Buenos Aires
Where is Buenos Aires?
Buenos Aires is located on the central west cost of South America and is also the capital of Argentina.
How do I get there?
You need to fly or you can take buses if you are in South America. I traveled to Buenos Aires from Mendoza, Argentina by bus. You can look at this website (www.platforma10.com) if you want to see bus prices, but when I was purchasing it was about 560 Argentinian pesos for a one way trip.
Where to stay?
The ‘Palermo’ area is relatively safe, has great restaurants, and is close to the night life and public transportation. It is more residential and further away from the ‘financial district’ and the main tourist attractions. If you want to be in the center of town and closer to the main tourist attractions you should stay toward Florida street or near the main harbor, but I recommend the Palermo area if you are a backpacker or/and want a taste of the night life.
I stayed at a hostel in Palermo and it was 80-100 pesos per night depending on the night. If you are looking for a more social hostel in the center of the city I heard x is a great choice. Also check out Airbnb for accommodations. Many people rent apartments during the week and if you are in a group, the cost per person will be comparable to a hostel.
Getting around
The subway is the easiest way to get around the city. It costs 4 pesos and is a breeze to figure out where you are going. The public buses are easy to take as well and will cover areas you can’t get to by train. Also the bus is a nice way to get ‘a ride around the city’. I recommend taking the bus at least once from Palermo all the way across the city to Caminito street. The 29 bus costs about 5-6 pesos and the ride will be about an hour with stops across the city. Taxi’s are metered which can add up quickly depending on traffic and if they drive you around a bit to run up your tab. I would recommend sticking to public transport when you can.
Also I rented a bike for the day and road around from the Palermo area to the center of the city. The city is not terribly ‘bike friendly’ as it does not have bike lanes or many bike racks to lock your bike. Also I would not rent a bike and head from the center to the ‘La Boca’ area as it is not really safe to do so. I did the walk from the main harbor to the La Boca area (not a smart idea on my part) and it was not scenic or safe. There is not a walking path in many places, you are simply walking on the side of the road passed many homeless people and shanty houses, so the bus or a taxi is recommended if you are leaving the central city to the La Boca area.
If you are heading into or out of the city, head to the x train stop to get to the bus terminal. It is a rather large terminal with are many companies heading to a number of destinations. This is the place to go for inexpensive transport in and out of the city.
What do I do?
Sight Seeing
Casa Rosado
The beautiful building near the waterfront of downtown Buenos Aires were prominent art is displayed and government officials work. In front of the building is also where any protests take place. They give free tours all day that are a little over an hour. The hours are from 9AM to 6PM. They offer tours only in Spanish. I recommend taking a tour if you have the time. They walk you throughout the building, take you to the president’s office if they are not there, and you have a beautiful view looking into the main square at the end of the tour.
Caminito
The artistic colorful calle of Buenos Aires. Its harder to get to than the other sights as it is not accessible by train and it is not safe to walk to from the city center, but it is a center of artistic expression I recommend checking out. The best ways to get there are to take a taxi from x stop off the metro or to take the bus. If you are coming from the Palermo area the 29 bus is the correct bus. Make sure you head there in the late morning to mid afternoon as the area closes down between 5-6PM. It is in an area called ‘La Boca’ where the rivers meet and at the water it looks like where they old port used to be. You will recognize the area when you arrive as they buildings are painted in bright colors, vendors selling trinkets will be liming the streets, and the accompanying buildings will have murals painted on them.
Teatro Colon
A beautiful working theater in central Buenos Aires that has recently been renovated and is magnificent. The tour guide takes you round the interior and will talk about the history and current use of the building. The influence of the European culture is apparent in the architecture as it is a fusion of styles from Greece, Italian, French, to Belgian. If you visit, did not book a ticket to see a show (or opera) you have to book a tour if you want to see the inside. They offer tours in multiple languages and tours should be booked ahead of time if you are looking for a language other than Spanish or you are visiting during the busy season as it is one of the more popular tourist destinations. It costs about 150 pesos per person for the tour.
