It is said that Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America, and in my recent visit there I can say that this city certainly has a very European feel to it.
A city tour or the open top bus tour is a great way to get your bearings.
If you have more than a few days stay, I recommend Plaza de Mayo the most important plaza in the city, facing the Casa Rosada, the Cathedral and other major civic buildings. Other must do things include a visit to the Obelisk on Avenida 9 Julio, the largest boulevard in the world, it has to be seen to be believed.
La Boca is at least a ½ day excursion, giving you time to enjoy the colourful little houses, the streets stalls of arts and crafts and the dancing. In this area there are many restaurants, touristy but quite picturesque. Sit down for a coffee/beer and watch the people go by.
San Telmo is the oldest barrio (suburb) of Buenos Aires, this is colonial Buenos Aires, well preserved buildings with a lot of character, cobblestoned streets. Here you can find artists, dancers, many tango houses, and it is also famous for its Feria de Antiquedades (flea market) which is in Plaza Dorrego. This fair runs every Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
Another popular tourist sight in Buenos Aires is a visit to Eva Peron’s grave which is in the Cementerio Recoleta, in the fashionable and expensive suburb of Recoleta. The Duarte Family mausoleum is a bit of a walk, you may need to ask or follow the tourists as most people are here to visit Evita’s grave. This interesting place is also home to stray, friendly felines, who mainly bask in the sunshine as cats do.
The banks of the river Plate have been rennovated and are a nice place to stroll and enjoy the outdoors.
The original cranes which used to unload the ships during the years used as shipping docks are now art features, painted in bright colours and lit at night.
A lovely new area of the city is Puerto Madero with very modern buildings and lots of hotels, restaurants and shopping malls. If you prefer to stay away from the city centre which tends to be busier and a bit run down this is nice part of town in which to stay.
Gastronomy is a big part of the Argentines daily life, they start the day with media lunas (croissants) and coffee. You will be offered pastries whenever you order a coffee, which as descendants of Italians they make very good coffee. Note that a cup of coffee at a cafe is always served with a small glass of sparkling mineral water which is nice and refereshing. Argentina’s huge cattle industry makes it mandatory to try one of Buenos Aires infamous steak houses, there are so many to choose from so use your own judgement.
Argentina produce very nice wines, mostly grown in the area around Mendoza. Highly recommend you try their Malbec variety.
A tango show is a must and highly entertaining. Dinner and show packages are popular, however, the dinner as part of these packages is average, so I would suggest dining elsewhere then just go to a show. There are many of these theatres in the San Telmo area.
If you have the time a day trip into the countryside is recommended, there are many companies offering a day trip to a typical Argentinean ranch for a Gaucho (cowboy) show and a hearty country barbecue, or you may prefer to attend a polo show which is a very popular Argentinean sport.
Argentina is very good value to Australian travellers, our dollar currently goes a lot further than most places in Argentina.
This huge country has much to offer, but you need more than a few days to see more of Argentina. To the north Iguasu Falls, to the south Patagonia area, Bariloche, Calafate, Glacier Perito Moreno, Peninsula Valdes to name a few, adventure, landscape, eco tourism, health spas, ski fields, wine regions, national parks including the most south city in the world, Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego. There is something for everyone in Argentina so why wait, contact me now.