How many days for visit to Buenos Aires?

[mjd]

For a first visit, including opportunities to see both cultural attractions and get laid, how many days are recommended? Is there a certain neighborhood that would be best location for hotel and if yes, are there recommended hotels.

[trilingual]

A minimum of three or four days. B.A. is not only one of the world's great cities, it's also a very large city, so there's lots to see and do. See the FAQ and use the "search" function within the Message Center for details. It's the kind of city to which you can devote as much time as you'd like. Like NY or London, B.A.'s a difficult city in which to be bored!

 

For a first time visitor, the HoJo (discussed in the FAQ) would be hard to beat, both for price and location. It's reasonably priced, centrally located and ultra-gay-friendly. Contact RobertoBA (see the FAQ) to get reservations at a favorable rate.

 

If you like large European cities like Paris, Barcelona or Madrid, you'll love B.A.

[Guest BottomBoyRandy8]

I just love getting my Marriott Points that earn free nights so I'm booked at the Marriott on Calle Florida next week. The price was good and I hear that location is great also. Now I'm hoping that they are as "gay friendly" as HoJo's..............I'll let you know on my return unless someone has heard something else about the Marriott that I need to know???

[trilingual]

I'm not sure what the street address is, but if you're staying at the Marriott Plaza it'll be very nice. Not more than a block from the HoJo, which is also on Florida. The Marriott Plaza was once just "The Plaza" and modeled after the New York hotel of the same name. Along with the Alvear Palace it was one of the two older-style classic grand hotels of B.A. It was taken over by Marriott within the past ten years and updated, but it's still a classic building, overlooking Plaza San Martín. Don't know how "gay friendly" it is. In that regard, you can't get "gay friendlier" than the HoJo, which has gay staff; advertises heavily in gay publications; offers gay travelers a hefty gay welcome packet with maps, coupons and samples of local gay magazines; and even maintains a discreet "book" of local escorts at the concierge desk for the convenience of gay guests. Attractive as the Marriott may be, I seriously doubt they're gay-fiendlier than the HoJo!

 

In any case, both hotels are well-located at the Plaza San Martín end of Calle Florida, within walking distance of nice shops (Florida is the main downtown pedestrian shopping street), the Galerías Pacífico shopping center (on Florida), and all the sights and attractions on or around the plaza. From the plaza you can also walk over to the recently restored Retiro train station (one of the world's great stations, with a cruisy T-room as an extra added attraction, although AYOR), or up Avenida Santa Fe to more shopping, the famously wide Av. 9 de Julio with the Teatro Colón and Obelisk, and the gay stretch further up Av. Santa Fe between Callao and Pueyrredón. (The cruisy side of the street is on your left, as you walk up Santa Fe from downtown, facing against the one-way traffic. Best from sundown onward.) Bring good walking shoes, because it's a great walking town!

[BillyZ]

MJD...

 

Tri suggested a minimum of three or four days.

I would say that three or four days is about right,

especially with Brazil beckoning next door.

 

I arrived in Buenos Aires recently after an overnight

flight from Miami and, for me at least, three nights

was perfect for seeing/enjoying the city before

departing for Brazil around noon on the fourth day.

 

Two other thoughts on timing...

Nice if your B.A. stop can include a Saturday so that

Roberto can take you to Saturday flea market in San

Thermos where the highlight was watching sexy tango

dancers in the square.

If you are going to Sao Paulo, it is always good to

exploit a Sunday for an arrival or departure to reduce

time sitting in the city`s traffic.

 

Have a great trip.

[trilingual]

Three or four days is a minimum! B.A.'s a VERY large city, with lots to see and do.

 

Music lovers might want to time their visits to catch a performance at the Teatro Colón, which is always a memorable experience, both for the history and physical splendor of the theater and (usually) the quality of the productions. Opera is also given at other venues, including the splendidly restored Teatro Avenida (where they also do zarzuelas), the Teatro Argentino in nearby La Plata (Argentina's second most-important opera company), and at other theaters in Buenos Aires and neighboring Avellaneda. In addition, there are extensive seasons of dance, symphonic music, and visiting artist series (like the one sponsored by the Mozarteum Argentino). With some advance planning, Roberto can help you get tickets to these events. By U.S. standards, tickets are very reasonable, so you can afford to go frequently!

 

B.A. also has frequent concerts by well known pop artists, including big Brazilian names like Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa who don't tour that much in the northern hemisphere.

