10 days in Buenos
 

I am in Buenos from 15-25 December and have no clue really what to expect. I know we want to go see a tango show, have a few nice meals and shop, but it would be great to get a bit of advise on the top list of stuff not to miss in Buenos. I am staying in Recoleta area.

So please any advise would be great as I want to try and do something memorable and different every day.

As for the tango shows - looking for something affordable and amazing!

thank you!

Get a guide book to help you.
Be sure it has a map.

On weekends, the Recoleta Feria is in full swing, it is huge and fun and you never know what kind of musical entertainment will pop up. This past weekend was Dixieland Jazz and what sounded like Black Sabbath :)

Then there is the Cemetery, the Cultural Center and the Museums (Belle Artes and Palais de Glace) ..
Plenty of good places to eat in Recoleta.. you will eat well here, no question about that.

You can see Tango at Cafe Tortoni, or go all out and go to the Faena Hotel and see their show. Depends on how much money you want to spend.

This is a good idea to get an idea of the city:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEBLt...layer_embedded

the Bus tours... great for your first day here, get an overview of BA.
http://www.buenosairesbus.com/en/

Go to Palermo Soho for good shopping and eating, Palermo Botanico for the Gardens, Zoo and eating, San Telmo on Sunday for the feria and good eating and music, Puerto Madero for good eats. Go to the restaurants across the water, at night when the lights of the city are lit, it is magical.
We had brunch at Central Market (Puerto Madero) yesterday and it was a perfect summer day.

It is hard for a trip here not to be memorable.
To keep the memories good... do not wear jewelry , fancy watches, fancy handbags and try not to look terribly touristy which to some thieves equals victim.
There are a lot of pickpockets and purse snatchers around, be on your toes.

The Time Out guide to Buenos Aires is excellent. It includes some very good working tours as well as good restaurant recommendations. If you are interested in architecture and design the Wallpaper guide is also very good.

Scarlett, Do you think that the bus tour is a better idea than the two free walking tours of the city for people with limited time in BA?

The first day you get here, you are probably going to be a little tired and it is a great way to get the overview/sightseeing from the top of a nice bus, hopping off and on as you wish.
Then during the stay, use the Free Walking tour people.
Susan, I love the Wallpaper guide !

Wallpaper guides are my favourites! I am getting quite a collection of them now and each one has been terrific.

Thank you so much for the advise - I will make sure to use the pointers! How do you guys feel about a trip to Tigre - the Delta?

Tigre is a great idea for a day trip.
Take the train from Retiro, spend the day , take a boat tour , lunch on the water, train home .. rest , go out to dinner in town : - )

use to live in buenos aires here is what you should do:

La boca - tango shows
San telmo - plaza dorrego
recoleta cemetary
walk along ave alvear & ave mayo
shopping in recoleta
teatro colon
el sanitario - most beautiful building in the city
iguazu falls - do not miss them they are incredible

cheers

-marcello
http://www.wanderingtrader.com

Good list, wandering Tradr !

Wandering Trader: May I ask you for further info about "el sanitario"?

1. Plaza de Mayo
The plaza has been here since the 16th century. At the eastern end is the Casa Rosada, the Presidential Palace. From the main balcony several Argentinean politics address the populace (the Peron’s for example)
It is here where numerous gatherings and political protests have taken place, including the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, a regular assembly of mothers protesting the loss of loved ones called Desaparecidos (the disappeared ones, during the Dirty War, a bleak moment in Argentina's history.
Opposite the Casa Rosada on the Plaza de Mayo is the resplendent former Spanish town hall, the Cabildo, a fascinating old colonial building fronted by arches that once encircled the plaza, back during the May Revolution in 1810. The guards outside the building are members of the revered Regimiento de Patricios which was formed in 1806. They still wear their traditional uniforms, designed nearly 200 years ago.
2. Recoleta, La Recoleta Cemetery
This is one of the most fashionable districts in Buenos Aries. It is the site of the Iglesia de Nuestra senora de Pilar, a colonial church that is a national monument. It has several very attractive open spaces and public gardens, including the Plaza Francia where the city’s craft fair takes place on a Sunday.
The Cementerio de la Recoleta sounds an unlikely place for a spot of sightseeing but it is, in fact, one of the city's main tourist attractions. The necropolis is a city within a city, with numerous huge monuments fashioned in white marble, dark granite, and lustrous bronze, decorated with numerous stone angels and statues of the Virgin. The great and the good of Argentina's past lie here, including Evita Peron, who always attracts a big crowd. A number of past presidents, sports stars and writers were also laid to rest here.
Do lose yourselves in the serene atmosphere and sense of great history.
3. Mataderos
Its located approximate 6km southwest of Caballito. This barrio takes its name from the slaughterhouses, which used to be here. They went a long time ago but Mataderos is still home to a livestock market. You will find here one of Buenos Aires' most incredible events: the Feria de Mataderos which takes place on Sundays.
This is a celebration of the country’s rural traditions, folk music, traditional crafts and regional food specialities are served and local dances are performed. The highpoint of the day is the display of gaucho skill in which riders participate in exciting traditional events.
4. Teatro Colon
This extravagant seven stories Opera House has impressed visitors since it was opened in 1908. A small museum is situated in the lobby and guided tours are available in English. The tours go through the basement workshops, rehearsal rooms, stage and seating areas.
It’s a wonderful place to watch opera and ballet and listen to classical music
5. Cafe Tortoni
Do have a coffee at the famous Cafe Tortoni in Buenos Aires. Cafes are a way of life in B.A., but Tortoni is perhaps the most famous cafe in all of Argentina, patronized by celebrities since 1858. It is used as a set in many movies, showing an important part of the Buenos Aires history.
6. Palermo
The open spaces of this barrio, a legacy of caudillo Juan Manuel de Rosas who was overthrown in 1852, made possible the Jardín Botánico. Here you can also visit the Buenos Aires Zoo, the Rosedal, the Hippodrome and the Planetarium.
7. La Boca
This working class area originally populated by Italian dock workers has bloomed into a colourful centre of art, restaurants and the colourful metal houses which present a refreshing change from the rest of the city. The colours come from the brightly painted houses on the Caminito a pedestrian walk named for the tango of the same name and the waters of the Riachuelo stained by oil sludge’s. The tradition began when the hose owners didn’t have enough money to buy painting for their houses. They receive donations, and of course it was hard to find a lot of paint in the same colour. The years went by and it became a tradition to use different colours. If you want to see some beautiful sights of the life in the docks visit the Art museum of Bellas Artes in La Boca where you can see the work of Benito Quinquela Martín.
8. San Telmo,San Telmo flea market
This section of the city retains some of the colonial flavour of past years and is steeped in the city's history. It was a fashionable district for years until a yellow fever epidemic drove the inhabitants north into what is now the Recoleta, and the lower classes and immigrants moved in. It has narrow streets, low buildings, antique shops and the famed Sunday antique market in the main square of the barrio. San Telmo's tango bars are an excellent place to learn and dance the tango.
Do learn to dance the tango, or at least watch others dance it. One of the best spots for admiring tango couples, or for receiving an impromptu lesson, is at the San Telmo flea market on Sundays in Buenos Aires.
9. Puerto Madero
By day, this riverfront area is a booming business and shopping district and by night, a hip neighbourhood with pricey restaurants and fashionable clubs. Wooden ferries will take you further into the tree-lined delta.
10. Obelisco
The Obelisk, Buenos Aires' famed monument is on the widest street in the world, the Avenida 9 de Julio, where among the frantic traffic, you'll get great photos, particularly at night if you're visiting restaurants and nightclubs in the area.
Have fun!