(includes Ciudad Evita & Tigre Delta)
BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
Almagro
●Las Violetas – 3899 Avenida Rivadavia; 011-54-11-4958-7387; lasvioletas.com; open since 1884; coffee house and restaurant; 1998 shuttering caused such uproar that within 6 weeks city gave historic protection to save; 2001 restoration; 3 19th Century stained-glass windows and marble bar; impossibly large María Cala and La Violetera tea services, replete with cookies, cakes, crustless sandwiches, and budín; registered bare notable.
Barrio Norte
●Tea Connection – 2102 Arenales; 011-54-11-4823-9254; teaconnection.com.ar; Asian-inspired teas.
Centro
●Gran Café Tortoni – 825/29 Avenida De Mayo; 011-54-11-4342-4328; cafetortoni.com.ar; cannot not visit; important Porteño institution; historic cafe has served as city’s artistic and intellectual center since 1858 (and current location since 1890s); regulars include Jorge Luis Borges, Julio de Caro, Cátulo Castillo, and José Gobello; appointed in woods, stained glass, yellowing marble, and bronzes; perfect place for coffee or small snack when wandering along Avenida de Mayo; twice-nightly tango shows in cramped side gallery worth seeing; service and treating people well has never been Tortoni’s forte; registered bare notable.
●Meraviglia – 5796 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4775-7949; meraviglia.com.ar; organic and vegetarian bakery goods.
Palermo (Costanera Norte, Hollywood, Villa Crespo, Palermo Viejo & Soho)
●Un’Altra Volta – 3060 Libertador; 011-54-11-4783-4048; unaltravolta.com.ar; coffee and ice cream shops with focus on light desserts.
●Chungo – 1906 Humboldt; 011-54-800-888-2486; chungo.com.ar; try cucuruccino.
●Jauja – 3901 Avenida Cervino; 011-54-11-4801-8126; www.heladosjauja.com; ice cream; try mousse del piltri.
●Persicco – 2591 Salguero; 011-54-11-4801-5549; persicco.com; modern café serving city’s best ice cream; comfortable chairs and free wireless access; try dulce de leche casero con brownie, dolcatta, or chocuquinna; place order at register and take receipt to ice cream counter to tell them what flavor you want; other locations around city.
●Scannapieco – 5274 Avenida Nazca; 011-54-11-4587-8172; heladosscannapieco.com.ar; among best ice creams anywhere; try dulce de leche that is consistency of melted cheese.
●Tea Connection – 3550 Cerviño; 011-54-11-4807-5304; teaconnection.com.ar; Asian-inspired teas.
Puerto Madero
●Un’ Altra Volta – 502 Quintana; 011-54-11-4783-4048; unaltravolta.com.ar; gelateria.
●Sirop Folie – 1661 Vincente Lopez; 011-54-11-4813-5900; siroprestaurant.com; on quaint alley in upscale neighborhood; very British afternoon tea, including fresh scones, homemade marmalades, finger sandwiches, cakes, and tea; well-dressed families show up after 5 p.m.
●Tea Connection – 1597 Uriburu; 011-54-11-4805-0616; teaconnection.com.ar; Asian-inspired teas.
San Telmo
●Freddo – 901 Defensa; 011-54-0810-333-73336; freddo.com.ar; ice-cream parlor chain responsible for changing way ice cream experienced in Argentina; try crema tramontana.
●Un Café Con Peron – 2593 Austria; 011-54-11-4802-8010; jdperon.gov.ar; inside presidential archive and research offices (Instituto Nacional Juan Domingo Peron); Juan Peron statue.
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Barracas
●Ingrata – 168 Pasaje Lanin (Edificio Barracas Central); 011-54-11-4303-3663; ingratabar.blogspot.com; in renovated textile factory; wine bar and café with live music.
●Señor Tango – 1655 Vieytes; 011-54-11-4303-0231; senortango.com.ar; flashy, Fosse-esque tango show that includes live horse.
Palermo (Costanera Norte, Hollywood, Villa Crespo, Palermo Viejo & Soho)
●Bar 6 – 1676 Armenia; 011-54-11-4833-6807; barseis.com; dramatic stone, wood, and glass space.
●Carnal – 5511 Niceto Vega (at Humbolt); 011-54-11-4772-7582; carnalbar.com.ar; although need to arrive early, will often find street-level bar practically empty because in summer everyone’s on rooftop terrace.
●Bar du Marche – 596 Nicaragua (Palermo Viejo); 011-54-11-4778-1050; bardumarchepalermo.com; on leafy street; ground-floor cafe & wine bar; private Japanese dining room hidden upstairs.
●La Catedral – 4006 Sarmiento, 2nd Floor; 011-54-9-11-5325-1630; city’s most authentic tango dance hall; unassuming building; roof is high, with wooden beams; years of kitsch hang from them, most noticeable being giant, glowing heart that looms over bar.
●Congo – 5329 Honduras (between Godoy Cruz & Juan B. Justo); 011-54-11-4833-5857; no sign; beside railroad, next to nightclub; queue outside plain, brown door; modest exterior conceals expansive interior with enormous outside space; retains original features (including old tree protruding through roof); among city’s best summer spots.
●Experiencia Fin del Mundo – 5673 Honduras; 011-54-11-4852-6661; bodegadelfindelmundo.com; affiliated with Bodega Fin del Mundo (Patagonian winery in Neuquen Province); wine tastings paired with small plates.
●Guido’s Bar – 2843 Republica de la India; 011-54-11-4802-2391; holdout bodegon.
●Lo de Joaquin Alberdi – 1772 Jorge Luis Borges; 011-54-11-4832-5329; lodejoaquinalberdi.com.ar; wine shop that offers affordable wine-tastings on Thursdays, paired with charcuterie and cheese plates.
●Bar Isabel – 1664 Uriarte; 011-54-11-4834-6969; barisabel.com; next to Casa Cruz; famous as place to spot models; expensive, and purchased with Isabelitas, which are 25-peso poker chips that you buy when entering club; mix of mod funk and classics, with veneered 1940s style nightclub tables, edged with S&M studs, lit from above by orange-glowing mushroom lights; outside, fireplace patio is great place to chat.
●Niceto Club – 5510 Niceto Vega; 011-54-11-4779-9396; nicetoclub.com.
●Ocho 7 Ocho – 878 Thames (Villa Crespo, between Aguirre & Loyala); 011-54-11-4773-1098; comfortable, dark; excellent cocktails.
●Rumi – 6442 Avenida Figueroa Alcorta; 011-54-11-4782-1307; less intense setting (compared with other Costanera clubs); rich suburban socialites and occasional fashion models; electronica-pop music; 2 large bars surround dance floor and elevated booths.