 

There's a tremendous theater scene in Buenos Aires, and you don't need to speak Spanish to enjoy some of the performances (like the local productions of international musicals). Although knowing Spanish would increase your enjoyment, performances by the group "Caviar" are a hoot, no matter what. Caviar is an extremely imaginative and skillful "drag" troupe that performs amazingly elaborate lip-synched skits. Everything from a fully staged rat-dinner scene from "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane," in Spanish, of course, to a strip version of the Ave Maria, to twisted tangos, and more. If you're ever lucky enough to catch their recreation of a 1940's Puerto Rican musical radio show, complete with commercials and jingles, you'll never forget it!

 

Classical music lovers who understand Spanish should try at least once to catch a performance of "Les Luthiers," who are kind of the P.D.Q. Bach of the Spanish-speaking world. Their parodies and send-ups are dead-on and screamingly funny. Some of their best stuff is available on CD, in case they're not performing when you visit, but of course you miss the visuals. Maybe they'll do a DVD?

 

Of course, there's also lots of other theater offerings, but they may be less interesting unless your Spanish is fairly good. B.A. is also a great movie town, so it's a good place to catch up on things you may not have had time to see at home. In most cases, films are shown in the original language (with Spanish sub-titles, if necessary). Of course, it's also a great opportunity to see fine Argentine and Spanish films that may not have been released in the U.S. or other non-Spanish-speaking countries.

 

B.A. is also a great book-lover's town, so if you read Spanish you'll be in heaven! (Some dealers also sell books in English and other languages). One of the largest and nicest bookstores is the Ateneo, in a very grand recycled movie theater on Av. Santa Fe. It has a good café on what used to be the stage, but be warned, it's very popular and there can be a wait for a table. Fortunately, there are cafés/confiterías on virtually every corner, and on streets like Santa Fe sometimes a few more squeezed in on each block, so refreshment is never very far away!

 

The San Telmo antiques fair is fabulous fun. It used to happen only on Sundays; I didn't realize it's now happening on Saturdays, as well. (It makes sense, it was always mobbed on Sundays!) Be sure to allow plenty of time to cruise the booths set up in the square (and I do mean CRUISE) as well as the many antique dealers. If you've always craved a Belle-Époque épergne, a Beaux-Arts bronze, or a de-trop chandelier for your breakfast nook, this is the place! Bring money, because it's hard to go without falling for something or other! And yes, they ship!

 

There is also other shopping, particularly for fine leather goods. Certain M4Mers have greatly enriched the coffers of Casa López, by virtually buying out their entire stock, but there are other fine shops as well. If you're on a budget, check with Roberto, who usually knows where you can find for considerably less the same merchandise you'll see in the high priced vitrines on Calle Florida and in the Patio Bullrich. Of course, you shouldn't miss the Ralph Lauren Polo shop in a restored mansion on Av. Alvear, if only to see the building. For that matter, a shopping tour of Avenidas Alvear and Pres. Quintana is also a must, just to get the flavor of upper-end Argentine commerce.

 

Besides the various museums mentioned in other postings here B.A. has lots of interesting art galleries and art auctions. Roberto is an art addict, so he's a very good source of information about them and an excellent guide to that aspect of B.A.

 

Crisis or no crisis, B.A. is also a great dining-out town (although the range of available cuisines isn't as broad as it might be in New York). Lots of good restaurants, all at prices that are reasonable to cheap by North American/European standards. Again, Roberto is a good source of info about dining options, and a good dinner companion if you don't want to dine alone.

 

Hopefully this gives you a good idea of the urbane pleasures to be found in B.A. and help you figure out how much time you might want to spend there!

[RobertoBA]

The San Telmo Antiques Fair takes place only on SUNDAYS from noon to 5PM. Thanks. Roberto.

[BillyZ]

Tri and I disagree on this one.

If you have unlimited vacation time, sure

Buenos Aires is a wonderful city, stay for

a month. But I found three night and four

days in Buenos Aires to be just fine --

especially with the treasures of Brazil

waiting for you next door.

I would use any extra couple of days for

Iguassu Falls instead! Have a great trip.

[trilingual]

I'm not sure we're in disagreement here. Brazil IS a powerful attraction! But we've spent an awful lot of time discussing the charms of Brazil, and nowhere as much on Argentina, which is every bit as attractive in its way. The escort scene, of course, while interesting, doesn't begin to rival Brazil's (as any Argentine would admit) but there are many things Argentina offers that Brazil doesn't. And, as you can see by the postings, there's lots to do in B.A. -- enough that you can devote as much time to it as you like! Argentina is also full of gorgeous men, so there's plenty of eye candy. And some of them, of course, can become more than mere eye candy!

