Guests coming to BA for three days...top things to do?

mmoon

Registered
Joined
Apr 9, 2010
Messages
818
Likes
706
We have a family with a teenager coming to BA for a few days and want to show them the town, but we are overwhelmed with options. They are very well traveled and adventurous, so don't need to just show them the usual sights. It will be in late December. Thanks for any recs!
 
the toilet museum is always a hit- https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en/atractivo/palacio-de-aguas-corrientes-water-palace

Bomba Del Tiempo Monday nights at Konex- its all ages, although there will definitely be some wacky tabacky fumes blowing by. A drum based, early outdoor concert that has 1000 people dancing and having fun. I always take people there- its infectiously likeable. https://www.cckonex.org/espectaculo/la-bomba-de-tiempo/

late night choris or bondiolas from a cart on the costanera in Puerto Madero is fun and cheap.
Or fancy modern gourmet choris from XChori, now in 3 locations.

Ride the free trolley just off Rivadavia in Caballito on weekend evenings- its a time travelling trip thru a neighborhood of grand old art deco houses, with volunteer conductors and ticket takers. Usually mostly railfans and kids, not too many tourists. https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en/article/caballito-historic-tramway

I also really like the Xul Solar musuem in Recoleta, and the tour of Palacio Barolo.
And while Cementario Recoleta is a bigger tourist draw, Cementario Chacarita is bigger, emptier, and has just as many wonderful miniature architectural masterpieces of tombs, and its right across from Pizza at Imperio. You cant visit BA without having fugazeta and faina.

scary and sobering, but really well done, is the museum at ESMA. last stop for the disappeared, before they were dropped in the Atlantic.

elegant jazz/funk/cumbia, with ping pong and foosball, tuesday nights at La Grande, Santos Dumont 4040. Again, its all ages- you see kids under 10, old people like me, old rock nacional stars in their 50s, and lots of kids from 20 to 40, dancing, sipping cocktails, slugging down craft beer, and eating the 2 entrees of each night, one always vegetarian, plus the music is always great, and always has different guest artists. But it may not be running in late December- they take a month or so off at the end of the year.
 
i think the recoleta cemetary is a cool thing to take visitors to.

i love the chori idea as well, just make sure you skip the chimi ;)
 
Few ideas unique to Buenos Aires well-traveled will enjoy: El Ateneo book store on Santa Fe. Sivori museum sculpture exhibit opens December 15. Paddle boats across from Sivori museum pleasant way to spend 45 minutes. Walk through Rose Garden. Then drive 5 minutes to Evita Museum may be of interest to teenager and family interested in country's political history. Then walk through Cervino neighborhood. If over weekend San Telmo fair is nice. But go early as it is overwhelmed with people by noon although maybe not in December during holidays.... Salon Canning.. Centro Cultural Borges has nice 1 hour tango shows. Tour of Teatro Colon is 45 minutes. Even better is an evening show at Teatro Colon.
 
It really depends on what they are interested. No sense in taking the to museums if they are not interested in museums, for example. Sports? If that's what they like check on what's available. Walking? Lots of that can be done, especially in Recoleta. Excusrions to the Tigre Delta (not the town of Tigre - I personally don't find it the least bit intersting and visitors have reinforced that) but the delta islands can be fun as well as getting there. A good estancia if you want to spend a LOT. WHAT intersts your guests?
 
I think a day around BA would be perfect, probably mostly in Recoleta, dinner in Palermo. They are walkers, so no problem moving around. In the past, our guests usually like to check out the MALBA, so we could end up there, even if just for coffee. I also thought about the delta islands, since those are cool and unexpected. I agree about Tigre though. An estancia might be a bit too much with the short time they have, unless you can recommend one pretty close to the city.
 
I don't think you have time for an estancia and a good one would cost a great deal. If you have a good part of a day to walk around I'd take them for a walk down Calle Quintana to the cemetery. That's always interesting to tourists. Then you might have a cup of coffee in La Biela at the corner of Quintana in front of the cemetery. You could walk down the hill to the Museum of Fine Arts and have a quick look. It's worth seeing. Free. You could have lunch at the restaurant behind the Fine Arts Museum. Then you could walk back (depending on where you're going, of course) via Ave. Alvear and show them the French and Brazilian embassies - former mansions. I think too they should see Puerto Madero. I believe it's the best port redevelopment anywhere in the world. You could have lunch or dinner there. They shouldn't miss Puerto Madero so if necessary I'd skip Palermo and have dinner at Puerto Madero.
 
Tea time, or drinks at the Alvear is very nice. Personally I would forget Puerto Madero and go to Pobre Luis in Belgrano for the best steak dinner ( maybe my spelling is incorrect, sorry ).
Nancy
 
Back
Top