Thornton Cohen
By Neil Schlecht
After yet another economic crisis and currency devaluation made it almost absurdly cheap for non-Argentines, visitors rushed in to discover the most European-looking of South American capitals. And with it, Porteños' (as the locals are called) penchant for massive steaks, fine malbec wines, old cafes, and chic boutiques -- and a resurgent national dance, the tango. The following are some of my favorite experiences in the Argentine capital.
Photo Caption: Metropolitan Cathedral
Only recently out of fashion, tango is once again the soundtrack to life in Buenos Aires. Chic youngsters and wizened veterans gather at latenight milongas in time-worn ballrooms, and whether in jeans or stylish skirts and pumps, they embrace and move to a passionate rhythm unique to Argentina. It's intoxicating to watch, but tango's precise, stylized moves are likely to make novices feel ridiculously clumsy. There are a half-dozen great milongas, but one of the best is El Niño Bien.
Photo Caption: Street tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo by rgrossman/Frommers.com Community
Evita Perón's (1919-1952) fame hasn't dimmed nearly 60 years after her death. She rose to unexpected power alongside her husband, trade unions, and the Peronista party, and became a towering national figure, inspiring a Broadway play, a Hollywood movie, and legions of fans. The city is home to her discrete tomb in Recoleta Cemetery, the Casa Rosada -- scene of her famous speeches to Argentine workers -- and now the wonderfully personal Evita Museum.
Photo Caption: Sculptures of Eva and Juan Peron in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires's subway line is the oldest in South America. The A line, which retains the original 1913 cars that rumble beneath Avenida de Mayo, from the Plaza in front of the Casa Rosada to the House of Congress, is a charming relic, a wood-paneled ride back in time.
Photo Caption: Casa Rosada. Photo by tdfitts/Frommers.com Community
Stunning La Recoleta Cemetery is the final resting place of Buenos Aires's most elite citizenry, from Presidents and Generals to one Evita Perón. The elaborate tombs are monuments to their achievements and immense family wealth, mausoleums dripping with neo-Classical, Art Nouveau, and Baroque art, topped by somber marble angels and cherubs gazing skyward.
Photo Caption: A monument inside Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetery.
Buenos Aires is renowned for its cafe culture, and many of the city's classic bars and cafes -- resonant with a patina of age and events both momentous and small -- date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The government has protected 53 of them -- including the legendary Tortoni -- from development's onward march. They're places to sip a cortado and take in life at an institution held dear by locals, young and old.
Photo Caption: Cafe Tortoni. Photo by Jerome Richard/Frommers.com Community
After yet another economic crisis and currency devaluation made it almost absurdly cheap for non-Argentines, visitors rushed in to discover the most European-looking of South American capitals. And with it, Porteños' (as the locals are called) penchant for massive steaks, fine malbec wines, old cafes, and chic boutiques -- and a resurgent national dance, the tango. The following are some of my favorite experiences in the Argentine capital.
Photo Caption: Metropolitan Cathedral
Photo Caption: Street tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo by rgrossman/Frommers.com Community
Photo Caption: Sculptures of Eva and Juan Peron in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
Photo Caption: Casa Rosada. Photo by tdfitts/Frommers.com Community
Photo Caption: A monument inside Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetery.
Photo Caption: Cafe Tortoni. Photo by Jerome Richard/Frommers.com Community