Benjamin Breitman - Recoleta Cemetery - Buenos Aires - Argentina

When the cemetery was founded in 1822, the majority of the city’s population was Catholic so it was blessed accordingly. During the presidency of Bartolomé Mitre the blessing was officially removed when he insisted that a prominent member of the Masonic Order be buried there. Or so the story goes. These days, all public cemeteries in Buenos Aires are non-denominational. However given the conservative class of the families present, Recoleta Cemetery remains 99% Catholic.

Not much is known about Benjamín Breitman or how he came to purchase a plot, but the history of Jewish burials in Argentina began with the establishment of the community in Argentina. Currently, the tomb is empty because Breitman’s family has moved all caskets to another cemetery.

Founded in the 1860s the Templo Libertad on Plaza Lavalle may not be the oldest synagogue in Buenos Aires, but it was the most important for early Jewish immigrants.

Jewish tradition foregoes ostentatious burials, given that all are equal after death. The largest non-Catholic cemetery during the early years of the Jewish community in Buenos Aires was the Cementerio de Victoria (now Plaza 1º de Mayo). Sponsored mainly by the Protestant community & 50% funded by the UK, Jews & Protestants were buried together at the same location. Popularly referred to as the Cementerio de los Disidentes (Dissident’s Cemetery), it filled to capacity during the 1871 yellow fever epidemic. Back then if you weren’t Catholic, then you must be a dissident.

The Jewish community had an opportunity to claim part of Chacarita Cemetery when it opened but opted to wait for their own burial ground. In 1912 the Cementerio de Liniers opened (actually just outside the city limits of Buenos Aires) exclusively for Jews & was mainly for those of Ashkenazi descent. Being buried there still remains a sign of high status within the community.

Jews of Moroccan descent—many referred to as “impure” based on their connections with the mafia—opened a cemetery south of Buenos Aires in Avellaneda. It is currently closed.

In 1936, another cemetery was opened for poorer Jews in Tablada & the newest cemetery in Ciudadela is typically for those of Sephardic descent. All these cemeteries are closed to visitors. La Tablada Cemetery: Avenida Crovara 2824, 1766 La Tablada; Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Largest Jewish cemetery in South America. A memorial monument for the 86 killed and 300 wounded in the bombing on July 18, 1994 was unveiled on July 16, 1995. La Tablada, which covers 138 acres and has 70,000 graves, is the largest Jewish cemetery in the country. With Latin America’s largest Jewish population, Argentina has 230,000 people who identify themselves as Jews. Tablada has computerized records.

45 known Jewish cemeteries exist in Argentina. JGS of Argentina has burial records for eighteen of those cemeteries, a total of 157,850 names current through 1997. The records cover about 100 years. Of these eighteen cemeteries, nine (of a total 11) are in the Buenos Aires area and nine (from 34 active ones) are in the country.

Source: After Life & JGS

Price: $1,740 per person

Itinerary:

10/8/09 – Thursday: Departure to Buenos Aires, Argentina from your city.

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10/9/09 – Friday:  The Jewish Argentina All inclusive vacation starts when you arrive to the Ezeiza airport where you will be transported to the Urban Suites Recoleta Hotel.  You will then be picked up to enjoy a welcome lunch at a local

Urban Suites Recoleta Hotel

restaurant. In the afternoon be ready for our famous Recoleta Cemetery Tour, the architecture of Paris in Buenos Aires tour and later you may attend services at the Libertad Temple and partake of a wonderful Shabat dinner.

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10/10/09 – Saturday: After breakfast, enjoy the exclusive Jewish Buenos Aires tour. Visit several Jewish Temples while sightseeing Buenos Aires and the site where the

Buenos Aires - Libertad Temple

Israelite Association bombings took place. In the evening you will enjoy dinner with a Tango show and dance.

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10/11/09 – Sunday: Morning breakfast and tour of San Telmo (colonial Spanish neighborhood) where you will be able to shop for wonderful antiques! Then the Onassis route and the Nazis in Buenos Aires tour. Discover how they caught Eichmann and many others! Afternoon shopping tour.

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10/12/09 – Monday: Breakfast and afterwards visit Palermo; Barrio Norte, downtown Buenos Aires! Today enjoy the unique All about Evita Tour: Listen to Evita’s voice! Casa Rosada or Presidential Palace – CGT – the Congress –  and Plaza San Martin sightseeing tours. Return to the apartment to get ready for a traditional Argentinean steak dinner at an internationally acclaimed Buenos Aires restaurant.

