Buenos Aires
Incredible food, plentiful public parks, storied history, boundless museums. Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital and largest city, really does have it all.
I packed a lot into the 2 days I spent in Buenos Aires, not enough time to see as much as I would have liked to. But the time I did get to spend in the Paris of South America was spent walking the streets, exploring the parks, dining in restaurants and cafes, and exploring the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA), and wandering the pathways at Cemetario de la Recoleta looking at the beautiful grave stones and mausoleums, including the final resting place of Eva Perón.
Downtown Buenos Aires, also known as microcentro (city center), is clean and not as chaotic as I would have thought a bustling metropolis to be. They have fully embraced the more laid back attitude of many European cities and the pace of life is calming and inviting.
I was surprised by how many open areas and public parks are in the downtown area. Trees line the streets, fountains in almost every park. It’s a peaceful city, even at rush hour.
I stayed in a beautiful Airbnb in Palermo, the largest barrio (neighborhood) in Buenos Aires. You’ll find incredible restaurants and cafes and indie stores on cobblestone streets. You’ll find supermarkets on almost every street corner, and something new to discover every time you turn a corner.
The barrio comes alive at night with bustling restaurants and places to drink and dance to global pop music or popular latin rhythms.
If you’re in the mood for a mouthwatering steak—and let’s face it, you’re in Argentina, the beef capital of the world, so why not?!—head to La Raya in Retiro, a historic restaurant popular with politicians, businessmen, and athletes. This is also Pelé’s and Robert Duvall's favorite place to eat when they’re in Argentina.
Two days was definitely not enough to see everything Buenos Aires has to offer, but I managed to cram quite a lot into two days. The hope is to return soon and spend more time there, not only in Buenos Aires, but traveling to some of its other beautiful cities and towns.
