More of Buenos Aires Attractions
Esquina Carlos Gardel, Buenos Aires
The French-born singer and composer Carlos Gardel, who later became a naturalized citizen of Argentina, is perhaps the tango's most prominent figure. Although inaccurate, he is sometimes even credited with creating the art form. His eponymous tango palace is a 1940s-style structure that is possibly the most elegant club of its kind in the city. It is located at the former site of the Chanta Cuatro, a restaurant where Gardel frequently dined with friends. The beautifully choreographed show, which traditionally opens with a powerful rendition of Gardel's signature song, Mi Buenos Aires Querido (My Dear Buenos Aires), features some of the tango's best dancers. The luxurious, old-fashioned dining room also has excellent acoustics. On busy nights, however, it can be difficult to enjoy the show due to overcrowding, and it is the consensus that dinner is best enjoyed across the street at the Abasto Shopping Center, rather than as part of the dinner-tango combo.
Plaza San Martin, Buenos Aires
A park squarely located between Del Libertador Avenue, Maipu Street, Santa Fe Avenue and Florida Street, Plaza San Martin is a popular lunch spot in Buenos Aires' Retiro neighborhood. With the San Martin Palace and the Plaza Hotel on its borders and a huge monument to General Jose de San Martin within its lush boundaries, it is particularly popular for power lunching.
Avenida 9 de Julio, Buenos Aires
Spanning an entire city cuadra (which translates as a block, but is wider than those in Manhattan, for example), this North-South avenue is the world's widest. The avenue was first planned in the late 1800s under a different name, but work on it began on July 9, 1937. July 9, 1816 is Argentina's independence day. Landmarks such as the French embassy, Colon Theatre, Obelisk and Plaza Constitucion are all located here. However, the busy thoroughfare is anything but pedestrian friendly, as all the intersections have traffic lights. It usually takes pedestrians two or three green lights to traverse the avenue, and one's best chance of success is underneath at the Obelisk.
Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires
One of the crowning buildings on Avenida 9 de Julio, this luxurious 2,500-seat opera house was built to establish Buenos Aires' cultural presence in 1908. Opera greats such as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Maria Callas, Enrico Caruso, Julio Bocca, Igor Stravinsky and Arturo Toscanini have graced the stage at the Colon Theatre. The acoustics at the majestic theater are world-famous, and the theater is also host to its own philharmonic orchestra, choral group and ballet company. Hourly guided tours of the theater and museum grant visitors a backstage glimpse of the main theater, as well as at costume and underground stage-design workshops. Currently, the Colon is undergoing significant renovations for its centennial anniversary in 2008; thus, the stage is temporarily shut down and company performances are being held elsewhere.
Galerias Pacifico, Buenos Aires
A huge Beaux Arts shopping center, Galerias Pacifico was built as a near replica of Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, displaying grand murals and architecture. It is located on Calle Florida, and the retail epicenter houses exclusive shops (such as Havanna, which sells typical and exquisite alfajores) and foreign brands (such as Lacoste and Polo). Galerias Pacifico has a basement food court, is home to the Centro Cultural Borges, and hosts free lunchtime concerts on its lower floor.
Attraction type: Shopping mall; Cultural center
Iglesia del Pilar, Buenos Aires
Some claim the Iglesia del Pilar is Buenos Aires' oldest church, while others place it as the second or third oldest. Regardless of its dubious chronological stature, the Pilar Church dates to 1732 and consists of some of the most well-preserved examples of colonial Argentine architecture, with a silver altar, intriguing tile work, chapels, and an entryway lined by skulls and bones. Located in the upscale Recoleta neighborhood, the all-white church features relatively clean lines and little extravagance for a worship site of its era. It is the most traditional and iconic place of prayer in the city, frequented by Buenos Aires' elite.
Attraction type: Religious site
Nightlife in Buenos Aires
True to its name as the city that gave birth to the Tango, dance sensation in Paris between World War I and World War II and in New York City during the 1920s, Buenos Aires is a lively, exciting city that turns into a series of weekend street fairs. Thus, tango is easily enjoyed on the street and also at many street-side dining establishments, due to a recent surge in tango bars that pay tribute to the likes of Carlos Gardel. The Buenos Aires Tango Festival, which takes place in March, adds fuel to the fire. Nightlife in Buenos Aires runs throughout the week, but peaks Thursday through Saturday, as in most metropolises. Some pubs open around six in the evening, but true clubbers hit the streets at about two in the morning. The party lasts til seven or eight AM. Recoleta was a typical party ground, although it has adopted the feel of a tourist zone. The wide array of restaurants, bars and clubs provides plenty of options, however. Lately Palermo Viejo has become a preferred nightlife spot, with notable venues opening in what is unofficially known as Palermo Hollywood. In Costanera Norte, many of the restaurants turn into clubs at two AM, and the Arcos del Ferrocarril, an area located beneath a city railway, is the hip destination du jour.
