4 Perfect Days in Buenos Aires
4 Perfect Days in Buenos Aires
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gdebk
4 Perfect Days in
BUENOS AIRES
a
JEFF BARRY
www.walkingbuenosaires.com
4 PERFECT DAYS IN BUENOS AIRES
2009 Jeff Barry
Book Design
Cecilia Sorochin | SoroDesign
DAY 1 Centro
DAY 3 Palermo
Palermo 39
Victoria Ocampo 41
APPENDIX
Restaurants 60
More than 20 Picture-Perfect Spots 61
TABL E O F C O NTENTS
Welcome 13
Plaza de Mayo 15
Madres de Plaza de Mayo 16
Obelisco 17
Avenida de Mayo -a walk 18
Your rst Night in Buenos Aires 22
Teatro Coln 23
Bars & Cafs of Buenos Aires 24
Plaza Serrano 43
Xul Solar Museum 43
TABLE of CONTENTS
A place beckons you with some nostalgic, romanticized notion, a South American capital
with European charm, the passion of music and
words pulsing through the people who call it
home. You yearn for moments that will remain
with you, memories more fragile than photographs, times that stay, linger through your mind
years later when youre cooking dinner, relaxing
on your back porch, or browsing in a store. Once
you experience this city, Buenos Aires is a part
of you forever.
This guide presents one way of experiencing Buenos Aires, the way I recommend to my own friends
on their rst visits. A wealth of activities exists in
Buenos Aires and in 4 days you can only sample the
best of the citys offerings. This guide is simply a way
for me to share some of my own approaches to the
city. Ill leave detailed descriptions of the really wellknown sights to others but I will include many of
those in this itinerary so that you know on which
places to focus your time.
IN TRO
ARRIVAL
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ARRIVAL
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DAY 1
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WE L C O M E
Once youve settled into your hotel
or short-stay apartment you have a
couple of options depending upon
how well you rested during the
night-time ight. The rst is to
grab some rest for a few hours
before beginning a busy day of
exploration. But if youre up to
it and ready to go, then take
the second option of heading
Congress Building
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Farmacia d e la Estrella
15
Plaza de Mayo
O PTIONS :
Just around the corner from La Puerto
Rico is the Museum of the City (Museo
de la Ciudad) at Defensa 219/223. It
has a small collection worth visiting.
Open everyday 11 am - 7 pm.
P LAZA
DE
M AYO
Take a while to enjoy the Plaza. Casa Rosada, the pink building at the end of the
plaza, is the seat of power for the executive branch of the Argentina government.
Youll nd many photo opportunities
around the plaza. While the massive cathedral is rather plain from the exterior,
the inside is constructed in an entirely
different style and you should denitely
venture inside.
DE
P LAZA
DE
M AYO
ro
Microc ent
O BELISCO
Okay, the citys principal landmark bears
a strong resemblance to the Washington
Monument. But its an obelisk so the similarity cannot be helped. Most people zip
by the Obelisco in a car or while hurrying
to cross Av 9 de Julio, barely taking note
of the circular Plaza de la Republica that
encompasses the Obelisco.
Come here after the Argentine national
football teams wins a game in the World
Cup and its a different scene, awash in
blue and white with fans jumping, cheering for the celebration.
Even on an ordinary day the Obelisco offers a surprising respite from the chaotic
pace of the citys center. Located in the
heart of downtown, right in the middle of
what is claimed to be the widest avenue in
the world, the Obelisco can be a refreshing
break. Besides its a superb spot for taking
the essential photo down the middle of Av
9 de Julio.
And, late in the afternoon, you might see
the colorful military honor guard arrive to
take down the Argentine ag.