 

I agree about the Falls; they're one of the wonders of the world and absolutely worth seeing. They're not only colossal (SO important for us size queens) but colossally beautiful, and so is their natural setting. Visiting them is an unforgettable experience.

[Guest pyell]

I've just returned from a total of 6 nights in BA.

 

The first couple of days involved recovering from the jetlag of the 12-hour time difference between Australia and Argentina (your body says breakfast, but the restaurant says dinner), so I just took it easy and strolled around. I was staying on the park at Recoleto, which is the classiest part of the city, and it was great just watching the portenos walking by.

 

Shopping along Calle Florida is recommended. Leather in particular is cheap and good quality. You don't need to be a leather freak to appreciate a well-made leather jacket, for example. And good quality wallets make great gifts for the people back home. Shoes, too, are bargains.

 

I made the journey to Iguassu Falls for 2 nights, and it was totally AWESOME, dude. Standing next to the Devil's Throat and watching the water just metres away, cascading in mindboggling torrents into the spray-filled abyss, is one of the most unforgettable experiences in life. But the rest of the Argentine National Park at Iguassu is also incredibly impressive, easily the best organised national park I've seen anywhere in the whole world.

 

Other attractions in BA include the Teatro Colon, one of the world's great opera houses and concert halls, and an experience not to be missed. There's lots of music and theatre and that kind of thing, plus interesting galleries. You can probably skip some of the museums which focus on great events in Argentine history unless you know something of Argentina's past.

 

Which brings me to eating. Eating is a big deal in Buenos Aires. But vegetarians should probably avoid going out to dinner, because you're going to be assailed by uneatable amounts of meat at every meal. One restaurant I was at advertised a 34oz steak (yes, you read that right, about one kilo of prime beef). A pamplona is a rolled roast suitable for 2 to 4 people - and served as a dish for just one.

 

Why don't all the Argentines suffer from congestive heart failure at an early age? This is the centre of red meat eating in the whole world! And if you wanted any further proof, the stray cats in the park at Recoleta are amongst the most docile and well fed I have ever seen. The scraps from the restaurants on the park must be pretty impressive.

 

Finally, BA is cheap for visitors from places like the US and Australia, so it's the kind of place where you comfortably decide to vegetate for a while, too. Take a seat at the outdoor section of La Biela on the edge of Recoleta park, bring a good book or magazine, enjoy a terribly English high tea and watch the world go by for an hour or two. There's no need to feel that you simply must go and DO something so that you are making maximum use of your holiday. BA is a place to savour as well as to participate in actively.

 

In short, one of the world's great cities, right up there with Paris, New York and London. Take your time: you'll enjoy it all.

 

Oh, and by the way, the guys are really hot too. Getting laid is not only inexpensive and easy, but a real pleasure too!

[trilingual]

Hey, dude, I see you experienced some of the fabulousness! Glad to hear you had such a good time in Argentina!

 

It's true that Argentina can be a challenge for a vegetarian, but it's not impossible. Even in beef-crazed Argentina there are people who are into healthy life-styles (not that I think there's anything unhealthy about Argentine beef!) and there always were a few acceptable veggie restaurants. Options have increased in the past few years with the proliferation of "tenedor libre" ("all-you-can-eat") buffet restaurants. So far the "por kilo" system, where the food you select is weighed, hasn't taken off in Argentina, but the "tenedor libre" places are very reasonably priced and, most importantly, usually offer lavish salad bars and other vegetarian choices that are difficult to find at the a-la-carte restaurants.

 

Why don't they all have heart disease? One reason is that Argentine beef is low in cholesterol because it's grass-fed and not fattened on grain before slaughter. This makes for leaner and more flavorful beef than the grain-fed variety. (Since meat served in Argentine restaurants is always fresh, never frozen, it's surprisingly tender in spite of being unfattened.) The second reason is that Argentines are great red wine drinkers, and as recent studies indicate, the components of red wine appear to have a variety of healthful effects, including extending longevity. A third reason may be that Argentines also eat vast amounts of tomato products (it's not for nothing that Buenos Aires is by far the largest Italian city in the world!) and the lycopenes in tomatoes also have powerful healthful effects. Then there's the widespread use of healthful cooking oils, especially olive oil. Plus, Argentines walk a lot and on the whole are also a very athletic bunch. Put that all together and that helps explain why the entire country isn't just one big cardiac intensive care unit!

