Buones Aires, Argentina
Say “YES” to Buones Aires
In many ways, it is like so many other big cities around the world. However, its rich and diverse offerings in culture, art, music, dance, wine, and food, mean that it's a can’t miss destination. Crowded with cars and people and buzzing traffic everywhere, it is a true urban experience. Full of life, energy, and history, it has so much to offer that a few nights is simply not enough to experience everything.
Hotel:
Bulnes Eco Suites: In the heart of Buenos Aires, this hotel/apartment is close to everything. Buenos Aires is a large city that requires you to use transportation. The Bulnes Eco Suites minimizes this need, allowing you to walk to many restaurants. As a foodie, I always prioritize my food. But, we still needed to taxi or Uber to sightsee. Unless you have to be close to a specific neighborhood, I highly recommend this place, because no matter what, you have to use transportation to navigate Buenos Aires.
The location is safe. Picture this place as a one-bedroom apartment with an attractive balcony that faces the street. It has a coffee shop next to it where you get your free breakfasts. They have several options to choose from, and you can also purchase items a la carte.
Personally, we would select the simple option, so we would not be hungry, but so we would also have enough room to sample delicious food during our sightseeing adventures.
Sightseeing:
As mentioned above, you need transportation to navigate Buenos Aires. To make this easier, we purchases the two-day pass for the Buenos Aires Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour. There is a little confusion about this service, and that is that they only accept CASH. Unfortunately, even their own staff did not know this. We went to one of the stop stations, and the driver there told us that we had to go to the main station. He assured us that we would be able to buy our tickets using a credit card. When we got to the station, however, the employee told us that this was in fact not true. They did not accept cards. Luckily, there was a bank nearby. And, I was not the only one who experienced this challenge. Several other travelers encountered the same problem. That challenge aside, we got on the bus and from there everything went smoothly. There was no need for a taxi. Simply hop off when you want take pictures, try food, or watch a dance, and then get back on at your convenience. Or, you can simply sit and enjoy the ride.
The bus will take you all over the city and stops at all the important locations. Below is a list of what I consider the must-see stops.
The most iconic one is La Boca, which is filled with colorful houses and buildings and lots of shops, local vendors, and restaurants. This neighborhood is crowded no matter when you visit, and it's definitely the highlight of Buenos Aires. I would recommend spending at least a few hours here. You can shop and eat while you watch a dance, and because each alley is different, you can take many many pictures. If you go by yourself, make sure you do NOT visit this place at night. It is NOT safe. It is a touristy area, but only during the day.
The Cemetery: I loved this place. If my friends had not been with me, I could have easily spent 3-4 hours (if not more) here. It is a great place to take pictures, learn about history, and reflect on the fact that we all end up dying, no matter how rich or poor we are in life.
San Telmo: One of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, this area is great for walking around and basking in the street art. Sample different street food and enjoy all of the local taste. Don't just go to one restaurant and order the full course meal. If you go around lunch time, there are so many shops that look like a buffet. You grab a plate and fill it with food, and pay for it based on its weight. This is definitely what you should do. You will notice only locals go there, as well as school kids. It is fun, cheap, and a great experience to blend in and interact with locals.
Mercado de San Telmo: It is a must-see location.Make sure you go when the farmers market/local vendors are there too. It is a whole different experience.
Restaurants:
La Carniceria: A reservation is required for sure. Don't even think that you can stop by and get a table. There are only 5-6 tables in the whole restaurant. Great food, an outstanding wine collection, and everyone is friendly. I highly recommend it.
Grand Cafe Tortini: This is an absolute waste of time. We saw that it had 17,996 reviews and we thought it had to be something special. And for me, it just wasn't. We got coffee, some pastries, and even a sandwich. There was nothing special about it. Even Starbucks coffee is better. But, if you like to waste your time and wait in long lines, go ahead and give it a try. They will let you in simply to look around, so I do recommend that if you are curious you go inside and check it out.
Don Julio: Another must go place! We made reservations. It was packed. Everything that we tried, including food and drinks, was amazing. It was walking distance to our hotel, so this was a great way to burn some calories before and after dinner. Lol.
El sanjuanino: This is another Buenos Aires must! We went at lunch and ordered almost everything on the menu. It was finger-licking good and cheap! I still think about their food. It is not fancy at all, and is close to the cemetery.
Tegui: Oh my goodness! Is it even possible that someone could be so creative to create food that managed to be this bad and tasteless? Tegui has made the list of the world’s 50-best restaurants. In my opinion, 50-worst would be more accurate. From my previous blogs, you should know, I try really hard to highlight the positives of the places I visit, but not for this. I didn’t even post pictures on Instagram. Don't get me wrong. The staff, service, and ambiance is great. Everyone is friendly. It's just not what I was expecting to have on our last night in Buenos Aires. I think the chef is either being overly creative or possibly the menu that night was simply not his best!
