You would be forgiven if you were walking down Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires looking for the Eiffel Tower. Buenos Aires has rightfully earned the nickname ‘Paris of South America’ with it’s wide tree-lined streets, towering old architecture, and tiny cafes and bakeries everywhere. (Avenida 9 de Julio is the widest street in the world with some 18 lanes of traffic honouring Argentina’s Independence Day in 1816. You might have to pack a lunch and a safety beacon just to get across.) It’s a reason to visit in itself.
Buenos Aires sits on the east coast of Argentina on the shore of the Rio de la Plata (River Plate). The population is about three million in the city and 15 million in the greater metro area. And it’s a long way from home - if we were able to fly directly from our home on the Canadian prairies to Buenos Aires, it would take over 15 hours. Speaking of flying into Buenos Aires, especially if you are taking connecting flights from other Latin America countries, be triple sure to check the airport code (they won’t necessarily land in the big international EZE airport). Buenos Aires might be far from home, but it is still thousands of kilometres to the southern tip of Argentina.
Buenos Aires dates to 1536 when it was discovered by Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza. Much history transpired before the 1800’s when the French and Italians arrived in large numbers, giving the city a permanent European flair. As with any large, historic city, there’s a turbulent history of invasions and uprisings and revolutions to research, some not so long in the past.
The cosmopolitan city area is situated along the east side of the metro area. Although Buenos Aires has famous attractions, the city, itself, is enough of a sight. Stroll the streets and look anywhere, and you will see parks and statues and buildings that seem more grand than the one you just saw - and they won’t even get a mention in any travel guide.
The streets are in a grid system, divided vertically by that three kilometre long, massive and gorgeous, Avenida 9 de Julio. North to south (and, coincidentally, starting with the wealthiest neighbourhoods), the main areas of interest are Palermo, Recoleta, Retiro, Microcentro/Centro, San Telmo, and La Boca. We stayed in Recoleta, a perfect location for safety and ease of travelling throughout the city. It certainly felt like our visits to Paris. I’ll give a shout-out to the Poetry Building, apartments in a small renovated ‘mansion’ with a free-for-picking organic garden on the top (6th) floor and a small pool sitting four floors above ground. We like to have our own little apartment to come ‘home’ to and enjoy a homemade dinner away from the bustling streets. Here are some pictures of the Poetry Building’s lobby, swimming area, and rooftop garden, and of our little kitchen. I picked fresh greens every day for dinner. By the way, they are renovating the adjacent property to expand the Poetry Building. They hope to have it completed in two years. I highly recommend a stay.
We navigated the city by using the Subte, the subway system which covers all the main neighbourhoods and provides easy access to the points of interest. We didn’t find it quite as well marked as some major city subways, but we found our way (all subway systems in the world are, basically, the same).
One of the first things you notice when you arrive in Buenos Aires in their springtime (October and November) is the colour purple which is especially delightful if that is your favourite colour - streets lined with purple and parks where massive purple ‘globes’ stand over sky-high monuments and golden lamp stands. This is the jacaranda tree, the official tree of Buenos Aires. It is the perfect prop for streets, monuments, statues, and architecture that are already magnificent by themselves. The jacaranda tree is tropical-American covered with little violet flowers. Without planning, we visited Buenos Aires at prime-jacaranda time. I’m not complaining. It’s a photo-op dream.
The Recoleta neighbourhood holds the most-visited sight by both locals and visitors in Buenos Aires - surprisingly, a cemetery, the Recoleta Cemetery - where we began our Buenos Aires adventure. This might sound slightly morbid, but the Recoleta Cemetery is more an ode to architecture than a sombre experience. As we sauntered in awe at the magnificence (and excessiveness) of the above-ground tombs designed meticulously in every possible architectural style, I thought of a certain family member who has never passed up a good cemetery in all her travels. The Recoleta Cemetery is the resting place of Argentina’s rich and famous, and it is as if each family tried to out-do the other in opulence. It has over 4,000 tombs, and many are listed as National Monuments. Research the 10 best cemeteries in the world, and Recoleta is on every list. Also read up about some of the strange stories that accompany the tombs.