Fairia
Every Sunday on Calle Defencia stretching for at least half a kilometer is a street fair. Vendors and artisans sell leather goods (belts, shoes, bags), souvenirs, antiques, and more right on the road. You will get the best variety and the best deals here. If you want a belt or leather shoes made for you on the spot, you are looking for the perfect leather bag that will probably last you the better part of a decade, or you are looking for gifts to take home to your family and friends make sure you stop by.
If you can not make it on a Sunday artisans do sell items on Florida street where it intersects with Mayo during the week. Also there is a local shop at x where local artists set up camp to sell goods.
Calle de Mayo
The central avenue is the central artery of the city from the obelisk to Casa Rosado. I would recommend walking from the Teatro Colon to the obelisk and down Casa Rosado. On this street you will find the cafe (xyz) (famous because it was a stop for Queen Elizabeth to have tea) and small shops including a market of artists selling goods at abc. When you reach the main square, Casa Rosado will be directly in front of you beyond the park at the head of the square on the right (north west corner) will be a church I recommend taking a walk through.
Botanical Garden
The garden is free, not that large, relaxing, and close to the Palermo area. I would recommend taking a stroll through if you have time. It can take 20 minutes if you are going to walk right through or over an hour depending on your pace.
Zoo
The central city has a zoo that I heard was quite good. I did not go, but I passed by I could see ostriches through the gate and it takes up a large area. It costs 90 pesos for entry.
ABC Park
This park is quite large and has a lake in the center. It is a great park if you are a runner and you are looking for a good place to run. If you are walking it is rather large and you may want to rent a bike if you don’t have a lot of time and want to still see the entire park. Also the layout is a little confusing as some of the streets weave into one another so bring a map to guide you if you get lost. Also make sure you go during the day for safety reasons, although the neighborhoods around the park seemed quite nice, its just not a place for a night run.
Tango
There are a number of places you can see Tango shows and get dinner in the city. The cost for an evening is between 400-550 pesos per person for dinner and a show. If you stop by a hostel versus booking through a hotel you will probably get a better deal. There is also another option if you are on a budget and a little more adventurous. You can take the subway and head to the park at x and x. In the park couples perform outside every night from about 6-2AM. There is a tent there and if you stop by a local pizza place and get empandas or/and a pie to eat in the park while you watch the dancers it makes for a nice evening. Make sure you bring some change for tips for the dancers. They do dance for the love of the dance, but are working for tips.
Visiting Uruguay
There is a ferry that can be taken to cities in Uruguay. Common destinations are Montevideo (3-4 hours away) and Colonia (about 1 hour away). The Ferry is called ‘Colonia Express’ and tickets can be purchased online for the trip. You can also book through a hostel, but be aware they will charge a commission for the booking. While I was in Buenos Aires we went to Colonia. This was a little old port town with beaches, small restaurants, and small hostels or hostels. Uruguay is more expensive relatively than Argentina, but it does have beaches. I did not head to Montevideo, but Colonia was more of a relaxing weekend get-a-way or a great place to stop for the night if you are passing through. Check out the view from the lighthouse if you do visit.
Food
If you are a ‘foodie’ this is the place to go. Some of the best steak and ice cream I have had on the planet. Yes, there are other things to do, but the food definitely makes Buenos Aires an amazing destination.
Steak
There are many places are great for steak, but the two I went two were amazing. Don Julio and La Cabrera. The traditional cut you want to try is ‘Bife de Oro’, but whatever you get it will be amazing. La Cabrera has a ‘happy hour’ from 7-8 everyday where they offer 40-50% off all menu prices (not just drinks) for that hour. There is usually a queue of people waiting for the place to open at 7PM and if you order outside that window you will not get the discount, also they do not take reservations. Don Julio felt very ‘classic’ steak house with the focus on the actual steak. Going to La Cabrera there was greater focus on the over all presentation. The waiter elegantly presented the sides on the table before the steak, placing them on the table quickly and gracefully, it was ‘a dance’ before the meal. To top off the experience every side was delicious on its own, the only thing lacking was the bread, which was better at Don Julio’s.
