3 Unmissable places in Buenos Aires
The capital of Argentina impressed me when I reached it. Coming from Rio de Janeiro, I was expecting Buenos Aires to be similar however it is very modern, and you would even be forgiven if you thought you were in London or New York! Here are 3 unmissable things to do when in this incredible city.
The Buenos Aires Walking Tour
I have a policy of trying to do a walking tour within the first two days of getting to any new city. It is the best way to get your bearings of where you are and understand the city you are in. The Buenos Aires tour was no different. Argentina has a lot of history, as does Buenos Aires itself and the tour really helps you to understand how the country has got to where it is today.
The tour starts at the parliament house in Buenos Aires and the guide walks you to the pink government house. It takes roughly three hours in total and gives you information on the entire history and culture of Buenos Aires, ranging from the life of Eva Peron to the city’s architecture.
The pink government house, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Recoleta Cemetery
Aka Cemetario de la Recoleta in Spanish, this famous cemetery in the Recoleta neighborhood is one of Buenos Aires’s top attractions. You can spend hours wondering around this incredible “city within a city”. The “streets” are lined with marble mausoleums and incredible statues. This is the final resting place for some of Argentina’s wealthiest and most important people as well as Nobel Prize winners, the granddaughter of Napoleon, and Eva Peron. With so much history in just one place, you can not miss this place when coming to Buenos Aires.
Despite Buenos Aires having a great metro system, there isn’t a station near to the cemetery. The best way to get there is via bus. The bus network is extensive, and busses are clearly signed for “Recoleta”. Entrance to the cemetery is free and I would thoroughly recommend taking a full day to be able to admire the entire setup.
La Bombonera
The Estadio Alberto J. Armando, aka “La Bombonera” (or The Chocolate Box) is the stadium to one of Argentina’s top football (soccer) club, Boca Juniors. The stadium gets its name due to it’s steep sides representing a chocolate box. Located in La Boca district of Buenos Aires, La Bombonera is one of the most emblematic stadiums in the world. The acoustics in the stadium are so good that the Boca fans are often referred to as “La Doce”, aka the 12th man.
The easiest way to get to the stadium is by bus, as there isn’t a metro stop nearby. The stadium is less than a 5 minute walk from the bus stop. Once you arrive at the stadium, you can do a stadium tour for around ARG $400. This allows you to explore the stadium and even visit the players changing room and have your photo taken with their shirts and a replica Copa Libertadores cup.
FYI: La Boca is not the safest of areas. Whilst it is OK in the day time, my advice would be to get to the stadium and leave, ideally before night time!
