Buenos Aires

General information about Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires has two airports, if you arrive on an International flight it will be at the airport that is commonly known as Ezeiza, if you are travelling on an internal flight from say Iguazu then you will fly into the Aeroparque which is close to the city centre. Whichever it is, either read up on how to get a reliable taxi or ask your hotel to arrange a pick up, this is not expensive from either airport. At Ezeiza there are a couple of recommended companies where you arrange the taxi at the desk, the one we were told to use is called Transfer Express, this avoids the many scams.

The city has a very efficient transport system, the metro has a number of lines and there are frequent stops, it does not serve San Telmo or La Boca but has stations close to most other areas you would want to visit.

The buses are incredibly cheap, frequent and very efficient. Buy a Guia at any news Kiosk for just over £1, check the map for the page you are on, then the grid for the buses that pass within a couple of blocks, then you can check where you want to go and see what buses correspond. Finally once you know your bus number at the back of the book  a picture will show its livery colours, all different, and the streets it goes down. Very simple once you get the hang of it but be warned a journey from San Telmo to Palermo can take an hour at busy times.

There is now a transport card which is used on buses and the metro, however first of all you have to obtain a card which is not easy, hotels or apartments may be able to lend you one and in theory you then just top them up at metro station or outlets which now seem to be plentiful particularly in the centre of the city.

Taxis had a health warning in all guide books we looked at, however from talking to people who live or had spent time in the city it is perfectly safe to hail a cab in the street so long as you check it is a radio cab which it will say on the side. Taxis are incredibly cheap, all the ones we used put on their meters.

One vital piece of info is when you get in a taxi you always ask for cross streets for example Defensa and Idependencia and on buses you also state the street you want but again as most streets are long and run the length of the city you need to know the cross street.

Onward travel in Argentina is done mainly by bus and on long distance routes there are a number of different classes, executive gives you a seat which reclines almost into a bed and meals. Some companies have a better reputation for food and also include wine and liqueurs. Much to the amazement of a resident friend we bought our tickets in advance through www.ticketonline.com.ar – incredibly simple.

Hotels in Buenos Aires

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com, however our choice would be either San Telmo or Palermo. This is simply because the range of eating and drinking places in both areas is great and after sightseeing in a big city all day it is nice to have lots of options on your doorstep.

We chose San Telmo and loved the area. The Hotel Babel www.hotelbabel.com. is a gem we could not fault anything. The building is an old conventillo style building with all 9 rooms on two floors off the courtyard. The hotel is beautifully designed and the staff are fabulous, they are all so helpful and great to chat with. Breakfast is included and you can have freshly cooked egg dishes and waffles.

If you decide to go for Palermo there are numerous boutique type hotels at all price levels. As an area it is more trendy than the traditional San Telmo, so it is down to taste.

For our second visit we chose an apartment, we used a small apartment company with various places in the San Telmo area, the web site is santelmoloft.com they are very helpful and the apartments are very individual. An alternative is Friendly Rentals www.friendlyrentals.com who are recommended on many of my European pages.

Restaurants, Bars & Cafes

Restaurants

People eat late in the city from around 10 pm, however restaurants in the main only take bookings up to 9.30 pm, so either book for that time or be prepared to take a chance and perhaps have to queue.

San Telmo

Well of course you have to eat steak and drink great local red wine in a Parilla, and in San Telmo there is no shortage from the upmarket to the hole in the wall.

Gran Parilla del Plata, Chile and Peru, San Telmo, has been our choice on several occasions and it does not disappoint, a mix of locals and tourists, unlike some places. The meat was fabulous, the atmosphere great, glasses of complimentary fizz and reasonable prices. We returned on our second visit to BA and had another great meal and the usual glass of fizz, and prices are still reasonable.

If grilled meat is getting you down, Brasserie Petanque, Defensa  596, San Telmo, is a touch of France in Buenos Aires. It is run by the charming owner and serves traditional French food with a bit of a twist.

