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More European than South American in flavor, Buenos Aires'
heart boasts bustling streets, grand avenues, old-time cafes
and stylish restaurants. The locals are renowned for their
flair and cockiness, even in times of adversity. It's a city
of tragedy and elation, a vibrant, cosmopolitan capital.
Although Gran Buenos Aires has swollen to 13 million people,
most tourists stick to the Capital Federal,
which is home to a mere 3 million porteños (locals)
and is divided into 48 barrios (neighborhoods). Once you get
your head around the barrios and sub-neighborhoods that complicate
the city's layout, Buenos Aires becomes easier to navigate.
The Microcentro, or downtown precinct, provides access to
the most interesting barrios and entertainment areas along
the Avenidas of Corrientes, Córdoba
and Santa Fe, and the pedestrian-only streets
of Florida and Lavalle. The Avenida
9 de Julio is an unmistakable point of reference;
its 16 lanes of traffic run from San Telmo in the south to
Retiro up north, with a sky-piercing white obelisk at its
center. The dockside barrio of Puerto Madero runs north-south
along the Río de la Plata and is very pedestrian friendly.
At the eastern end of Avenida de Mayo, one
of Microcentro's main east-west boulevards, the Plaza
de Mayo attracts a bountiful blend of tourists, students
and political activists and is surrounded by many important
buildings, including the famous Presidential Palace (Casa
Rosada). South of Microcentro are the faded architecture and
cobbled streets of colonial San Telmo, home and birthplace
of the sultry tango, and La Boca, the tough
port barrio and colorful working class heart of Buenos Aires.
Uptown is the ritzy barrio of Recoleta, while
the trendy tree-lined Palermo has parks aplenty and Buenos
Aires' hottest bars and ethnic eats.
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 Cementerio
de la Recoleta
It's not very often that a cemetery would feature as
a tourist must-see, but the necropolis at Recoleta is
an astonishing exception to the rule. Recoleta is Buenos
Aires' ritziest and wealthiest neighbourhood, with superb
old mansions along the Avenida Alvear. Nowhere is this
elitism better displayed than at the resting ground
of the rich and famous at the Cementario de la Recoleta.
Within the grounds, the mausoleums and vaults contain
the legacy of Argentina's aristocratic and turbulent
political past; their ostentatious splendor is a sight
to behold. The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Pilar
alongside the cemetery is a Baroque colonial church
that was consecrated in 1732, and is now a major historical
monument. |
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Plaza
de Mayo
At the east end of the Plaza de Mayo is the unmistakable
pink façade of the Casa Rosada (Presidential Palace).
From the heights of its lofty balcony, Juan and Eva Perón,
General Leopoldo Galtieri, Rául Alfonsín
and other politicians have addressed the throngs below.
Little wonder then that the Plaza de Mayo is a magnet
for political activities and demonstrations. Other major
buildings around the plaza include the Museo del Cabildo,
the intriguing old town council building that represents
all that's left of the recova (colonial arches) that once
surrounded the plaza, and the Catedral Metropolitana,
a religious landmark and major historical site. Inside
is the tomb of Argentina's repatriated and revered hero,
General José de San Martin, who chose exile in
France in the chaos following the country's independence. |
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Casa
Rosada
In 1580, Juan de Garay assigned this place for the construction
of Buenos Aires Fort. This building, currengly located
at 50 Balcarce street, has been the seat of the National
Government since the Primera Junta (the First Council)
in 1810. By looking up to the National Flag, a gallardet
indicates the presence of the President in the building.
It was painted pink after the decision of President Sarmiento
in 1873, who chose that color since it represented the
union of both political sectors (red was the color of
the federals, headed by Juan Manuel de Rosas, white was
the color of the opposition: the unitarians) |
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Café
Tortoni
The Café Tortoni is the most famous bar in Buenos
Aires, closely associated with the history of Tango. It
was founded in 1858, and named after a Parisian Café.
As the fame of the Tortoni spread, it was frequented by
many important Argentineartists and in its heyday poems
and tangos were written in its honour. The walls are decorated
with posters and photos of the 1930s and earlier. Live
music is performed here in the evenings. Next door is
the Academia Nacional del Tango. |
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Puerto
Madero
Puerto Madero is the newest, most expensive and most frequently
visited area by porteños - as the city inhabitants
are known (from "puerto" or port) - and tourists.
