🇦🇷 Buenos Aires: a complete guide to the capital of Argentina
Delicious wine, passionate tango, pompous buildings, football and the so-called “end of the earth”: the southernmost point of the American continent – all this is about beautiful Argentina. Of course, getting to know any country begins with exploring its capital. And especially if it is one of the most beautiful cities on the entire continent. This is exactly how Buenos Aires can be described.
Historical center of Buenos Aires
May Square
Any tourist's acquaintance with Buenos Aires begins with Plaza de Mayo. It is located in the historical center of the city and received its name due to the fact that the events of the May Revolution took place here. It was on this square that Argentina declared independence in 1816.
Officially this area of the city is called Montserrat. Many of the city's attractions are located here.
Residence of the President
For example, Casa Rosada (pink house) is the official residence of the president. The building stands out due to its unusual color – pink. This shade was obtained due to the fact that lime was mixed with ox blood. After all, it was believed that such a combination would help the building survive longer.
There is another suggestion why the building is pink. When painting, supporters of Argentine federalization used red, and Unitarians used white. Pink was the result of their mixing and an attempt to reconcile the warring sides. You can get inside for a tour on Saturday from 10 to 18. Admission is free, but you must first register on the official website.
In front of the residence you can see a statue of the horseman Manuel Belgrano, an important military leader and creator of the Argentine flag.
May Pyramid
In the very center of the square is the May Pyramid, the city's oldest national monument, which was erected in honor of the first anniversary of the revolution in 1811.
Cathedral
The next building looks more like a city theater. It's hard to even imagine that this is the Buenos Aires Cathedral.
Town Hall
The Plaza de Mayo also houses the town hall, which is called the cabildo in Spanish. At one time the city council met here. Now there is a museum here, which, by the way, is not particularly interesting. But admission is free, and there is a very cozy courtyard.
To the left of the town hall there is a building that will help you find yourself in Paris. And there is an explanation for this, because it was designed by the Italians and the French.
In general, in the city you can see a huge number of beautiful buildings, both in the Parisian style and, for example, in English. I was impressed by the buildings of the Argentine Ministry of Defense and the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy).
Bridge Women
After a walk through the central square, you should definitely go to the visiting card of the city – the Woman's Bridge. Surely you have seen this creation of the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava in photographs more than once. This, by the way, is his only work in all of South America.
The unusually shaped bridge appeared thanks to a local businessman who, in honor of the 60th anniversary of his business, made a gift to the city. And the author was inspired to create this form by a couple dancing tango. There are also no mysteries behind the name: all the nearby streets bear women's names, which is why the bridge became the Woman's Bridge.
Kirchner Cultural Center
On the way to it you will definitely not pass by a very beautiful building – the Kirchner Cultural Center. It is the largest center in all of South America. It was opened in 2015. Exhibitions and concerts are often held here.
Republic Square
From the central square you need to walk to Republic Square, where there is an obelisk built in 1936 in honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city.
Recoleta area
The Recoleta district is a prestigious area of the city. But, to be honest, I didn’t feel comfortable being here. Since poverty on the streets was also encountered here. The highlight of the area is… the cemetery. The Recoleta cemetery appeared in 1822 and is considered one of the most beautiful in the whole world. Admission is approximately $10. It’s definitely worth coming here, even if it seems that the cemetery is not the most suitable place for a walk.
Firstly, many famous people of different nationalities are buried here. The variety of crypts makes your eyes wide open. Somewhere you can see a staircase that leads deep underground, and somewhere the coffins are located right on the surface. Secondly, you can take a lot of beautiful photographs here. Such a huge amount of detail seems incredible. You can walk here for hours, looking at the variety of “houses after life.”
I recommend walking to the cemetery from May Square. This way you can see the Parisian part of Buenos Aires and look for a cozy bar in the shade, which is suitable for relaxing after a long and impressive walk.
Park Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur
You should set aside a separate day for a walk through the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur park. It is an ecological reserve on the banks of the Rio de la Plata. By the way, if you look at the map, it seems that Buenos Aires itself is located on the ocean. Therefore, many people think that they will be able to combine a beach holiday with visiting various attractions.
But this is not entirely true: the Atlantic Ocean is 275 kilometers away, and the city is located in the bay of La Plata Bay. Therefore, walking through this reserve, you will not only cool off in the shade of palm trees and look at amazing plants, but you will also get to the river itself, where you can take a break and have a picnic. This place is not suitable for swimming, since the river is very polluted, but this does not scare the brave Argentines at all.
Tango show
If during your trip you definitely want to see the mesmerizing tango, then on any evening you can see dancers performing right on the street. And it's absolutely free. Just like that, you walk around, follow the sounds of music and find yourself right in the center of Argentine culture. But if street tango is not for you, but you want something more sophisticated, then there are specially organized performances. We decided to go to such a show too.
Throughout the evening you will feel like a real VIP. You will be picked up by car directly from the hotel and brought to dinner. You will be offered an appetizer of your choice, the main course, of course, is a steak, a dessert of your choice and a bottle of wine.
Next we got to the real house of tango – El Viejo Almacen, where shows have been held since 1969. And at the end of the program, Hugo Marcel, the famous Argentine actor and singer, pleased us with his performance.
The cost of this pleasure is $150 per person. But the show will truly give incredible emotions. There are many shows of this type in the city, they are very easy to find: any hotel will have a huge number of booklets with offers. You just have to take care of your reservation in advance.
Shopping center Gallery Pacifico
Almost every tourist allocates a certain amount of time for shopping while traveling. But in Buenos Aires there is a shopping center that is in no way inferior to the museum. It's called the Pacifico Gallery (Galerías Pacífico) and is located on the corner of Florida and Avenida Cordova streets.
The building project was developed back in 1888. The architects were inspired by the great galleries in Italy. But even such a place of incredible beauty has its own secret under seven locks.
In 1987, during filming at the Pacifico Gallery, the crew discovered signs of torture. It turned out that during the dictatorship, the First Army Corps kept prisoners here. Some of them disappeared into the depths of the shopping center. Now nothing reminds us of those chilling events. Here you can buy goods from different brands, just walk around and take a bunch of photos.
Useful tips for traveling to Buenos Aires:
Plan your trip to Buenos Aires
To visit the capital of Argentina, it is optimal to set aside 7-8 days in order to leisurely get acquainted with the main attractions of the city. We spent a week in Buenos Aires and here is our trip plan:
- First day – May Square, the historical center of the city, the embankment near the Women's Bridge.
- The second day is a walk around the Recoleta area, visiting the cemetery of the same name.
- Day three – we spent the whole day sunbathing and swimming in the pools of Pileta Parque Norte. Here you can rent sun loungers and there are kiosks with food and drinks.
- The fourth day is a walk through the park and the coast of the Rio de la Plata.
- Fifth day – visiting a tango show.
- The sixth day is a walk through the most atmospheric streets and the Pacifico Gallery.
- Day seven – shopping and the Kirchner Cultural Center.
In general, Buenos Aires also has a huge number of parks, museums, and theaters, so even if you set aside 15 days to travel around the city, you will find something to do.