Let's start with the first of Buenos Aires' neighborhoods. The sophisticated Recoleta neighborhood reminds me why I love Buenos Aires\u2026parks, caf\u00e9s, restaurants, and museums\u2014all in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This would be a nice route through the neighborhood:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For anyone who wants to enjoy it away from the tourists, I recommend coming at sunset, when the museums and the cemetery have closed. Intendente Alvear Park and the surrounding area turn into a giant workout area where dozens and dozens of porte\u00f1os run, do push-ups, and push themselves in all sorts of ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And while we're at it, the most photogenic spots are emptying out<\/p>\n\n\n This is the Floralis Generica, a flower made of stainless steel whose petals close at sunset and open in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But I suppose the real reason we all come to this neighborhood is to visit the Recoleta Cemetery.<\/p>\n\n\n A small city in its own right, where the only thing that doesn\u2019t rest in peace is pride. Every mausoleum, every tomb, has to be bigger and more ostentatious than its neighbor\u2019s\u2026 It seems you\u2019re nobody in Argentina if you haven\u2019t been buried here, and so, for example, a sister of Borges and several Argentine presidents rest within its walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To share a funny anecdote about the pride of being buried here, there is a very unique story featuring David Alleno, an Italian immigrant who worked as the cemetery caretaker for 30 years (from 1881 to 1910).<\/p>\n\n\n\n David had an obsession: he wanted to be buried in the very place he tended, just like the millionaires and presidents of the time. He saved every penny of his salary for three decades and traveled to his native Italy to commission a Carrara marble relief depicting himself in his work clothes, with his keys and his broom. Once the tomb was finished and his name engraved on the marble, David considered his work on Earth complete. He went to see the cemetery administrator, told him, \u201cNow I can die,\u201d resigned from his job, returned home, and took his own life that very night so he could break in his brand-new property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But interestingly, the most visited grave is quite unassuming: that of Eva Per\u00f3n<\/p>\n\n\n Flowers, prayers, various requests\u2026 the devotion to this woman in Buenos Aires is incredible; it\u2019s as if, even in death, she continues to watch over the well-being of the descamisados<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are guided tours on Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:00 a.m., starting at 1760 Jun\u00edn Street; if you happen to be there on the weekend, there\u2019s a traditional craft market in the plaza next to the cemetery\u2014though it\u2019s not very \u201chippie\u201d since it\u2019s terribly expensive \ud83d\ude31<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not far from the flower is the National Museum of Fine Arts: great, beautiful, and\u2014free! Impressionist painters, engravings by Goya, etc.\u2014a great way to spend some time on a rainy day. To get to Recoleta, you can take buses 59, 10, or 17 from Avenida 9 de Julio or the subway (Las Heras station); you can't pay with cash on the buses\u2014you'll need to buy a SUBE card (a rechargeable card) that's also valid for the subway (you can buy it at any subway station).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let's move on to some other neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. These two are quite a bit less charming than the rest, but you can still spend an enjoyable morning there\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n The obvious starting point is Plaza de Mayo, home to the Casa Rosada and the city\u2019s old Cabildo (City Hall); it is the gathering place for the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, the association of women who, wearing white scarves tied in a knot, defied Videla by demanding answers about those who disappeared during the dictatorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I guess I'm just unlucky, but every time I've come by here, there's always been someone causing a commotion in the square \ud83d\ude13<\/p>\n\n\n The Cabildo is one of the few remaining colonial buildings in the city<\/p>\n\n\n On the second floor of the Cabildo, you can enjoy a great view of the plaza, as well as a wonderful museum that provides a clear picture of the City Council\u2019s role in the historical events of 19th-century Buenos Aires. Admission is only 15 pesos, and guided tours are available during the following hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: 3:30 p.m. Very close by, to the south, there is another interesting glimpse into Argentine history: the Manzana de las Luces\u2014from a Jesuit building to Argentina\u2019s first \u201cparliament.