bar in a beautiful old villa here.
4) Post Street Bar, a graffitied dive bar in Palermo Soho here.
5) Isabel, a quality bar/club in Palermo Soho here.
SHOPPING TO TAKE HOME:
1) Vinotango, a quality wine shop in San Telmo run by nice people here.
2) Buenos Aires Design, a mall for homewares here.
3) Ateneo Grand Splendid, a huge bookshop located in a former theatre here.
STUFF I BRING BACK:
1) Wine (red Malbec or white Torrontes) and a Pingüino wine jug to pour it from.
2) Antique glass from the San Telmo market.
3) Leather jackets and belts.
Hope you have a fantastic time, I always do! Rx