http://www.busygirlsguide.co.uk/city_guides/detail/buenos_aires__argentina/27/

Laura Jones; September 2009

Buenos Aires - Argentina

Buenos Aires is busy, so prepare to be overwhelmed by all there is to see and do. Sightseeing, history, tango, nightlife, shopping, the famous barrios and much more…

Buenos Aires, on the banks of the Rio de la Plata, is a network of neighbourhoods with most of the sights of interest located near the centre of the city, where shopping, nightlife, restaurants, hotels and attractions are situated.

Buenos Aires definitely has more of a European feel than other South American capitals.The wide boulevards and diversity of the buildings are something to savour, as well as the dog walkers (they literally walk around ten dogs at once) and the wide availabilty of milongas or dance classes if you wish to practice salsa and/or tango.

Culinary highlights include the submarinos at Cafe Tortoni (Avenida de Mayo). This cafe is a must-see for the authentic decoration and formal waiter dress. A submarino resembles a hot chocolate, but you get given a cup of steamed milk, a chocolate bar and you let it melt. Fabuloso!

Freddo ice cream (branches all over the city) really is as good as they say. And I´m not even that big a fan of ice cream. But Dashi sushi (Fitz Roy and Gorriti) was the best recommendation I received for the city, whilst Cafe Victoria (off Plaza de Mayo) has the biggest and best sandwiches known to man.

Sugar Bar (Costa Rica and Armenia) is very cool. 20 pesos on a Saturday includes a drink, but free entry on a Tuesday with 5 peso drinks until 12, is sufficiently cheap to get a bit tipsy. Especially when the drinks are 3/4 alcohol and 1/4 mixer. It is also illuminated with seductive red tinted light, which has to make it cooler than normally lit places…

Club Museo (Peru 535), designed by Gustave Eiffel, is talked of very highly. There´s no denying that it´s a cool venue, once an old factory that is now an open plan, two floored club. There is however also no denying that it is full of the 30-something, male, after work crowd which basically means a disproportionate male-female ratio, incessant groping, chatting up and they are probably married; a potential downside!

Must sees are the Sunday markets; Recoleta and San Telmo. Recoleta harbours the cemetery with Eva Peron´s grave and in my opinion is a bigger and better market. San Telmo is certainly worth a visit however, if just to see street tango and various bands playing.

The Evita musuem, if you´re interested in Eva Peron, which is really a prerequisite for being in Argentina, is the place to learn about her life and early death.

TOP TIP: Buenos Aires is in the southern hemisphere where the seasons are the opposite of  the northern hemisphere (UK, etc).

Buenos Aires city enjoys a warm and benign climate during the whole year, without extremely hot or cold days, which means you can walk around the city during all seasons of the year. Winter is the best time to visit the north and the northeast as it rains less frequently and the cooler air is more pleasant. Autumn and spring are great seasons for Buenos Aires, Cuyo, La Rioja and Catamarca.

The Subte, subway, is old, fast and efficient, but goes only to the what used to be the outskirts in 1913. Buy a map of the system and fichas tokens) at ticket booths. The Subte runs 5:30 am to 1:30 am weekdays, less frequently on weekends.

Taxis are plentiful as are radio taxis called remises. Tips are expected. Car rentals and bike rentals are available.

Aerolineas Argentinas and most international airlines have regular flights from and to Buenos Aires.

TOP TIP: Check into the Aerolineas Argentinas air pass, also valid on Austral Airlines, which allows you to fly to any city they serve on a “Visit Argentina” tour.