Day 2: It’s all culture
Wake up to a simple breakfast: At Hasta La Masa (Loyola 642, C1414; hastalamasa.com.ar), you can get a typical Argentinian desayuno of coffee with milk and toast and marmalade. If you prefer a more savory start to your day, order a Ranchero at the Colombian-focused K-ramelo (Av. Córdoba 4949, C1414; instagram.com/kramelo.arg). This filling plate consists of scrambled eggs, sausages, and arepas with cheese.
Visit the Recoleta Cemetery (Junin 1760; turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar) and share quiet moments with Argentina’s beloved sons and daughters, including the former first lady of the country, Eva Perón. The map that you get with your paid admission is helpful if you don’t have a lot of time, but the intricately designed mausoleums are worth staying around for.
You can’t leave the country without visiting Teatro Colón (Cerrito 628; teatrocolon.org.ar). If you can’t see a performance—and be blown away by the building’s acoustics—sign up for a one-hour walking tour in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
A short cab ride south drops you off at Mercado San Telmo, a busy wet-and-dry market slash food emporium. Grab lunch at one of the market’s many stalls; it was especially chilly when I got here, so Je Suis Raclette (from AR$13,000; instagram.com/jesuisraclette) made the most sense.
After filling up, go to Defensa Street and walk northbound: You’ll see plenty of Porteñan landmarks along the way. There’s the Estatua de Mafalda, a statue of a six-year-old girl famous for her wise-for-her-age observations about life; Plaza de Mayo, which is the oldest public square in Buenos Aires and the site where many important political events took place; Casa Rosada or Pink House, which is the seat of the government; and the obelisk at the Casa de la Republica.
Puerto Madera, a well-known area in Buenos Aires, is located a few blocks east of the market. You can skip the statue and make your way to Plaza de Mayo from Puerto Madera instead.
The best place to witness tango, Argentina’s national dance, is at the Hotel Faena. Performing since 2005, the RojoTango show (rojotango.com) transports guests to 1920, when the dance began. Ten of the country’s best dancers, accompanied by the orchestra, shows tango’s history through sensual numbers.
At $220 ($290 with dinner), RojoTango is an experience worth splurging for. Other places to go for tango and dinner in Buenos Aires include El Viejo Almacen (viejoalmacen.com.ar), Tango Piazzolla (tangopiazzolla.com), and Tango Porteño (tangoporteno.com.ar).
A Getaway from the Getaway
Got an extra two days to spend? Head to Iguazú Falls. This 275-waterfall-strong marvel lies in the north of Argentina, bordering Paraguay and Brazil. Much like Niagara Falls in North America, there are two sides to this breathtaking site: The Argentinian and the Brazilian sides. The former has volume—the majority of the falls is located in Argentina—while the latter has the views, so if you have a Brazilian visa (it is now required for US, Canadian, and Australian passport holders), cross borders.
Direct flights from Buenos Aires take under two hours, so a day trip is theoretically possible, but quite tiring. A more reasonable itinerary is to fly from EZE in the morning—flights are under two hours and cost $500 roundtrip in September—head to the falls, stay the night at an inexpensive hotel or hostel, and then go back the next day.
Feel like an adventure? Via Bariloche (viabariloche.com.ar) has climate-controlled coaches that leave from the Retiro neighborhood of Buenos Aires at night and arrive at Puerto Iguazú early afternoon the next day. For the 18-hour trip, you get a comfortable seat that reclines to 160 degrees. It’s also a third of the price of flying, so it’s worth considering.
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