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10/13/09 – Tuesday: Depart on a tour of the famous Mayo Avenue and hear incredible stories. A stop at the Café Tortoni, the oldest bar in Buenos Aires to continue along Corrientes avenue, the Obelisco and the 9 de Julio avenue, the widest avenue in the world.  Lunch at Puerto Madero followed by more astounding Buenos Aires history. For dinner, the famous pizza and pasta of Buenos Aires followed by drinks at a local pub.

Buenos Aires Travel - Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio

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10/15/09 – Thursday: Morning: Romeo & Juliet in Buenos Aires. Afterwards a visit to the Malba Museum (a replica of the Guggenheim). Farewell 5 o’clock tea with wonderful biscuits and pastries.  Back to the hotel to pack and relax and transportation to the airport.

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Notes:

-The Hotel stay includes the room double occupancy rate and all of its services.

-Tips are not included

-Alcoholic beverages not included (unless specified)

-The Tours of the city of Buenos Aires and its professional guides are included

-Tourists will be accompanied by bilingual personnel thorough their whole stay

-Airfare and taxes not included

-Feel free to request information on special stays

-We can build your own departure date: Minimum 10 people

Contact us via email at argentourism@gmail.com

Buenos Aires nights - Argentina Travel

BUENOS AIRES… There’s something about this place …

Maybe it’s the tango.

Those of you who have witnessed the real thing know tango–when done right–is not a dance for sissies. It is aggressive, moody, seductive, sometimes beautiful and maybe a little dangerous.

Like Buenos Aires.

So . . . is it a cliche to compare Buenos Aires to the tango? Maybe, but it was either that or “Evita.”

Which brings us to the subject of steak houses–but first, the obligatory Travel story transition paragraphs:

Cool place to visit, Buenos Aires. There’s history here, pretty architecture, grace, grit and a certain big-city buzz that demands you pay attention, lest you miss something you probably won’t see anywhere else–for instance, street-corner tango dancers.

Plus, right now, for Americans (and especially for euro-spending Europeans) it’s relatively cheap, and that, happily, brings us back to the subject of cooked Argentinian hoofed beasts.

Rumor has it that sushi is the rage in Buenos Aires, and, indeed, there are bright new sushi palaces among the parrillas (local jargon for steak joints). That may be wonderful news to los portenos (local jargon for Buenos Airesians), but that’s not why we came here.

Why we came here was, to give just one example, a sweet little storefront called 1880 Parrilla Restaurante, in one of the less interesting sections of the very interesting San Telmo neighborhood.

With the place almost empty around 9:30 p.m. on a Thursday night, I was seated at a nice table and greeted by a waiter whose English was even worse than my Spanish, which is tres malo.

Eventually, I ordered the chorizo, a fat red juicy sausage the size of a small kosher salami that had been grilled (at a parilla like most everything but the beer) over hot coals. That set me back about 80 cents.

As I attacked it, the couple at the next table were thoroughly enjoying something hideous, so I called the waiter over and, at my request, was brought a half-order of what they were having: chinchulin de cordero, or grilled lamb’s small intestine. About $1.65.

By this time–well past 10 p.m.–the place was packed with well-dressed patrons along with a few wearing soccer shirts.

Then came the bife de chorizo, a stunningly tender boneless chunk of beef comparable to a thick New York strip. About $5. Plus a plate of hot, crisp french fries. About $1.35.

All accompanied by the mandatory chimichurri, a garlicky red dipping sauce. Free. And a large bottle of Quilmes beer. $2.

The beer was just OK. Everything else, even the innards, was absolutely delicious.

Now if you haven’t been keeping score: This steak dinner, among the best I’ve ever enjoyed anywhere in the world (including Chicago and Brooklyn) and graciously served by a waiter who couldn’t have been nicer despite my linguistic stupidity, set the Tribune back about . . . $11.

But enough about great meat, especially the beef, and how cheap it is in Buenos Aires and how I could have eaten it for lunch and dinner every day despite my family history, doctor’s advice and soaring bad cholesterol.

