Private Gardens
The area around Parque 3 de Febrero was originally the private retreat of 19th-century dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas and became public parkland only after his fall from power – on February 3, 1852. Ironically for Rosas, the man who overthrew him – former ally Justo José de Urquiza – sits on his mount in a mammoth equestrian monument at the corner of Avs Sarmiento and Presidente Figueroa Alcorta.
Public Park
In 1875, Parque 3 de Febrero was inaugurated by Argentina's president, Nicolás Avellaneda. It was designed by Carlos Thays, a French botanist and landscape architect who also worked on Plaza de Mayo, Barracas de Belgrano and Parque Lezama. Thays used London's Hyde Park and Paris' Bois de Boulogne as inspiration for his work here.
Don't Miss
ARosedal
AEl Jardín de los Poetas
AMuseo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Sívori
Practicalities
A MAP GOOGLE MAP
Acnr Avs del Libertador & de la Infanta Isabel
Ag10, 34, 130
ANIBAL TREJO / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
2Neighborhood Walk
Walking the Green
Start Parque 3 de Febrero
End Museo Evita
Length 4.5km; three to four hours
Start in 1Parque 3 de Febrero; these expansive green spaces were once the aristocracy’s stomping ground. It’s best on weekends, when locals come to jog, cycle and rollerblade around the lake, and is a great place for people-watching.
Those interested in modern art can peek into the contemporary 2Museo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Sívori, which showcases Argentine works. There’s a relaxing cafe here as well. If you like flowers, head across the road and cross the bridge to the 3Rosedal, where you can stop to smell the roses. Continue across the garden, then turn left on Av Iraola, continuing on for about a block before veering to the right to reach Av Sarmiento.
Cross Av Sarmiento (carefully!), and head along Av Berro for about 500m to BA’s 4Jardín Japonés. This little paradise is meticulously maintained with koi ponds, pretty bridges and a tea shop, making it a welcome break from roads and traffic.
Now skim around Plaza Alemania and jog around a few residential streets to reach 5Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, an airy museum that's home to some excellent paintings. For more culture, go two blocks south to the much more modest 6Museo de Arte Popular José Hernández, which exhibits handicrafts and folkloric items.
On Av del Libertador, stop in at luscious ice-cream shop 7Un Altra Volta for a peaked cone of dulce de leche granizado (milk caramel with chocolate chips). Now head down Lafinur to 8Museo Evita, where you can check out the collected memorabilia of Argentina’s most famous woman and pick up an Evita souvenir in the gift shop. There’s a good cafe-restaurant here where you can end your long walk.
1Sights
Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires Top Sight
MAP GOOGLE MAP
Parque 3 de Febrero Top Sight
MAP GOOGLE MAP
oMuseo Nacional de Bellas ArtesMUSEUM
( GOOGLE MAP ; %011-5288-9900; www.mnba.gob.ar; Av del Libertador 1473; h11am-8pm Tue-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat & Sun; g130, 92, 63)F
This is Argentina’s most important fine-arts museum and contains many key works by Benito Quinquela Martín, Xul Solar, Eduardo Sívori and other Argentine artists, including a whole room of works by Antonio Berni. There are also pieces by European masters such as Cézanne, Degas, Picasso, Rembrandt, Toulouse-Lautrec and van Gogh, all well displayed. Worthwhile free tours in English (focusing on Argentinian art) are given on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm.
The museum’s building is a former pump house for the city waterworks, and was designed by architect Julio Dormala. It was later modified by Alejandro Bustillo, famous for his alpine-style civic center in the northern Patagonian city of Bariloche.
Museo EvitaMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4807-0306; www.museoevita.org; Lafinur 2988; AR$75; h11am-7pm Tue-Sun; bLínea D Plaza Italia)
Argentina's iconic first lady and wife of President Juan Domingo Perón has this fine museum devoted to her. Housed in a gorgeous 1923 mansion that from 1948 belonged to Eva Perón's social foundation, Museo Evita celebrates the Argentine heroine with videos, historical photos, books and posters. However, the prize memorabilia has to be her wardrobe: dresses, shoes, handbags, hats and blouses are all on display. Look for the picture of her kicking a soccer ball – in heels.
Attached to the museum is the pleasant Museo Evita Restaurante with a wonderfully leafy patio, perfect for relaxing on a warm day.
