Neighborhoods of Buenos Aires

[sharkbait08]

I know this post is asking for trouble but I can't help myself.... It is basically stereotypical for expats to live in Palermo. I think that is obviously because its the easiest and most obvious option. I personally lived in Palermo for a year and a half when I first moved to Buenos Aires. My experience was alright. Its convenient and fairly safe. But I am realizing now, so overrated. Yet expats seem to recommend it to newcomers like it is the only option and I honestly don't get it. Palermo is indeed centrally located. But that means that it has major traffic problems (I have wasted days of my life sitting in a bus in traffic around Plaza Italia during rush hour). Sure... it has huge parks but the parks are surrounded by heavily transited road (not to mention the transvestite prostitutes that prowl around at night). Sure... it has cool restaurants and bars and clubs... but its all so expensive and I prefer to live in a calmer area. And sure... they say it is safe but my boyfriend, a tall fit argentine, was robbed at knife point in front of my building at about 9PM. Safety is relative. Its certainly safer than La Boca but any neighborhood that draws so many different types of people has a tendency to be sketchy (tourists, shoppers, hipsters, partiers... etc.). On any given day, there is so much movement there... Its an easy place to commit crimes since no one knows anybody. And as far as I can tell, half the point of living in Palermo is to be able to say that you live in Palermo. So I don't want to paint Palermo as some sort of hell because its not. But I just don't think it deserves such a high reputation.

I am sure this is going to result in a lot of posts defending Palermo but what I really want to hear some ex pat publicity for some other neighborhoods! We are currently looking to buy a bigger apartment and I am leaning towards Villa Urquiza... Opinions?

 

[TomAtAlki]

Palermo is enormous, with many different neighborhoods (soho, chico, viego, hollywood, etc), and like any other part of town there are good areas and bad ones, quite streets, busy streets.
Nancy

 

[HowardinBA]

I,m in Boulogne,San Isidro, and it suits me fine

 

[tangobob]

My place is in Almagro, much cheaper, for everything.
I can walk to Palermo in minutes, but I have everything I need here, except expensive restaurants.
There is almost nothing I cannot get within three blocks, I needed a mirror today a guy three blocks away cut it to the size I wanted within two hours $124
I wanted a leg made for my work top, ten minutes $6
I could go on, I hardly leave here except to tango.

 

[mini]

It really all depends on you own needs. Palermo has everything I want, because it fits how I live and work. It's a huge barrio with different 'pockets' it's not all only Soho & Hollywood. When I read posts like this I wonder really how much of Palermo is being experienced and what exceptions people have of other neighborhoods.

Anyway, there are certainly other great barrios. You will have to decide what trade offs you'd be happy with. Where do you need to get to that you spend so much of your life stuck in traffic? Do you really think you'll find parks in other parts of the city that you can hang out at night in? Really?

Barracas has some nice areas with large gorgeous french style apartments. Belgrano is really lovely and like Palermo has everything you could possibly want and more. Nunez, Villa Crespo, Almagro, Chacaritas & Colegiales are all well regarded. I can't speak for Villa Urquiza. I only know one person who lives out there. I could ask more about it when I see him again.

 

[Mano Negra]

Good post, I quite like Barracas (probably not spelt this way) though currently living in Puerto Madero. There are some amazing buildings, a totally non tourist atmosphere and the best fish market in BA (El Delfino).

Sadly though I am guided by my stomach. Best place to eat out, Palermo/Belgrano. Best place to shop for food...San Telmo (and don't forget the excellent pasta shop just outside the market).

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Villa Devoto. Just 20mts from Retiro on the LSM; less from Lacroze on the Trencito. Green, leafy, village-like atmosphere but pretty-well everything you might want from the shops and cafes etc. Expect to cause some interest when you speak castellano with an Brit/US accent - and you will need to speak castellano: this is not an ex-pat hang-out but I like it.