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Its origins date back to 1661, when the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) settled on this land granted by the colonial government. After settling there, the priests built the Church of San Ignacio (the oldest surviving church in Buenos Aires) and the Colegio de San Ignacio. This complex served as the most advanced educational center in the remote colonial village. The Spanish Crown expelled the Jesuits in 1767, and this complex of buildings served a wide variety of purposes: it housed the city\u2019s first printing press, an orphanage, the National Library, the first medical school, the first bank, and even the original headquarters of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most entertaining activities here is learning about the network of secret tunnels built between the 17th and 18th centuries. Dug by hand into the rough underground rock, they secretly connected churches, public buildings, and the city\u2019s fort (where the Casa Rosada stands today). Although there is still debate over whether they were used for smuggling, military defense, or the safe transport of local leaders, you can visit on your own\u2014but you won\u2019t learn much that way, so the best option is the guided tour, which is very enjoyable. Tour times are: 3:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you've had enough of all the monuments on the nearby, very long Florida Street, you can go shopping, exchange money, or book a tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The tour that takes you inside the Teatro Col\u00f3n is expensive but a must-see. Every 15 minutes, for 250 pesos, you can take a tour of this exquisite theater; even if you\u2019re not a theatergoer, it\u2019s truly spectacular and the visit is very enjoyable: marble of every type and color, a tour of the VIP areas, and the auditorium, which we were told has the best acoustics in the world for opera.<\/p>\n\n\n If you want to lose yourself in the nightlife, a good option is to head north to the Palermo neighborhood. It's easy to get there by subway (Plaza Italia station) or by bus (59 or 10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The streets between Palermo Viejo and Serrano squares are lined with expensive restaurants and boutiques, creating an exclusive atmosphere for the most refined palates\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n For me, the authentic Buenos Aires experience can be found in this small neighborhood south of downtown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century, San Telmo became the most exclusive neighborhood in Buenos Aires. The wealthiest and most powerful families in politics and business settled here, but\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026In 1871, Buenos Aires was hit by a yellow fever epidemic. San Telmo, being close to the low-lying areas and the port, was one of the hardest-hit areas. Terrified of catching the disease, upper-class families fled their mansions en masse and moved to the northern part of the city (thus creating the residential neighborhoods of Recoleta and Palermo).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The enormous, abandoned mansions in San Telmo didn't remain empty for long: they were rented out by the room to the waves of European immigrants (mainly Italians and Spaniards) arriving in the country. That's how the famous conventillos<\/em> (the inexpensive boarding houses of the time), radically transforming the neighborhood from an aristocratic enclave into a vibrant hub of popular culture, tango, and bohemian life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The heart of the neighborhood is the cobblestone street Defensa Street<\/strong>, where on weekends, stretching across Dorrego Square, the San Telmo Fair takes place\u2014a spectacular flea market with live music, all kinds of stalls, and a lively atmosphere<\/p>\n\n\n If the traveler takes a break, he or she can go eat or have a coffee at the San Telmo Market<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following on from what we mentioned above, it opened in 1897 with the goal of supplying fresh food to the massive wave of European immigrants who were settling in the old tenement buildings in southern Buenos Aires. Fortunately, it has preserved virtually all of its original 19th-century structure, so just taking a stroll through here feels like stepping back in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It's open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and in addition to being a regular market, it has antique shops and used bookstores.... The food is relatively affordable compared to the sky-high prices at restaurants. cool<\/i> It's a neighborhood place, and the books and merchandise are cheap and open to some haggling (although a couple of times the shopkeepers gave me a real scolding for trying to haggle too much \ud83d\ude05)<\/p>\n\n\n Another fun way to explore San Telmo is to follow the Historieta Street<\/strong> which begins at the intersection of Independencia and Defensa streets and stretches 5 km to the distant neighborhood of Puerto Madero, tracing the stories of the main characters from Argentine comics<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here's a quick map of activities and places to visit (during the day) in San Telmo<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what are we doing tonight?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s go back a bit in history. Thousands of European immigrants were crammed into the neighborhood\u2019s abandoned homes. Some of them brought a very rare musical instrument from Germany called a bandoneon, which produces a very melancholic sound\u2026 and so, amid the bars and brothels of the area, the mix of the local and immigrant populations, to the sound of this instrument\u2019s music, gave birth to the tango.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here's a little map of some bars where you can enjoy live tango<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet another neighborhood in Buenos Aires. If I could describe this one in two words, they would be gold and blue.