Buenos Aires is divided into 47 neighbourhoods. The most
famous ones are San Telmo, La Boca, Retiro, Recoleta, Barrio
Norte, Downtown, Palermo and Belgrano. In the north you
will find the very fashionable areas like Recoleta, Palermo
and Belgrano were you will see many cafes and restaurants
and expensive designer shops. In the south you will find
San telmo and La Boca. The first is generally known as the
bohemian neighbourhood, were you will find many artists`studios
and antique shops. La boca, is famous for its colourful
painted houses, it is more a working class and industrial
area. In the centre you will find Barrio Norte, Retiro and
the Downtown area. The latter very famous for its museums,
pedestrian streets and government buildings.
This neighbourhood is located downtown by the river, and is an extension
of the downtown area. It is one of the newest and more stylish areas
of Buenos Aires. Old docks and warehouses, previously used to store
ship cargos, have been completely refurbished and converted into modern
office buildings and luxurious apartments, restaurants and bars.
Places to visit:
Sarmiento Fragate:Dock 3
Orginally it was an English ship built for the Argentinean governement
in 1898. Open Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, weekends 9am-10pm. For information
call 4334-9686.
Recoleta
This is one of the most touristic areas in Buenos Aires. Recoleta
takes its name from the Franciscan convent that dates form
1716. It has beautiful Italian and French style buildings
and many green areas. It is best known for having the “Cementerio
de la Recoleta” (Recoleta Cemetery), very rich in art
samples and history and in many of the luxurious tombs very
important personalities in the Argentinean history, such as
Dorrego and Evita.Peron are buried.
Near the cementry, on Junin street, you will find many restaurant,
discos and bars. In the weekends as during the week you will find
many porteños and tourist enjoying themselves untill the very
early hours of the morning.
In Recoleta many cultural events take place, the Centro Municipal
de Exposiciones, is one of the most well know places, this centre
hosts book fairs and many other cultural events. On the weekends there
is a handicraft market in the park near the cementry, where you will
be able to buy many high quality products or enjoy live music and
shows.
Places to visit:
Cementerio de Recoleta: Junin with
Guido.
Most important cementary in Buenos Aires were many rich and famous
are buried. Founded in 1822 by the "Recoletos" monks. Here
you will find the mausoleum of the Duarte Family to which Eva Peron
belongs. Upon entry a map will show who is buried were.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes: 1473 Libertador.
This is the countries most famous museum. You will be able to see
permanently exhibited works from artists such as Renoir, Goya, Gogh
and Picasso and expositions by contemporary artists. Free entry open
12:30pm-7:30pm Tues-Fri, weekends 9:30am-7:30pm. For information call
4803-0802.
Biblioteca Nacional: 2502 Aguero.
Houses some of the most important collections of Latin America. They
have many unique documents in their posession. Mon-Fri they have guided
tours from 9am-5pm.
For information call 4808-6026.
San Telmo
This is one of the oldest and more traditional neighborhoods in Buenos
Aires. Originally it was called Altos de San Pedro, and after that
they changed it to San Pedro Telmo. This neighborhood was one of those
more affected by the yellow fever of 1870. It had an enormous population
exodus and deterioration that stopped growth, for that reason many
new buildings were not added in substitution of the old ones, like
it happened in most of the city.
San Telmo is an artist's quarter where Bohemians find large spaces
at low rents, but it is also the site of high-density slum housing
in conventillos (tenements) once built as single family housing for
the capital's elite.
Here you will find many handicraft markets and antique shops. On Sundays
you will be able to visit the big antique market or enjoy some of
the free live tango shows.
Places to visit:
Plaza Dorrego:
Situated in the heart of San Telmo. Every Sunday, from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m, an antiques market (Feria de San Telmo) takes place were you
can find things like jewels, clothes, old coins, and toys or enjoy
street performers.
Museo Penitenciario Nacional: 1378 Humberto Primo.
Orginally this museum housed a Jesuit convent, when the Jesuits were
expelled, it became a women's prision. Entry US$1, open Tues-Fri 2pm-5pm,
weekends 12pm-7pm.
Museo Histórico Nacional: Defensa with Brasil.
In this museum you will get an overview of Argentina`s history. Entry
US$1, open Tues-Fri 10.30am-5pm, Sat 1:30-5:30pm .
