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Capital Federal (Principal City of Buenos Aires)

Capital Federal (Federal Capital)

Buenos Aires is a city that you should not miss, culture and entertainment, nightlife, football, tango and the endless talks at the cafe. Its singular mix was the result of the rich migratory history. Everyone and each one of its neighborhoods keep the past in their peculiar features and all of them, are porteños in their own way.

About the city

Buenos Aires is an all-year season city. The capital of the Republic of Argentina is in the southern part of Latin America. It is one of the most populated urban centers in the world. Its inhabitants called "Porteños" (People from the port). The city has mild weather, with an annual average temperature of 18C. The official language is Spanish, one of its most distinctive characteristics is the use of "vos" instead of "tu" (English equivalent “you" singular) and the use of "che" to address another person informally, this is why Ernesto Guevara was nicked named “El Che” (The Che).

The Argentinean currency is the peso ($). There are 100,50,20,10, 5 and 2 peso bills, and 05-10-25-50 and 1 peso coins. All major credit cards are accepted, automated teller machines are available throughout the city. The transportation system offers many simple and inexpensive options: Colectivos (buses), subways, taxis, remises (they are a chauffeur driven car service hire by phone) and trains. There is also a wide variety of car rental companies.



The historical old part of town

This area is the one that porteños identify with the most. Unique for its heritage, the quality of its public spaces and the symbolic value of its buildings is where the history and memory of the city of Buenos Aires concentrates. It is the historical backbone of the Argentina, which give as an attractive offer to experience the porteños life-style. It embraces the totality of the of Monserrat and San Telmo neighborhoods.

Montserrat

This was the first porteños settlement, the city developed around it, the present Plaza de Mayo, historical scenario for protests and political demonstrations is embraced by the Casa Rosada, (Government House) which is the seat of the National Government; The Cabildo, (Town Hall) that was the seat of the Colonial Government, now a museum and Catedral Metropolitana (The Metropolitan Cathedral). Its final design, made towards the end of the 1880’s, Diagonal Norte and Diagonal Sur (North Diagonal and South Diagonal) starts here as well as Avenida de Mayo, (Mayo Avenue) that links the Seat of the Governmental House with The National Congress. This part of the city marked the beginning of the porteños cultural life. Its sidewalks are flanked by old plane trees and cafe's, it keeps alive the memory of the wealthy Argentina of the end of the 19th century. The Catedral al Sur area that stretches between Plaza de Mayo and San Telmo, you can find peculiar passages, 18th century churches and convents, also this part holds the best Tango shows and modern music performances, some of them are dinner-dance inclusive.

San Telmo

This neighborhood still holds the charm of the colonial past. The yellow fever epidemic in 1871 made its aristocratic inhabitants move to the northern part of the city. Today one can still see its narrow and cobbled streets, colonial houses with elaborate granting, and patios with “aljibes” (water holes), beautiful recycled houses from the 19th and early 20th centuries, that were turned into restaurants and tango houses. The center of this area is Plaza Dorrego, (Dorrego square) with antique shops and restaurants in all four streets around it. Thousands of people visit the traditional flea markets on Sundays. Hundreds of stands offer the most varied objects from mantillas, embroideries, antique phonographs and telephones to art crafts, paintings and incredible souvenirs.

La Boca

La Boca is the neighborhood that summarizes the history of Italian immigration that arrived mainly from Genoa to “Hacer la America” (Make it in America) an Italian common phrase in yesteryears, it is also the area where Tango and the passion for football developed, the great Boca Juniors soccer club was founded in 1905 using the colors of Sweden, according to legend, when the colors of the club was being discussed a ship flying the Swedish flag was noticed and blue and gold was to be the clubs colors. The name “La Boca” (The Mouth) derives from the outlet of the small waterway called Riachuelo that flows into the Rio de la Plata. La Boca still holds the memory of its past in their typical houses made of corrugated iron and wood, painted with the remaining pigments used to paint the ships during their maintenance. Its colorful custom, with clothes hanged under the sun in their balconies, the anchored ships, its mythical museum street called Caminito (Little walkway), turns this area into the most picturesque neighborhood of the city.

Barracas

An area of abandoned country houses at the time of the yellow fever in 1871, it was packed with migrants, cafes and brothels by the riverside during early 20th century. The arrival of industry populated this neighborhood with warehouses, tanneries and salting houses, which gave it an unmistakable industrial profile. The painted facades of Lanin passage impinged this area with the most trendy and modern art tendencies.

Puerto Madero

This modern and elegant zone makes a visit romantic and pleasurable. Next to the Rio de la Plata, four docks offer beautiful water views beside the recycled docks of the old “Puerto Nuevo” (New Port). The old warehouses made of bricks and iron houses nowadays-prestigious restaurants, bars, pubs, company headquarters, a movie complex, yachting clubs, and frigates Museums to visit. Behind them, the green of the Ecological Reservation and the river.



