Things to do in Buenos Aires

i always repeat the same because they are the things that i like doing myself

-a visit to an estancia if possible 2 nights.
-a crossing to uruguay, colonia city
-a tango show.
-a city tour but a good one, not the ones that you have 2 minites for a photo and you have to leave.
colon opera house
-delta tigre 2 nights if possible to visit the islands and do treking.

hope you all the luck in Buenos Aires

I would recommend a few things:
1) very cool and very important to the country's history: see the march of Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo. I think it still happens on Thursdays at 3:30. Lots of tourists take pictures and it is located at the plaza right in front of the Casa Rosada.It is a wonderful cause.
2)take a weekend day to Tigre. The train takes you there in about 40 minutes and you can take an inexpensive boat tour and shop around the Feria.
3) Definitely visit Recoleta cemetary. Best done on a weekend so that the cemetary is open and you can visit all the mausoleums. Eva Peron's "grave" is there along with many of the country's presidents. It is very quiet and serene. Outside is another feria every weekend and many people sit around just hanging out and drinking mate.
4) take the catamaran over to colonia, uruguay.
5) possible weekend trip to Mendoza, Argentina. Take an all day bodega tour and sample all the different wines.
6)a night at the very famous opera house. Call ahead for tickets.
7)a night at Ribera Este, a classy night club. Many different rooms with different music, plus an outside patio to enjoy the night.
8)serious food suggestion: Free Way, a wonderful Ponderosa style restaurant, except much much better.

Make sure that you try and cross Nueve de Julio on foot, try to see how many red lights it takes you to get across. Also walk along it at night to enjoy all the lights from the city. Be careful.

Hope this helps and enjoy your trip!!!

Thank you very much for you suggestions!!! They are very helpful!

We too will be there in late August and thank you for your post of advice.

Sth to add: if you are near Plaza de Mayo, there is a small area quite near where you can visit the very old area of the city. There is a lot of history in LA MANZANA DE LAS LUCES dating from the times the English in 1805 tried to take these lands. It was the itme Napolen had deposed the King of Spain and we were part of the Viceroalty If lucky you will be inside the tunnels where people plotted the resistance and where the militia crossed some blocks underground to emerge and defeat the English. It doesnt take much time. you will see an old area that has tried to preserve the buildings, a school and churches which are really worth paying a visit. Recommended day after lunch.Then at tea time, i recomend Avda de Mayo, a few steps. Cafe Tortoni is waiting for you. dont miss it.

Sth else: if you go to Recoleta, dont head directly to Evita`s place and then leave. First ask outside for a map you can later keep and walk around
It will take you half an hour at least to see the mausoleums that will strike your attention. Everybody will tell you the stories about this interesting place, but dont believe all of them
ghosts dont walk there at night.

How about things to do outside Buenos Aires for a day trip ? Our preference is for the Argentinean countryside, not Uruguay which we will do in a seperate trip next time.

For a day trip to the Argentine countryside....arrange a day trip to San Antonio de Areco, visiting the city and an estancia for a bbq and gaucho show. There are several excellent options. Touristy but fun.

Sounds like fun. Does anyone have any recommendations for the least touristy options to visit the Land of the Caucho with the best beefsteak ? I would also be delighted to find a top restaurant in B.A. with a dance floor where the locals dance Tango rather than the Shows ?

sb said the area of San Antonio de Areco was very good and it is really a nice area.I am going there tomorrow to know the city and learn about that place.
But there are so many places that the choice becomes very difficult. San Antonio is a very traditional place. Quite near is Capilla del Señor smaller but also very nice.Think about Lobos and Lujan too. also very nice places to have a real bbq and pretend you are a gaucho.

S.A de Areco:
La cinacina
El Ombu
La Bamba
Lobos:
Sta.Rita
La Candelaria
La Concepcion
Capilla del Señor:
Don Silvano
La Posesiva
Quite near:
La Rosada
San Ceferino

to cite the ones i know and i know they are good.

The churches in Lujan and San Antonio are worth visiting. There are two good museums in SA de Areco, one dealing with gaucho life and the other dealing with silver work....

I have been to Estancia don Silvano and enjoyed it a great deal. La Candaleria is also good, I understand.....

Rather than go to a Tango Show, are there any great restaurants where the locals dance - maybe even tango ?

I have been to a number of great restaurants in BsAs. I have been to several great dance clubs and milongas (devoted to tango) but I don't recall having been to a great restaurant that includes dancing.

The Armenian Club in Palermo Viejo has a restaurant with good Porteno style (not great) food and offers dance lessons on Friday night. Music alternates between 50s/early60s rock and tango. A fun way to spend a Friday night.

I just got back from Buenos Aires and cannot tell you how much fun I had! It is truly and amazing city. The Resaurants are great. The best place to find great restaurants is in Puerto Madero. This is the old port and probably has close to 20-30 lining the street.

Howdy!...they all forgot to mention san telmo, one of the coolest and most particular areas in BA...located just a few blocks off downtown BA, this neighbourhood gathers the whole history and architecture of BA, cos its where the city was founded and defined by the first spanish conquistadores...just make sure you walk it on the weekends, when the flea market is full on and the whole antique shops and bars lay all their things on the streets and you can simply watch the world go by sipping on a delicious cappuchino...stay at the gardenhouse hostel the only one that has a warm vibe and a helpfl staff that really care about your trip, providing you good data and even takin you to places you'd never get to...BA is amazing and you'll love abasto area, the real tango "hood" where the milongas are nothing but authentic local tango lovers that keep on dancing and drinking till the sun comes up...dont miss a long walk through avenida de mayo and corrientes, 2 of the mirrors of the porteños' zest for life...enjoy Ba and go out in the night, the nightlife is quite amazing, beats london and NY all together and people are warm and friendly, happy attitude and cool vibes..
ok, dont wanna bore you up, but i love BA and im definitely coming back, so if you find out new places to go, post them here and i'll check them up soon!!
be well, see ya

topping for Merryfish.