My favourite - Liliana memorialized in her wedding dress with her pet dog, Sabu. It is said that touching his nose will bring you luck; thus, his gold nose.
Ironically, the tomb of one of Argentina’s most famous citizens, Eva Duarte-Peron, is humble in contrast. Eva Peron was the unique, charismatic, and contentious First Lady to President Juan Peron. Some loved her for her philanthropy and concern for the lower classes while some resented her for her power and how she used it. She died at the young age of 33 in 1952. This caused an uproar (apparently some sincere and some not so much) in the country. The whereabouts of her corpse were unknown for years. She was eventually placed in the Recoleta Cemetery in the family tomb, but her corpse is buried about five metres underground to ensure that it is not tampered with. Her history is fascinating and worth researching. I know I’ll be watching the movie ‘Evita’ at some point. A ‘next-time’ trip to Buenos Aires would include a visit to the Eva Peron Museum. You could even take an Eva Peron tour if you wish.
Like her or not, Eva Peron remains an iconic figure in Buenos Aires. Her picture is everywhere but perhaps the most significant lights up the sky at night from the Ministry of Public Works Building in the middle of Avenida 9 de Julio in the centre of Buenos Aires, reminding me of a monument to another contentious figure in another country, Che Guevara. Eva’s mural is made of steel, is 31 metres high and 23 metres wide, and weighs some 13 tons.
At the edge of the Recoleta Cemetery is the beautiful, stark white, Basilica Nuestra Senora del Pilar, a Catholic Church dating to 1732. It is the second oldest church in Buenos Aires.
We had our introduction to Buenos Aires’ amazing park system alongside and behind the Recoleta Cemetery where there are kilometres of parks, home to purple jacaranda trees, golden lamp posts, magnificent statues, a convention centre, the National Museum of Fine Arts, government embassies, and several plazas.
The more modern sculpture, the Floralis Generica is 22 metres high and weighs almost 19 tons. When it was first built, the petals closed at night and opened in the morning which would have been quite a sight. The mechanism stopped working in 2015. The statue is appealing from all angles.
Recoleta also holds one of our favourite finds in Buenos Aires - the El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore. What could be better than architecture and books and coffee in one spot? The bookstore is in an old theatre building that was renovated into a bookstore but with the main theatre aspects intact - domed ceiling, red curtains, theatre boxes, a stage, marble stairways, and balconies. The stage area is a charming cafe. This is one stunning place. It has been named by different sources such as National Geographic as the most beautiful bookstore in the world. We were awestruck.
The centre point of Buenos Aires is the Plaza de Mayo in Centro, the symbol of Argentina’s political independence (and the sight of the largest demonstrations). A lovely tree-lined green space with fountains and statues leads to the famous ‘Pink House’ or La Casa Rosada, the executive office of the president of Argentina. The building dates to 1594 and includes a museum and the famous balcony where Eva Peron gave her historical speech to throngs of supprters in 1951.
The largest Catholic Church in Buenos Aires, the Catedral Metropolitana, or The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, sits on one corner of the Plaza de Mayo. The original church dates to the 16th century, but the current is from 1822, after years of construction. From the outside, the church looks like a justice building, but the pillars represent the 12 apostles. The inside is huge and one of the most elaborate we have seen in our travels.
To contrast the majesty of the Catedral Metropolitana, the sweet little Cabildo, the government office when Argentina was under Spanish control in the 1600’s, sits almost perpendicular to the church. This little colonial-style building has witnessed key moments in Buenos Aires’ history, including Argentinian independence.
The plaza:
Several blocks to the west of Plaza de Mayo is the grand Palacio del Congreso or Palace of Congress fronted by the ornate Dos Congreso fountains. The palace was built between 1898 and 1906 and designed in an Italian style. A ‘next time’ trip would definitely include an inside tour.
