Visiting Buenos Aires
 

I'll have 3 days in Buenos Aires next month as part of an OAT trip and would like some suggestions of what to do/see during free time.

We're staying at Agenta Tower Hotel so would especially like to know of places in that area.

We'll have some guided walking tours which will include:
* Plaza de Mayo area
* Avenida 9 de Julio
* Florida Ave
* La Boca district
* Recoleta cemetery
* a milonga hall
* option of dinner/show at Esquina Carlos Gardel
* tour of Parana Delta

What I like to do in new areas:
I especially love to visit farmers markets to view all the different ingredients/foods. Love just looking at food.
Wandering pleasant neighborhoods to get a feel of life there.
Thinking of taking a tour of Teoto Opera House.
Any small, locals' favorite coffee shops or cafes?

Hope that Scarlett, or others who may have lived there, will answer to get an insider's viewpoint.

Thanks for any suggestions.

A good neighborhood restaurant is Juana M. It is about 3-4 blocks away from your hotel. You have to look for it, but once inside you'll be very pleased with the food and their prices. Check out their reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran..._District.html

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Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

OK .. you are right by the fabulous 9 de Julio. You cross that and you are in Recoleta and the parks and museums etc.
Go up 9 de Julio and there is the Colon Opera House , definitely get a tour if you can.
Down at the bottom of the street is Libertador and restaurants ..
I totally agree with Orlando Vic ... go to Juana M your first night there .. it will be a perfect first night in BA.
We lived farther away from that location, in Recoleta but if you like to walk, you can do it. I walked every day, for miles .. we never took taxis unless it was raining or just miles to walk ..it is the best way to see the place and it is so nice to walk around Recoleta and the parks and Palermo and the parks : ) Can you go on very little sleep ? that would be good !
There were about 3 cafes that we went to just about every day .. I don't know if they are open now but you won't have a hard time finding one and making it your favorite too. It is like Paris in that respect, for the price of a cup of coffee you can sit and people watch and read the paper if you like.
I am soooo homesick : )

Do go to Cafe Biela when you go to Recoleta, the parks by the Cemetery.
You will enjoy it so much.

On Pueyrredon there are several cafes and you have to remember to taste an Alfajore ..take home a box.

You can even buy Havanna alfajores at Ezeiza airport as you depart.

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Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

Which is a good idea because if you have them with you in town, you will end up eating them. . . sez the voice of experience.

Is Havanna a brand of alfajores? The best? Yum-yum.

Will probably want to buy some when we first get to BA before starting our trip to Patagonia and then more before we return home.

Would walking back from Juana M be a pretty safe walk at night?

Love to walk and also sit with coffee to people watch.

About your questions:

"Is Havanna a brand of alfajores?" YES.

"The best? Yum-yum." At least the best-known brand.

"Will probably want to buy some when we first get to BA before starting our trip to Patagonia and then more before we return home." As said above, the duty-free shops at the airports usually have them.

"Would walking back from Juana M be a pretty safe walk at night?". It should be, with normal precautions, as in any large town.

I assume you have read about the safety advice for BA and about the "blue" exchange rate which can save you, at this writing, about 40% on anything which can be paid with a CC.

BTW, I don't think much of Juana M. http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/Juana-M-587

Have a great time in my town, Clousie.

When we arrived in BA .. our rental apt was across the street from a Havanna shop on the corner of Pueyrredon and French. Once my husband and I discovered them .. our home was never without them lol.
And the ice cream, let's not leave ice cream out of this sweet talk .. My husband was the ice cream aficionado and he rarely found one that he did not like. If it is still there .. a block from Cafe Biela is a fabulous ice cream shop called Volta. try it. you will like it.

"I assume you have read about the safety advice for BA" I've heard about pickpockets on Florida Ave and the scam of getting "goo" dripped on you that they offer to clean up. Is there anything else you can tell me? Florida Ave doesn't sound like the type of place I'd really be interested in anyway, but it's part of our walking tour. Probably won't go back on free time.

BTW: We arrive on a Sunday morning and have walking tours in the afternoon and Monday morning. Monday afternoon will be on our own.

When we return to BA, we'll have all day on a Sunday as free time. If BA is anything like NYC, Sunday is my favorite day of the week to stroll around and enjoy the ambience of people relaxing in their city rather than the bussle of a work week.

"I've heard about pickpockets on Florida Ave and the scam of getting "goo" dripped on you that they offer to clean up. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

In more general terms, if ANYTHING strange happens near you, assume it is a trick intended to get you off guard, hold firmly on to your belongings and don't let anyone get near you. Yell "Policía!!!", if necessary. La Boca is particularly iffy area, but, if you are with a group, you should be fine, in that respect. A famous tourist trap!

"Florida Ave doesn't sound like the type of place I'd really be interested in anyway, but it's part of our walking tour. Probably won't go back on free time."

Florida street is THE tourist trap in BA. The guide most likely gets a cut from the shops he/she will lead you to.

"When we return to BA, we'll have all day on a Sunday as free time. If BA is anything like NYC, Sunday is my favorite day of the week to stroll around and enjoy the ambience of people relaxing in their city rather than the bussle of a work week.

Sunday in our Palermo park is, in some ways, much like Sunday in your Central Park.

Have a great time in my town, Clousie.

BTW, if I were you, I'd avoid those tours you'll be taking and instead consider:

http://www.bafreetour.com/english-home

We're traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel and starting and ending our trip in BA with Patagonia sandwiched in between. We'll have the same guide the whole time although I think a local guide will join us in each place we visit.

Definitely know what you mean about some of the local tour leaders steering the group into shops where they get a cut.

During free time, I much prefer to just wander around, avoiding shops, which is why I asked for interesting, safe areas. Thanks for the suggestions that you all have been providing.

On the Sunday, you might enjoy the feria and antiques in San Telmo. Quite lively and fun, albeit sometimes overcrowded and intense. There is often Tango on the corners, and there are good restaurants there.

There is also Sandra http://www.batravelguide.com/
She lives in the city and she is just great. We never actually used her as a guide, although she was always helping me with finding my way around .. I would use her in a minute .. especially when she does a shopping tour lol ..

Gee, Scarlett, can't imagine why you'd be interested in a shopping tour! wink wink

Clousie ... why would you think I like to shop ?? lol ...

Since you mentioned shopping : ) keep an eye out for leather goods.
Handbags as soft as butter and so reasonably priced, especially at the weekend Feria in Recoleta. And then there are the woven leather and silver bracelets. I always get compliments on mine when I wear them here (NY) ..
And shoes, don't forget shoes .. lol

Scarlett, I was wondering where you got those bracelets? At the weekend Feria in Recoleta? I'd love to buy something like that.

In Recoleta on weekends, the huge parks are all set up with vendors , row after row .. it is wonderful lol.
They sell Everything .. but the handbags and jewelry ( leather goods) were my favorites. and my sister in law who bought several handbags .. god bless her she never goes anywhere but she has all these new bags now lol'''

During the feria, just walk along the sidewalks and look at each vendors table of Stuff.
You will see many selling leather /silver bracelets and everything else.

Look at a few, try some on , decide how many you want : )
I also got a couple of bracelets as gifts that my husband bought at a local jeweler right off of Las Heras .. near the parks .
You can't miss the jewelry at the ferias .. or in shops ... in Palermo also.

It is shopping heaven .. really.