I flew into BA and spent 3 full days in the city and didn’t run out of things to do. It’s safe to walk around the neighbourhoods and easily navigated if you download an offline Google maps.
Ministro Pistarini Int’l Airport a.k.a Ezeiza:
- Best option that I’ve used several times is Welcome Pickups and book/pay ahead. Download the app and you can contact the driver directly. Cost was approx $41CAD
- 30km from downtown and takes 45mins – 2hrs depending on traffic
- airport shuttle bus drops off at specific stops in the city.
- taxi is $1000-1300ARG. Be sure to ask them to turn the meter on. Ticket machines have fixed price taxi but is more expensive. Cash only
TAXIS
- instead of a taxi, I downloaded the Cabify app which is the Argentine equivalent of Uber. You’ll need data so purchase a SIM card or turn on dataroaming. It’s easy to sign up and be sure to register your credit card before ordering a car. The map shows you where the vehicle is coming from and also the route you’re taking while driving. Most drivers don’t speak English so using Cabify saves you the hassle of explaining where you want to go.
LOCAL SIM CARD
- can order a ready to use card to avoid waiting in line and registration process. It’ll be dropped off at your hotel. 4GB data for 30 days and unlimited Whatsapp. $29US. Email:
- secretsofbuenosaires.com/shop-ba/sim-card-argentina-tourist/ or email info@secretsofbuenosaires.com
- Lots of WIFI in the city. Download BA WiFi app to locate free WIFI areas
MONEY
- don’t exchange money to Argentinian pesos while at home! The economy fluctuates so much that you’ll lose money. Take US dollars but be sure to take banknotes higher than $20, preferably $100
- Exchange just the amount you need as you can’t exchange back without a big loss
- I exchanged my money at Av de Mayo 575 (Maximo Money Exchange) which is a tiny stand selling magazine/newspapers just outside of the address. If you go inside 575 and say “Cambio”, they’ll be able to show you the newsstand I’d you’ve missed it. Knock on the little window or door of the newsstand and then go inside to exchange your money. I received almost double what the banks were offering.
- Some other exchange bureaus are located at:
Cambio Maguitur: Sarmiento 46 (near Plaza
de Mayo)
Montevideo Cambio: Florida 580 (San Telmo)
Casa de Cambio Baires: Pierina Dealessi 578
Cambio Alpe: Sarimento 480 (near Plaza de
Mayo)
Cambio Maxinta: 25 de Mayo 386 (near Plaza
de Mayo)
Paris Cambio: Sarimento 399
ACCOMMODATION:
I stayed at NH Collection Buenos Aires Centro Historico which was very central to all the neighbourhoods. I had a nice view and the included breakfast was decent. I booked it with Hotels.com
TO VISIT:
- Recoleta Cemetery (La Recoleta barrio). You have to purchase a ticket for entry and they only allow you to pay with card for some odd reason.
- Feria de Recoleta & Plaza Francia: street market on Sat/Sun (La Recoleta barrio)
- Libreria el Ateneo Grand Splendid: beautiful bookshop (La Recoleta barrio)
- Palacio Errazuriz (La Recoleta barrio)
- Biblioteca Nacional (La Recoleta barrio)
- Basilica of Nuestra Senora del Pilar (La Recoleta barrio)
- Floralis Generica: giant flower statue (Plaza de las Naciones Unidas)
- Centro Cultural Recoleta: artist area w/ cafe & art shop & view of Gomero de la Recoleta park
- Teatro Colon (check for tix for upcoming shows)
- Teatro Gran Rex
- Teatro Cervantes
- Casa Rosada (Plaza de Mayo)
- National Museum of the Cabildo (Plaza de Mayo)
- Catedral Metropolitana (overlooks Plaza de Mayo)
- Plaza de Mayo: every Thurs at 3:30pm mothers march for the disappearance of their children during last dictatorship
- Avenida de Mayo
- Centro Cultural Kirchner
- Palacio Barolo
- Manzana de las Luces (Block of Enlightenment): Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires & San Ignacio Church
- Latin America Art Museum of Buenos Aires (cool building)
- La Boca is most colourful neighbourhood: Caminito Street Museum
- San Telmo is oldest neighbourhood: Museo Historico Nacional
- Bernardio Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum
- Convento de Santo Domingo
- Jardin Botanico (Palermo)
- Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens (Palermo)
- Parque Tres de Febrero (Palermo)
- Feria de Plaza Serrano & Feria Artesanal de Palermo Viejo (fashion designer stalls in Palermo barrio)
- Floralis Generica: giant flower statue (Plaza de las Naciones Unidas)
- Libros del Pasaje: bookshop with internal cafe patio
- Puente de la Mujer “Bridge of the Woman” (Puero Madero)
- Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve: walk along the river
- Horse racing (check schedule)
- Finda Milonga (pop-up dance events around the city at night)
DAY TRIPS:
- **Great company for tours: https://www.experiencebaires.com/. Ask for Sebastian for city tour!! Or use this company for tour to Tigre. I used them for a personalized city tour and day trip to Tigre.