There is something about this city, a vitality strongly flavored by anger and angst and, in talking to folks, an indefinable but palpable sense of yearning. Buenos Aires is many things, but for sure it is never, ever dull.

Calle Florida is a pedestrians-only commercial street in the heart of town. It eventually links Plaza de Mayo–site of the presidential palace (the Casa Rosada) and Madonna’s best “Evita” moment (“Don’t Cry for Me . . . ” sung from a casa balcony)–with Plaza San Martin, a lovely green space with very old trees and a statue of (yes) Jose de San Martin, liberator of Argentina.

Between the plazas are shops, restaurants, a variety of vendors, at least one tango-show theater, the immense Galerias Pacifico shopping mall, newsstands and singer-musicians of all ilks, including, one day, a little kid wearing a Michael Jordan shirt playing the bandoneon, a sort of Argentine concertina.

On another day, on a portable dance floor to music from a boom box, a couple in full tango array tangoed for pesos before an appreciative, generous crowd that wasn’t all tourists.

In fact, in Buenos Aires you never know where you might run into street-tangoists, but there is one certainty: You will.

Likely places, though, are the more touristy streets of La Boca, the former slum (and in places, the continuing slum) credited for popularizing the dance; Calle Florida; Plaza Dorrego, a worthwhile tourist destination (shops, vendors, outdoor snacks) in the San Telmo neighborhood; any one of the 42,671 nightclubs and saloons featuring tango shows, many also in San Telmo; and in places like the upstairs dance hall at Confiteria Ideal.

If you come to Buenos Aires, do not miss Confiteria Ideal. Downstairs during the day, it’s a renowned place for coffee, tea and pastries, or a light meal. But on selected nights–ask around or peek in for a schedule–the upstairs ballroom is home to a milonga, an occasion for ordinary people to dance the national dance.

I got there on my night just after midnight (cover: $5), found a seat at one of the tables surrounding the spacious dance floor and ordered a big beer (about $2.65). The place was darkish and uncrowded; the music was recorded and scratchy, like an old 78; the dancers, for the most part, matched the music.

But at 1 a.m., with the place filling up with people of many ages, an orchestra took over: two violins, a standup bass, a piano and two bandoneons. And when those bandoneons, in unison, ripped off their first guhrrruuuunt, you knew those weren’t mere concertinas and this wasn’t mere tango.

This was tango.

This, truly, was Buenos Aires . . .

The capital has taken its hits over the last century or so. Most recent was a major peso crisis a couple of years ago whose initial pain has eased but lingers in the form of $5 strip steaks.

Before that, there were juntas and dictators and sad little wars and border skirmishes. Its political upheavals aren’t just the stuff of Andrew Lloyd Webber but of Shakespeare, had he barded long enough. Even in the current relative calm, politics here are a never-ending drama. If the nearly forgotten Isabel Peron (Juan’s post-Evita wife and briefly, and disastrously, his successor as president) isn’t awakened from exile in Spain to testify on something–as she was just weeks ago–it’s refreshed every Thursday afternoon by the marching Madres de Plaza de Mayo, mothers and sisters of victims “disappeared” by the military junta that ruled Argentina into the 1980s.

“He was a witness, and they `disappeared’ him, ” said one woman, wearing the group’s characteristic headscarf, who lost a brother.

He was among 30,000 who vanished, she said.

“We never knew what happened with them. So for that, we are here every Thursday in this place.”

On this particular Thursday, the dozen or so madres shared the plaza with hundreds of demonstrators, some armed with batons and others armed with signs, all representing labor-related grievances as drummers drummed up emotions and a few kids kicked around a soccer ball.

“Thursday,” said an Irishman named Patrick who has married into the culture, “has become kind of an open field-day for protests.”

Other days, vendors in the square sell postcards and little Argentine flags to tourists, and corn to anyone who likes feeding pigeons. Bureaucrats enjoy peaceful lunches and quick siestas on the lawn. In short, on a Wednesday it’s like an altogether different plaza.

More things to see in B.A.:

Eva Peron is in Recoleta Cemetery, stored in the Duarte family tomb, which is relatively modest for a cemetery that’s nothing if not a study in post-mortal overstatement. Even with the waves of tour groups brought here, it’s possible to spend reflective moments with her, alone or alongside the cats (another Webber show!) that freeload among the memorials. How Evita got here, after her remains were swiped and shipped to Italy and on to Spain, is eloquently told in the small but fine Museo Evita, in the Palermo section near the zoo.