[trilingual]

Hey, dude, I see you experienced some of the fabulousness! Glad to hear you had such a good time in Argentina!

 

It's true that Argentina can be a challenge for a vegetarian, but it's not impossible. Even in beef-crazed Argentina there are people who are into healthy life-styles (not that I think there's anything unhealthy about Argentine beef!) and there always were a few acceptable veggie restaurants. Options have increased in the past few years with the proliferation of "tenedor libre" ("all-you-can-eat") buffet restaurants. So far the "por kilo" system, where the food you select is weighed, hasn't taken off in Argentina, but the "tenedor libre" places are very reasonably priced and, most importantly, usually offer lavish salad bars and other vegetarian choices that are difficult to find at the a-la-carte restaurants.

 

Why don't they all have heart disease? One reason is that Argentine beef is low in cholesterol because it's grass-fed and not fattened on grain before slaughter. This makes for leaner and more flavorful beef than the grain-fed variety. (Since meat served in Argentine restaurants is always fresh, never frozen, it's surprisingly tender in spite of being unfattened.) The second reason is that Argentines are great red wine drinkers, and as recent studies indicate, the components of red wine appear to have a variety of healthful effects, including extending longevity. A third reason may be that Argentines also eat vast amounts of tomato products (it's not for nothing that Buenos Aires is by far the largest Italian city in the world!) and the lycopenes in tomatoes also have powerful healthful effects. Then there's the widespread use of healthful cooking oils, especially olive oil. Plus, Argentines walk a lot and on the whole are also a very athletic bunch. Put that all together and that helps explain why the entire country isn't just one big cardiac intensive care unit!

[Guest Deweywop]

Interesting Spanish article about gay Buenos Aires

 

Here's an interesting article in Spanish about how Bs.As. has become, some say, the most gay friendly tourist destination in South America. The article draws some comparisons between the gay attractions of BA and Rio. Some more versed than I might explain how you can run the piece through a translation site to get a rough English version.

 

http://old.clarin.com/diario/2003/08/22/t-609500.htm

[Guest Deweywop]

Interesting Spanish article about gay Buenos Aires

 

Here's an interesting article in Spanish about how Bs.As. has become, some say, the most gay friendly tourist destination in South America. The article draws some comparisons between the gay attractions of BA and Rio. Some more versed than I might explain how you can run the piece through a translation site to get a rough English version.

 

http://old.clarin.com/diario/2003/08/22/t-609500.htm

[BillyZ]

Babelfish

 

Just cut and paste the URL into http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and request Spanish to English. Usually, the results are somewhat bizarre, but amusing and even comprehensible in a broad sort of way.

[BillyZ]

Babelfish

 

Just cut and paste the URL into http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and request Spanish to English. Usually, the results are somewhat bizarre, but amusing and even comprehensible in a broad sort of way.

[Guest pyell]

Olive oil? Tomatoes? I don't know what Argentine grill/BBQ restaurants you went to, but all the ones round Recoleta served vast quantities of grilled meat with a kind of salad afterthought which usually didn't get finished because there was so much meat to get through.

 

But I forgot to mention the Argentine wines. Sampled several, all very good - and I say that as an inhabitant of Australia, itself one of the world's great wine producers.

[Guest pyell]

Olive oil? Tomatoes? I don't know what Argentine grill/BBQ restaurants you went to, but all the ones round Recoleta served vast quantities of grilled meat with a kind of salad afterthought which usually didn't get finished because there was so much meat to get through.

 

But I forgot to mention the Argentine wines. Sampled several, all very good - and I say that as an inhabitant of Australia, itself one of the world's great wine producers.

[trilingual]

Olive oil? Tomatoes? Just visit any B.A. supermarket or Italian restaurant! It's true that restaurants tend to specialize in B.A., at least the ones that focus on beef. But B.A. really IS the largest Italian city in the world, thanks to the massive immigration from Italy in the last century, so Italian food is now every bit as "Argentine" as beef! It's found everywhere, both at home and in restaurants. So on your next trip, branch out a bit and try some good Italian places! (There are other cuisines, available, too!)

[trilingual]

Olive oil? Tomatoes? Just visit any B.A. supermarket or Italian restaurant! It's true that restaurants tend to specialize in B.A., at least the ones that focus on beef. But B.A. really IS the largest Italian city in the world, thanks to the massive immigration from Italy in the last century, so Italian food is now every bit as "Argentine" as beef! It's found everywhere, both at home and in restaurants. So on your next trip, branch out a bit and try some good Italian places! (There are other cuisines, available, too!)