Museo Nacional de Arte DecorativoMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4802-6606; www.mnad.org; Av del Libertador 1902; AR$20, Tue free, tours AR$40; h2-7pm Tue-Sun, closed Sun in Jan; g130, 63, 92)
This museum is housed in the stunning beaux-arts Residencia Errázuriz Alvear (1917) mansion, once the residence of Chilean aristocrat Matías Errázuriz and his wife, Josefina de Alvear. It now displays their art collection and other extravagant belongings, and is worth visiting for a glimpse into the world of Argentina's wealthy aristocratic families in the early 20th century, for whom these grand palaces with their elaborate marble staircases and ballrooms inspired by the Palace of Versailles were a status symbol.
Everything from renaissance religious paintings and porcelain dishes to Italian sculptures and period furniture was owned by Errázuriz, and some artwork by El Greco, Manet and Rodin can also be seen. Don't miss the wood-paneled Gothic-style central hall, created to complement the style of the religious tapestries it houses; concerts are sometimes held here. There are guided tours in English Tuesday to Saturday at 2:30pm.
Museo Xul SolarMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4824-3302; www.xulsolar.org.ar; Laprida 1212; AR$30; hnoon-8pm Tue-Fri, to 7pm Sat; bLínea D Agüero)
Xul Solar was a painter, inventor, poet and friend of Jorge Luis Borges. This museum (located in his old mansion) showcases over 80 of his unique and colorful, yet muted, paintings. Solar’s Klee-esque style includes fantastically themed, almost cartoonish figures placed in surreal cubist landscapes. It’s great stuff, and bizarre enough to put him in a class of his own.
Museo Casa de Ricardo RojasMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4824-4039; www.cultura.gob.ar/museos/museo-casa-de-ricardo-rojas/; Charcas 2837; AR$20, Wed free; h11am-7pm Tue-Sat; bLínea D Agüero, Pueyrredón)
Walk under the facade, modeled after the Casa de Independencia in Tucumán, and behold a quaint courtyard surrounded by European and Incan architectural motifs. Argentine educator and writer Ricardo Rojas lived here from 1929 to 1957, and in his office wrote his renowned work El santo de la espada (1933). Worthwhile guided tours in Spanish are given on Wednesdays at 4pm.
Jardín Botánico Carlos ThaysGARDENS
(Botanical Gardens; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-6:45pm Tue-Fri, 9:30am-6:45pm Sat & Sun Oct-Apr, to 5:45pm May-Sep; bLínea D Plaza Italia)F
Escape the frenzied traffic and packed sidewalks around Plaza Italia by dipping inside this lush botanical garden, designed by renowned landscape architect Carlos Thays and opened in 1898. It blooms with over 3000 tree and plant species, Roman-style sculptures, floating lily pads on still ponds and an antique iron-and-glass greenhouse originally shown at the 1900 Paris Exhibition.
Biblioteca NacionalLIBRARY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4808-6000; www.bn.gov.ar; Agüero 2502; h9am-9pm Mon-Fri, noon-7pm Sat & Sun; g10, 59, 60)F
Argentina's national library dates back to 1810 and was founded in the wake of the May revolution by the country's first government, for whom access to books and the ideas they contained was one of the ideals on which the new republic was founded. These days the library is housed in a striking, brutalist concrete building. Tours in English are offered on Monday and Thursday at 4pm. Bring photo ID.
Museo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo SívoriMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4774-9452; www.buenosaires.gob.ar/museosivori; Av de
la Infanta Isabel 555; AR$10, Wed & Fri free; hnoon-8pm Tue-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat & Sun; g10, 34)
Named for an Italo-Argentine painter who studied in Europe, this modern museum of Argentine art has open spaces allowing frequent and diverse exhibitions. Sívori’s Parisian works reflect European themes, but later works returned to Argentine motifs, mainly associated with rural life in the Pampas. Most works on display are by other Argentine artists, such as Benito Quinquela Martín, Antonio Berni and Fernando Fader.
The texts accompanying the paintings are in Spanish, but guided tours in English are offered on Saturdays at 4pm. There’s also a sculpture garden and slick cafe on the premises, and occasional theater, concerts, courses and workshops are offered.
