Buenos Aires

Experience Chile can include Buenos Aires into any larger travel itinerary you have. For example, it can be built in as a precursor to visiting Foz de Iguaçu and / or prior to (or at the end of) the rest of your South American adventure. We can include a Tango show, and any tours we include will be private with a guide. It you have the time a minimum 3-night stay would be advised. In addition, we can offer accommodation in many types of hotel according to your budget and preferred style.

Note:
Unsuspecting visitors to Buenos Aires CAN be targets for robbers. The country has endured and continues to endure severe economic problems (meaning it is low cost for the visitor), but also resulting in desperate people after money. Particular tricks of the trade to rob tourists are: distraction such as pretending to have difficulty looking at a map whereupon you, the visitor, will go to help and then at this point you will be pick-pocketed; having liquid squirted over you and then having a second person pretend to help and clear the liquid off you and at this point you will be pick-pocketed; direct robbery - having earrings, jewellery and watches snatched off you in a "hit and run". As long as you DO NOT advertise your wealth (jewellery, watches, bulging wallet) and do not fall for the above tactics you should be OK, but be aware and always use the hotel taxi service.

Introduction

Buenos Aires, meaning “good air”, is the capital city of Argentina and a large, sprawling metropolis that is home to over 12 million people. It is, unsurprisingly, the largest city in Argentina, but it is also occupies a large, flat area forming the second-largest metropolitan city in South America, after Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Influenced by early European settlers (largely from Italy) it is often referred to as the “Paris of South America” due to its historically elegant, European style buildings, nightlife and in particular the Tango dance. The city is located on the southern bank of the Rio de la Plata (or River Plate) delta.

Buenos Aires offers the visitor a glimpse of past affluence and a Latin vibe. A stay here is a great way to start or end your South America itinerary.

About Buenos Aires

Since the beginning of the 20th century Buenos Aires has undergone continual re-development resulting in the loss of many of its original and beautiful buildings of importance. However, there are still some elegant examples of architecture from the early 1900s particularly from the affluent period between the 1920's and 30's, when Argentina as a world economic power. Like Santiago, the city centre has maintained its original layout since its foundation and more recently the old dock area has been completely re-developed into a spacious, modern, commercial sector of hotels, offices and fashionable restaurants.

Rich Culture

Buenos Aires is culturally rich and home to the Teatro Colon – an internationally-rated opera house as well as a number of symphony orchestras and choirs. There are several museums offering exhibits of varying types: fine arts, decorative arts, modern arts and even sacred art; and homes of recognized cultural icons that have been preserved for public viewing. There are hundreds of bookstores and cultural associations, and the city has the largest concentration of working theatres in South America, in which many a Tango show is performed.

Key Places of Interest

Among the attractions that Buenos Aires has to offer are the football matches at the famous Boca Stadium, Tango shows, city cultural tours and out-of-city excursions to any number of estancias. For the visitor, one particular location of interest in Buenos Aires is: San Telmo (cobblestone streets, colonial buildings, street performers and tango dancers). One of the more affluent areas is that of Recoleta where there are up-market boutique stores, top hotels and restaurants.

Clothes to Pack

In summer months (Dec, Jan and Feb) it can be quite humid and hot. Summer clothes, light tops and shorts or light pants with warmer tops for cooler evenings. Hat, sunglasses and sun-protection cream.

Experience Chile Itineraries

If you are arriving to Buenos Aires to begin or end your South American adventure, we would suggest either a logistical one night lay over as a minimum, or preferably allow for a three-night min stay over. During this period, we can include a private city tour and visit to the Tango.

We can also build in a trip to the Iguazu falls for a night or two. Other options include a trip over to Uruguay for a day or night.

From Buenos Aires we would usually route you to (or from) Bariloche, El Calafate and / or Ushuaia. From El Calafate you can visit El Chalten as well as “hop over” (6hr road transfer) to Torres del Paine. From Bariloche you can get to the Chilean lake region.

Ushuaia serves as the arrival or departure point for expedition trips to Antarctica as well as Patagonia cruises to Punta Arenas, both of which we also arrange.