Ice Cream
I am not a person that ‘loves’ sweets and I had ice cream almost everyday when I was in Buenos Aires, its just that good. There are a number of places that the locals go to for ice cream and you can’t really lose wherever you pick, but I would recommend taking a trek to Niccolo’s. It is tucked away in a residential neighborhood, but every night when he opens there is a line on the street for this guys ice cream. Its just one guy running the shop and you can buy ‘un quatro’ (a quarter), half, or one kilo. Try the (Almond).
Going out
Palermo is the place to go out. There are two main intersections that have a number of bars and restaurants near each other you can check out. The first place is x and x and the second intersection is y and y. I did not properly check out the club scene, but I heard x was a great spot to check out. Be aware that the night life starts late. We went out around 11-12PM and some places were completely empty. It seems the culture is to start at a bar or eat and drink at home and head out to the club at 1-2AM to start the night.
Other items…
Visas/Reciprocity Fees
A message for the US citizens, you need to pay the Argentina reciprocity fee ($160 USD) online (add link) and print the information document to being with you before you enter the country whether you are flying or busing in. They will not allow you to pay the fee when you get the the airport or border crossing. I did not experience any hiccups, I paid and showed them my printed voucher at the border crossing, but I have heard stories of others who did not have the voucher and were not allowed to cross until they came back with the notification. Just a warning to the US citizens, make sure you pay the fee and print the voucher before coming to Argentina.
Money
Bring cash to Argentina in US dollars in bills of $50 and $100. Why? Because if you exchange your US dollars for Argentinian pesos in Argentina on the ‘black market’ you will get a higher exchange rate than any other currency. I am not recommending you do it or not, I am just going to explain how I understand it.
The exchange rate for US dollars to Argentinian pesos is fixed (currently at 8 pesos for every dollar), but in each city there are local Argentinians who will take your US dollars as give you a higher rate for them.
Why? As I understand it, Argentineans are limited in the amount of their income they can hold in US dollars by the Argentinian government. They prefer holding US dollars because of the high inflation rate of the Argentinian peso. In order to avoid the effect of inflation, Argentineans trade there extra savings, unofficially, with foreigners who bring in US dollars. Since the trade is unofficial they exchange it at a higher rate than the official exchange rate, known as the ‘blue dollar’.
It differs by city and exchange house, but currently the exchange is between 11.5-12.5 pesos for every dollar, but it happens so often you can see the official-unofficial exchange rate here. (Link to blue dollar) you will get the best exchange rates in concentrated urban centers like Buenos Aires versus smaller towns and better during the weekdays and during midday, because there is a greater demand for the dollar. Also they usually give a better rate for larger bills such as $50 and $100.
In Buenos Aires you can go to Florida street at the x subway stop to exchange. How do you find these people or know if you are in the right place? Just walk down the street and people will be saying “Cambio? Cambio?” to you randomly as you walk down the street.
How does it work? You can go to a couple of people and negotiate rates and they may even take you into an exchange room where you will see nothing but a guy (or gal) behind what it looks like to be a ticket office with blank walls. You ask the teller what the rate is, they will either tell you or type it in a calculator and show you, if you like the rate you hand them the money. They will pass back through a opening in the wall behind them and a mysterious hand will pick up your money and seconds later put pesos in its place, the teller gives you the money, you should count it in front of them and check to make sure the bills are real and then the exchange is done.
This is so common that I observed one guy saying “Cambio, Cambio” on Florida street while two police walked by. It was unreal. Also I spoke to an exchange student from Germany who lived in Buenos Aires and even would take trips to Uruguay (just a one hour ferry away) to exchange her x currency into US dollars.
Money
In Buenos Aires you can go to Bartolome Mitre and Florida at the Catedral subway stop to exchange (just walk down Bartolome Mitre). How do you find these people or know if you are in the right place? Just walk down the street and people will be saying “Cambio? Cambio?” to you randomly as you walk down the street.