Jardín JaponésGARDENS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4804-4922; www.jardinjapones.org.ar; Av Casares 2966; adult/child AR$70/free; h10am-6pm; g67, 102, 130)
First opened in 1967, these well-maintained Japanese gardens are a peaceful spot for a stroll, unless you're averse to the gentle chimes of Japanese music that emanate from speakers around the grounds. Inside there’s a Japanese restaurant along with ponds filled with koi and spanned by pretty bridges. Japanese gift shops and tea rooms are scattered around the gardens and a visitor center hosts occasional cultural exhibitions and workshops on origami and taiko (Japanese drumming).
Plaza SerranoPLAZA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jorge Luis Borges; g141, 110, 111)
The heart of Palermo Soho is Plaza Serrano, a small but popular plaza surrounded by bars and restaurants, and host to a small weekend arts fair.
Centro Islámico Rey FahdMOSQUE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4899-0201; www.ccislamicoreyfahd.org.ar; Av Int Bullrich 55; htours noon Tue, Thu & Sat; bLínea D Palermo)F
This landmark mosque, built by Saudis on land donated by former president Carlos Menem, is southeast of Las Cañitas. Free tours in Spanish are offered three times a week (bring your passport, dress conservatively and enter via Av Int Bullrich).
These visits are lengthy and concentrate on religious explanations rather than the history of the building or Argentina's Islamic community, but they do provide a chance to see inside the complex – which includes a school – and the prayer hall.
RosedalGARDENS
(Rose Garden; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Av de la Infanta Isabel 900; g130, 160, 34)F
Within the Parque 3 de Febrero is this gorgeous garden with more than 18,000 roses.
Museo de Arte Popular José HernándezMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4803-2384; www.buenosaires.gob.ar/museojosehernandez; Av del Libertador 2373; AR$10, Wed free; h1-7pm Tue-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat & Sun; g130, 93, 37)
This small museum exhibits both traditional and contemporary arts and crafts, mostly from Argentina. Expect to see intricate gaucho-related silverwork such as knives and mate sets, Mapuche textiles including ponchos, and folk crafts from the country's northern regions. The back halls hold changing exhibits.
Planetario Galileo GalileiPLANETARIUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4771-9265; www.planetario.gob.ar; cnr Avs Sarmiento & Belisario Roldán; g160, 130, 33)
This planetarium has reasonably priced shows (mostly for kids) and free celestial viewings, including moon observations. Check the website for current offerings.
WALKING THE DOG
Buenos Aires supports a legion of paseaperros (professional dog walkers), who can be seen with up to a dozen canines on leashes. They'll stroll through Palermo's parks, Recoleta and even downtown with a variety of dogs ranging from scruffy mongrels to expensive purebreds, each of their tails happily a-waggin'.
Paseaperros are employed by busy apartment dwellers who either can't or prefer not to take the time to exercise their animals, and are willing to pay for this unique walking service.
Every day thousands of canines deposit tonnes (almost literally) of excrement in the streets and parks of the capital. You'll be aware of this fact soon after stepping onto the streets of Buenos Aires. Cleaning up after one's pooch is already a city requirement, but enforcement is nil, so be very careful where you tread – you'll see dog piles on almost every sidewalk.
Still, the capital's leashed packs are a remarkably orderly and always entertaining sight, and make great snapshots to bring back home.
5Eating
Palermo is where you'll find some of the most innovative cuisine in Buenos Aires. In Palermo Viejo, dozens of upmarket restaurants serve creative cuisine in a contemporary setting, but it’s important to be discerning – a new eatery opens every week, and while quality is generally high, only a few places are truly special.
Some of Palermo's most interesting new restaurants are clustered in the area south of Av Scalabrini Ortiz, where the young chefs at Gran Dabbang, Proper and NoLa are bringing fresh ideas and new flavors to the BA food-scene.
ChoriARGENTINE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-3966-9857; www.facebook.com/Xchorix/; Thames 1653; choripan AR$70-95; h7pm-midnight Tue-Fri, 12:30-5pm & 7pm-midnight Sat & Sun; W; g55, 39)
Elevating the humble Argentine chori (sausage) to new heights is this hip new joint in Palermo, its bright yellow walls decorated with smiling cartoon sausages. The quality, 100% pork choris and morcillas (blood sausages) hang on display – choose from a range of gourmet toppings and homemade breads for a choripan sandwich.
