Looking for a safe neighborhood with local experience

[Pauletthp]

I am absolutely new to this website so appreciate any help. We are US citizens thatI lived in BA several years ago in San Telmo area. Really enjoyed the area but realized other great areas of BA. We found Palmero and felt long term it would be good for us. Recoleta area seemed nice, but not trying to be critical, the feel was extremely high end and not for us. My inquiry is can you advise on an area you feel you can achieve great living (local) experience with safe surroundings? We would like to be part of the community we live in. Tks

 

[Ries]

We have been in Barrio Norte, near Santa Fe and Coronel Diaz, for over 12 years now, and it is safe, nice, and friendly. I know many of my neighbors, I know for many years my local vendors, shoe repair people, fruit stand, restaurants.
A very good mix of ages, and incomes, mostly apartment buildings, which weeds out the Mercedes SUV owners and the really rich, who can often be pretty crappy neighbors.

Other neighborhoods I would consider would be Belgrano R, Collegiales, Villa Crespo, and Caballito.
I have (argentine) friends who live in all of them, have been to many people's house in those areas, and found similar small scale, friendly neighborhoods. I would avoid Palermo Soho, which is mostly bars and boutiques these days. Palermo Hollywood, all the way over to Dorego, is seeing massive development, with two story houses being torn down and 8 story apartment buildings being built, its moving very fast. The area near the mercado pulgas, which used to be very quaint and quiet, is all yuppies and artisan bread and coffee bars now.
Across Cordoba, into Villa Crespo and Chacarita, is the up and coming hip neighborhood, where its still a mix of old funky with new artist run hip spaces, but still reasonably priced- we end up going there a lot to eat, to see music, to see galleries- its another place I would look.

 

[Pauletthp]

We have been in Barrio Norte, near Santa Fe and Coronel Diaz, for over 12 years now, and it is safe, nice, and friendly. I know many of my neighbors, I know for many years my local vendors, shoe repair people, fruit stand, restaurants.
A very good mix of ages, and incomes, mostly apartment buildings, which weeds out the Mercedes SUV owners and the really rich, who can often be pretty crappy neighbors.

Other neighborhoods I would consider would be Belgrano R, Collegiales, Villa Crespo, and Caballito.
I have (argentine) friends who live in all of them, have been to many people's house in those areas, and found similar small scale, friendly neighborhoods. I would avoid Palermo Soho, which is mostly bars and boutiques these days. Palermo Hollywood, all the way over to Dorego, is seeing massive development, with two story houses being torn down and 8 story apartment buildings being built, its moving very fast. The area near the mercado pulgas, which used to be very quaint and quiet, is all yuppies and artisan bread and coffee bars now.
Across Cordoba, into Villa Crespo and Chacarita, is the up and coming hip neighborhood, where its still a mix of old funky with new artist run hip spaces, but still reasonably priced- we end up going there a lot to eat, to see music, to see galleries- its another place I would look.

Really appreciate your response

 

[mmoon]

Belgrano R hands down. You’re still in CABA but have some of the suburban vibe. Good food, parks and a direct train to Retiro through Palermo and Collegiales. Only drawback is the difficulty of actually finding a place. Pretty much no one leaves.

 

[Pauletthp]

Belgrano R hands down. You’re still in CABA but have some of the suburban vibe. Good food, parks and a direct train to Retiro through Palermo and Collegiales. Only drawback is the difficulty of actually finding a place. Pretty much no one leaves.

Sounds great Thank you

 

[Ries]

I think it depends on what you like. I realize Belgrano R is nice, but I would die of boredom there. I like the street hustle of small shops, restaurants, activity. I have spent my entire 65 years trying to avoid nice suburban neighborhoods. And in places like Belgrano R, where everything is built right up to the sidewalk, and the yards are all behind tall fences, its kinda quiet and boring. I have been to some nice places there, but they are big backyards with pools- a very suburban, inward looking feel. Gimme a gritty sidewalk anyday.

 

[Ceviche]

everything is built right up to the sidewalk, and the yards are all behind tall fences, its kinda quiet.

Thats what I desire most..."quiet"

 

[Ries]

Yes, but the OP lived in, and enjoyed, San Telmo. So I think they may enjoy street life as well. I live a few doors down from Santa Fe, and find that, in an older building, the walls are so thick that its not very noisy, even when the 92 colectivo is idling right in front. YMMV.
Also, I make a lot of noise...

 

[iggysnacks]

Check out Chacarita and Villa Crespo. Lots to do, vibrant street life, working class. Some nice restaurants and bars, but not as boutique-y as Palermo. Chacarita is at least a couple years away from development. They're both close enough to Palermo for all your bougie needs.

 

[mmoon]

I think it depends on what you like. I realize Belgrano R is nice, but I would die of boredom there. I like the street hustle of small shops, restaurants, activity. I have spent my entire 65 years trying to avoid nice suburban neighborhoods. And in places like Belgrano R, where everything is built right up to the sidewalk, and the yards are all behind tall fences, its kinda quiet and boring. I have been to some nice places there, but they are big backyards with pools- a very suburban, inward looking feel. Gimme a gritty sidewalk anyday.

There are two sides of Belgrano R, depending on which side of the tracks you're on (literally). Definitely, the Avenida Melián side is more suburban, which I would love if I wanted a provincia feeling without being north of General Paz. We lived on the other/wrong side of the tracks in a tall building and near a school. Lots of restaurants and shops, parks nearby and of course the Mitre train to Retiro. The area around Plaza Castelli is sweet. Not too many expats, very Argentine family feeling. Maybe 8 or 10 easy blocks to walk to crazy Juramento and Cabildo. It was a good mix. But, I like my grit with a side of green and quiet!