WTF Teatro Colon?!

[LaurenW]

My grandma is coming to visit and I wanted to take her on a tour of Teatro Colon. A month ago you could do a tour as an extrajero for 60 pesos (residents 15). I just checked and the new price is 110 pesos (residents 30 pesos). Now I guess I understand the difference in price b/w tourists and residents but seriously WTF, why do they expect people to pay 110 pesos for a 45 minute tour with 30 other people?

The tickets to the actual operas and concerts start at prices lower than this. The only thing is I don't think my grandma would want to go to anything that long. ugh. so frustrating.

Now my grandma won't be able to see this theater because I refuse to let us get robbed.

 

[LaurenW]

I can also say I got a 2 hour GUIDED tour of the glorious Buckingham Palace State Rooms and Kate Middleton's wedding dress for about 12 pounds last summer, with a ticket that gave me free entrance to the State Rooms for the rest of the season. Ok... teatro colon, significantly more than Buckingham Palace, really?!

 

[Napoleon]

It's a shame that you're doing that to your grandmother.

When I was in Istanbul 15 years ago, the tour for the former presidential palace was 10X more expensive for foreigners than for locals. It was a once-in-a-lifetime visit, and I was ok with that.

I would hope that you reconsider keeping your grandmother from seeing the Teatro Colon. Punishing her because you're bitter isn't a great way to show someone the city.

 

[LaurenW]

It's not like I will keep her locked in a hotel room. There are better things to do than spend 220 pesos for a 45 minute tour of an opera house.

 

[Napoleon]

It's not like I will keep her locked in a hotel room. There are better things to do than spend 220 pesos for a 45 minute tour of an opera house.

ONE tour = AR$110 < TWO tours in the past = AR$120

I would suggest that you buy her a ticket to the tour that takes about 50-60 minutes and then you sit in the café stewing over a burnt coffee while your grandmother has an unforgettable experience.

As you said, there are opera tickets for less than AR$110. You can always buy one of these tickets another time and see the inside of the theater.

Ever since I took a tour of the Colon back in ~October, I have always recommended it to my clients as a "Must See" in Buenos Aires. (And I've seen A LOT of Buenos Aires.)

Seeing the inside of Galeria Guemes, or the Casa Rosada, or the Catedral Metropolitano, or Cafe Tortoni is NOTHING like going on a tour of the Teatro Colon.

Temper your pride, buy a ticket for your abuela, and ride out the tour in the café. It's the right thing to do. But the question now is: Will you do it?

 

[Zissou]

I agree with Napoleon. It's not like it's some rundown crumbling relic - they actually just spent a lot of time and money refurbishing it.

It's not Buckingham Palace but Argentina also lacks a royal family to subsidize it. It's not the cheapest thing ever but really, it's $25 or two movie tickets, no popcorn.

 

[Stafford]

I went with my parents on the tour last April when they were visiting. I also remember being frustrated by the price difference. I think I remember it being around 70 or 80 pesos each. But I have to tell you, it was so worth it. My parents, who are very well traveled, said it was one of the best guided tours they have ever taken. Our guide was amazing. She was interesting, informative, fun, engaging. The Teatro interior is breathtaking. My folks are still talking about it.

As for the price. Well, they just poured a ton of money into restoring the place. Actually I heard somewhere that, even with inflation adjusted figures, the restoration was more expensive than the original construction. I like to hope that some of that cash from the tours goes into keeping as beautiful as it is today. And that is not cheap.

And also, let's be real for a minute. Foreigners can afford it. That's no more expensive than a tour or museum entrance fee of something similar in Europe. Italy does the same thing by the way. Different entrance fees for Italians, EU residents, and everyone else.

Finally, considering the average Argentine salary is probably something like 10-20% of that of most visitors coming from the US and Europe, it makes sense. It's their Teatro and it should be accessible to them. Think of it like a subsidy. The true value of the tour is much less than what the resident has to pay.

 

[Napoleon]

Think of it like a subsidy. The true value of the tour is much more than what the resident has to pay.

There, I fixed it for you.

 

[va2ba]

I have to say that it makes sense to me to have the resident price be so low. It is Argentina after all and Argentines should be able to enjoy their cultural landmarks just like they should be able to travel around their country with cheaper airfare.

Argentina should be for the Argentines.

 

[Stafford]

Argentina should be for the Argentines.

How about "Argentina should be accessible to the Argentines.