<\/p>\n\n\n Gold and blue are the colors of the Boca Juniors soccer team, whose stadium is nicknamed \u201cLa Bombonera\u201d because it resembles a box of chocolates. The truth is, when you walk in, the stadium really is adorable\u2014it's small but very pretty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you're even a little bit into soccer\u2014even if you're not a Boca fan\u2014check out the museum. It's expensive (44,000 pesos, about 25 euros), but it's truly spectacular. Fun fact: they won't let you in if you're wearing a jersey from another soccer team \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n\n\n\n The area surrounding the stadium\u2014a modest neighborhood\u2014has been revitalized by the presence of the stadium and one of Buenos Aires\u2019s most time-honored tourist attractions: El Caminito.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the history of one of the most photographed neighborhoods in the world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let's go back to those conventillos<\/em> the ones we mentioned earlier. Immigrants (mainly Italians) built their homes using wood and scrap metal left over from shipyards, and painted them with leftover paint discarded by the shipbuilders. Since there wasn\u2019t enough paint to cover the entire facade, each section ended up a different color. A good example is this tenement building from 1881, which the city has taken care to preserve almost in its original condition<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building on this foundation, an Argentine artist named Quinquela, along with other artists, revitalized the neighborhood, transforming it into the open-air museum we know today: bold sculptures, old houses painted in bright colors\u2026 an entire block brimming with surprises and street art\u2026 the perfect place to get a little lost with your camera at the ready, searching for that hidden detail, that unexpected photo\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n Unless you have plenty of time\u2014and money\u2014I don't recommend this day trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The problem is that Cologne is too small and not particularly spectacular. At most, you can walk through the town\u2019s historic center in a couple of hours, and then\u2026 what? I don\u2019t think the visit justifies the 30 euros it costs to get there by ferry (75 minutes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n On top of that, it\u2019s not the most authentic colonial town I\u2019ve ever seen (anyone who\u2019s been to Trinidad in Cuba or Leyva in Colombia will be disappointed), and it\u2019s extremely expensive because of the strength of the Uruguayan peso.<\/p>\n\n\n It's a good trip to take from Montevideo, but not so good if you go from Buenos Aires<\/p>\n\n\n\n In any case, for anyone who decides to visit, I recommend buying tickets online (the companies are Barcobus, Colonia Express, and a few others) instead of through the hostel or a travel agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This trip is definitely worth it, if only to get away from the hustle and bustle of the capital for a bit. There\u2019s nothing particularly spectacular about it, but to grab a bite to eat, visit the market, and take a stroll through the river delta, it\u2019s worth traveling the 35 km that separate it from Buenos Aires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The old warehouses that once served the port have been converted into restaurants and shops, along with a somewhat seedy casino and tours of the delta. It\u2019s a great atmosphere for relaxing at a leisurely pace\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that's all the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires had to offer\u2026 next stop: Puerto Madryn<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know this is a very short and not very informative post\u2026 If you have any comments and\/or can provide some more information, don't hesitate to let me know!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/999millas.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/La-recoleta.png?ssl=1\")
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For more information: https:\/\/www.bellasartes.gob.ar\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nNEIGHBORHOODS OF BUENOS AIRES: DOWNTOWN (MICROCENTRO AND CONGRESO)<\/strong>)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
La Plaza de Mayo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Thursday: 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Weekends: 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 4:45 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLa Manzana de las Luces<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
El Teatro Col\u00f3n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPALERMO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
SAN TELMO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBombonera Stadium<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
When the team was founded, the original members didn't know what colors to wear, so they agreed to choose the color of the first boat to arrive at the port\u2026 and it turned out to be a Swedish boat! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nCaminito Street<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nONE DAY TRIPS: COLONIA AND TIGRE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1.- Colonia<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n2.- Tigre<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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