Lunch can be a bargain as loads of places do set lunches, usually a main and dessert and including a glass of wine or soft drink. One street in San Telmo that has a lot of choices is Chile near the junction with Defensa. Granados, Chile 378, is a smart modern place with an excellent lunch menu. Similarly Via Via, at No. 324 is also a great place for lunch and both these have hostels attached.

Café Rivas,. Estados Unidos and Balcarce, San Telmo, also does a set lunch at a similar price to the ones mentioned above, it is very good and has a wider choice than some other places. All the above are very popular so get in and get your table.

Bar Seddon, Defensa 695, at the junction with Chile is a lovely bar and restaurant, always packed, so be prepared to wait for a table or to eat at the bar. The cold platters of meats and cheeses are excellent, and the bar is open till late every night.

Caseros, Caseros Ave. 486, this is on the edge of San Telmo but in a street where there a number of places to ear, it was recommended by a local and we thoroughly enjoyed the food and the atmosphere in the restaurant, it is apparently excellent value at lunch time when you can enjoy the nearby park.

Sagardi, Humberto Primo 319, San Telmo, is a branch of the Spanish chain specialising in pinxtos (small tapas) where you help yourself from a selection and at the end the waiter counts the number of cocktail sticks. It is very smart with excellent wines it was not particularly busy when we visited, they also have a restaurant.

Casal de Catalunya, Chacabuco 863, between Estados Unidos and Independencia, is a social club in a Gaudi type building which is lovely to see. It has a restaurant and a tapas menu, we did not have a chance to try the food but it looked good and have heard great reports.

Palermo Viejo

This area is full of places to eat, it is basically in two sections Soho and Hollywood divided by the railway tracks. Soho has more boutiques and possibly younger, louder bars than Hollywood.

Las Pizarras, Thames 2296, Palermo, we had booked dinner here as a special night on our travels and while we enjoyed the food I am not sure that I agree with some of the rave reviews. I personally found having all the menus including the wine list on a blackboard on the wall annoying and also found that it did not seem to have a very relaxed atmosphere despite it’s casual appearance. The tables are incredibly close together, luckily we sat next to a lovely Canadian couple and struck up a great conversation.

Social Paraiso, Honduras 5182, between Thames and Uriarte, in Soho is modern Argentinian cooking, with excellent food and service and a lovely place for a relaxed dinner.

Del Fin Del Mundo, Honduras 5673 near Fitzroy, Palermo Hollywood, is owned by the winery of the same name. It is ultra smart, beautifully designed and as well as a full menu it does tapas and wine pairings in the early evening which are fantastic value. The staff are very helpful and as you would expect, very knowledgeable. The executivo lunch menu is a bargain but book in advance as it is very popular.

Green Bamboo, Costa Rica 5802, Palermo Hollywood, is Vietnamese and very trendy, the food is good, but some dishes are more expensive than the average dish in most middle range places.

Congreso

Chan Chan, Hipolito Yrigoyen 1390, at the rear of the Palacio Barolo is a Peruvian restaurant open for lunch and dinner, it was so good we went back again and were not disappointed. The dishes are mainly fish and seafood but not just cerviche although that is of course excellent. The staff are lovely and prices amazingly reasonable.

Bars

San Telmo

The bars in San Telmo are mainly lovely old fashioned bars, most doing food including excellent meat and cheese platters.

Bar El Federal, Carlos Calva 599. This is one of BA’s most historic bars and is always busy, the prices can be a bit higher than other places nearby and the service varies but it is a must visit at least once.

El Refuerzo, Chacabuco 872, between Estados Unidos and Idependencia,  is a relative newcomer but is a lovely old fashioned looking bar doing food and a good selection of wines and nice staff. We tried this several times on our return to BA and the food is very good, the staff are still great and it is highly recommended.

La Poesia, Chile 502 and Bolivar, new but looks like one of the old style places, the staff are good and the meat and cheese platters very good value.

Gibraltar, Peru 895 near Estados Unidos, a proper British type bar, but with a good range of beers at reasonable prices and open till 4am daily, a good place to watch sports.

Territorio, Estados Unidos and Bolivar, is a small bar with excellent wine and great meat and cheese platters.

Doppel, Juan de Garay at the corner of Bolivar is a bit further to walk but it is worth it for the cocktails, a huge range of classics and very different ones, also does food till late.