San Telmo is one of the city’s older neighborhoods and the object of ongoing, thoughtful renewal and gentrification. For visitors, it is a neighborhood of restaurants, galleries and flea markets, plus shops selling serious antiques. Seekers of genuine Peronist artifacts can find them here (“Is beautiful woman,” said a dealer named Cesar, unveiling a booklet from 1951. “The best.”), though much of it will be of Juan.

San Telmo, as mentioned earlier, is also site of many of the tango-show venues–which introduces this:

Not seeing a tango show in Buenos Aires is like going to St. Andrews and not seeing the golf course. Missed the one in San Telmo’s Bar Sur, recommended by friends ($25, $45 with food), but I’ve seen two. One was a relatively intimate but very fine show at El Viejo Almacen (about $80 with dinner, $55 without) in San Telmo, the other a full Vegas-glitz version at Esquina Carlos Gardel (similar prices, but also with pricier VIP seats) in the Abasto district.

More: The sanitized part of La Boca that’s a group-tour destination by day (mainly around Calle Caminito) draws sneers from some cynics, but it’s undeniably and literally colorful–brightly painted hovels, street art, street-tango–and I kind of liked it. By night, tourists are warned to beware, which (to the consternation of my wife) usually makes it irresistible–but I ran out of nights. Your call.

And speaking of danger, alluded to a couple of times and rumored to be rampant in Buenos Aires: It’s an illusion.

No doubt stuff happens, as in any major city–but in nearly a week of clattering over bright and less bright sidewalks and in crowded subways, typically lugging a visible $1,000 camera, I wasn’t hassled at all, nor did I hear of any problems from other visitors. History tells us that when rampant happens–and I’ve experienced that sensation a couple of times–everybody has a story.

The closest thing to a crime I experienced was being approached by an unattractive streetwalker.

Of course there was, just before my arrival, an item about a U.S. presidential daughter losing her purse under mysterious circumstances.

“First they said it was a store in San Telmo, an antique store,” said a hotel concierge who clearly thought the whole thing was hilarious. “Then they said it was a restaurant, but with all the security, that was impossible. Now, no one knows . . .”

There are other things to see, depending on your interests: a Calatrava-designed bridge in the re-purposed warehouse district at Puerto Madero; elite shops and galleries in the Recoleta neighborhood; a pretty good zoo (featuring regional critters along with the usual lions and giraffes) and botanical garden; sweet old Cafe Tortoni and other neat buildings along Avenida de Mayo . . .

And there are disappointments, greatest of which are the trash scavengers (sometimes whole families of them) that descend on the city after dark and pick through plastic bags of garbage for recyclables and edible scraps.

A mad existence.

But always, always in Buenos Aires . . . there is tango. Really.

In a city like no other.

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IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE

A recent check found American, United and Continental Airlines offering one-stop, round-trip flights out of O’Hare to Buenos Aires for about $980 (subject to change). American’s stops were in Miami or Dallas, Continental’s in Houston, and United’s in Washington. Quickest combination we found was on American, through Miami: 11 hours 55 minutes.

GETTING AROUND

Buenos Aires, like most worthwhile cities, is best explored on foot–and with many key sites clustered within distinct neighborhoods (San Telmo, Retiro, La Boca, Recoleta, etc.), B.A. makes it easy. When the feet grow tired, taxis are plentiful and inexpensive; you’ll rarely pay more than $5 to get anywhere of tourist interest.

(Note: Hotel personnel advise visitors to stick to “radio taxis,” identifiable by their roof lights and door markings. Finding them wasn’t difficult.)

If the subway is going where you want to go, by all means use it. Fares are about a quarter, stations are well-lighted, and though trains vary–cars on the original line are clattering, semi-charming antiques–and all can be hot and crowded (no air conditioning in any of them), they’re a good way to get a sense of things from a local’s perspective.

Driving in the city, for non-locals, makes absolutely no sense at all.

