Buenos Aires is a vibrant mix of old European charm and flashy latin appeal.
It is large enough to contain many different unique neighborhoods, so it can hold your interest for more than just a weekend (especially when you throw in a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay).
I based my stay in the old center, near the Obelisk, Avenue Florida, and Casa Rosada, but using the HOHO (Hop on/Hop off) bus stretched my reach much further afield.
BA is very easy to get around, given the wide, pedestrian friendly avenues, extensive subway map, and cheap taxi and Ubers. I spend a lot of time walking because I see much more that way, and I can stop whenever I want to spend more time with new discoveries.
Of note: there seems to be more crime in BA then in most European cities. I was not affected, but the police presence throughout the city is substantial, with officers stationed every block or two downtown. I generally walk with my iPad in hand to help me navigate new cities, and on three separate occasions I was advised by helpful citizens that I shouldn’t do that. It gave me pause, since I never felt in any danger, and I think I have an acute sense of it, given my many travels. So it made me wonder if I was just being naive. I kept a little better watch of my surroundings, perhaps, but I didn’t change my ways.
Unlike many of my trips, I didn’t have my itinerary completely planned before I left. In fact, the only thing pre-arranged was my day trip to Uruguay. But I quickly booked the Teatro Colón tour on my first day, to make sure not to miss it. The rest of the trip was opportunistic, using the HOHO bus and jumping off where my fancy led me.
My highlights included learning a few tango steps from a street tango troupe, paying my respects to Evita (surrounded by amazing statues and mausoleums), the Teatro Colón, the Feria de San Telmo (a Sunday market with hundreds of stalls spread along the coble stone streets of San Telmo), sitting to dinner with a lovely couple who invited me to join them, and colorful La Boca.
Where you pick your hotel is less important if you are going to use the HOHO bus. Since the three tours cover so much of the city, you can jump on from almost anywhere.
Why go?
- You’ve done all of the major European cities, and are looking from something new along the same lines. In fact, the majority of locals in BA can trace their heritage back to Europe.
- You’d like to find a place with enough to do to hold your interest for more than a weekend, while staying in the same hotel/location.
- You understand Spanish, and want another location to practice. But in BA, it is called Castellano, and will sound different from what you’re used to.
- You like steak. They have steak. They have good steak!
- You’ve seen Evita, and want to pay homage.
- You’re looking to be psychoanalyzed. They claim to have more psychiatrists per person than any city in the world.
What you need to know:
- Buenos Aires time is GMT-3, so essentially one hour ahead of EST
- Mate “Drink of the Gods” is almost sacred in Argentina. It traditionally comes in a carved out gourd with a silver straw sticking out.
- Uber is alive and well in BA, and incredibly cheap.
- Be careful about your belongings, especially electronics. I didn’t see any thefts myself, but I was warned on multiple occasions.
- You restaurant bill may include a small charge for bread and cutlery (cubierto) and for your glass of water.
- People stay out late in BA. The locals go out to eat between 8 and 11pm.
- If you are in town on Sunday, don’t miss the San Telmo Market: with streets and streets of vendors. It’s also a great place to people watch. But be careful of pickpockets.
- Check out the exchange rate before you go. The economy is volatile, and the exchange rate can vary significantly from day to day. You can bring cash from home and exchange it when you get there.
Teatro Colón - The opera house
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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The Teatro Colón (Colón Theatre) in Buenos Aires is one of the most important opera houses in the world. Its rich and prestigious history and its exceptional acoustics and architectural features rank it among theatres such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Teatro Colón - Golden Hall
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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A private lounge for the well-to-do, to see and be seen.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #goldenhall #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Cupid is telling Venus a secret
Teatro Colón - Hall of Busts (Salon de Bustos)
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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In this statue, cupid is telling Venus a secret.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #hallofbusts #salondebustos #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Teatro Colón - Stained glass
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Another stained glass work of art, commissioned from Paris.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #hallofbusts #salondebustos #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Stained glass ceiling of the hall of busts
Teatro Colón - Hall of Busts (Salon de Bustos)
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Stained glass imported from Paris.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #hallofbusts #salondebustos #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Teatro Colón - Parisian stained glass
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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The Teatro Colón (Colón Theatre) in Buenos Aires is one of the most important opera houses in the world. Its rich and prestigious history and its exceptional acoustics and architectural features rank it among theatres such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Teatro Colón - The grand stairway
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Note the Italian and Portuguese marble and the highly detailed carving!
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera #italianmarble
Teatro Colón - Entrance Lobby
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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The imported marble, interesting blends of architectural styles and almost pristine shape (it was recently refurbished) make this a grand building.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Teatro Colón from outside
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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The Teatro Colón (Colón Theatre) in Buenos Aires is one of the most important opera houses in the world. Its rich and prestigious history and its exceptional acoustics and architectural features rank it among theatres such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Teatro Colón from outside
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Teatro Colón
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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The Teatro Colón (Colón Theatre) in Buenos Aires is one of the most important opera houses in the world. Its rich and prestigious history and its exceptional acoustics and architectural features rank it among theatres such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
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This picture is posted on Instagram as a way to include it in my travel blog. Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
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Picture taken: 1/2019
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#TeatroColón #TeatroColon #ColónTheatre #ColonTheatre #buenosaires #buesnosairesargentina #argentina #worldclassopera #operahouse #opera
Floralis Genérica - A moving sculpture in Buenos Aires
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Location: Plaza de las Naciones Unidas, Buenos Aires .