Round Plaza Dorrego there are a number of bars, some of which have tango shows and happy hours.

Boedo

Boedo is local neighbourhood which is worth exploring and becoming popular with young visitors to the city with a number of hostels and apartments.

Café Margot, Boedo 847, Boedo, is one of BA’s landmark bar cafes and is worth seeking out. It has a similar menu to La Poesia in San Telmo and indeed one of the same waiters.

Cossab, Carlos Calvo 4199, Boedo is a very popular beer bar with numerous Argentinian and other beers, they also do food. Service was not as helpful as several reviews had indicated.

Recoleto

Casa Bar, Rodriguez Pena 1150, Recoleto, if you need a change this is very much a ex-pat bar but in a lovely old building, pleasant staff and a selection of pizzas and burgers.

Drink

There are many good reasons to visit Argentina and one must be to taste the fabulous wines in the country where they are produced and even if you do not make it to Mendoza then during you time in BA you will have lots of chance to sample the country’s wines. It is the 5th largest wine producing country and historically consumed 90% of this at home, thank goodness things have changed.

Most people will have heard of Malbec as it is the best known type produced and most frequently available in other countries and this is a great chance to try a wide range of one of my favourite reds, especially with a fabulous steak. Also look out for Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda and Pinot Noir among the reds on offer.

The most seen white is Torrontes, which is aromatic and similar to Viognier, it is not one of my personal favourites so also look out for some excellent Chardonnay wines, and do give them a try. Chardonnay still has such a poor reputation not deserved when you try a good one.

You may feel the need for a chilled beer after exploring the city so try the local Quilmes beer, there are other smaller breweries opening up around the country including Patagonia, look out for them

Culture

Try one of the bus tours round the city, normally in two or three different loops as it is a vast city and it will let you see areas that you may not otherwise visit. They will all go to La Boca which while touristy is worth seeing, and also is not an area you would want to go to by yourself.

Puerto Madera is worth wandering around but the restaurants all cater for expense accounts unless you go to the cheap open air grill places on the far side near the nature reserve.

Cementerio de Recoleto is a must to visit. This is where Eva Peron is buried. At the weekend the craft market in the nearby park is great to wander through, you are then close to some of BA’s best museums and galleries and also the Floris Generica the huge metal flower sculpture which opens and shuts every day. Stop for a refreshment and food at the Buller Brewing Company, Ortiz 1827. They brew a variety of beers which you can sample.

Japanese Gardens, Av. Casares & Av Figeuroa Alcorta, is the largest Japanese garden outside of Japan apparently and we enjoyed walking round it and it is an oasis of calm away from the outside traffic. The nearby Botanic gardens are disappointing.

If you can take a day out of the city visit Tigre and explore the delta by boat and see the lovely town. There is a tourist train but the best way is to take the local train from Retiro Mitre station, the trains run every 10 minutes and a return costs less than 50p. The tourist office at the boat station on the river is very helpful, they will advise on which boat trips suit the time you have and what you want to see. There are a variety of places to stop at Tres Bocas is good as it has a very good walk and 3 places to eat.

Lastly do not miss seeing some Tango, on Sunday go to the market at San Telmo mainly along Defensa and in the Plaza Dorrego. As the market shuts classes start in the square around 6 pm but there is the chance to see and hear the dance and music all around during the day,

Go to a Milonga, which is a social club, ballroom type experience. The Confiteria Ideal, Suipacha 382, near Corrientes in the Micro Centre area has Milongas most nights, some with quite big bands and some with just a few musicians and singers but it is great to see old and young, fantastic and not so fantastic, dancing. There is a small entrance fee and the waiters serve drinks at your table.

Seven day forecast for Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires
AR
6.92 m/s 50 %
sky is clear
29°C
6.91 m/s 39 %
sky is clear
26.7°C
7.28 m/s 39 %
sky is clear
26.4°C
7.54 m/s 51 %
sky is clear
26.3°C
7.19 m/s 54 %
sky is clear
27.5°C

Last Visited 2013 & Last Updated 2014