STAYING THERE

There is a dizzying array of hotels in Buenos Aires. We checked into one and checked out a few more (and be sure to note the Note, below):

Two of the more intriguing are in the upscale Recoleta neighborhood, with neighbors like the local Armani, the local Ralph Lauren and the local Evita Peron (in a neighborhood crypt). The Alvear Palace, the venerable favorite of the venerably rich and famous, offers doubles starting at $665 (like all prices here, subject to change, and don’t forget that Note; www.alvearpalace.com); new last summer, the Park Hyatt just down the street manages to be both tasteful and astonishing (from $400; www.buenosaires.park.hyatt.com). Not far from these beauties is the more moderate and modest but still classy Park Chateau Kempinski (from $195;www.parkplazahotels.com).

Closer to the heart of the city, just off the Calle Florida pedestrian circus, was my choice, the Claridge Hotel (from $229; www.claridge.com.ar), a five-star with nicely appointed rooms and a terrific staff. Directly opposite Plaza San Martin’s greenery and statuary is the Plaza Hotel, now a Marriott, another oldie (like the Alvear, sort of) that shows its age elegantly (from $302, $321 with the park view; www.marriott.com). The decently located Sheraton Libertador looks exactly like a Sheraton; it’s OK if you’re cashing in Starwood points or just have a ship to catch (from $302;www.sheraton.com). A tad less convenient but still central is the massive Sheraton-Convention Center (slightly pricier, same Web site). Among other chains represented: InterContinental, Hilton, Melia and Holiday Inns.

Note: All the above prices are full “rack” (i.e., published) rates and, unless something special is going on, no one pays them. That’s common in most markets, but especially here, where competition is fierce right now and discounts are hefty: I paid $144 at the Claridge for that $229 room; the Sheratons had rooms at half that above-listed price, and even the Alvear slashes rates when demand softens. So shop around.

DINING THERE

The prime scene here is about meat, mostly beef, and the venues are parrillas, the open-coals institutions–big and small–that do it right.

Prices can be embarrassingly low.

We tried three that covered the gamut and all earned return visits if we could: Las Nazarenas (on Calle Reconquesta across from the larger Sheraton) is a bi-level monster that draws big crowds of tourists as well as locals with something to celebrate. Our bife de lomo (a 1.3-pound filet; about $14) was state of the art. The asada de tira (short ribs with plenty of meat) at a sidewalk table at little Los Gauchos on Calle Chile in San Telmo was heavenly and embarrassingly cheap: about $3, including a large plate of fries. Splitting the difference in price and square footage: Parrilla 1880 (Avenida Defensa, across from Parque Lezama at the edge of San Telmo).

For a change, Tancat, a spiffy Spanish tasca in the center (Calle Paraguay, near Calle Florida, Retiro), got it right with its seafood tapas. Throughout the city, the milanesa–meat or chicken, thin, floured and fried, and served simply with a squeeze of lemon or topped with other things–is a staple; mine ($4), at a simple diner called My House on Avenida Cordoba near Florida, was just fine. Los Chilenos, a pleasant, busy storefront on Calle Suipacha near Las Nazarenas, served up a congrio (conger eel) dinner in a garlic-olive oil sauce that was worthy of Chile itself.

Additionally: Pizza is everywhere. There are German, French and lots of Italian restaurants (you hear ciao here more often than adios), even sushi places–and yes, you can find an empanada and a quarter-pounder with cheese.

INFORMATION

Call the Argentina Government Tourist Office in New York (there is no Chicago office) at 212-603-0443, or check its Web site: www.sectur.gov.ar. Or see the City of Buenos Aires Web site:www.bue.gov.ar.

Source: By Alan Solomon, Chicago Tribune staff reporter

Antarctica’s Luxurious ‘Last Call’ With Crystal Cruises

Jumping Penguins - Antarctica - Argentina

LOS ANGELES, May 21 /PRNewswire/ — This holiday season marks the last call for Crystal Cruises’ award-winning ships to Antarctica. Beginning in 2011, a proposed ban on the carriage of certain fuel oils on board will effectively prohibit the sailing of most passenger vessels in the Antarctic. Crystal Symphony’s December 20 Christmas/New Year cruise is the only time Crystal will be cruising the region in 2009 and 2010. The 19-day journey departs from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso with visits to several ports in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, including the breathtaking Chilean Fjords and Cape Horn.

“There’s no more exciting destination to spend the holidays than Antarctica, among the snow and stunning wildlife,” says Bill Smith, senior vice president, sales and marketing. “Additionally, while Antarctica can offer a magical ‘white Christmas,’ it’s summer in South America, allowing guests to enjoy two beautiful seasons on the same itinerary.”

