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New and old, a city with a long tradition but one that is also open
to new trends, the capital of Argentina harmoniously fuses its
diverse neighborhoods with music, flavours and dance.
DAY ONE
I have just exited Ezeiza Airport and take the number 8 bus for Plaza de
Mayo. I then take the metro to the General San Martin station and the
city’s only member of Design Hotels™. The location of the Hotel Pulitzer
reveals a fascinating picture of Buenos Aires: a city where the Microcento
commercial district meets the Recoleta neighborhood, or the “Little Par-
is”. The interior with its vintage 50s furniture complements the modern
minimalism design (hotelpulitzeer.com.ar). I head at the vibrant Palermo
district. I pass Plaza Serrano, with its many local goods; I visit the his-
toric Botanical Garden with over 5,000 species of plants, before relaxing
in the Bosques de Palermo with its beautiful lakes. I choose Malvon for a
strong coffee and a tasty salmon bagel (malvonba.com.ar), before contin-
uing with Palermo Viejo and Palermo Soho with bohemian boutiques and
bars. I then go to the Gurruchaga street as far as El Salvador and come to
Plaza Armenia, where I discover another outdoor market with ceramics,
jewellery and artworks. To round off my first day, I make my debut at a
traditional steakhouse (parrilla), Don Julio, for a juicy steak and a glass
of Malbec wine (parrilladonjulio.com.ar).
DAY TWO
I get up early for a stroll along Avenida de Mayo, the avenue that con-
nects the parliament building with the storied Casa Rosada, the pres-
idential palace. I am immediately drawn to the Café Tortoni, the old-
est brasserie in Argentina (since 1858) for amazing churros with hot
chocolate (cafetortoni.com.ar). In the afternoon I return to Plaza de
Mayo for a better look at the colonial style architecture of the old par-
liament building, before heading for Puerto Madero, with its skyscrap-
ers, elegant bars and luxury stores. I enjoy my first cocktail of the even-
ing in one of the bars, in preparation for a night of tango and authen-
tic Argentine cuisine at a milonga, the Tango Porteno (tangoporte-
no.com.ar). After the show I take the advice of some locals and go to
the Zizek club in the Recoleta district for dancing till the early hours.
DAY THREE
I make my way to the La Boca district, beginning with a stroll through
El Caminito, a neighborhood full of colourful buildings, outdoor mar-
kets, tango dancers and street art. I make a brief stop at La Bombonera
stadium, the home ground of Boca Juniors, before making my second ac-
quaintance with the local cuisine at the classic Bodegon El Obrero, where
I am served a tortilla espanola full of spicy chorizo (64 Agustin R. Caffare-
na, +54 11 43629912). I take the opportunity to visit the nearby district
of Puerto Madero to see the nature reserve, the impressive museum ship
ARA Uruguay moored at Pier 4, the Museum of Humour and the Fae-
na cultural centre. After a long day, I recharge my batteries at the Chila
restaurant and go for a chateaubriand, duck or quail (chilaweb.com.ar).
DAY FOUR
The day for an excursion to nearby Tigre. A one-hour train ride from Bel-
grano takes me to Buenos Aires Province, where I sail for Puerto de Fru-
tos. The marketplace in the old harbour is full of local merchants exot-
ic fruits and artisans selling their wares. I try some of these fruits in the
delicious dishes of the Boulevard Saenz Pena (boulevardsaenzpena.com.
50
to new trends, the capital of Argentina harmoniously fuses its
diverse neighborhoods with music, flavours and dance.
DAY ONE
I have just exited Ezeiza Airport and take the number 8 bus for Plaza de
Mayo. I then take the metro to the General San Martin station and the
city’s only member of Design Hotels™. The location of the Hotel Pulitzer
reveals a fascinating picture of Buenos Aires: a city where the Microcento
commercial district meets the Recoleta neighborhood, or the “Little Par-
is”. The interior with its vintage 50s furniture complements the modern
minimalism design (hotelpulitzeer.com.ar). I head at the vibrant Palermo
district. I pass Plaza Serrano, with its many local goods; I visit the his-
toric Botanical Garden with over 5,000 species of plants, before relaxing
in the Bosques de Palermo with its beautiful lakes. I choose Malvon for a
strong coffee and a tasty salmon bagel (malvonba.com.ar), before contin-
uing with Palermo Viejo and Palermo Soho with bohemian boutiques and
bars. I then go to the Gurruchaga street as far as El Salvador and come to
Plaza Armenia, where I discover another outdoor market with ceramics,
jewellery and artworks. To round off my first day, I make my debut at a
traditional steakhouse (parrilla), Don Julio, for a juicy steak and a glass
of Malbec wine (parrilladonjulio.com.ar).
DAY TWO
I get up early for a stroll along Avenida de Mayo, the avenue that con-
nects the parliament building with the storied Casa Rosada, the pres-
idential palace. I am immediately drawn to the Café Tortoni, the old-
est brasserie in Argentina (since 1858) for amazing churros with hot
chocolate (cafetortoni.com.ar). In the afternoon I return to Plaza de
Mayo for a better look at the colonial style architecture of the old par-
liament building, before heading for Puerto Madero, with its skyscrap-
ers, elegant bars and luxury stores. I enjoy my first cocktail of the even-
ing in one of the bars, in preparation for a night of tango and authen-
tic Argentine cuisine at a milonga, the Tango Porteno (tangoporte-
no.com.ar). After the show I take the advice of some locals and go to
the Zizek club in the Recoleta district for dancing till the early hours.
DAY THREE
I make my way to the La Boca district, beginning with a stroll through
El Caminito, a neighborhood full of colourful buildings, outdoor mar-
kets, tango dancers and street art. I make a brief stop at La Bombonera
stadium, the home ground of Boca Juniors, before making my second ac-
quaintance with the local cuisine at the classic Bodegon El Obrero, where
I am served a tortilla espanola full of spicy chorizo (64 Agustin R. Caffare-
na, +54 11 43629912). I take the opportunity to visit the nearby district
of Puerto Madero to see the nature reserve, the impressive museum ship
ARA Uruguay moored at Pier 4, the Museum of Humour and the Fae-
na cultural centre. After a long day, I recharge my batteries at the Chila
restaurant and go for a chateaubriand, duck or quail (chilaweb.com.ar).
DAY FOUR
The day for an excursion to nearby Tigre. A one-hour train ride from Bel-
grano takes me to Buenos Aires Province, where I sail for Puerto de Fru-
tos. The marketplace in the old harbour is full of local merchants exot-
ic fruits and artisans selling their wares. I try some of these fruits in the
delicious dishes of the Boulevard Saenz Pena (boulevardsaenzpena.com.
50