La Boca
This is Buenos Aires most colourful neighbourhood. It was settled
and built by the Italian Immigrants, mainly from Genova, and untill
now it is known as "La Piccola Italia" little Italy. La
Boca, thanks its name due to that it is situated in the mouth of the
Riachuelo river.
The constructions are those of the typical houses with walls of foils,
also present in other port areas as Berisso, in La Plata that give
the neighborhood an unique physiognomy in the city. The tourist artery
of this neighborhood is the picturesque Caminito, street of hardly
100 meters next to the coastal road, in which stand out the countless
colors of its constructions, with murals and reliefs.
In this street they are a variety of artists that offer their productions
and shows. There are some places of tango very exclusive and several
Italian taverns, especially on the street Necochea. A characteristic
element of the neighborhood is the Club Boca Junior, one of the most
important of the country that possesses its stadium, The Bombonera
(chocolate box), with capacity it for more than 55.000 spectators.
Places to Visit:
Caminito:
Most famous street of La Boca, here you will be able to see the very
colourful painted houses. Many street performers and other artists
are selling their paintings here and perform Tango shows. Normally
there is a handicraft market were you can buy typical Argentinean
things.
Boca Juniors Stadium and Museum: 805 Brandsen.
Argentines go crazy for soccer, and no team arouses more passion
than the Boca Juniors, traditionally the team of the working
class.
Museo de Bellas Artes de La Boca: 1835 Pedro de Mendoza.
A small but nice museum which exhibites works of many Argentinean
painters.
Open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm.
Belgrano
This is a very stylish residential area. It was named after Manuel
Belgrano, one of Argentina's forefathers. Here you will find many
beautiful mansion, embassies and high rise residential buildings.
Places to visit:
Avenida Cabildo:
Busy street in the heart of Belgrano, were you will find many bars,
restaurants and shops. Excellent place to go out an have a good time.
Museo de Arte Español Enrique Larreta: 2291 Juramento.
Here open air theater performance take place in the beautiful garden.
Museum exhibites the work of Enrique Larreta. For information 4784-4040.
Entry US$1, open Wed-Fri 2pm-8pm, weekends 4pm-7pm.
Palermo
Previously Palermo was owned by Juan Manuel de Rosas a former Buenos
Aires governor. After his fall from power the area became public parkland.
Palermo consist of two different area, “Palermo chico”,
little Palermo, full with beautiful parks, a Zoo and the Japanese
and the Botanical gardens that has near 7000 species vegetable, and
various shoppings.and “Palermo viejo”, old Palermo well
knows for its bars, international restaurants and pubs, being an important
place for night entertainment.
There are several important monuments in this neighborhood, as that
of Garibaldi, in Plaza Italia, that of the Spaniards, that of Urquiza
and the one dedicated to Sarmiento, carried out by the french sculptor
Rodin. The population of resources in this area concentrates, from
middle to high class. These last ones concentrate on the exclusive
Little Palermo, near Recoleta. There is a great concentration of buildings,
many new, among them some that stand out as one of the highest in
South America. In old Palermo, near to Villa Crespo and Colegiales,
there are more low constructions, some of beginnings of the XX Century.
Places to visit:
Jardín Botánico: 3951 Av. Santa Fé.
Contructed by Isakari and Yatsuo Inomata in 1979. In the gardens you
can find many different plans from all over the world. Inside the
gardens there is a Japanese restaurants and ponds with koi fish. Entry
US$1. Open daily from 10am-7pm.
Jardín Zoológico (Zoo): 2827 Sarmiento.
Beautiful, well contructed nineteenth-century Zoo in the centre of
palermo, near la Plaza Italia. It houses many different animal species
from South America. Entry $5, open Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, weekends 10am-7pm.
Palermo Woods: Casares with Libertador.
The main green space in the heart of the city. Its woods gather
three artificial lakes. Nice place to take walks along the
Rosedal, Patio Andaluz and Poet`s garden.
Retiro / San MartĚn
The first settlers gave the name "Retiro" to this place
because there was a hermitage to retreat (retiro) spiritually, Later
on, the name was associated with the enormous railway station that
operates there many years ago, trains to all parts of the country
left from this station.
There are many chique hotels situated here and you will find the terminals
of many buses and train here as well. If you planning to travel to
one of the other provinces in Argentina, this is the place from were
you will leave.