Ashore, adventurous guests have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly to King George Island and walk on Antarctica, take a helicopter to a humpback whale sanctuary, enjoy a 4 x 4 expedition to a King penguin colony, and trek the mountains of Chile.

Completing the Crystal Holiday experience, Crystal Symphony will boast more than $100,000 of exquisite seasonal decor. Handcrafted ornaments, elaborately decorated trees and larger-than-life toy soldiers are among the ship’s holiday furnishings.

Extravagant holiday dinners, parties and entertainment are planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, culminating in a black tie gala on New Year’s Eve. Clergy will be on board to conduct services. Also during the holidays, Crystal’s junior activities staff will be on hand to coordinate daily programming for children of all ages. Cruise fares start at $8,995 per person, double occupancy.

The Antarctic Holiday cruise can be taken as part of a 62-day voyage, roundtrip from Miami that makes a complete circumference of South America, including an exploration of the Amazon. Guests can customize their vacation with an All Inclusive – As You Wish spending credit of up to $6,000 per couple.

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625. Visit the line’s website, crystalcruises.com.

Source: Crystal Cruises

Museo de Bellas Artes- Buenos Aires

Friday

2 p.m.
1) UNDERGROUND CITY

For a fascinating peek into Buenos Aires’s history, start at El Zanjón de Granados(Defensa 755; 54-11-4361-3002), a 175-year-old mansion that leads to a series of underground tunnels that go back to the city’s early settlements. (The city was founded in 1536.) Now a museum, El Zanjón offers intriguing one-hour tours (20 pesos, or about $6.30 at 3.16 pesos to the dollar) through a cross section of the city’s archaeological layers.

4 p.m. 
2) ICE CREAM AND ART

Explore present-day Buenos Aires in the cobblestoned district of San Telmo. While best known for its weekend antiques market, the neighborhood now has plenty of cool shops and restaurants. The ice cream parlor Nonna Bianca (Estados Unidos 407; 54-11-4362-0604) balances rustic Patagonian décor with adventurous flavors like kumquats in whiskey (small cone: 3 pesos). San Telmo is also home to a growing gallery scene including the swank Wussman Gallery (Venezuela 574; 54-11-4343-4707; www.wussmann.com) and Appetite (Chacabuco 551; 54-9-11-6112-9975; www.appetite.com.ar), which specializes in punk-rock-style art.

9:30 p.m. 
3) LITTLE ITALY, ARGENTINA

More than a third of Argentina’s population is of Italian descent, and Guido’s Bar (República de la India 2843; 54-11-4802-2391) fulfills all the Little Italy tropes, from “Volare” on the stereo to the New York City skyline on the ceiling. But the crowd is Argentine and the food is varied and tasty. There is no menu and after one question — “Red or white?” — the waiters bring a seemingly random assortment of plates, like a cold appetizer of spinach and red bell peppers in a paprika mayonnaise sauce, followed by Spanish tortillas, stuffed eggplants, penne in red sauce and pignoli nuts. How the waiter figures your bill (45 to 60 pesos a person) remains a mystery.

11:45 p.m. 
4) PLAY IT AGAIN, CARLOS

The spirit of Carlos Gardel, the godfather of Argentine tango, lives on in the Almagro neighborhood, where Bar 12 de Octubre (Bulnes 331; 54-11-4862-0415;www.barderoberto.com.ar) offers weekly music shows. Started in the mid-90s when the famed tangoist Roberto Medina stopped in to play a few songs, the shows run Tuesday to Friday nights between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Arrive early to get a good spot, before the crowds of tattooed 20- and 30-somethings jam the tiny, grungy space.

Saturday

11 a.m. 
5) CAFE CULTURE

With its prime location and literary clientele that included Jorge Luis Borges, Café Tortoni(Avenida de Mayo 825; 54-11-4342-4328; www.cafetortoni.com.ar) is the most famous of the cafes from Buenos Aires’s belle époque. But more magnificent is Las Violetas (Avenida Rivadavia 3899; 54-11-4958-7387; www.lasvioletas.com), a 123-year-old French-style cafe. After closing briefly in the late 1990s, Las Violetas’s interior, including its gorgeous stained glass, has been restored. The white-jacketed waiters serve the classic breakfast of café con leche with three croissants (5.40 pesos), but the shocker of the menu is the María Cala tea service, an eye-popping pile of cakes, scones, finger sandwiches and pan dulce pastries (29 pesos for three people).