While in the ‘downtown’, we visited two iconic sights in Buenos Aires - the Obelisco de Buenos Aires (the Obelisk) and the Teatro Colon.
The Obelisk sits in the Plaza de la Republica which is right smack-dab in the middle of Avenida 9 de Julio, just northwest of the Plaza de Mayo, forcing you to maneuver across that monolithic street (don’t worry, but you do have to abide by the traffic lights or you will have lanes of vehicles coming straight for you). The Obelisk is important, commemorating the finding of Buenos Aires by Pedro de Mendoza. It is 67 metres high, constructed with white stones, and is a National Historic Monument. It’s a popular photo-op (it helps to be an older and shorter person who can squeeze between all the tourists and snap a shot without anyone paying attention).
The Teatro Colon sits just north of the Obelisk. It’s a magnificent building that would also definitely be on my ‘next-time’ list for a tour and a show. The main historic figures of the arts world-wide have performed here. The theatre seats almost 2,500 people and is compared to other iconic theatres in the world for having the best sight-lines and acoustics. After a 20 year construction, the current theatre opened in 1908 but has undergone major updates since then. It’s a National Monument.
Just northeast of Centro, in the Retiro district, is the Basilica del Santisimo Sacramento or the Basilica of the Holy Sacrament dating to 1916, popular with locals, and one of the more elaborate churches in Buenos Aires. The altar is known for resembling a wedding cake and is truly beautiful.
The Torre Monumental in Retiro is a 75 metre clock tower with an interesting history. It dates to the early 1900’s, has original ties to the Argentinian British population, and was constructed with materials such as white stone shipped from England. However, the British role in the Falklands Wars resulted in some public anger towards the tower which resulted in renaming the tower from Torre de los Ingleses to Torre Monumental.
We just had to check out the Plaza Canada in the park behind the tower. The plaza is a calm, uncluttered space, dedicated in 1961, and contains a totem pole from the Canadian government to recognize Canada’s and Argentina’s shared Indigenous histories. I quite liked the simplicity compared to the grandness of other Buenos Aires monuments.
There’s a little street between the Retiro and Recoleta neighbourhoods that is known as the most opulent in Buenos Aires, Av Alvear. We had to stop in the Alvear Palace hotel for a look. Remember, fancy hotels have great bathrooms.
We thought the park system surrounding the Recoleta Cemetery was stunning until we visited the Palermo neighbourhood to the north, home to a cluster of magnificent parks butting up to each other that deserve days of exploration. We spent only one afternoon, stepping off the Subte Line D at Plaza Italia. They’re all within walking distance of each other.
The Jardim Botanica opened in 1906. It is triangular and contains roughly 5,500 plant varieties, ponds, greenhouses, and plenty of statues. There is also, apparently, a cat population (domesticated cats that are dropped off by their owners and cared for by volunteers) in the garden, but we did not see any. It is a relaxing space.
We thought the Jardim Botanica was super, but then we got to the Ecoparque (Eco-Park). The Ecoparque sits on 44 acres of a former zoo that opened in 1888 and was closed in 2016 due to concerns about animal welfare. 2,500 animals were released safely into their natural habitat. It is now an amazing interactive educational and environmentally friendly ‘museum’ with a focus on raising awareness of environmental issues and protecting natural habitats. It’s a school trip dream.
If that wasn’t enough to fill our senses, we then got to the Rose Garden or Paseo del Rosedal, the most stunning and largest rose garden we have visited. It opened in 1914 and contains almost 15,000 rose bushes. It also includes an area of sculptures of famous poets, a small lake, and the Andalusian Patio built in 1929.