●Tequila – Avenida Rafael Obligado Costanera & La Pampa; 011-54-11-4781-6555; have to be on list to get in.
●Thelonious Club – 1884 Jeronimo Salguero (1st Floor); 011-54-11-4829-1562; theloniousclub.com.ar; vintage, battered bar that showcases local musicians.
●Unik – 5132 Soler; 011-54-11-4772-2230; coolhunting.com/design/unik.php; 60' marble bar; after dinner hours (2:00 a.m.), can revel with cocktails and wine under large neon sculpture by Jiang Zhi.
Puerto Madero
●Library Lounge – 445 Martha Salotti; 011-54-11-4010-9000; faenahotelanduniverse.com; in Faena Hotel + Universe; live music on Wednesdays.
Recoleta
●La Biela – 600 Avenida Quintana; 011-54-11-4804-0449 or 011-54-11-4804-4135; labiela.com; among city’s oldest cafes; stone’s throw from cemetery; sweeping corner space, lined with warm wood and decorated with framed photos; sprawling terrace, too; Borges lived down street.
●La Bourgogne – 1981 Avenida Alvear (at Alvear Palace Hotel); 011-54-11-4808-2100; alvearpalace.com; classic; informal wine-tasting room; for $75, 3-4 wine tastings paired with food.
●Millon – 1048 Parana (between Marcelo T de Alvear & Santa Fe); 011-54-11-4815-9925; millon.com; near greatest cemetery on planet; romantic converted mansion in lovely area.
●Oak Bar – 1661 Avenida Alvear; 011-54-11-5171-1234; buenosaires.park.hyatt.com; Palacio Duhau hotel bar.
San Telmo
●Bar Britanico – Brasil 399; 011-54-11-4361-2107; wander-argentina.com/bar-britanico; bohemian haunt; registered bare notable; open 24 hours.
●Bar Seddon – 695 Defensa (at Chile); 011-54-11-4342-3700; buenostours.com/bar-seddon; where Sunday bargain hunters from flea market seek refuge; “authentic.”
●El Federal – 599 Carlos Calvo (at Peru); 011-54-11-4300-4313; buenostours.com/bar-el-federal; old-fashioned joint; ideal for afternoon cerveza y picada (beer and cheese-and-cold-meat served on wooden board); open since 1964.
HOTELS
Balvanera
●Complejo Tango – 2608 Avenida Belgrano; 011-54-11-4941-1119; complejotango.com.ar; boutique hotel that also offers tango lessons and dinner.
Barracas
●Casa Bolivar – 1701 Bolivar; 011-54-11-4300-3619; casabolivar.com; B&B in renovated 1901 structure.
Barrio Norte
●cE Hotel de Diseño – 1695 Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear; 011-54-11-5237-3100; designce.com; pleasant alternative to better-known tourist centers; modern-looking building in quaint neighborhood of old mansions and Parisian-looking squares; 28 rooms; minimalist-cool hotel, opened in 2005; Jacuzzi hydro-massage tubs in every room; lacks basics such as full-service restaurant and closet space; standard rooms have bare concrete floors, white décor, and depressing views; free high-speed Internet; small flat-screen TV; king size beds; tiny hallways outside rooms are dark; bathrooms are small but nicely designed; despite lack of restaurant, 24-hour room service for finger sandwiches, tapas, and drinks.
Las Canitas
●Tailor Made Hotel – 385 Arce; 011-54-11-4774-9620; tailormadehotels.com; next to polo fields; complimentary snacks and wine.
Centro
●CasaCalma – 1015 Suipacha; 011-54-11-5199-2800; casacalma.com.ar; 18 guest rooms; each is quiet oasis from bustle; clean white and green décor takes cue from lush “vertical garden” that climbs 9 stories from lobby to top floor.
●La Cayetana – 1330 Mexico; 011-54-11-4383-2230; lacayetanahotel.com.ar; 11 elegant, designed suites; mixed reviews.
Palermo (Costanera Norte, Hollywood, Villa Crespo, Palermo Viejo & Soho)
●BoBo Hotel – 4882 Guatemala; 011-54-11-4774-0505; bobohotel.com; short for Bourgeois Bohemian; little boutique hotel high on charm; rooms have modern touches, though, with bold colors and white surfaces; some have terraces; each has different name and theme, such as Angelina Room (balcony and Jacuzzi); turn-of-20th-Century building; lovely bar.
●Costa Petit Hotel – 5141 Costa Rica (Palermo Vieho); 011-54-11-4775-8294; costapetithotel.com; patrician hotel (4 room B&B); Ralph Lauren-gone-estancia aesthetic, wrapped in pale greens and white, carries through 4, large rooms, filled with antique armoires and vanity sinks, wainscoting, and brass fixtures; grass-and-honeysuckle-filled courtyard is serene pool; tree-lined blocks; sunset cocktails on balcony; Room #1, ground floor suite, opens onto garden and small splash pool.
●Fierro Hotel – 5862 Soler; 011-54-11-3220-6800; fierrohotel.com; 27 rooms; young artist and techie hot-spot.
●Home Hotel – 5860 Honduras 5860; 011-54-11-4778-1008; homebuenosaires.com; boutique; stylish.
●Jardin Escondido – 4746 Gorriti; 501-824-4085 or 800-746-3743; coppolajardinescondo.com; Francis Ford Coppola’s Buenos Aires hide-a-way; 4 master bedrooms, 2 double bedrooms, and 1 single; full-time housekeeper; small pool.
●Oasis Clubhouse – 1418 Pehache; 011-54-11-4777-3692; oasiscollections.com/the-clubhouse; private club accommodations in 4-story, industrial chic venue with lovely pool.
●Palermo Place – 5865 Nicaragua; 011-54-11-3220-9600; palermoplace.com.
●Ultra Hotel – 4929 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4833-9200; hotelultra.com; swank; 20 rooms; rooftop pool & courtyard.
●Vitrum – 5641 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4776-5030; vitrumhotel.com; colorful glass façade; spacious, retro-futuristic rooms; on terrace is spa with oversized Jacuzzi.
Puerto Madero
●Faena Hotel + Universe – 445 Martha Salotti; 011-54-11-4010-9000; faenahotelanduniverse.com; Starck-designed.
Recoleta
●Algodon Mansion – 1647 Montevideo; 011-54-11-3530-7777; algodonmansion.com; luxurious; 10 suites; in renovated mansion.
●Alvear Palace Hotel – 1981 Avenida Alvear; 011-54-11-4808-2100; alvearpalace.com; classic.