Cafe Tortoni - Buenos Aires

1 p.m. 
6) DON’T CRY FOR HER

To most visitors, the Recoleta Cemetery in the upscale Recoleta district (intersection of Junín and Guido) is known as the place where Eva Perón’s body is buried. But the graveyard is also the final home of several presidents, scientists and other influential Argentines. 

3 p.m. 
7) THE LAND OF POLO

To marvel at Argentina’s longtime obsession with horses, head to the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo (Avenida del Libertador 4101; 54-11-4778-2800;www.palermo.com.ar; entrance fee 5 pesos). Opened in 1876, the elegant racetrack has a French neo-Classical grandstand, the Confitería París restaurant and a basement casino. For up-close action, sit at the wooden tables that dot the flowery lawn. There are 10 race days a month.

7 p.m. 
DRINKING AND NOT DRIVING

Malba, short for Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, is considered to have one of the finest Latin American art collections in the world (Alcorta 3415; 54-11-4808-6500; www.malba.org.ar; entrance fee 12 pesos). In addition to a permanent collection that includes Frida Kahlo, Xul Solar, Diego Rivera and Guillermo Kuitca, the cavernous museum has also had traveling shows by Lichtenstein, Stella and Warhol. Afterward, head next door to the Museo Renault (Alcorta 3399; 54-11-4802-9626; www.mrenault.com.ar) for one of the city’s best martinis and one of the city’s weirder new trends: car-branded bars. Audi, Ferrari, Maserati and Mini Cooper have opened up their own boîtes nearby.

10 p.m. 
9) MEAT, MEAT AND MORE MEAT

In the shopping-friendly district of Palermo Soho, La Cabrera (Cabrera 5099; 54-11-4831-7002) is a French bistro that takes Argentina’s amazing steaks in a new direction. The chef, Gastón Rivera, serves classic beef cuts like juicy ojo de bife (30.50 pesos), but serves it alongside an impressive array of untraditional side dishes including mashed pumpkin with raisins, beet purée and baked pearl onions in red wine. Arrive early to take advantage of the free champagne at the sidewalk waiting area, while you listen to tango-themed electronica music and watch the beautiful crowd of jet-setting locals and trendy visitors.

12 a.m. 
10) HASTA LA MAÑANA

If you’re looking to dance, head to the consistently trendy Niceto Club (Niceto Vega 5510; 54-11-4779-9396; www.nicetoclub.com), a multistory venue on an industrial strip lined with auto repair shops. Local bands like Los Alamos and the French Kid Loco play before midnight; afterward, D.J.’s play psychedelic trance and dance music. The crowd peaks around 3 a.m. If you prefer places that get going before 1 a.m., head to Mundo Bizarro(Serrano 1222; 54-11-4773-1967; www.mundobizarrobar.com), a night-life mainstay decorated with 50s pinup posters and a stripper pole. For other hot clubs, check out WhatsUpBuenosAires.com (bilingual) and BuenosAliens.com (Spanish).

Sunday

10 a.m 
11) ROSES AND ROSAS

For a break from the careering colectivo buses and bumblebee-colored cabs, go to Parque Tres de Febrero (also known as the Bosques de Palermo) on the city’s northern edge. The 965-acre park fills on weekends with runners, cyclists, sun worshipers and the odd club kid unwilling to let Saturday end. Stroll past the placid lake, the whiffle ball-shaped planetarium and the Rosedal garden, which has about 12,000 roses. Those club kids are heading to Arkos (Avenida Casares and Avenida Sarmiento; 54-11-4804-2512;www.clubarkos.com.ar) an after-hours party inside the park that starts Sundays at 7 a.m.
1 p.m. 
12) LUNCH + DINNER = BRUNCH

Sunday brunch at Olsen (Gorriti 5870; 54-11-4776-7677; prix fix, with champagne, 27 to 39 pesos) has become a mainstay of expatriates, filmmakers and wealthy Argentines by offering two Buenos Aires rarities: brunch and ethnic food. The décor is pure Scandinavia, with curvy plywood furniture and 60 types of vodkas. Dishes include herring and smoked salmon with Argentine bondiola (pork tenderloin). Call ahead to get an outdoor table on the heated deck, or on the couches around the fireplace (avoid the frenetic tables near the kitchen). In a concession to Argentines’ overheated night life, brunch goes on until 8 p.m.