Places to visit:
Retiro Station: 1508 Ramos Mejía.
The train is the most adecuate means of transport to move along the
Capital and the most convenient to reach the Gran Buenos Aires. Retiro
Station is one of the biggest stations in Latin America.
San Martín Square: Santa Fe with Maipú.
San Martin Square(at the end of Florida) with the statue of general
San Martin, work of the sculptor J. L. Daumas carried out in 1862.
From this square old palaces can be seen such as, Anchorena (headquarters
of the Foreign Affairs Ministry) and "Circulo Militar".
Torre de los Ingleses (The Englishmen's Tower): San Martín with Libertador.
It was built by the British residents in commemoration of the Argentina`s
Independence Centenary.
Downtown
Juan de Garay refounded Buenos Aires in 1580, just north of Pedro
de Mendoza's encampment near Parque Lezama. In accordance with Spanish
Law, he laid out the large Plaza del Fuerte (Fortress Plaza), later
called the Plaza del Mercado (Market Plaza). The Plaza de la Victoria
was laid out after the victories over the British invaders in 1806
and 1807. It acquired its present of Plaza de Mayo after the month
in which the Revolution of 1810 occurred.
Major colonial buildings in the centre included the Cabildo, part
of which still exists and a church at a site now occupied by the Cathedral
Metropolitana. Inside the cathedral is the tomb of the repatriated
San Martín, who died in France. In the center of the plaza,
the Pirámide de Mayo is a small obelisk over an earlier monument,
around which the Madres de la Plaza still march every Thursday afternoon
in their unrelenting campaign for a full accounting of Dirty War atrocities.
In the centre of Buenos Aires there is always happening something.
Busy with people, strawling on calle florida, the main shopping street,
the hastlle of the outrageous amount of traffic during rush hours,
and business people working in the comercial buildings.
Here you can walk on the widest avenue in the world, 9 de Julio, and
take a look at one of the most famous statues of Buenos Aires, “el
Obelisco. Or simply visit Corrientes Avenue, densely populated with
theatres, cinemas, restaurants and bookshops.
Places to visit:
La Casa Rosada (Presidential Palace): 50 Balcarce.
Presidential Palace has a world-famous balcony, which has seen Diego
Maradona, Evita Peron addressing the crowds at various stages in Argentina’s
history. Originally a fortress, the Casa Rosada was remodelled as
a palace for the Viceroy, when Buenos Aires became the Capital of
the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata in 1776. A typical example
of French and Italian styles, it gained its bright pink colour during
the presidency of Sarmiento when, in 1873, he chose the colour because
it represented both political sectors – red for the federals
and white for the opposing unitarians.
Plaza de Mayo:
In front of la Casa Rosada, you will find this famous square, were
many activities take place such as political demonstrations and the
march of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo.
Cabildo museum: 65 Bolívar.
Situated on Plaza de Mayo and the only surviving Government building
from colonial times, the Cabildo was constructed in 1748. Contains
a museum featuring watercolours by Enrique Pellegrini together with
the original plans for the city and its fort.
Admission US$1, open Tues-Frid 12:30pm-7:pm, Sun 3pm-7pm
Catedral Metropolitana: On the Plaza de Mayo.
Famous Catedral, with beautiful neoclassical architecture, in the
heart of Buenos Aires. Inside you will find the tomb of Argentina`s
most famous hero, general Jose de San Martin. Open every day.
Palacio de Congreso: 1864 Rivadavia.
This Palace houses the chambers of the Legislative Power. Has an outstanding
dome, and is beautifully lighted by night.
For free guided tours in English, Spanish or French call 4959-3000.
Obelisco: 9 de Julio Avenue, intersection with Corrientes.
Most famous statue in Buenos Aires, it is 67,50 metres tall and the
only way to go up is by stairs. Not open for the public.
Teatro Colon: 621 Libertad. Te. 4382-5414/16
This theatre offers facility for balllet, opera and classical music
concerts. It can seat 2.500 people and has a eautiful cupola and “golden
room” el Salon Dorado. There are guided tours Spanish and English
and take pace during the week between 11am and 3pm, on Saturday at
9am and 12am. For tours call: 4378-7132, for shows call: 4378-7344.
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