At the traditional port of Buenos Aires, old red-brick
warehouses were recycled and turned into first rate restaurants,
lofts and offices with the best view of the city. Following
the style of New York's seaport, this area is the brand
new refuge for executives and a not-to-miss spot for visitors. |
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Caminito
Historically, La Boca is a portside neighborhood. Its
particular style reflects the migratory influx that took
place between 1860 and 1910. The area received a larte
part of the European (mostly Italian) immigrants arriving
in the country. The Genoese painted their traditions in
La Boca. Its colorful flair is due to painter Quinquela
Martin's inspiration. "Piccola Italia" (Little
Italy), as it is also known, is filled with a Mediterranean
style, from its cuisine to its architecture. Today, the
street-museum "Caminito" is a must for the tourist.
On Vuelta de Rocha, restaurants, crafts shops and a public
path along the river make this area a unique and unforgettable
place. |
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Plaza
Dorrego
As both birthplace of the tango and a bohemian artist's
quarter, San Telmo barrio, in the Microcentro of Buenos
Aires, is still the city's prime store of cultural riches.
The Plaza Dorrego's amazing antiques market Feria de San
Telmo buzzes with excitable vendors, street performers
and tango dancers. Nearby is the Museo Histórico
Nacional, which details the whole Argentine experience
in paint and portrays the country's key independence and
republican figures. Other museums in the area include
the Museo Penitenciario Nacional, originally a Jesuit
convent and later a women's prison, and the Museo de Arte
Moderno, housed in a recycled tobacco warehouse. |
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Obelisco
The Obelisk is the irrefutable symbol of the citye, rising
from the intersections of 9 de Julio, Diagonal Norte and
Corrientes Avenues. Built in the thirties by architect
Alberto Prebisch, the monument was erected to commemorate
the 400th anniversary of the city's founding. 9 de Julio
Avenue is the widest in the world, crossing the city from
north to south. |
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Plaza
San Martin
The monument in honor of General José de San Martín
(national liberator) stands out in Plaza San Martín.
It was sculpted in 1862 by French artist Louis Joseph
Daumes. The statue was entirely melted in bronze and shows
the hero mounted on a furious horse. This is the very
detail of the work: the wole weight of the monument is
on the back legs of the animal. A marble memorial on the
easternmost border of the park provides a reminder of
the soldiers killed in combat during the Malvinas War
in 1982. |
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Florida
This street was constructively designed with a layer
of white tiles and is always cleaned at midnight by
a maintenance crew. Its purpose is for pedestrians to
walk on as they shop in the array of shops, galleries,
magazine stands, and restaurants that stay opened until
10:00pm. It is constantly speckled with both businessmen
and businesswomen ambling to work and tourists who purchase
souvenirs. On Florida is the Galerias Pacifico shopping
mall and in it you can find a cultural center called
Borges.
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Teatro
Colón
Opened in 1908, the Teatro Colón is truly a world-class
theatre and the jewel in Argentina's arts crown. The only
facility of its kind in the country, the seven-storey
Colón is used for opera, ballet and classical music,
with seating for 2500 spectators and standing room for
another thousand culture-craving Buenos Aires porteños.
Guided visits around the theatre's basement workshops,
rehearsal rooms, stage and seating areas highlight the
majesty and mechanics behind the spectacular performances.
Catch one if you can. |
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Bosques
de Palermo
At the northeast of the city is Palermo, named after Juan
Dominguez Palermo, who owned these lands in the 17th century.
The site of Rosas's mansion in the early 19th century,
its series of great parks, established by Sarmiento and
designed by Charles Thays, make it the most popular spot
in the city for spending weekends. The Parque 3 de Febrero,
the largest park, has lakes, tennis courts, a rose garden. |
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Palermo
Viejo - Hollywood - Soho
Palermo Viejo is the neighborhood where alternative fashion
new trends come to life, where glamorous artists and bohemian
intellectuals gather. It is the area chosen by young clothes
designers and decoration to show their avant-garde proposals.
And it is also the ultimate quarter chosen by gourmets
and the lovers of good cuisine, making this area the most
restaurant-populated of the city, offering the widest
selection of international food.
The neighborhood is synonym with youth, avant-garde, design
and fun. The power of creation increased the commercial
development of this area, thus turning it into a not-to-miss
spot for every visitor coming to Buenos Aires. Despite
its dynamic life, it still is a tree-lined neighborhood,
with old houses and sunny afternoons. |
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