●Four Seasons Buenos Aires – 1086 Posadas; 011-54-11-4321 1200; fourseasons.com/buenosaires; fabulous outdoor pool; try to stay in Mansion annex.
●Melia Recoleta Plaza – 1557 Posadas; 011-54-11-5353-4000; solmelia.com/Melia; former 1930s French palace; elegant and functional.
●Mio Buenos Aires – 465 Avenida Quintana; 011-54-11-5295-8500; miobuenosaires.com; designed and run by Christina Catena (Catenas are among Argentina’s most well-known wine families); elegant, personal boutique; landscaped terrace; 30 suites; exquisite, handcarved, wooden bathtubs; affordable.
●Palacio Duhau – 1661 Avenida Alvear; 011-54-11-5171-1234; buenosaires.park.hyatt.com; restored, Belle Epoque, 1934 neoclassic mansion with original marble floors, wood paneling, and teardrop chandeliers; 23 rooms; sunny terrace and garden links hotel to new, 17-story tower on Calle Posadas, with 142 spacious, minimalist rooms good bar (Oak Bar); of Palacio rooms, garden views have best light; Park Deluxe King suites in tower have most charm.
Retiro
●Park Tower – 1193 Avenida Leandro N. Alem; 011-54-11-4318-9100; starwoodhotels.com.
●Sofitel Buenos Aires – 841/849 Arroyo; 011-54-11-4131-0123; sofitel.com; boutique hotel fashioned from 2 historic buildings; Art Deco lobby lined with 20' high potted pines.
San Telmo
●Hotel Babel – 946 Balcarce; 011-54-11-4300-8300; hotelbabel.com.ar; charming, small boutique hotel with a conventillo feel to it, built around a glass-covered, light-filled central courtyard in century-old house; simply furnished rooms with king- or queen-size beds or 2 twins, rustic brick walls, neutral coloring, and hardwood floors; bathrooms are shower-only; ground level contains art gallery, with rotating exhibits; rich wood lobby; lounge full of shelves heaping with books; no gym or pool, but service is excellent and intimate; bargain.
●Cocker – 458 Avenida Juan de Garay; 011-54-11-4362-8451; thecocker.com; in elegantly decaying, 19th Century mansions; 5 rooms; aristocratic and traditional, yet warm; classic movies screened on rooftop deck in summer; hand-annotated map of surrounding streets, given to guests upon check-in; every café and restaurant.
●Moreno Hotel – 376 Moreno; 011-54-11-6091-2000; morenobuenosaires.com; boutique property housed in nicely restored, Art Deco historical building; old-fashioned caged elevator, vintage stained glass windows, intact tile completely lining hallways and lobby, and high, ornate ceilings (Johannes Kronfuss designed in 1928); 39 guestrooms are spacious and excellent deal for price (though some are dark and experience some street noise; some rooms have bathtub only; wooden rooftop terrace, which has panoramic city views; hotel’s street is bit grungy.
●Posada de la Luna – 565 Peru; 011-54-11-4343-0911; posadaluna.com; heavy wooden door opens on to twisting colonial staircase with marble steps and elegant iron banisters; formerly home to prominent 19th Century family (Saavedras); retains character and even some original furniture; high ceilings, terracotta tile floors; quadruple rooms are great value for families or friends.
Tigre Delta
●Bonanza Deltaventura – Carapachay River Islands; 011-54-11-4728-1674; deltaventura.com; 1898 villa on former Rio Carapachay fruit plantation; ideal for eco-conscious; miles of walkways through grasslands for bird-watching and horses for riding along shoreline; can swim off dock out front; 4 small but comfortable rooms; living style communal, with shared bathrooms and kitchen; price (2 days and 1 night, including excursions and meals, but alcoholic drinks cost extra); staff speaks English.
●Delta Eco Spa – Rio Carapachay (km 6); 011-54-11-5236-0553; deltaecospa.com; on western delta’s Rio Carapachay.
●Rumbo 90 – Canal de Este & Rio de la Plata (Parana River); 011-54-9-11-5843-9454; rumbo90.com.ar; in eastern delta.
RESTAURANTS
Almagro
●Las Violetas – 3899 Avenida Rivadavia; 011-54-11-4958-7387; lasvioletas.com; open since 1884; coffee house and restaurant; 1998 shuttering caused such uproar that within 6 weeks city gave historic protection to save; 2001 restoration; 3 19th Century stained-glass windows and marble bar; classic café fare; registered bare notable.
●Olviedo – 2602 Beruti; 011-54-11-4821-3741; oviedoresto.com.ar; clubby, old world charmer; seafood.
Barracas
●Caseros Restaurant – 486 Avenida Caseros; 011-54-11-4307-4729; in former British railroad magnate neighborhood; reasonably-priced comfort food.
●Club Social – 442 Avenida Caseros; 011-54-11-4307-1919; restaurantclubsocial.com; modeled on New York City’s Balthazar.
Barrio Norte
●Esquina Carlos Gardel – 3200 Carlos Gardel (Abasto); 011-54-11-4867-6363; esquinacarlosgardel.com.ar; among most elegant tango shows, with dinner and drinks ($300).
Belgrano
●Sucre – 676 Sucre; 011-54-11-4782-9082; sucrerestaurant.com.ar; high-concept dining; open kitchen stretches before airy, warehouse-like space; catwalk suspended next to dramatic floor-to-ceiling wall of illuminated liquors; menu inspired and original, drawing from Asia (citrus-and-soy-laced tiradito de pescado (fusion ceviche); equally impressive duck ravioli; beautifully designed desserts.
La Boca
●El Obrero – 64 Agustín R. Caffarena; 011-54-11-4362-9912; bodegonelobrero.com.ar; 2 old brothers from Barcelona started this institution several decades ago; thick, juicy, perfectly cooked steaks; Italian food, fish, and chicken also served; can order ½ and ¼ portions many items; tables fill rapidly at 9 pm, so reserve or come earlier; arrive by cab and have restaurant call cab for you when you leave at night because considered dangerous neighborhood to wander at night; try rabas (fried squid rings that melt in mouth like butter lozenges).
Boedo
●Café Margot – 857 Boedo(arts district); 011-54-11-4957-0001; open since 1903; 30 different turkey dishes and matambre (“hunger-killer” flank steak); registered bare notable.
Carranza
●Olsen – 5870 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4776-7677; Scandinavian; 4 stars; Sunday brunch mainstay of expatriates, filmmakers, and wealthy Argentines; dishes include herring and smoked salmon with Argentine bondiola (pork tenderloin); call ahead for outdoor table on heated deck or on couches around fireplace (avoid frenetic tables near kitchen); brunch until 8 pm.
