The Cabildo serves as a cultural center, with occasional evening events including tango on Friday evenings. For $2 (£1.35), you can get a crash lesson in tango at 9:30pm every Friday, and then try to dance the rest of the night away. Teatro Libertador San Martín, Vélez Sársfield 366 (tel. 351/433-2319), is the city's biggest theater, hosting mostly musicals and concerts. The smaller Teatro Real, San Jerónimo 66 (tel. 351/433-167071), presents more traditional theater. You can pick up current theater, comedy, and special events information in the "Espectáculos" section of the daily paper, La Voz del Interior. El Arrabal, Belgrano 899, at Fructuoso Rivera (tel. 351/460-2990), is a bar that hosts excellent tango, milonga, salsa, and folkloric shows most nights, open daily from 10am to 2am. A tango dinner show costs $21 (£14).
Culture aside, the next best thing to do in Córdoba at night is do as the locals do and party until sunrise. One of the best bars is Johnny B. Good, Av. Hipólito Yrigoyen 320 (tel. 351/424-3960). Giant cardboard cutouts of Paul McCartney, Bono, and the Edge may unsettle your appetite as you munch through typical American food. Amid all this star power is a very nice cake display. It's pure rock 'n' roll. Happy hour takes place weekdays from 7 to 9pm. La Canada is a popular area for bars and open-air drinking. Bar X is one of the most famous establishments. A number of upscale discos are located in the Chateau Carreras neighborhood; the most popular is Carreras, at Avenida Cárcano and Piamonte. The rest of the city's nightlife is concentrated along Bulevar Guzmán, in the north of the city, and in Nueva Córdoba along Avenida Hipólito Yrigoyen. One of the best disco bars in this area is Mitre, Marcelo T. de Alvear 635 (no phone). The El Abasto neighborhood has a more alternative music scene, with live performances of rock, reggae, jazz, and folklore. Dorian Grey, Las Heras and Roque Saenz Peña (tel. 351/15-403-1626 [cell]), and Eras Groove House, Las Heras 218 (no phone), are two of the best known venues, hosting everything from punk to techno. The district of Cerro de las Rosas is another haunt for night owls. It is famous for good restaurants, such as parrilla-style Rancho Grande, Av. Rafael Núñez 4142 (tel. 351/481-1529), and Italian restaurant Restorante Italiano, Av. Rafael Núñez 3803 (tel. 351/482-7730). Another decent eatery is Il Gatto, Av. Rafael Núñez 3856 (tel. 351/482-7780). At night, the area is bustling with people frequenting pubs and disco bars all centered around the main drag Avenida Rafael Núñez. Villa Agur, Tristán Malbrán 4355 (tel. 351/481-7520), is a trendy nightclub in an old and beautiful English-style house, near the Mirador del Cerro, where you can enjoy a great view of the city while you sip on the local brew, Fernet with cola. There is also a restaurant and a bar with live music.
Córdoba is famous for its own type of music called cuarteto. Panned by the critics and looked down on by rock aficionados, it is nevertheless a catchy blend of violin, piano, accordion, and bass. It is a foot-tapping alternative to the sometimes bland rock nacional you hear everywhere else. You can catch it live at several venues in the city, but beware: It attracts hysterical crowds and it's definitely down-market, for slummers only. For more information, call the Asociación Deportiva Atenas, Aguado 775 (tel. 351/471-5658; www.atenas.com.ar), the Estadio del Centro, Santa Fe 480, or La Vieja Usina, Avenida Costanera and Coronel Olmedo (tel. 351/424-5743).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