- Visit Tigre (1hr train ride or day tour on Trip Advisor). Town on the delta. Take Mitre train from Retiro station. Can use Sube card or buy tix at station.
- Hidden Graffiti and Urban Art Tour (Trip Advisor)
- Graffitmundo.com for graffiti tours
- Off The Beaten Path tours by Elisa (looked interesting but I didn’t have time to try it out)
- horse racing or polo match
GETTING AROUND:
- commuter bus a.k.a. “Coletivo” to get around city: purchase Sube card from any subway station, kiosks on street corners or look for blue sticker “SUBE” in shop windows (no cash accpeted). Can also purchase Sube card at airport at a kiosk in arrivals hall. At same kiosk look for yellow machine with touchscreen. Tap Sube card on reader and insert pesos to top up card. If using public transport daily, you’ll use around $4/day. Easier to top it up once to save time.
- Bus may not pull up to curb or completely stop so be quick.
- Will need to tell driver your destination (by cross street or name), then driver will program your fare into the card reader & then tap card on reader. Ring bell to get off bus & disembark from middle of bus. Generally $3-4 pesos for 10blks of travel.
- download https://transitapp.com for bus lines & live tracking (will need local SIM card)
- subway a.k.a. “the subte”. Station entrances are generally on street corners. Need to choose correct entrance depending on your direction of travel. To figure out which entrance you need, find the name of the sation at the end of the line in the direction you want to travel. You need the entrance that states trains to that station name.
- can reach most popular attractions. Connections to Palermo, Recoleta and Plaza de Mayo
- Weekdays 5:30am – 23:30pm, Sat until midnight, Sun 8am – 10:30pm
- Be aware of pickpockets. Iphones are a highly prized item so put it away on public transport and on street corners
- Avoid rush hour 7:30-9am and 5-6:30pm
- People will try to sell you small things. Say no thank you if you see them coming or if they put it on your leg, just leave it & they’ll come back to get it
- Purchase Sube card from station. (no cash accepted). Sube card will initally cost $250ARG and then can add a prepay amount. Swipe Sube card at turnstile to gain access to platform.
- Download Como Llego app for an interactive public transport map
- Walking. Most neighbourhoods are perfect for walking around. Can use public transport to reach the barrio and then explore or book a guided walking tour with Get Your Guide or Trip Advisor
- Free bike hire throughout city. Ecobici docking stations for the bikes. Unlock one using an app and use the bike for an hour Mon-Fri or 2 hours on the weekend. Return to a docking station when finished. Will need local SIM card & credit card to download and use app: BA Ecobici por Tembici
RESTAURANTS & FOOD:
- Food tour is a great idea to be able to try various dishes
- Don Julio Steakhouse (Palermo)
- Oui Oui: bakery (Palermo)
- Burger Joint: cheap eats (Palermo)
- Sheikob’s Bagels: bagels, nice patio (Palermo)
- Chori: sausages (Palermo)
- La Cabrera (steak)
- Cafe Tortoni (snack)
- La Cocina in Recoleta (empanadas)
- try dulce de leche (sweet milk-based treat)
- try alfajor (biscuit/cookie with dulce de leche)
- Bar Plaza Dorrego Feria de San Telmo: order medialuna, a sweet croissant, or prosciutto cheese & tomato sandwich (cafe in San Telmo barrio).
- Pirilo Pizzeria (San Telmo)
- La Brigada: steak (San Telmo)
- Bar Merci: bakery in San Telmo market
- El Refuerzo: cheap eats (San Telmo)
- The Federal Bar: heritage cafe with large patio (order a cortado and tostado)
- Alameda Sur: Argentine hot dog (near Reserva Ecoligica, Alameda Sur, Av. Achaval Rodriguez 1431, Costanera)
- El Puestito del Tio: boniolo sandwich (El PUestito del Tio, Av Dorrego 3700 between Figueroa Alcorta & Avenida Lugones)
- Tito’s Sercret Parrilla: steakhouse
- Vino Tinto: cafe & cheap eats
- Kentucky: pizza, empanadas, cheap eats chain restaurant
- Loreto Garden Bar: salads, quiet after 3pm, nice patio
- Nola: fried chicken with outdoor seating
IGUAZU FALLS
I also visited Iguazu Falls on the Argentinian and Brazilian side. I found the view from the Argentinian side better but on the Brazilian side you can get up close to one of the falls. Be prepared to get drenched!! Read my blog entry for tips on things to do while there such as the bird park and helicopter ride over the falls.
The hotel I stayed at on the Brazilian side was crap so I wouldn’t recommend it.