Centro
●Buenos Aires Verde – 5657 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4775-9594; bsasverde.com; cheerful, casual restaurant; emphasizes vegetarian options.
●Fervor Restaurant – Posadas 1519 (at Callao); 011-54-11-4804-4944; fervorbrasas.com.ar; parilla named after Borges short story; grilled steaks but also salads.
●Gran Café Tortoni – 825/29 Avenida De Mayo; 011-54-11-4342-4328; cafetortoni.com.ar; cannot not visit; important Porteño institution; historic cafe has served as city’s artistic and intellectual center since 1858 (and current location since 1890s); regulars include Jorge Luis Borges, Julio de Caro, Cátulo Castillo, and José Gobello; appointed in woods, stained glass, yellowing marble, and bronzes; perfect place for coffee or small snack when wandering along Avenida de Mayo; twice-nightly tango shows in cramped side gallery worth seeing; service and treating people well has never been Tortoni’s forte; registered bare notable.
●Meraviglia – 5796 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4775-7949; meraviglia.com.ar; organic café; good for breakfast and lunch; try ginger and mint-infused lemonade.
●Pizzeria Guerrin – 1368 Avenida Corrientes; 011-54-11-4371-8141; old-fashioned pizza; try fugazzeta (thick crust pillowed over with mozzarella and onions).
●Richmond Cafe – 468 Calle Florida; 011-54-11-4322-1341 or 011-54-11-4322-1653; restaurant.com.ar/richmond; older Buenos Aires atmosphere and pace; café notable, and all that is left of Richmond Hotel, Argentine-British hybrid that opened in 1917 and once catered to elite; traditionally Argentine menu; decor is that of gentlemen’s club, full of brass, red-leather upholstery, and wood; hearty basics such as beef, chicken, and fish.
Chacarita
●Casa Felix – 2254 Avenida Nicolás Avellaneda; 011-54-11-4555-1882; colectivofelix.com/eng; private restaurant; in charming, white-washed home; dozen or so people can eat by appointment; inventive; should be 1st choice for dining options.
Monserrat
●El General – 350 Avenida Belgrano; 011-54-11-4342-7830; elgeneralctl.com; dedicated to Juan Peron; wood banisters, floors, and seats more appropriate for old west saloon than fine restaurant; ignore expansive menu except for page-long parilla list; every cut available in no-frills fashion (no toppings or sauces) and come with sides like French fries, cheese-covered rice or potato pie called Pastel del Papa.
●El Querandi Tangueria – 302 Peru; 011-54-11-5199-1770; querandi.com.ar; dinner and show.
Palermo (Costanera Norte, Hollywood, Villa Crespo, Palermo Viejo & Soho)
●Arevalito – 1478 Arevalo; 011-54-11-4776-4252; pint-size bistro; vegetarian.
●Astrid & Gaston – 3222 Lafinur; 011-54-11-4802-2991; astridygaston.com; Peruvian restaurant (international chain).
●Bar 6 – 1676 Armenia; 011-54-11-4833-6807; barseis.com; dramatic stone, wood, and glass space; seasonally changing menu ambitious, from breakfast to Asian stir-fry to polenta to grilled seafood; waiters usually too busy being beautiful to hurry.
●Bar du Marche – 596 Nicaragua (Palermo Viejo); 011-54-11-4778-1050; bardumarchepalermo.com; on leafy street; ground-floor cafe & wine bar; private Japanese dining room hidden upstairs.
●Bio – Humboldt 2199; 011-54-11-4774-3880; biorestaurant.com.ar; corner restaurant, casual, with great empanadas.
●Cafe Bonaparte – 4690 Honduras; 011-54-11-4833-4886; 30 seats, elegant, French; local power hangout.
●Café des Arts – 3415 Avenida Figueroa Alcorta (at Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA), on ground floor); 011-54-11-4808-6500; malba.org.ar.
●Café Nostalgia – 3599 Soler; 011-54-11-4963-0903; michaelbgreen.com.au/cafe-nostalgia; occupies ground floor 1935 building; bona fide Argentinian cuisine (such as calabaza-stuffed ravioli and beef with fries), as well as French; registered bare notable.
●Casa Cruz – 1658 Uriarte; 011-54-11-4833-1112; casacruz-restaurant.com; among city’s most fashionable restaurants; with enormous polished-brass doors and no door sign, feels like nightclub; inside, dark modern interior; impressive round bar with fresh flowers; spacious dining area full of polished woods and red upholstery; menu eclectic and interesting, overseen by German Martitegui, same chef who oversees kitchens at Olsen and Tegui; rabbit, sea bass, Parma ham rolls.
●Central – 5644 Costa Rica; 011-54-11-4776-7370; minimalist décor; Mediterranean food.
●Cluny – 4618 El Salvador; 011-54-11-4831-7176; cluny.com.ar; casual but elegant; looks more like modernist living room than dining room; weather permitting, dine outside in patio garden; menu emphasizes fish and fowl; extensive wine list; in afternoons, fine British tea service.
●Dominga – 5618 Honduras; 011-54-11-4771-4443; dominga-restaurant.com; set in gracious old house; Mediterranean cuisine and sushi.
●Experiencia Fin del Mundo – 5673 Honduras; 011-54-11-4852-6661; bodegadelfindelmundo.com; affiliated with Patagonian (Neuquen Province) Bodega Fin del Mundo winery; wine tastings paired with small plates.
●Guido’s Bar – 2843 Republica de la India; 011-54-11-4802-2391; guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/Guidos-Bar-378; holdout bodegon.
●Hernan Gipponi Restaurante – 5862 Soler (at Fierro Hotel); 011-54-11-3220-6800; fierrohotel.com; try rabbit liver ravioli with mushroom stock and watercress air.
●Lo de Joaquin Alberdi – 1772 Jorge Luis Borges; 011-54-11-4832-5329; lodejoaquinalberdi.com.ar; wine shop that offers affordable wine-tastings on Thursdays, paired with charcuterie and cheese plates.
●Miranda – 5602 Costa Rica; 011-54-11-4771-4255; parrillamiranda.com; loft-like industrial space where local film executives hang; bustling, new generation parrilla; décor cool and staff hip; food traditionally no-frills; order provoleta (char-grilled, herb-seasoned cheese slice) and bife de chorizo (sirloin strip); excellent housemade fries.
●Olsen – 5870 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4776-7677; in what was once warehouse; soars to churchlike proportions and has mezzanine overlooking main dining area; interior, complete with central, round metal fireplace, has 1960s mod feel to it; also, tranquil patio garden overgrown with vines; starters are meant to be shared; notable for seafood although meat served; enormous vodka selection.