The Basics

Many major American and Latin American airlines fly to Ezeiza International Airport near Buenos Aires from Kennedy Airport in New York. A recent Web search showed round-trip fares starting at around $900. The 20-mile taxi ride to the city’s center runs about 60 pesos.

The Art Hotel (Azcuenaga 1268; 54-11-4821-4744; www.arthotel.com.ar), opened in 2004, was among the city’s first boutique hotels. The 36 rooms are housed above an art gallery in exclusive Recoleta. Room rates, quoted in United States dollars, start at $65.

The Scandinavian-style Home Hotel (Honduras 5860; 54-11-4778-1008;www.homebuenosaires.com) has become a de rigueur stop for the Wallpaper* magazine set and the place where the rock groups U2 and Franz Ferdinand held concert after-parties. On summer Fridays, Tom Rixton, a co-owner and English record producer, spins what he calls “stupid party music for girls to dance to.” The 18 rooms start at $115.

Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires (Avenida Alvear 1661; 54-11-5171-1234;www.buenosaires.park.hyatt.com), opened in July 2006, has 164 rooms split between the renovated 1934 Duhau family mansion and a recent wing. Rooms start at around $370.

Source: New York Times

Avellaneda Family - Cemetery of Recoleta - Buenos Aires

Once the garden of the adjoining church, the cemetery was created in 1822 and is among the oldest in the city. You can spend hours here wandering the grounds that cover 4 city blocks, full of tombs adorned with works by local and international sculptors. More than 6,400 mausoleums form an architectural free-for-all, including Greek temples and pyramids. The most popular site is the tomb of Eva “Evita” Perón, which is always heaped with flowers and letters from adoring fans. To prevent her body from being stolen, as it had been many times by the various military governments installed after her husband’s fall from grace in 1955, she was finally buried in a concrete vault 8.1m (27 ft.) underground in 1976. Many other rich or famous Argentines are buried here as well, including a number of Argentine presidents whose tomb names you’ll recognize because they match some of the streets of the city.

Most tourists who come here visit only Evita’s tomb and leave, but among the many, two are worth singling out and should not be missed while exploring here. One is the tomb of the Paz family, who owned the newspaperLa Prensa,as well as the palatial building on Plaza San Martín now known as the Círculo Militar. It is an enormous black stone structure covered with numerous white marble angels in turn-of-the-20th-century dress. The angels seem almost to soar to the heavens, lifting up the spirit of those inside with their massive wings. The sculptures were all made in Paris and shipped here. Masonic symbols such as anchors and pyramid-like shapes adorn this as well as many other Recoleta tombs.

Recoleta Cemetery - Buenos Aires

Another tomb I recommend seeing while here is that of Rufina Cambaceres, a young woman who was buried alive in the early 1900s. She had perhaps suffered a coma, and a few days after her interment, workers heard screams from the tomb. Once opened, there were scratches on her face and on the coffin from trying to escape. Her mother then built this Art Nouveau masterpiece, which has become a symbol of the cemetery. Her coffin is a Carrara marble slab, carved with a rose on top, and it sits behind a glass wall, as if her mother wanted to make up for her mistake in burying her and make sure to see her coffin if she were ever to come back again. Adorned by a young girl carved of marble who turns her head to those watching her, she looks as if she is about to break into tears, and her right hand is on the door of her own tomb.

Recoleta’s Living Residents– The dead are not the only residents in Recoleta Cemetery. About 75 cats also roam among the tombs. The cats are plumper than most strays because a dedicated group of women from the area comes to feed and provide them with medical attention at 10am and 4pm. Normally, the cats hide away from visitors, but at these times, they gather in anticipation at the women’s entrance. This is a good time to bring children who might otherwise be bored in the cemetery. The women, who pay for their own services, welcome donations of cat food.
Source: Frommers -http://www.frommers.com/destinations/buenosaires/A34262.html#ixzz0HKqQjRMp&A

Read about our Recoleta Cemetery Tour