San Nicolas

Porteños enjoy walking around this neighborhood. It moves along the hectic rhythm of the great metropolis. It stands out at the crossing of the "Avenida 9 de Julio" -the widest Avenue in the world and “Avenida Corrientes” (Corrientes Avenue), “El Obelisco” (The Obelisk), the very symbol of Buenos Aires, built in the place where originally the church that gave its name to the neighborhood stood. In “Plaza Lavalle” (Lavalle Square), “El Palacio de Tribunates” (Court House), “Teatro Cervantes” (Cervantes Theater) and the legendary “Teatro Colon” (Colon Opera House), all of them honored the architectural history of the city. The popular tango tradition of Buenos Aires by night takes place in Lavalle, the pedestrian Street, and in Corrientes Avenue, you can find cinemas, theaters, record shops and pizza shops. As you approach Plaza de Mayo, you can see the huge bank buildings of the "City" and the enormous company buildings on the Diagonal Norte Avenue. This is the financial district of the country.

Retiro

This area is known by this name since the beginning of the 18th century, when as the legend tells us, there was a house that served as shelter for a hermit. Retiro is the center for three railway stations and the terminal bus station of the city. Plaza San Martin, which was the scenario of many battles during the British Invasions in 1807, with its splendid grove and its gullies that give the area a distinguished look, it is surrounded by important companies and high-class buildings as the Kavanaugh built in 1936, the very symbol of modern Buenos –Aires. Near by, Florida pedestrian street, with an extensive variety of shops packed with people daily, both, local porteños and tourists alike. This is an unavoidable urban landscape.



Recoleta

The name of this neighborhood was given because of the Recoletos Convent. Today it combines the sophistication of an area with a very rich cultural and historical heritage. It was remodeled in 1880 and turned out with its magnificent residencies and the beauty of its green spaces, one of the most refined places of the city. The Church “Nuestra Señora del Pilar”, (Our Lady of Pilar) the aristocratic cemetery, The Recoleta Cultural Center, The Palais de Glace, The Museum of Fine Arts, the exclusive avenues, a modern shopping mall, outdoor bars and restaurants, and an interesting handicraft fair during the weekends, turns this neighborhood into one of the most visited ones.



Palermo

This is a very large neighborhood and is full of charm in everything it offers. The green of “Parque 3 de Febrero” (3rd of February Park), a wonderful city open space with its heart in the “Rosedal” (Rose garden). There are also important museums, The “Jardin Botanico” (Botanic Gardens), the “Jardin Zoologico” (Zoo). Nearby you will find the golf course, the only public course in South America located in the middle of the city. "Palermo Chico" (Small Palermo): the most exclusive area in Buenos Aires, with its unbelievable mansions. "Las Cañitas"(Little Sugar Canes): a new area of exclusive restaurants and bars. Crossing “Avenida Santa Fe” (Santa Fe Avenue), "Palermo Viejo" (Old Palermo), witness the charm of recycled houses from the turn of the 20th century, with its tree-lined narrow streets. A neighborhood cherished by bohemians and intellectuals alike, it is the place of the trendy gastronomy and porteño nightlife. Starting from its center in “Plaza Cortazar” (Cortazar Square), you will find an excellent offer of designed items (clothing and decoration), and contemporary art galleries in the other Palermos areas: "Soho" and "Hollywood".

Belgrano

An important neighborhood within the city that owes its name to the creator of the Argentine Flag. Provisional Seat of the National Government in 1880. There are three Belgranos in one, the Residential Belgrano, with old groves and imposing houses, the commercial and active Belgrano on both sides of Cabildo Avenue, its main artery, and the Lower Belgrano, with its exotic Chinese neighborhood and a vast and interesting residential development towards the river.

Balvanera

The neighborhood of shops, wholesalers and bargains, a place swarming with people in rush hour. Its main Avenues Corrientes and Rivadavia are filled with all kinds of shops. Different areas concentrate film production companies, furniture shops, and bookshops. The monumental “Mercado del Abasto” (Food Market) -the first reinforced concrete building in the country- today turned into a spectacular shopping center. Near the “Abasto” you can visit the famous tango singer’s house, Carlos Gardel that is now a museum.

Boedo

In its origins, this area was occupied with brick furnaces, dairy farms, and Pulperias (bars where gauchos met for entertainment and also exchanged goods ). It turned from the middle of the 20th century in a synonym for tango. Many tango lyrics make reference of Boedo. The traditional tango street corner is "San Juan y Boedo" (San Juan Avenue and Boedo). Now days there are several major house hold items stores.

Caballito

A traditional porteño neighborhood. It is worthwhile visiting Rivadavia Park, with numismatics and stamp collecting fairs, books and magazines on weekends and the “Parque Centenario” (Centenary Park), with its Observatory and Amphitheater, which during the summer, excellent free shows, and performances are offered. The Railway Museum and The Natural Science Museum "Bernardino Rivadavia", offers an interesting thematic heritage.

Mataderos

This neighborhood, with its many general stores and bars was the place where gauchos met. when farmyards and slaughter houses were introduced in the area at the beginning of the 20th century because of its vicinity to the city center. The tradition is kept alive in the “Museo Criollo de los Corrales” (The Corral Creole Museum) and in the fair during the weekends, a place of gathering for “Payadores” (Argentinean Gauchos improvising stories in verse form accompanied by their guitars) and of the traditional horse rodeos, folklore dancing shows as well as selling of regional art crafts and food.

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