AlanM1

I know that this is the Europe page (and there doesn?t seem to be much action on the South American page), but we just returned from 6 days in Buenos Aires and I felt like we were in Europe the whole time. I had to remind myself constantly that we were in South America. It is a very sophisticated city with extremely close cultural ties to Europe as the population is mainly made up of the descendants of European immigrants. It is also VERY INEXPENSIVE, unlike Europe at this time. The people were friendly and the food was excellent. It reminded us of both Madrid and Barcelona. With the dollar so low against the Euro I think that it is a great alternate city to visit.

Ziana

Was there a good deal somewhere?
Tell more please.

Singletail

Thanks for this info and no need to apologize...we recently sat through a posting about where to stay in Yosemite...

AlanM1

We purchased our tickets through a consolidator, Carbone Travel (www.carbone-travel.com), which came highly recommended by friends. Our non-stop American Airlines flight from JFK was over 200.00 less than posted on the AA website. We were fortunate in that we have friends who just bought a place there (3 floor penthouse for under 150,000!), so our lodgings were free, but I did check into a number of hotels and you can easily get rooms in good neighborhoods for under 100.00. Endless shops and restaurants (a club sandwich cost 1.25 and a soda or bottled water about .35). I spent 570.00 dollars in 6 full days eating every lunch and dinner out (some meals covered 4, 2 or just me) and this included a dinner for 4 at one of the best known and most expensive restauranst for 150.00. Taxi trips across the city ran about 3.00 and the antiqueing in the Sn Telmo neighborhood and martket was excellent.

Ziana

Just checked www.carbone-travel.com.
$500 air, $200-68 5 star Hotel !
Sounds great!!!

kybourbon

generaltours.com has good deals to South America.

SRS

Alan, Thanks for the posting. I am quite interested in travelling to Buenos Aires. Did you post a trip report? If so, I'll look it up.

Sally

ThinGorjus

Argentine hotels can give themselves any star rating they choose. Just because a hotel advertises itself as a 5-star property doesn't necessarily mean that it is so by American standards.

The only true 5-star hotels in BA, in my opinion, are the Alvear Palace, Four Seasons, and the Inter-Continental.

Ziana

Great deal to BA here - 8days -$699
http://www.gate1travel.com/Destinati...deo-travel.asp

AlanM1

www.gotoday.com also has some great deals.

Dave

I, too, recently returned from my first trip to BsAs, and can wholeheartedly recommend it as an "alternative" to Europe,,,,,,,especially during times of the year when travel to Europe wouldn't be that great "weather-wise".

Buenos Aires meals can be had for less than 10$, including wine, and you likely can't finish !! If you can get good airfares, seriously consider traveling there between October-March, which will be the best weather.

mamc

We thoroughly enjoyed Buenos Aires when we were there in 2000. While they often refer to their city as the Paris of South America, I didn't really get that feeling from the city. BA is a bit European in the impression it leaves but once outside the city, that impression is completely lost and you are definitely in South America. As I said, it is very nice but I would't go expecting to find a Europe substitute.

AlanM1

In 6 days we never left the city, so I never lost the feeling of being in Europe.