A City Guide to Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires – the raucous, vibrant capital of Argentina – once rivalled Paris for the beauty of its buildings and the sophistication of its citizens. Today, its Baroque and Neoclassical architecture and elegant living endures amid an array of colourful neighbourhoods that radiate out from the city’s beating heart (the Plaza de la República) in a riotous mix of exuberance, confidence and pride

THE ICONS

Recoleta Cemetery

A cemetery needs something special to be an icon, and the one in the leafy barrio of Recoleta has it in spades. This is the final resting place of Eva (Evita) Perón – politician, activist and Argentina’s adored First Lady. Presidents, Nobel Prize winners, writers, painters – a roll-call of Argentina’s political, social and artistic past ­– are here, too. Its ornate mausoleums make it a permanent inclusion in ‘Top Ten’ lists of the world’s most beautiful cemeteries.

San Telmo

Buenos Aires’ oldest neighbourhood is also its most charming, with a parade of classic colonial buildings, an historic flea market with eateries too numerous to mention, and a feast of antique shops that sell everything from period furniture to 19th-century European pistols. Period movies are filmed here, and fans of contemporary street art will gush at its exceptional array of murals.

La Boca

The La Boca district is famous for its colourful streetscapes and Bohemian approach to life. Close to the Port of Buenos Aires, it has always been a cultural and gastronomic meltingpot, now known as a focal point for the unfettered expression of Latin America’s great dance, the tango, which originated in its gritty working-class streets in the late 1800s.

MUST DO

Go to this library and ‘look up’

It’s often a shame when an old theatre is re-purposed. But El Ateneo Grand Splendid wipes all that angst away. What began as a theatre in 1919 is now one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores, replete with magnificent frescoed ceilings and grand scalloped seating boxes. It was first reinvented as a cinema in 1929 (one of the first in the country), and today hundreds visit daily to marvel at its opulence… and to read. Books in English might be a rarity, but honestly, that hardly matters.

Go to this lighthouse and ‘look down’

The Palacio Barolo on Avenida de Mayo, the city’s first boulevard, is a landmark 22-floor office building designed to reflect Dante’s classic Divine Comedy. Completed in 1923, its basement and ground floor represent hell, floors 1-14 are purgatory, and 15-22 are heaven. Its rooftop lighthouse is open for tours and its glow is so strong it can be seen from Uruguay.

ART & CULTURE

Tango options are limitless across BA, but the Rojo Tango show at the five-star Faena Hotel in Puerto Madero, the city’s redeveloped port area, is a must. The Rojo troupe dance on tabletops and the bar, energised by the dos-cuatro, the tango’s mesmerising two-four rhythm, amid Faena’s stunning Philippe Starck -designed interiors. Dinner is at 8:30 pm and the show starts promptly at 10:00 pm.

NATURAL BEAUTY

Buenos Aires has more than 1,100 green spaces covering more than 1,800 hectares, and one of the most visited is El Jardín Japonés, a Japanese-themed garden inaugurated in 1967 and one of the city’s most tranquil places. Traditionally-styled bridges, a carp-filled lake and a peace bell are all here, in one of the largest of its kind found outside Japan.

WINE & DINE

Over the centuries, Argentina has blended the traditional produce of its Indigenous peoples – cassava, beans, peppers – with ingredients from across the world. Meanwhile, the asado – barbecue – remains its culinary tour de force.

Crizia Restaurant & Grill

Crizia is the brainchild of chef Gabriel Oggero, who is so passionate about Argentinian cuisine that his fare made a recent list of ‘Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants’. Oggero is all about small, local producers, showcased in dishes like Dijon-braised rabbit, black angus on the bone and wood-grilled Peking duck. An expertly curated wine list and a lofty dining room completes the perfect night out.

La Estancia

Don’t let the rotating spit – with some of the largest carcasses you’ve ever seen hanging from it – intimidate you at La Estancia. This local favourite is not only delicious, but also very welcoming and genuine. Suckling pig, grilled goat, lamb skewers – all proteins come from the establishment’s own ranch. A classic Buenos Aires tradition since 1962.

STAY HERE

Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

What a hotel; what a history. Built as a Tudor Revival mansion in 1890, it sits on Buenos Aires’ most emblematic street: Alvear Avenue. Its gardens were designed in 1913 by the great Argentine landscaper Carlos Thays. Then in the 1920s it was purchased by the Duhau family, who transformed it into what they called their ‘imaginary Versailles’. It is now one of Buenos Aires’ most coveted addresses.

GETTING AROUND

Buenos Aires is a walkable city of eclectic neighbourhoods, and most of the must-see attractions – including La Boca and San Telmo – are within easy reach of each other. Bicycles are available from BA Bikes for group tours or individual hire, and taxis are plentiful and cheap. Below ground, the Subte underground rail network connects 90 city stations and carries a million commuters every day.