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M ADRES
17
Hotel Chile
Av. de Mayo 1297
4 PER FEC T D AYS IN BUENOS AIRES
[5]
[4]
AV E N I D A
DE
a walk
MAYO
[11]
Casa de la Cultura
(former La Prensa)
Av. de Mayo 575
Hotel Majestic
Av. de Mayo 1317
[6]
[1]
[10]
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Bar 36 Billares
Av. de Mayo 1265
19
[12]
Caf Tortoni
Av. de Mayo 825
Congress
Av. Entre Ros between
Hiplito Irigoyen & Rivadavia
[9]
[2]
La Inmobiliaria
Av. de Mayo between
L. S. Pea & San Jos
[8]
Palacio Barolo
Av. de Mayo 1370
[7]
Hotel Castelar
Av. de Mayo 1150
[3]
Mural in subway
v d e Mayo
Cupola in A
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Tea Time in
Las Violetas
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22
IN
cade from 1915 that has recently undergone renovation. I denitely do not think
that a tango show is an essential part of
visiting Buenos Aires, but it can be enjoyable as long as you always remember
that the tango show is purely a tourist
attraction. I would advise not to opt for
the dinner part offered by an tango show
venue. Most likely, the beef will be overpriced and not as good as you might nd
in a regular restaurant.
The true tango dancers can be found at
milongas and Im by far am not an authority on the best milongas. One that I
usually recommend is at Conteria Ideal
on Suipacha street. Thats also a decent
place for a meal.
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T EATRO C OLN
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DAY 2
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(
B ARRIO N ORTE :
Start with a visit to Recoleta Cemetery, which is one of the worlds great
cemeteries. The tombs in the cemetery
are outstanding. Depending upon your
fascination with cemeteries you could
spend half-a-day exploring the cemetery.
The best way to get acquainted with the
cemetery is to visit the Web site www.recoletacemetery.com.
Recoleta Cemetery
Its great fun to explore the cemetery on your own, but a knowledgeable guide can make sure you
see the most remarkable tombs and
learn some fascinating history.
Evita
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29
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Av Alvear
Old PostCard
31
while cultivating her reputation as a coquettish seductress, was his wife the writer
Norah Lange. (She also was the unrequited
love of Jorge Luis Borges, according to the
most recent biographer of Borges.)
Family wealth nanced Girondos global
journeys and bohemian, but comfortable,
lifestyle. In the 1920s Girondo lived in Paris and Rome, traveling widely
while amassing a vast collection
of sculpture, paintings, and reportedly, one of the largest private collections of gold pre-Colombian artifacts. Returning for
good to Buenos Aires in 1932,
Girondo re-assumed his leadership of the literary avant-garde
much to the annoyance of his
rival Borges.
Always scandalous and seeking publicity,
Girondo sought ways to shock the bourgeoisie. He promoted his most famous
book Espantapjaros (Scarecrow) by hiring a horse-drawn funeral hearse to parade an efgy of a learned man along
the streets of Buenos Aires. After the stunt
the papier-mch scarecrow resided in
Girondos house. (It is now often on display at the Museo de la Ciudad, and is
pictured on page 6 of this guidebook.)
Girondo is hardly known outside the realm
of Spanish-language literary readers despite
the fact that Notre Dame university in Indiana has an extensive collection of his works.
Girondo, if not for his life alone, is overdue
for discovery by the rest of the world.
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O PTIONS
Palacio Paz Cupola
Florida Street
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PA L A C I O PA Z
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B OOKSTORES
ALONG
E SMERALDA
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NIGHT
Have dinner at either Chiquilin or Arturito then enjoy strolling down Av Cor-
37
B.A. at night
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DAY 3
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PA L E R M O
Palermo is a huge neighborhood. American expats seem to love Palermo though
its not really so high on my list. Honestly, Palermo Viejo, which really isnt as
old as its name implies, reminds me of
any trendy district in any U.S. city. I love
those neighborhoods when Im in the
U.S. but I just nd so many other areas of
Floralis Generica Sculpture
Museo de Arte
Decorativo
V ICTORIA O CAMPO
The most striking aspect of the house is
its modernist style, especially considering the typical architecture of Buenos
Aires. The house looks more like Miami
Beach than Buenos Aires. The juxtaposition of the house next to the Spanish
Embassy and the other palatial residences is a strong architectural statement that bets a woman like Victoria
Ocampo, 39 years old when she built
the house.
The architectural appearance of the
house is even more astonishing when
you realize that it was built in 1929.