●Osaka – 5608 Soler; 011-54-11-4775-6964; osaka.com.pe; Japanese-Peruvian fusion; great sushi.
●Parilla La Cabrera – 5099 Cabrera; 011-54-11-4831-7002, 011-54-11-4831-0325, or 011-54-11-4831-0079; parrillalacabrera.com.ar; grill so popular (#1 restaurant in Buenos Aires by some accounts), had to open another restaurant to accommodate guests; 15 complimentary side dishes come with meals, such as mashed pumpkin with raisins and cocktail onions soaked in red wine.
●Parilla La Cabrera – 5127 Cabrera; 011-54-11-4832-5754, 011-54-11-4831-0325, or 011-54-11-4831-0079; parrillalacabrera.com.ar; see above.
●El Preferido de Palermo – 2108 Jorge Luis Borges; 011-54-11-4774-6585; open since 1952; Borges’ haunt, Coppola’s fave; Spanish food; try fabada asturiana (steamy fava bean, sausage, pork, pancetta, and chorizo casserole); registered bare notable.
●Siamo nel Forno – 5886 Costa Rica; 011-54-11-5290-9529; New York-style pizza.
●Soberbia 22 – Fitz Roy 2199; 011-54-11-4776-4550; soberbia-22.com.ar; midnight meals; traditional grilled Argentinian meats.
●Tegui – 5852 Costa Rica; 011-54-11-5291-3333; tegui.com.ar; intimate; entrance camouflaged by graffiti; menu showcases Chef-Owner German Martitegui’s inventiveness; try poached oyster with prosciutto, guinea fowl confit with caramelized apple, and langoustine ravioli.
●Unik – 5132 Soler; 011-54-11-4772-2230; coolhunting.com/design/unik.php; 60' marble bar, open kitchen; try slow-cooked Patagonian lamb shank with cumin-spiced quinoa.
Puerto Madero
●Cabaña Las Lilas – 516 Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo; 011-54-11-4313-1336; laslilas.com; steaks draw power-lunch crowd.
●El Almacen de los Milagros – 210 Quintana; 011-54-11-4814-0228; elalmacendelosmilagros.com; whimsical decor; northern Argentinian food; home-made cakes, cookies, and muffins; also, entrees, like beef empanadas; make sure to try quesillo cheese dessert with sugar-cane honey and tuna conserve.
●El Cuartito – 937 Talcahuano; 011-54-11-4816-4331; 1930s pizza parlor; vies with Pizzeria Guerrin for best pizza.
●Sirop Folie – 1661 Vincente Lopez; 011-54-11-4813-5900; siroprestaurant.com; on quaint alley in upscale neighborhood; well-dressed families show up after 5 p.m.
●Sottovoce – 1098 Libertador; 011-54-11-4807-6691; sottovoceristorante.com.ar; classic Italian food; painfully bright.
●Sottovoce – 176 Alicia M. De Justo; 011-54-11-4807-6691; sottovoceristorante.com.ar; classic Italian food.
Recoleta
●Croque Madame – 1902 Avenida del Libertador; 011-54-11-4806-8639; croquemadame.com.ar; across from National Decorative Arts Museum, in quaint, 2-story gatehouse once part of ambassadorial residence; perfect for breakfast; find table in manicured garden where shaded by towering trees; fountains; also perfect for lunch or snacks.
●El Estrebe – 2475 Peña; 011-54-11-4803-0282; elestrebe.com.ar; no-frills exterior conceals parilla par excellence; reservations recommended.
●Tarquino – 1967 Rodriguez Peña (Hub Porteño); 011-54-11-6091-2160; former Ferran Adria pupil; modern Argentine cuisine.
San Cristobol
●Miramar – 1190 Sarandi; 011-54-11-4304-4261; bodegon open since 1948; crisp-skinned sardine, shrimp, and fresh oyster plates; generous servings oxtail soup, rabbit; reasonably priced; registered bare notable.
San Telmo
●Aldo’s Vinoteca – 372 Moreno (at Moreno Hotel); 011-54-11-5291-2380; aldosvinoteca.com; wine-centric restaurant.
●Bar Britanico – 399 Brasil; 011-54-11-4361-2107; wander-argentina.com/bar-britanico; bohemian haunt; registered bare notable; open 24 hours.
●Café San Juan – 450 Avenida San Juan; 011-54-11-4300-1112; cash-only; smart little tapas bar; make sure to try cazuelos (casseroles).
●La Coruña – 982/94 Bolivar; 011-54-11-4362-7637; local laborer grub; registered bare notable.
●El Desnivel – 855 Defensa; 011-54-11-4300-9081; yellow walls, eye-burning fluorescent lighting, theme-less decor, mismatched table cloths, tiny tables, and nonchalant staff, yet popular favorite; high-quality steaks that cost 3 times as much at other restaurants; leave room for dessert: rich and creamy homemade flan that comes with freshly made whipped cream.
●El Historico – 524 México; 011-54-11-4307-4832; elhistoricosantelmo.com.ar; Argentine Society of Writers headquarters, where Borges sometimes offered public readings; currently shares space with this restaurant; main dining room adorned with famous opera singer portraits; metal plaque lists society’s board of directors during 1942-44, including Jorge Luis Borges.
●El Viejo Almacen – 313 Avenida Independencia; 011-54-11-4307-6689; viejo-almacen.com.ar; puts on dinner, show, and party for $450.
Tigre
●Boulevard Saenz Peña – 1400 Boulevard Saenz Pena; 011-54-11-5197-4776; boulevardsaenzpena.blogspot.com; gallery and restaurant; lovingly created menu by Juliana Lopez May, prominent television personality.
Villa Devoto
●Café de Garcia – 3302 Sanabria; 011-54-11-4501-5912; open since 1937; on rosewood shaded street; this is “must” visit; try picada; soccer on tv; registered bare notable.
Villa Ortuzar
●Kensho – 3799 Zarraga; 011-54-11-4555-0421; kensho.com.ar; vegetarian with Asian bent; try tofu marinated in mandarin orange reduction with yamani rice.
SERVICES
●Academia Nacional del Tango – 833 Avenida de Mayo; 011-54-11-4345-6968; anacdeltango.org.ar; tango lessons.
●Blue Parallel – 9801 Avenel Farm Drive (Potomac, MD); 301-263-6670 or 800-256-5307; blueparallel.com; best travel specialist in Argentina; can arrange private tour of Ignacio Librandi’s neo-figurative art collection.
●Borello Travel – 359 Peru; 011-54-11-5031-1988 or 800-405-3072; borellotravel.com; luxury art and spa tours.
