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Unforgettable days in Buenos Aires

 
Coming Soon!
 
More Recommendations for unforgettable days  in Buenos Aires, including:
  • Dining out at Puerto Madero: seated on the verandas of this food-lovers paradise, enjoying the sultry summer evenings away from street noise, and having a ring side view of the strollers as they wander along the harbour side.
  • A day at Tigre: via the Tren de la Costa to Tigre, then on the water taxis as they zip through the gorgeous Tigre Delta, a late lunch by the water, a stroll along a hidden canal, then back to Tigre for great shopping at the Puerto do los Frutos. On the weekends, a stop at the antique market in Barrancas is also possible.
  • Sharing scenes of worship: Buenos Aires is full of beautiful Catholic churches and cathedrals, but you may not know that it is also one of the largest Jewish cities outside of Israel and so has many synagogues. It also has a mosque, a Russian Orthodox Church, a Mahikari Centre, and other interesting places of worship. Let us know what interests you.
  • La Feria del Mataderos (literally the Fair of the District of Slaughterhouses). Great folk dancing from many regions and other South American countries, country food, gorgeous little things to buy....
  • Tango in the band rotunda on a summer evening.
  • A picnic at Rosedal - the newly renovated Rose Gardens, and/or a stroll around the Japanese Gardens.
  • and lots more .........
Plus
  • Day or longer trips to Uruguay.
  • Trips to other parts of Argentina.
 
 
 

Book lovers' delight for a rainy day

A good book shop can be a booklover's delight on a rainy day, when the prospect of staying en casa does not appeal.
Buenos Aires is just full of wonderful book shops, but one not to miss - listed as one of the ten best in the world by the Guardian - is the Ateneo on Av Santa Fe 1860 (about 8 blocks from Casas Jasmin and Rosa).
This is housed in what used to be the Grand Splendid theatre, where many of the tango greats (including Carlos Gardel) sang.
The Ateneo, Av Santa Fe         
 
If you are looking for books in English, you might prefer to try some others that cater for you - try Natalie Gourvich's "Buenos AIres Brilliant Bookstores", downloadable as a pdf for free. 
 
 

Explore the architecture of the city

Buenos Aires has many different styles of architecture, much of it elegant (if a little faded).
 

Architectural tour (to Piazzolla)

 
We have many books on Buenos Aires architecture which you can use to choose some key edificios you would like to see, or you could just wander about and look at some of these wonderful gems. Most of the buildings you see in the video (above) are in the central part of Buenos Aires, so not far away from our casas.
 
We are particularly fascinated by the doors of Buenos Aires. 
 

Go shopping .... for antiques

Aaahhhhh.... If only one could take a container load home! Buenos Aires is a treasure trove for antique lovers, but be aware when you look at older websites boasting of treasures for a song that asking prices are escalating. There are not so many real bargains as there used to be.
 
But why not just feast your eyes on hundreds of crystal chandeliers, antique tiles and china, or gorgeous hand-made furniture. There are shops that specialise in art deco, or art nouveau, or country style furniture, or vitraux (art windows) and much more.
 
To see the most antiques in one short stroll you need to go to San Telmo, where there is also an outdoor bricabrac market on Sundays. To preview some of the gorgeous stuff on offer, here is a list of some San Telmo antiques shops, many of which have websites listed. Av Rivadavia, around the 4000 block, also has a cluster of interesting shops.
 
If you want to buy something too big to take home as luggage, discuss your export needs with the shop keeper. If they can't arrange shipping for a known price, you probably don't want to buy it. There are also rules about exporting artworks, so ask!
 
You could even go to an antiques auction - just remember to keep your hands in your pockets unless you really want to buy something. There are auctions at Roldan in R Pena 1673,  Naon in Guido 1785, or at Banco de la Ciudad, Esmeralda 660. We like Luchetti's at M T Alvear 825, which has an auction every Tuesday at 7.30pm, but you can browse the auction showroom Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 10am to 7pm.
 
 

Take High Tea with a history 

High Tea is a tradition here, and there are two places to take it that offer so much more than delight to the taste buds.
 

High Tea at the Alvear Palace

Av Alvear 1891, Recoleta.  
 
High Tea here has been a tradition for more than 70 years. Served in L'Orangerie, you are surrounded by luxury. Many people have waxed lyrical about the experience so we won't - read Amy  and Matt's blog, or the views of The Single Guy.
 
 
 
Details: , Mondays to Saturdays  4:30 pm. to 7 pm. Sundays 5 pm. to 7 pm. Reservations : 4808.2949/4808 ext 2100 or 1643
 
 

Buy some tea from heaven: Tealosophy

After you have had tea, don't forget to drop in to Tealosophy, in the Alvear Palace Shopping Mall. Their teas will seduce your senses.
 
 
 
This company was founded by Ines Berton, the Argentine painter.
 
She has also produced a Tealosophy CD with the same name, using the byline: Painting with fragrance and sound.
 

 

 
 

High Tea at Las Violetas

Rivadavia 3899 (cnr Medrano), Almagro (Use the A line subte to Castro Barras station.)
 
Inaugurated as a coffee house in 1884, the current building, with its wonderful stained glass was built in the 1920s. Abandoned in the late 1990s, it was declared a City Heritage Site and restored and reopened in 2001.
 
High Tea here is sumptuous, and you are more likely to see Argentines enjoying it, as this is less of a well known tourist attraction.
 
 
You can see the High Tea menu on the Las Violetas website, and check out more photos of the stunning windows. 
 
 

Rushed for time - "See it all in a day"

 Alan Patrick of Buenos Aires Argentina Guide offers a step by step guide to his "Perfect Day in Buenos Aires".
 
Warning: You'll be exhausted at the end of your day, but we think this is a pretty good guide for someone just passing through Buenos Aires. We hope you have a less rushed visit though.