Victoria Ocampo herself designed the
house, though she hired the famed
Argentine architect Alejandro Bustillo
to nalize it. The story is that Bustillo
so disliked the house that he refused
to put his name on it. A more typical
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Villa Ocampo
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MALBA
Night along
PLAZA SERRANO
Museo Renault
X UL S OLAR
MUSEUM
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43
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DAY 4
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S A N TE L M O
On Sundays almost every tourist in Buenos Aires descends on the barrio of San
Telmo for the weekly event that is part
antique fair, part ea market, and a great
time for people watching.
Plaza Dorrego is the center of the action
where dozens of booths line the square,
A wall in San Telmo
Bar Britnico
S A N TE L M O
Bordering the park is the Russian Orthodox Church with its blue domes. On
another edge of the park is the National
History Museum, which is located in a
reddish building from the early 1800s
that was one of the nest homes in Buenos Aires during its day. Surprisingly, that
house was built for an American from
Baltimore though it was later acquired by
a man named Lezama for whom the park
is named. While youre around the museum be sure to look down Av Caseros and
admire the English style townhouses.
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sold cheaply. So, its really better to venture down here on a weekday when the
park is quiet and peaceful.
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C ASAL
DE
BAR E L F E D E R A L
Located on the corner of Per and Carlos
Calvo, El Federal is another one of those
classic places in Buenos Aires. Indeed, El
Federal is one of the most picturesque
places in the city. Yet, that also means
that it is often full of tourists. The prices
are still very reasonable, no more than
any other caf in town. Its surprising
that they havent raised the prices with
all the tourists.
Bar El Federal
privacy and a long, relaxing meal. The restaurant was closed for many years but reopened in 2006.
The building itself is quite a gem, which
also features the Teatro Margarita Xirgu.
While the Teatro Coln remains closed for
renovations, you may want to check out
the offerings at the Margarita Xirgu. Not
only is the theater itself a splendid example
of early 20th design, it has played a rich
role in the theatrical history of the city.
The striking facade of the building that
makes it so distinctive from any other
structure in Buenos Aires isnt the original.
Constructed in 1890 the building originally had the typical French-style facade
that adorns most of buildings of that period. Over time the building was modied
extensively and the current facade dates
from 1936 (and was refurbished in 2006).
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C ATALUNYA
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E VITA S
ETERNAL FLAME
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Caminito Street
in La Boca
LA BOCA
A destination in every guidebook to Buenos Aires is La Boca, but those books cover
only the same tourist corner of the neighborhood and give the impression that the
rest of La Boca is a dangerous area to be
avoided. La Boca is certainly a grittier area
than swanky Recoleta. If youre adventurous, dont be paranoid about exploring
beyond the tourist zone around the little
street known as Caminito.
And rather than browsing in the souvenir
stores of La Boca, you must pay a visit
to the museum devoted to Quinquela
Martn (1890 - 1977), who captured the
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EXTRA DAY
An extra day or two in Buenos Aires provides a lot of opportunities, all of which
are worthwhile. Many people take the
ferry for a day trip over to Colonia, Uruguay and thats highly recommended.
Others nd an estancia in the countryside
and thats also enjoyable. Yet another option is to go up to the coastal wetlands of
Tigre, which is ne, too, though not my
favorite of those three activities.
Pocketwatches in Casa Raab
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EXTRA
DAY
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A BUS
Crowd ed Bus!
Filete on an Old Bus
ON
THE
39
BUS
and then up another block to have a
drink at Hipoptamo or Bar Britnico.
From the corner across from Britnico,
you can pick up the 24 bus for a bus
tour in the other direction.
The 39 also keeps heading south,
brushing past La Boca and on into Barracas. The return trip on the 39 is also
interesting. Catch it on Av Caseros near
Parque Lezama and you will be taken
through the center of the city, Barrio
Norte, Palermo, and nish up in Chacarita, just across from the cemetery
where the great tango singer Carlos
Gardel is buried.
If youre out in Chacarita, then you a
great place to stop for food is El Imperio de la Pizza, one of the many great
pizzerias in Buenos Aires. And the 39
starts its route back into the city from
right in front of El Imperio de la Pizza.