Finally, we made our way to the Japanese Garden or Jardin Japones de Buenos Aires, the smallest and the only one of the four that charges admission. The garden is much newer than the other three, constructed in 1967. It is meticulously manicured with water features and plants and with music playing throughout. Some sights include the Japanese Peace Bell, a temple, theatre, craft centre, cafe, and the Divine Bridge which symbolizes your journey to heaven. After the grandeur and naturalness of the other parks, we were a little underwhelmed (but all the locals say you have to visit the Japanese Garden).
After adventuring in the northern and Centro districts, we hopped the Subte Line C to the southern end of the main city, the working class, ‘futebol’-crazy neighbourhood of La Boca. We were given warnings to keep our belongings close, but on a Wednesday morning, it was a sweet little neighbourhood to stroll. La Boca is home to the La Boca Juniors soccer team who plays in the blue and yellow La Bombonera stadium (Bombonera means the “chocolate box” due to its steep sides and ‘D’ shape) stadium. This stadium is known for it’s intense and emotional atmosphere at game time. Walking through the streets, there is no doubt who this neighbourhood is rooting for, and I cannot imagine the energy on game day.
The main touristic draw in La Boca is a street known as Caminito (“little path”) . It is described as a street museum with colourful facades reminiscent of immigrant housing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The tiny street was derelict until the 1950’s when a group of locals began the revitalization process. Today, there is colour, art, cafes,and tango shows. It’s simply fun, along with a stroll along the nearby dockyards. Groups of school students were also enjoying the area.
On our way northwards after visiting La Boca, we stopped in the adjacent San Telmo area and were in for some surprises. Without planning, we happened upon the San Telmo Mercado which is an historic market dating to 1897 when it catered to all the new immigrants arriving from Europe. Although the stalls and restaurants are modern with amazing food and drinks, it’s like visiting an 1800’s Italian market with it’s metal supports and beams. It was busy with locals and travellers, and we claimed it to be one of the finest ‘foodie’ markets we have visited.
Just around the corner, we were in for another surprise. We found the Plaza Dorrego, the second oldest public gathering space in Buenos Aires after, you guessed it, Plaza de Mayo. It’s a much simpler, old-time square with trees and benches and cafes. The surprise came when we saw a tango dance in the middle of the square.
Now, I wasn’t going to purposefully hunt down a tango show (much less partake), but when it is right in front, I might as well enjoy. Argentinian tango dates to the late 19th century in the working class multi-cultural neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, and the music is nostalgic and forlorn. Buenos Aires is the world capital of tango, and it might pop up on the street, or you can attend tango shows, or locals attend informal social gatherings, “milongas”, where dancers look for the perfect dance. Tango started in little bars but has graduated to huge concert halls with composers and orchestras. I can confirm the tango is beautiful and hot and sexy and emotional. (No, I did not attend tango classes although they are readily available.) Here are some pictures of two different tangos we came across.
On our way back to Centro, we stopped at the Puente de la Mujer or Women’s Bridge which opened in 2001. It is a rotating foot bridge with a single mast with cables. It swings to allow boats to pass. It was inspired by tango, the mast representing a man and the curve of the bridge representing a woman; sure enough, this is where we saw one of the tango demonstrations. The bridge is also named for the surrounding streets that were named after prominent Argentinian women. This bridge would be stunning at night. It’s also a good location to get a glimpse of the revamped Puerto Madero dock area.
I can’t speak to the quality of restaurant food in Buenos Aires as we ate dinners in our little apartment, but I have it from a very reliable source that the steak is the “best” he has ever eaten (and he knows food), and there are restaurants and cafes everywhere. Perhaps the most famous, and oldest, cafe is Tortoni’s, dating to 1858. It is known for it’s ornate interior and photos of famous patrons who included musicians, politicians, and intellectuals. We did not stand in line for this cafe as we did for Rio de Janeiro’s iconic establishment but chose, instead, to enjoy the ambience of small cafes on side streets. I can attest to the fact that Buenos Aires really loves sweets and is home to some very good bakers. Here are just a few adorable little cafes:
