Want to go to the capital city of Argentina? Yes please! A little bit of something for everyone, Buenos Aires has plenty to see and do, so let me share some highlights if you only have a few days there.
Day 1
Wake up with a sugar hit
Never underestimate my enthusiasm to try a local treat. Here, I was eager to try an alfajores – 2 short bread biscuits filled with dulce de leche. An absolute sugar junkie dream. You’ll probably get a bikkie with every coffee you order, but if you want to try a huge one like I did, Ibérico isn’t a bad place to do it. They make a killer sanga too.
South Buenos Aires Bike Tour
My favourite way to see a new city is to get on a bike and be shown the hot spots! That said, Buenos Aires is a pretty big city, and I’m not even close to qualifying for the Tour de France. The friendly people at La Bicicleta Naranja have taken this into account when setting up their bike tours, creating a north, south and a nature tour! Matt and I opted for the South Tour, so we could be guided through the gritty areas of La Boca and not be worried about taking a wrong turn.
Tango Show with Dinner
An absolute must do while you’re in Argentina! It’ll soon become very apparent how much the locals love their tango dancing, and you’ll be squirming in your seat, itching to bust out you’re own moves. Not just traditional tango, but some awesome indigenous beats. My only suggestion? DON’T go with this company. The dancers were fantastic, but the service was extremely poor. Really overshadowed the entire night. You should be able find tickets for around 5000 Argentine Peso – this should include pick up, dinner and the show.
Day 2
MALBA
The Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (or the Museum of Latin American Arts of Buenos Aires for Spanish dummies like me), aka MALBA, is a chill way to start your day after too many red wines the night before. Wander the museum, taking in some of the unusual art and enjoying the quiet atmosphere. The museum cafe makes some wicked coffee too, so you’re in for a treat. Tickets are approximately 150 Argentine Pesos.
Japanese Garden
Continue those chilled out vibes with a walk around the Japanese Gardens. Perfectly manicured and extremely tranquil, the small gardens provide a little reprise from city bustle. Also there’s a restaurant and little market stalls if your tummy starts grumbling. Bonus! Entry is about 150 Argentine Pesos.
Searching for Monuments
Walk off all that Japanese food by checking out the nearby monuments of Monumento a La Carta Magna y las Cuatro Regiones Argentinas and Plaza Italia. Both represent their own bit of history, and both are wonderful to look at.
Palermo
It’s got to be about time for a happy hour beverage, right? Palermo is the place to get it. Apparently the trendiest spot in town, you’ll find plenty of boozeries and eateries, as well some cute shops to spend some of that hard earned cash. We stopped at La Boheme for craft beers. Top spot. Make sure you try their baked cheese dish. Absolutely delicious. Bourbon Brunch and Beer went alright as well.
Day 3
Reserva Ecologica
Start a brand new day taking either a leisurely stroll through Reserva Ecologica or ramping it up to a jog… but don’t forget you’re on holiday, so let’s not go crazy here. Here you’ll find a piece of Argentina, barely disturbed by the city around it. You’ll even see signs warning of crocodiles and snakes. The sun can get hot and there isn’t a huge amount of shade, so be sure to be sun smart.
Sal Telmo Markets
The Feria de San Telmo are one of the oldest running open air markets in the region. Every Sunday, the main street closes and stalls set up to sell their colourful wares, artists come out to show their talent and speakers sing out with tango tunes that have the pedestrians dancing in the streets. You’ll be overwhelmed with options to eat and drink, so I say try them all! The markets run from 10am to 4pm, so there’s not rush to get up in the morning like most markets.
Get your mouth around an Argentinian Steak
It’s your final night in Buenos Aires, and it would be rude to not give their famous steak and chimichurri sauce a go. My vote was be to visit Chiquilin. The prices are extremely reasonable and the meals are fucking fantastic. Go on, treat yo’self.