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TA KE
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Parque Lezana
PLAZAS
57
The restored waterfront area of Puerto Madero is not my favorite place for
spending time in Buenos Aires. Its actually a very nice area, remarkably clean
compared to the rest of the city, but at
the same time Puerto Madero is distinctly without any character that denes it
as part of Buenos Aires. Indeed, it resembles the re-developed riverfront areas found in many mid-sized U.S. cities.
(Puerto Madero even has a TGI Fridays
and a Hooters!) On a short stay, I think
youre safe to skip Puerto Madero.
Parque Ameghino
Plaza San Martn. Old Photograph
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As I write this I sit in Plaza Alem facing the grand 1910 Aduana, or customs
building. When the port behind the building was active a hundred years ago, this
spot was bustling with activity. Av Belgrano, bordering the plaza, was the main
route for transporting goods between
the port and the rest of the city.
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Patio of Museo de la
Crcova
VISIT TO
F LORES
A stroll around the streets of Flores, Av
Yerbal or Bacacay, for instance, reveals
the nice homes that would t in just as
well in the more known neighborhoods
of Recoleta and Palermo.
One of the oldest homes in Flores is now
a cultural center. Casa Marco del Pont
(206 Artigas street) is adjacent to the
historic train station and thats another
sight that should be visited for a bit of
the 19th century. You can freely enter the
house and wander the grounds. On Sunday evenings you might encounter tango
dancing in one of the houses salons.
While Flores still has a large share of upper middle class residents, the lower half
of Flores is dominated by more recent
immigrants and includes a large Korean
neighborhood.
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Recommended
RESTAURANTS
THAN
CASA
20 PICTURE-PERFECT SPOTS
DEL
FANTASMA
ONCE
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MORE
ABANDONED BOATS
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IN
BARRACAS
STREET
POSTERS
QUILMES
TRUCK
OLD
POCKETWATCH STORE
AV CASEROS
SANTA FELICITAS
OLD GARAGES...GUIDO
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are forms of social and political expression. Not everyone reads the newspapers
or watches the news on TV but everyone
sees the posters on the street.
WHERE: everywhere!
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PALACIO
DE LOS
PATOS
Stylish parking lots of the early 20th century for when cars were new and just for
the wealthy...many examples in the city,
such as the art deco garage in Recoleta
WHERE: 1653 Guido street
Massive apartments from 1928. Be sure
to peek through the front entrance at the
mail boxes and courtyard.
IN
CABALLITO
TILE
WORK ON BUILDINGS
ELECTRIC SUBSTATIONS
THE
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ARCHITECT SIGNATURES
AGUAS CORRIENTES
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COLEGIO NACIONAL
The countrys most prestigious high
school in the oldest sector of the city.
A good spot for observing the youth of
Buenos Aires if you go by when school is
ending for the day.
WHERE: 233 Bolivar street
FACTORY
BENCICH
OMBU
FERNNDEZ BLANCO
LA COLORADA
CANALE
HOUSE OF
TREE NEAR
BIOYS
HOUSE
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PAYSANDU STREET
BUILDING
PHOTO CREDITS
Many thanks to all the photographers that
collaborated with their images to make this book:
Hctor Antonio Vzquez Brust
page 12, Congress Building
page 14, Basilica de San Francisco
page 37, BA at night
Karine Aggery
page 29, Centro Cultural Recoleta
page 33, Plaza San Martin
page 35, Florida Street
Carla Peroni
page 16, Microcentro
Miro Schaap
page 17, Obelisk
Hernan Herrero
page 22, Bandoneon
Marcelo Gerpe
page 26, Recoleta Cemetery
Ivn Javier Bagal
page 42, Museo Renault
Debbie Schiel
page 60, Restaurant
Daniel Battiston
page 57, Puerto Madero
Cleferson Comarela Barbosa
page 51, Colorful Houses in La Boca
TYPOGRAPHY
Barbara Lana
page 46, sifones in Sunday Market
Core21
page 46, San Telmo tango scene