●CasaCalma – 1015 Suipacha (Centro); 011-54-11-5199-2800; casacalma.com.ar; spa.
●Complejo Tango – 2608 Avenida Belgrano (Balvanera); 011-54-11-4941-1119; complejotango.com.ar; tango lessons and dinner.
●Escuela Argentina de Tango – 3 locations: (1) Sede Centro, Viamonte esq. San Martín, Galerías Pacífico (Centro, Cultural Borges Nivel I); (2) Sede Talcahuano, Talcahuano 1052 (Barrio Norte, between Avenida Santa Fe & Marcelo T. de Alvear); & (3) Sede San Telmo, Tacuarí 471 (San Telmo); 011-54-11-4312-4990; eatango.org; tango lessons.
●Graffitimundo – 1885 Thames; 011-54-9-11-3309-7462; graffitimundo.com; neighborhoods and street art tours.
●Guides – Susana Neira (Buenos Aires or Tigre), 011-54-9-11-4992-3780, susananeira159@gmail.com; Mariana Jimenez, 011-54-9-11-4997-7832, mariana.v.jimenez@gmail.com.
●Say Hueque Tours – 749 Viamonte; 011-54-11-5199-2517; sayhueque.com; reasonably-priced Tigre delta excursions.
●Valle Tierra – 4562 Costa Rica; 011-54-11-4833-6724; valletierra.com; modern, airy yoga studio.
SHOPPING
Centro
●Arandu – 1257 Paraguay; 011-54-11-4816-3689; arandu.com.ar; custom-made leather goods, especially boots and saddlery.
●Darcos – 259 Suipacha; 011-54-11-4326-0232; darcostango.com; tango shoes.
●Tango Brujo – 754 Esmeralda; 011-54-11-4325-8264; tango shoes.
●Vasalissa – 1940 Callao; 011-54-11-4784-0748; vasalissa.com; chocolates.
Las Canitas
●Talabarteria Aynie – 1539 Ortega y Gasset; 011-54-11-4771-0050; saddlery.info/directory/saddleries/talabarterias-argentina/aynie-polo.html; tack shop since 1930s.
Martinez
●Dorina Vidoni – 358 Alvear; 011-54-11-4793-0563; dorinavidoni.com; designer women’s knitwear.
Palermo (Costanera Norte, Hollywood, Villa Crespo, Palermo Viejo & Soho)
●airedelsur – 1855 Fitz Roy; 011-54-11-4776-1500; airedelsur.com; fashion and home accessories.
●Cardon – 3247 Avenida Corrientes; 011-54-11-4959-3662; cardon.com.ar; pigskin espadrilles.
●Cardon – 884 Gurruchaga; 011-54-11-4774-1009; cardon.com.ar; pigskin espadrilles.
●Casa L’Inc – 93 Amenabar; 011-54-11-4776-2348; l-inc.com.ar; art gallery.
●Diseño Arg – 5033 Honduras; 011-54-11-4832-2006; disenoargshopping.com.ar or www.mujermilenio.com.ar; stores started by fashion journalist Claudia Jara; dozens Argentinian designers here sell clothes and explain how they create them; primarily for women.
●Hermanos Estebecorena – El Salvador 5960; 011-54-11-4772-2145; hermanosestebecorena.com; men’s designer clothing.
●Hollywood in Cambodia – 1885 Thames; 011-54-9-11-6289-6258; hollywoodincambodia.com.ar; street art gallery.
●Mule – 1738 Armenia; 011-54-11-4783-1137; muleonline.com.ar; shoes.
●Nobrand – 5876 Gorriti; 011-54-4776-7288; nobrand.com.ar; Argentine home design items, like mate gourds.
●Planeta Bs. As. – 1627 Jorge Luis Borges (just off Plaza Serrano); 011-54-11-4832-2006; disenoargshopping.com.ar or mujermilenio.com.ar; stores started by fashion journalist Claudia Jara; dozens Argentinian designers here sell clothes and explain how they create them; primarily for women.
●Turbo Galería – 5827 Costa Rica; 011-54-11-4776-8762; turbogaleria.com; art gallery.
●Dorina Vidoni – 4834 Honduras; 011-54-11-4833-4965; dorinavidoni.com; designer women’s knitwear.
●Dorina Vidoni Vintage – 4849 Gorriti; 011-54-11-4834-6664; dorinavidoni.com; designer women’s knitwear.
Puerta 3
●Comme il Faut – 1239 Arenales; 011-54-11-4815-5690; commeilfaut.com.ar; best tango shoes.
Puerto Madero
●Kuna – 538 Pierina Dealessi; 011-54-11-5775-2146; kuna.com.pe; Jil Sanderesque, hand-loomed, Peruvian knitwear.
Recoleta
●Arandu – 1924 Ayacucho; 011-54-11-4800-1575; arandu.com.ar; custom-made leather goods, especially boots and saddlery.
●Cardon – 1847 Avenida Alvear; 011-54-11-4804-8424; cardon.com.ar; pigskin espadrilles.
●Cat Ballou – 1702 Avenida Alvear; 011-54-11-4811-9792; one-of-kind fashions and housewares by Argentine artists.
●Gabriella Capucci – 1477 Avenida Alvear; 011-54-11-4815-3636; gabriellacapucci.com; unique boutique; women’s fashion; trinkets, etc.
●Humawaca – Posadas 1380; 011-54-11-4811-5995; humawaca.com; leather goods store.
●Kuna – Patio Bullrich, Avenida Libertador 750, #1039 (Nivea Posadas); 011-54-11-5775-2146; kuna.com.pe; Jil Sanderesque, hand-loomed, Peruvian knitwear.
●Min Agostini – 1532 Libertad; 011-54-11-4813-0805; minagostini.com.ar; Min Agostini designer goods; coats, dresses, and tops.
●Rossi y Caruso – 1387 Posadas; 011-54-11-4811-1965; rossicaruso.com; like affordable Hermes.
●Marcelo Senra – 1133 Talcahuano; 011-54-11-4813-2770; marcelosenra.com; boho-chic boutique.
●Tramando – 1973 Rodriguez Peña; 011-54-11-4811-0465; tramando.com; Martin Churba (among Argentina’s biggest designers) goods; think Carrie Bradshaw meets George Lucas.
●Dorina Vidoni – 1375 Libertad; 011-54-11-4312-3898; dorinavidoni.com; designer women’s knitwear.
San Isidro
●Dorina Vidoni Vintage – 2920 Laprida; 011-54-11-4700-8626; dorinavidoni.com; designer women’s knitwear.