This giant steel and aluminum sculpture of a flower was gifted to the city of Buenos Aires in 2002 by the architect Eduardo Catalano. He was known to have said that the flower "is a synthesis of all the flowers and, at the same time, a hope reborn every day at opening.". Remarkably, the petals move, opening at sunrise and closing at sunset. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information on my travel blog .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#floralisgenérica #florialisgenerica #buenosaires #buenosairesargentina #argentina #argentina🇦🇷 #sculpture #flowersculpture
Lost in translation?
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Location: Buenos Aires .
This item on the menu caught my eye. Any Spanish speakers who can add some insight? Another item on the same menu was translated as “vacuum”
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Head to the link in my profile for more information on my travel blog .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#buenosaires #buenosaires2019 #argentina #lostintranslation #golfsauce #buenosairesargentina
Cafe Tortoni - a step back in time. .
Location: Buenos Aires .
The Café Tortoni was opened in 1858 with a French menu frequented by the elite upstairs and painters, writers, journalists and musicians in the basement. It feels like you are stepping back in time, with pictures and décor reminiscent of historic Paris. The food is fine, and not as expensive as I was expecting for a tourist draw that requires you to wait in line outside for a table.
They have a back room with tango and singing shows, for additional cost.
I was invited to join a couple from BA. Between their limited English, my very limited Spanish, Google translate and charades, we had a delightful conversation. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information on my travel blog .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#cafetortoni #cafetortonibuenosaires #buenosaires #buenosairesargentina #argentina
Cafe Tortoni - a step back in time. .
Location: Buenos Aires .
The Café Tortoni was opened in 1858 with a French menu frequented by the elite upstairs and painters, writers, journalists and musicians in the basement. It feels like you are stepping back in time, with pictures and décor reminiscent of historic Paris. The food is fine, and not as expensive as I was expecting for a tourist draw that requires you to wait in line outside for a table.
They have a back room with tango and singing shows, for additional cost.
I was invited to join a couple from BA. Between their limited English, my very limited Spanish, Google translate and charades, we had a delightful conversation. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information on my travel blog .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#cafetortoni #cafetortonibuenosaires #buenosaires #buenosairesargentina #argentina
Cafe Tortoni - a step back in time. .
Location: Buenos Aires .
The Café Tortoni was opened in 1858 with a French menu frequented by the elite upstairs and painters, writers, journalists and musicians in the basement. It feels like you are stepping back in time, with pictures and décor reminiscent of historic Paris. The food is fine, and not as expensive as I was expecting for a tourist draw that requires you to wait in line outside for a table.
They have a back room with tango and singing shows, for additional cost.
I was invited to join a couple from BA. Between their limited English, my very limited Spanish, Google translate and charades, we had a delightful conversation. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information on my travel blog .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#cafetortoni #cafetortonibuenosaires #buenosaires #buenosairesargentina #argentina
Cafe Tortoni - a step back in time. .
Location: Buenos Aires .
The Café Tortoni was opened in 1858 with a French menu frequented by the elite upstairs and painters, writers, journalists and musicians in the basement. It feels like you are stepping back in time, with pictures and décor reminiscent of historic Paris. The food is fine, and not as expensive as I was expecting for a tourist draw that requires you to wait in line outside for a table.
They have a back room with tango and singing shows, for additional cost.
I was invited to join a couple from BA. Between their limited English, my very limited Spanish, Google translate and charades, we had a delightful conversation. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information on my travel blog .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#cafetortoni #cafetortonibuenosaires #buenosaires #buenosairesargentina #argentina
Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires .
Location: The Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires .
View of the front featuring the equestrian statue of General Manuel Belgrano. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information on my travel blog .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#casarosada #casarosado #casarosadabuenosaires #buenosaires #buenosairesargentina #argentina #belgrano #manuelbelgrano #generalmanuelbelgrano
Ode to Work (Canto al Trabajo) – Sculpture by Rogelio Yrurtia in Buenos Aires .
Location: Plazoleta Coronel Manuel de Olazabal, Buenos Aires, Argentina .
A group of people of all ages together drag a huge rock. To me, it could mean “Why are we dragging a stupid rock? They’ll just be another one when we get to where we are going.” or perhaps “Together we can achieve anything”. Yeah, let’s go with that second one. Each of the figures is carefully detailed and scaled to 2.5 human size. .
If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#rogelioyrurtia #rogelio #rogelioyrurtiabuenosaires #buenosaires #plazacoronelmanueldeolaza #argentina #odetowork
Jesus meets Rodin? .
Location: Basilica of Our Lady of the Pilar, Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina .
The is the first time I have come across this particular pose for Jesus.
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If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#ourladyofthepilar #ourladyofthepilarbasilica #basilicaofourladyofthepillar #buenosaires #recoleta #argentina #recoletabasilica #basilicarecoleta #Jesusthinker #thethinker #rodinthinker #rodinthethinker #thinker
The Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina .
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina .
The iconic view of the Obelisk with the BA initials.
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If you like my photos, please follow me on Instagram. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Buenos Aires on my travel blog: @mytravels.hdf .
Date: 01/2019 .
#obelisco #buenosaires #obeliscobuenosaires #argentina #ba #baargentina #obeliscoargentina #buenosairesobelisco
Tango in a German – looking hat. Where did you get that gorgeous dame. Weather looks good. Have fun.
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