A snapshot of Buenos Aires

Former Marketing Executive Fiona shares tips on what to do in Buenos Aires in her snapshot of the city.



1) Wander around Buenos Aires’ grand avenues and admire the collage of architectural styles. From one street to the next you might be transported from Paris to Barcelona as the cityscape morphs from Art Deco shopping malls to Neo-Gothic university buildings in a matter of minutes. This eclectic mix stems from the influx of European immigrants to the city at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.

2) Pick up some yerba mate and a calabash, or gourd. Originally made from a hollowed and dried squash plant, you’ll spot porteños passing these between one another as this drink is traditionally shared in a social setting.

3) Walk around La República de La Boca. La Boca is an interesting neighbourhood of Buenos Aires for its brightly coloured buildings and it is probably most famous for the world-renowned football team, the Boca Juniors.

4) Visit the Falkland Islands memorial. Closing at sunset with guards parading out of the semi-circular memorial, it’s an interesting reminder of the recent history surrounding the islands.

5) Get lost in the Recoleta cemetery. From Nobel Prize winners to Argentinean national treasure Eva Perón, the country’s most notable figures have been interred here since 1822 and you can while away some time wandering through the maze of extravagant tombs.

6) Pick up some antiques at San Telmo market. Open every Sunday, this flea market starts in the main square of the San Telmo neighbourhood and spills from Plaza Dorrego on to the surrounding streets.

7) Admire the vast array of street art that crops up in unexpected places. From sprawling, detailed murals to smaller pieces that sit incongruously next to one another, the street art in Buenos Aires will always stop you in your tracks.

8) Watch some tango. You’ll find tango dancers outside restaurants in La Boca; you’ll find tango dancers performing on the backstreets around San Telmo on market day; you’ll find tango shows in fancy establishments. Wherever you go in Buenos Aires, you’ll find somewhere to watch (and maybe even dance!) this ubiquitous national dance.
 
9) Eat steak. Whether it’s in an upmarket restaurant in the Palermo district or in a hole-in-the-wall parilla downtown, you’ll probably find some of the best steak you’ve ever eaten!

You can combine some of these experiences on a city tour and create your own snapshot of Buenos Aires.

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