San Telmo
●Boutique Nora Iniesta – 715 Peru (between Chile and Independencia); 011-54-11-4331-5459, 011-54-15-5319-1119 (cell), and/or 011-54-9-11-5319-1119 (from Canada or US); norainiesta.com; by appointment only; Nora made herself famous within Buenos Aires for kitschy art, incorporating Argentine symbols such as gauchos and tango dancers; now Evita-inspired themes dominate her art; modern shadow boxes, collages, and detritus montages (dolls, souvenirs, and buttons).
●Marcelo Toledo – 462 Humberto Primo; 011-52-11-4362-0841; marcelotoledo.net; for your Eva Peron jewelry needs.
●Zavaleta Lab – 567 Venezuela; 011-54-11-4328-4553; zavaletalab.com; emerging artists.
Tigre
●Atelier 5 Tigre – 1316 Boulevard Saenz Peña; 011-54-11-4993-6048; atelier5tigre.blogspot.com; contemporary art and home accessories.
●Boulevard Saenz Pena – 1400 Boulevard Saenz Peña; 011-54-11-5197-4776; boulevardsaenzpena.com.ar; gallery and restaurant; vintage stuff.
●Tienda del Boulevard – 1311 Boulevard Saenz Peña; 011-54-11-4749-6655; boulevardsaenzpena.com.ar; fashionable clothing.
●La Trastienda – 1336 Boulevard Saenz Peña; latrastiendabsp.blogspot.com; striking street art mural (by Kilomba) flanks art space; restored tenement where local artists show.
SIGHTS & SITES
Almagro
●Congreso de la Nacion Argentina – 1864 Avenida Rivadavia; 011-54-11-6310-7100; congreso.gov.ar; at Avenida de Mayo’s western end (at other end is Casa Rosada); Kilometre Zero for all Argentine National Highways marked on milestone at Congressional Plaza, next to building; Argentine congress is bicameral, with 72-seat Senate and 257-seat Deputies Chamber.
●Cultura Tanguera – 1392 Avenida Rivadavia; 011-54-11-4381-4049; culturatanguera.com.ar; art gallery and milonga (tango dance hall).
Barracas
●Centro Cultural Moca – 169 Montes de Oca; 011-54-11-4519-5639; ccmoca.com.ar; major art exhibits and programs.
Boedo
●Miguel Cane Municipal Library – 4321 Carlos Calvo; 011-54-11-4922-0020; buenosaires.gob.ar/areas/cultura/patrimonio_historico_cultural/biblioteca_cane.php; where Borges worked 1937-1945; unprepossessing.
Centro
●Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve – 1550 Avenida Tristan Achaval Rodriguez (on Rio Plata); 011-54-11-4315-4129; buenosaires.gob.ar/areas/med_ambiente/reserva; 865 acres of marshland; great for birdwatching.
●Obelisk – Plaza de la Republica (at Corrientes & 9 de Julio Avenidas’ intersection); built to commemorate city’s 400th anniversary.
Ciudad Evita
●Ciudad Evita – intersection of Highway 4 and Highway Ricchieri (near Ezeiza Airport); cdadevita.com.ar; actually only visible from air or on google maps; founded in 1947 by Argentinian President Juan Domingo Peron, Ciudad Evita was new suburb laid out to create Evita's profile.
Constitucion
●Avenida Garay & Calle Tacuarí – just off this nondescript corner, somewhere, is apartment where, in cellar, Jorge Luis Borges’ Aleph is set.
Monserrat
●Casa Rosada – 219 Hipólito Yrigoyen; 011-54-11-4344-3802; museo.gov.ar; rosy Renaissance-style palace, home to Argentina’s presidential offices.
●City Legislature Building –
130 Calle Peru (at Hipolito Yrigoyen); 011-54-11-4338-3167; legislatura.gov.ar; although legislative chambers still active, building also maintains Eva Peron Foundation’s offices, open to public as Salon Eva Peron.
●Edificio del Ministerio de Obras Públicas – 1925 Avenida 9th of July (between Belgrano and Moreno); 011-54-11-4379-9000; msal.gov.ar; 2 10-story Evita images on exterior.
●Museo del Pueblo – 930 Avenida del Mayo (between Carlos Pelligrini (9 de Julio) and Suipacha); 011-54-11-4341-8020, ext. 310; lamuestradeevita.org.ar; volunteers here include some of few remaining associates of Eva Peron.
Palermo (Costanera Norte, Hollywood, Villa Crespo, Palermo Viejo & Soho)
●Borges Home – 2135 Jose Luis Borges; childhood home (1901-1914); small plaque.
●Braga Menendez Arte Contemporaneo – 1574 Humbold; 011-54-11-4775-5577; galeriabm.com; contemporary art gallery.
●Buenos Aires Zoo – Avenida Sarmiento y Avenida Las Heras (at Plaza Italia); 011-54-114511-6010; zoobuenosaires.com.ar; Borges used to come here to look at cats.
●Ernesto Catena – 4882 Honduras; 011-54-11-4833-9499; bgp.he.net/dns/ecfotografiacontemporanea.com; photography gallery.
●Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) – 3415 Avenida Figueroa Alcorta; 011-54-11-4808-6500; malba.org.ar; modern art.
●Museo Evita – 2988 Calle Lafinur; 011-54-11-4807-9433; museoevita.org or www.evitaperon.org.
●Museo Xul Solar – Laprida 1212; 011-54-11-4824-3302; xulsolar.org.ar; works by Alejandro Xul Solar, Argentina’s answer to Paul Klee.
●Parque Tres de Febrero – Avenidas del Libertador & Sarmiento; beautiful city park with lovely rose garden; consider renting paddle boat.
●Plaza Intendente Seeber – off Avenida Columbia; lined with jacaranda trees.
●Villa Crespo – Palermo neighborhood; silent cobblestone streets canopied by oaks and rosewoods.
Puerto Madero
●Coleccion de Arte Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat – 141 Olga Cossettini; 011-54-11-4310-6600; coleccionfortabat.org.ar; on waterfront; formidable Argentinian and international art collection.
●Luna Park – Avenue Corrientes (at Avenue Bouchard); 011-54-11-5279-5279; lunapark.com.ar; where Juan and Eva Person met in 1944.
Recoleta
●Biblioteca Nacional – 2502 Calle Agüero (at Avenida Libertador); 011-54-11-4808-6000; bn.gov.ar; modern architectural oddity on former Presidential Residence land (where Eva Perón died); spectacular 1970s Brutalist architecture example; porthole windows at ground level, long approach ramps, moat-like berm landscaping, and difficulty in determining where actual entrance is; visit reading room (2 top stories) for awe-inspiring view; down hill below library is official Eva Peron monument (bronze statue).
