The first trip I took using points and miles (and the one that got me hooked on award travel) was a month-long jaunt to South America, where I spent a few weeks living in Buenos Aires before traipsing around Chile and Uruguay.
That’s all it took for me to fall in love with Argentina’s vibrant capital, and it’s a destination I keep returning to, most recently last October. Though some things have changed in the 20 years since my first visit, much remains the same.
If you find your own travels are taking you south of the equator soon, consider spending a few extra days in what has become one of my favorite cities.
Here’s what you need to know, do, see (and eat!) to make the most of our time in Buenos Aires.
One of the ways Buenos Aires has changed in recent years is that it’s much easier to get around without cash. The Subte, or metro system, has contactless payment pads, so you can tap your card and take the train. Many of the city’s buses (which I have found to be quite safe and relatively efficient) now accept contactless payment and are very inexpensive.
Barring that, Uber works very well, and fares are cheap, so you might want to do that since your credit cards are likely already securely linked. Drivers are friendly, though many might not speak English.
Speaking of Uber, I’ve found it’s the best way to get to and from Ministro Pistarini International Airport, also known as Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), where flights from the U.S. arrive, since there’s not a great selection of public transport.
It’s about 20 miles southwest of the city and costs around $40 each way. The ride can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the time of day and where you’re going.
For me, Buenos Aires is a shopping mecca. I love wandering the mile-long Sunday San Telmo street market on Calle Defensa between the Plaza de Mayo and Plaza Dorrego and coming away with a few mismatched antiques and vintage posters.
During my recent visit, I was in the market for a new leather jacket, so I stopped by a delightful boutique called Silvia y Mario, where you can still find the owner, Silvia, holding court with neighborhood characters. She invited me to have a cafe con leche with her while my new, buttery-soft calfskin jacket was being altered to my measurements by one of the tailors she works with.
I also love perusing the gaucho-inspired home goods and apparel at Arandu Talabartería in Recoleta, and bought my husband and myself matching stitched belts (and a collar for our dog) at El Boyero.
Instead of one of the famous (and expensive) tango dinner shows, head for Secreto Tango Society, which puts on intimate shows in a small bar in the bohemian Palermo Hollywood neighborhood.
For an hour, I was mesmerized by two dancers who often perform with some of the city’s larger tango troupes, accompanied by musicians from the Argentine National Symphony Orchestra. I was even treated to a glass of Malbec with my $67 ticket.
Feel like trying tango for yourself? You can head to an informal dance parlor or milonga called La Viruta in Palermo Soho, where there are beginner’s classes some nights before the real dancing begins.
Buenos Aires has some must-visit museums, including a particularly fascinating, albeit eerie, cemetery.
Your first stop should be the Recoleta Cemetery, a necropolis populated by myriad mausolea, including one reserved for the family of the former first lady, Evita. My favorite is the decadent art nouveau facade dedicated to 19th-century socialite Rufina Cambaceres, who is said to have been buried alive.
For something a little less morbid, the Museo Evita has fascinating exhibits on Argentina’s larger-than-life former first lady, including original outfits she wore, plus the on-site restaurant is a phenomenal lunch spot.
Finally, the Museo Malba houses a world-class collection of works by Latin American artists, including masterpieces by Frida Kahlo and Argentine surrealist Xul Solar.
Though the steak is quite good!
During my first visit, I had a hard time finding restaurants where beef wasn’t the star of the show. But that’s changed lately, and you can find everything from avant-garde fine dining to Asian-inflected vegetarian cuisine.
Beautiful Casa Cavia is in a former mansion built in the 1920s with a bucolic garden bar where delicacies included cured langoustines with creamy egg yolk and chili oil.
Bis is a moodily lit midcentury modern-styled bistro located down a picturesquely lit alley, and the house specialty is a skillet of sticky rice with succulent saffron-seasoned quail.
On the search for something simpler? The creative cocktails and small plates at Flor Atlántico, a speakeasy of sorts, which you must enter through a flower shop, are just the ticket.
I also recommend splurging on the tasting menu at one of the city’s most notable fine-dining restaurants, Fogón Asado, where guests gather around the central cooking station and watch rare cuts of artisanal beef fire-grilled in front of them.
Points hotels have proliferated in Buenos Aires of late. I most recently stayed at the Recoleta Grand, which opened last year as part of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio. The hotel incorporates a grandiose 1922 mansion and a modern wing and has a fantastic location close to Recoleta Cemetery. Rates start at $254 or 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.
The adorable Anselmo Buenos Aires is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection and is in the heart of the charming district of San Telmo. Rates start at $129 or 41,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
Although it might need a little face-lift, the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires is still one of the city’s grande dames and a veritable points bargain. The garden Sunday brunch alone is worth a visit. Rates start at $634 or 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
Have you visited Buenos Aires? What are your favorite spots?
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