Also serves craft beer and a selection of sides.
Burger JointBURGERS$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4833-5151; www.facebook.com/BurgerJointPalermo/; Jorge Luis Borges 1766; burgers AR$80; hnoon-midnight; bLínea D Plaza Italia)
For some of the juiciest burgers in BA, head to this popular, graffiti-covered spot. NYC-trained chef Pierre Chacra offers just four kinds to choose from, but they’re all stellar. Try the Mexican (jalapeños, guacamole and hot sauce) or Jamaican (pineapple, cheddar and bacon) with a side of hand-cut fries.
NoLaCAJUN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.nolabuenosaires.com; Gorriti 4389; mains AR$85-140; h5pm-midnight Mon-Fri, 1pm-midnight Sat & Sun; g140, 141, 110)
The brainchild of American Lisa Puglia is this small, popular place serving New Orleans Cajun cuisine. Everything is homemade, from the fried chicken sandwich to the chorizo gumbo and the spicy, vegetarian red beans and rice. The jalapeño cornbread and bourbon-coffee pecan pie are the bomb, as is the microbrewed beer. Happy hour is from 5pm to 8pm (pints AR$50).
Big SurBURGERS$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4806-7264; www.facebook.com/BigSurBA/; Av Cerviño 3596; mains AR$50-190; hnoon-midnight Tue-Sun; bLínea D Scalabrini Ortiz)
This casual, industrial-style joint serves great hamburgers, fried chicken, hot dogs and fries in baskets, as well as quality craft beer.
Un Altra VoltaICE CREAM$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.unaltravolta.com.ar; Av del Libertador 3060; 250g AR$80; h8am-midnight Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat; g111, 93, 130)
Branch of the upmarket ice-cream parlor serving Italian-style gelato. Be sure to try the dulce de leche (caramel).
Fukuro Noodle BarJAPANESE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4773-6810; www.fukuronoodlebar.com; Costa Rica 5514; noodles AR$145; h8pm-midnight Tue-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat; bLínea D Palermo)
For a change from all that meat, check out this comfort-food eatery. Four kinds of ramen are on offer, along with a good selection of bao (steamed buns) and gyoza (dumplings). Gluten-free noodles available, plus sake and microbrew draft beer. Counter seating only.
Petit GreenDELI$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4806-8958; Jerónimo Salguero 3069; mains AR$60-120; h10am-9pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat; Wv; g102, 130, 124)
A great little deli and juice bar selling freshly made vegetarian fare to take away. Pick up a salad, wrap, bagel or smoothie to have in one of the nearby parks or plazas.
oGran DabbangFUSION$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4832-1186; www.facebook.com/grandabbang/; Av Scalabrini Ortiz 1543; small plates AR$40-150; h8pm-midnight Mon-Sat; g141, 15, 160)
The rule-breaking, experi
mental fusion food conjured up by Mariano Ramón, one of the rising stars of the BA food scene, can be sampled in the small, packed dining room of this unassuming restaurant. Choose three small plates to share between two and get ready for a wild-eyed blend of Indian, Thai and Paraguayan flavors (among others), drawn from Ramón's travels.
oLas PizarrasINTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4775-0625; www.laspizarrasbistro.com; Thames 2296; mains AR$185-300; h8pm-midnight Tue-Sun; bLínea D Plaza Italia)
At this simple, unpretentious, excellent restaurant, Chef Rodrigo Castilla cooks up a changing rainbow of eclectic dishes such as grilled venison or rabbit stuffed with cherries and pistachios. Those with meeker stomachs can choose the asparagus and mushroom risotto or any of the homemade pastas. The chalkboard menu on the wall adds to the casual atmosphere.
oDon JulioPARRILLA$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %011-4832-6058; www.parrilladonjulio.com.ar; Guatemala 4691; mains AR$245-490; hnoon-4pm & 7:30pm-1am; bLínea D Plaza Italia)
Classy service and a great wine list add an upscale bent to this traditional – and very popular – corner steakhouse. The bife de chorizo (sirloin steak) is the main attraction here, but the baked goat cheese provolone, bondiola de cerdo (pork shoulder) and gourmet salads are a treat as well, and portions are large. Reserve ahead.
Lonely Planet Buenos Aires Page 20
