Destination:
Buenos Aires

Overview

Downtown Buenos Aires is as sophisticated as any European city, with its wide avenues, fine colonial architecture and rows of pavement cafes. The city was built by French, Italian and Spanish immigrants and the Porteños (locals) still regard themselves as more European than South American. Travellers walking through the leafy parks and boulevards could be forgiven for thinking they were in Madrid, Paris or Milan.

Buenos Aires was founded on the shores of the Rio de la Plata in 1570 and was named after the patron saint of sailors for the good wind or buen aire.The city remained a colonial backwater for 200 years while the Spanish concentrated their attentions on wealthier Peru. During this time Buenos Aires became a thriving centre for smuggling between South America and Europe. Dissatisfaction with Spanish economic and political dominance escalated to boiling point and culminated in the revolution of May 1810 and finally to independence in 1816. Its history since then has been dogged by military coups and political mismanagement; the consequences of which are growing disaffection with the government and widespread poverty, as is evident in the sprawling shantytowns on the city's outskirts.

This turbulent history has not managed to stifle the indomitable spirit of the Porteños whose passion, charm and vibrancy have forged this great city, a place in which the fire of Evita's soul and the allure of the tango endure. A holiday in Buenos Aires is a journey of discovering the fire that pervades Argentine culture, in everything from food and conversation to music, art and dance.

GettingAround

The street structure, organised in a grid pattern, makes it easy getting around in Buenos Aires, and the best way to explore the city and take in its character is on foot. However, the city is serviced by an efficient, widespread and cheap public transport system that consists of buses and an excellent underground rail service (the Subte). Although it services most of the city centre, the Subteis not very extensive beyond the central core. The Subte costs ARS$1.10 per journey. Pre-paid Subte cards or passes can be purchased from the ticket booths ( boleterias) at each station in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 or 30 journeys. It gets very hot and crowded in summer especially during peak hours, and closes between 10pm and 5am. The bus ( colectivo) network is huge and covers the city, and although very useful for getting around, the overwhelming amount of routes makes it confusing for tourists. Bus fares are paid in coins into an automatic ticket vending machine when boarding the bus and cost a minimum of $0.80. Many services run all night but with less frequency. There are also urban train services that can be useful for reaching the outlying suburbs. Taxis are everywhere and relatively inexpensive, but although generally safe, visitors should be aware that there are fake taxis that pick up tourists and rob them. It is safer to phone for a radio taxi or remise, a fixed-price radio cab booked in advance that acts like a chauffer-driven car and can be cheaper than taxis over longer distances. They are more useful than renting a car for excursions from the city and even for a day's tour of the suburbs.

Events

Attractions

Dining

Airports