Shannon
San Francisco
We are spending our first vacation (in a very long while) in Argentina, and we couldn't be more thrilled!
If you only had 4 days to spend in Buenos Aires, how would you spend them?
Where would you go?
Where & what would you eat?
Where would you grab a cocktail?
Is there a special place or activity that only locals would know about??
We are all ears!!
Not in any way an expert, but I was in Buenos Aires for four days as well, this past July. My itinerary was as follows...
Day 1: Walk down the 9 de Julio Ave. Have a late breakfast at Café Tortoni before walking on to Avenida de Mayo. Continue south to San Telmo.
Day 2: (pretty much a bust because I was sick) Lunch at El Cuartito Pizza. Short walk to El Ateneo bookstore.
Day 3: Start with a walk to Recoleta Cemetery. Get a cab to the Museo Evita. Walk around Palermo before heading to Anuva Wines for a tasting.
Day 4: (Sunday) Take a bus down to Caminito. Take a bus to San Telmo and walk up through the San Telmo Market to the Casa Rosada.
Despite being sick, I got a chance to see and do almost everything I wanted. The only things I missed out on was a tango show and Steaks by Luis.
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Hi Shannon, Polly gave you some good advices.
In four days you shouldn't miss Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo and La Boca, Puerto Madero, Recoleta and Palermo. This neighbourghoods are good for turist but they are also very authentic.
If you like museums you should go to Fundación Proa in La Boca, Faena Arts Center or Fortabat Art Collection in Puerto Madero, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires in San Telmo, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Recoleta, Malba in Palermo (this is a must for me), Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernandez Blanco, Museo Evita. You could also visit the Teatro Colón and the Usina del Arte.
To eat you can go to El Obrero in La Boca, a tipical "bodegón" with really great food, its very turisty though, you'll need a reservation but it's worth it. I also love Café San Juan in San Telmo, also with reservation because is really small, and La Panadería de Pablo specially for a lunch or a drink in the after office hours. El Cuartito Pizza is really good and traditional, for a more modern pizza you can go to Morelia. If you dare you should try a "choripan" or a "bondiola" sandwich in one of the street trucks in Costanera Sur, just behind Puerto Madero, they are really good. I usually go to La Querencia in Recoleta for some good "empanadas" and northern food like "humita", or to Las Cholas in Las Cañitas, the two are cheap and pretty good places. If you wanna eat really well and are willing to pay some more you should try Tegui, considered the best restaurant of the city, or Páru Inkas Sushi & Grill, great sushi and ceviche. And when you miss your country you can go to Kansas Grill & Bar.
For a drink you have La Puerta Roja in San Telmo, I haven't been there yet but everybody says it's great, ISABEL in Palermo, more classy, 878, great drinks, Olsen specialized in vodka, Pony Line, etc. etc, etc. There are lots of places to go, specially in the summer when we like to spend the evenings outdoors.
As you see there are lots of things to do, Buenos Aires never sleeps.
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If you want to try empanadas, wine, great meat, alfajores and mate all at once, I recommend the The Argentine Experience. It's great for meeting people and since it's closed doors, you get a very cool service, they will teach you words and expressions... it's very fun. For local and cheap restaurants, I always recommend Sarkis (Armenian food -- for me, the BEST restaurant in Buenos Aires by far, super cheap and delicious), Salgado (pasta), Miranda, La Cabrera, Las Cabras, La Dorita (meat, parrilla), Burger Joint (for an amazing burger and great service), Malvon, Oui Oui (brunch). All of them are either in Palermo or Villa Crespo (neighborhood walk from Palermo).
Cocktails: Florería Atlantico, Harrison Speakeasy, Frank's. Buenos Aires is getting very fanous for their speakeasy bars.
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Debbie
Shannon
