Attractions

The beauty of Buenos Aires is evident the moment you set foot on her streets. You'll find yourself compelled to walk for hours getting to know her, the alluring architecture and atmosphere pulling you along block after block. The city's most impressive historical sites surround Plaza de Mayo, although you will certainly experience Argentine history in other neighborhoods such as La Boca and San Telmo, too. You should also be sure not to miss a walk along the riverfront in Puerto Madero or an afternoon among the plazas and cafes of Recoleta or Palermo. Numerous sidewalk cafes offer respite for weary feet, and there's good public transportation to carry you from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Your first stop should be one of the city tourism centers to pick up a guidebook, city map, and advice. You can also ask at your hotel for a copy of The Golden Map and QuickGuide Buenos Aires to help you navigate the city and locate its major attractions. Various neighborhoods have their own special maps, so ask at the centers or in local businesses.

Buenos Aires might be a bargain destination for travelers now, but when exploring Buenos Aires, it's important to remember that for almost the entire first half of the 20th century, this was one of the wealthiest cities in all the world. Many of the buildings described in this chapter testify to that extreme wealth, though following revolutions, crisis after crisis, and the fall of the peso, little of that wealth now remains. In particular, buildings and monuments constructed between the 1880s National Unification and the 1910 Independence Centennial celebrations were meant to also represent Argentina's self-conscious hopes of becoming a superpower, and the desire to rival the United States as the preeminent country in the Americas.

During your visit, in anticipation of the upcoming Bicentennial celebrations in 2010, you will notice a flurry of renovation and rebuilding of these nearly 100-year-old monuments and structures. Teatro Colon, the Casa Rosada, Tribunales, and other major buildings are among the most prominent currently under scaffolding. This impacts visiting hours, needless to say. With any of the historical buildings listed here, call ahead for information about tours and visits, which may or may not be going on during the time you are in Buenos Aires, depending on the status of a renovation. In addition, Avenida 9 de Julio, Avenida de Mayo, and several other thoroughfares are undergoing landscaping and repaving, meaning you need to more careful than ever where you're walking.

Under the Spanish Empire, Buenos Aires was an unimportant backwater, with other Argentine cities, such as Cordoba, more significant and culturally sophisticated. Following the 1880 movement of the capital to Buenos Aires, however, the city sought to overcome its inferiority complex with grand architectural plans. Within the descriptions of these sites, I include, where possible, the philosophy behind their impressive beauty and their role as monuments to what both Argentina and Buenos Aires hoped to achieve. They are not mere baubles; they are the physical remnants of a lost opportunity for glory on the world stage. Maybe you're in Buenos Aires because you've heard about its beauty or are only curious because the prices here are such a bargain. Regardless of your reason, no matter what areas of the city you explore and how long you stay, you are certain to be impressed by all that Buenos Aires has to offer.

Especially for Kids

The following Buenos Aires attractions have major appeal to kids of all ages:

• Museo de Los Ni?os

• Museo Participativo de Ciencias

• Zoological Gardens

• The Water Palace and the Museo del Patrimonio

• Museo de las Armas de la Nacion

In addition to the sights listed above, a number of playgrounds are of particular interest to kids. One of them, where you'll often see parents and their kids even after midnight, is in Plaza San Martin. A merry-go-round and swing sets are in Plaza Congreso, across from the headquarters of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo. You'll also find playgrounds in the Botanical Gardens. Note that the Middle Eastern restaurant Garbis also has an indoor playground.