●Cementerio de la Recoleta – 1790 Junin; 011-54-11-4804-7040; cementeriorecoleta.com.ar; among greatest cemeteries in world; Eva Peron buried here.
●Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo – 1902 Avenida del Libertador; 011-54-11-4807-2751; mnad.org; in old mansion; can stroll through original family home, almost unchanged.
●Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes – 1473 Avenida del Libertador; 011-54-11-5288-9945; mnba.org.ar; building formerly pumped city’s water supply; metamorphosed into Buenos Aires’ most important art museum in 1930; houses world’s largest Argentine painting and sculpture collection; also European art dating from medieval period to today, including works by Monet, Picasso, Renoir, Rodin, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Van Gogh; make sure to see La Hora Del Almuerzo (Lunch Break, 1903), by Pío Collivadino, depicting Italian immigrant construction workers, one with a Garibaldi cap; another staring directly at you as he bites into sandwich; also, La Vuelta del Malon (Return of Indian), emotional and panoramic work, propaganda for General Julio A. Roca’s “Desert Campaign,” when he slaughtered Pampas Indians; don’t miss Manuel Jose de Guerrico Hall (medieval and Renaissance art and other decorative objects, including silver maté sets); other distinctive works include 15 sumptuous gold and mother of pearl inlaid panels (Tablas de La Conquista de Mexico, from Miguel Gonzalez workshop).
●Palacio Barolo Tour – 1370 Avenida de Mayo; 011-54-11-4383-1065; palaciobarolotours.com.ar or pbarolo.com.ar; among city’s most impressive buildings (once tallest in South America); Art Nouveau, neo-Gothic, neo-Romantic, and Asian Indian revival; design based on Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy; opened in 1923; work of eccentric Italian architect Mario Palanti, who used largely materials imported from Italy; architectural movement premised on belief that Europe would suffer another great apocalypse and South America would be only place where architecture would survive; building’s entrance is supposed to be Hell; floor’s patterned medallions simulate fire; interior gallery at this level decorated with grotesque dragons (notice that those on east side are smaller and female, those on west male); Floors 1-14 represent Purgatory and 15-22 Heaven; tours visit rooftop lighthouse, meant to represent God and Salvation; views up and down Avenida de Mayo, and especially to Congreso, are unparalleled; building designed so that at 7:45 pm on July 9th, Argentine Independence Day, Southern Cross directly lines up over tower; every month on 25th, lighthouse is turned on; on Friday nights, special tour with wine tasting, called Extraordinary Nights; Palanti hoped Italy would send Dante’s ashes here.
●Teatro Colon – 628 Cerrito; 011-54-11-4378-7100; teatrocolon.org.ar; city’s main opera house; acoustically among world’s 5 best concert venues; originally opened in 1857; present theatre opened 1908, with Giuseppe Verdi’s Aïda; restored 2010; make sure to visit Golden Room.
Retiro
●Borges Apartment – 994 Maipú, 6B (just off Plaza San Martín); not open to public.
San Telmo
●Centro Nacional de la Música – 564 Mexico; 011-54-11-4361-6238; monumentosysitios.gov.ar/bienes/files/CiudadBsAs.pdf; used to be Biblioteca Nacional (where Jorge Luis Borges worked as director for many years).
●Confederacion General del Trabajo – 802 Azopardo (at Independence); 011-54-11-4334-0599; cgtra.org.ar; union office building Perons constructed in late 1940s; Eva Peron portrait on central tower (lighted by eternal flame); she was embalmed here.
●Fundacion Eva Peron – 850 Paseo Colon (at Mexico); 011-54-11-4343-0891; fi.uba.ar; in Engineering Institute building; only tiny plaque re Eva Peron, who founded this institute.
●Evita Vive Tango Show – 364 Moreno (at Moreno Hotel Theater); 011-54-11-4343-0463; evitavive.com; dinner and tango show celebrating Evita’s life.
●La Ventana – 431 Balcarce; 011-54-11-4334-1314; laventanaweb.com; show held in atmospheric, brick-lined cellar in old building; performances mix folkloric, other Argentine styles (dance and music), and tango; among highlights is schmaltzy rendition Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina, complete with movable balcony and rather glamorous descamisados (shirtless ones) holding Argentine flags.
Tigre Delta – Tigre Delta region vast (5.5K square miles); among world’s only major deltas that do not empty into ocean or sea; flows into Río de la Plata, which separates Argentina and Uruguay; sedimentary islands covered in forest and grasslands; what Venice might have looked like before development; named for jaguars (tigers) that roamed before islands became important agriculturally for wicker and fruit in mid-1800s; after 1877 yellow fever epidemic in Buenos Aires, seen as healthful retreat; thus, British character pervades Tigre, with Victorians and half-timbered mock Tudors, many of which on what locals call continente (mainland).
●Atelier Sebastian Paez Vilaro – General Campos 160; sebastianpaezvilaro.com; by appointment only; bronze and copper art.
●Isla Bonanza – Rio Carapachay; 011-54-11-4728-1674, 011-54-11-5245-9929 or 011-54-15-5603-7176; deltaventura.com or viatigre.com.ar; island where Bonanza Deltaventura company offers horseback riding, kayaking, bird-watching, and tramping through forests, where botanists point out plant species.
●Isla El Descanso – Rio Sarmiento; 011-54-11-4825-6996; islaeldescanso.com; small island occupied by retreat that highlights its natural attributes: lagoons, channels, and gardens; owner, Claudio Stamato, created retreat when converted his weekend home into retreat with sculptures by Alberto Bastón Díaz, Argentine artist.
●Museo de Arte Tigre – 972 Paseo Victorica; 011-54-11-4512-4528; mat.gov.ar; vast balustraded and turreted structure dating from 1900; former town casino influenced by grand, period European hotels; inside, opulent (with marble staircase, wrought-iron bannisters, gigantic chandeliers, and ceiling frescoes); art itself (mostly by Argentines or on Argentine subjects, with many gauchos in evidence) arranged into themes such as Tigre, human figure, and architecture; largest salon (previously ballroom) takes ports as theme, with works by Quinquela Martín and Oscar Vaz, who uses light to great effect in his busy Boca scenes; in landscapes room, look out for 2 gaucho scenes by wonderful Florencia Molino Campos.
●Parque de la Costa – 011-54-11-4002-6000; parquedelacosta.com.ar; waterfront amusement park next to Puerto de Frutos and Tren de la Costa station.
●Puerto de Frutos – puertodefrutos-arg.com.ar; market that is 10-minute walk from Tigre train station; crafts fair located in old fruit market on waterfront.
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