Clarry recently visited Buenos Aires and I asked him about his tango experience in “the Paris of South America”. He offered some wonderful tips on milongas, tango schools, and other tango-related topics. Read them below.

Piazzolla - Tango Argentino

What are your favorite Buenos Aires milongas?

My favorite milongas in Buenos Aires seem to differ every time I go there. It depends a lot on the visiting transient population at the time.

I like Niño Bien on Saturday night. A lot of the good dancers go there on a Saturday night. Friday night at Niño Bien is a posing night. A lot of well dressed beautiful ladies go there to see and be seen not necessarily to dance. It is a night for socializing. It was a puzzle to me at first until I was enlightened by a local Tanguera.

I love Sunderland. The floor always seems to move well there. The food is also very good and affordable. It is a popular haunt for a lot of the maestros. I enjoy watching them dance socially when they are not performing.

Confiteria Ideal is great for their afternoon milonga. The ambiance there is very comfortable. An older crowd. Sometimes they have live music.

Salon Canning is a must. There is always good energy. Many good dancers. Also a favorite haunt for the maestros. They also usually have a live band there which is a wonderful experience.

What are your least favorite milongas?

Every time I have been to Club Gricel it has been a zoo. Bad floorcraft, crazy dancers. But, I have friends who have been there and absolutely loved it.

Maipu 444 was also a bit odd for me. The music was good, the hosts were very friendly but they had the Argentine men on one side, women on the other thing happening. I don’t find that very social at all. It is their way. It is not my way.

What’s the best tango show?

I have only been to two shows so I cannot really comment. I am not that interested in tango shows. I saw the show at El Viejo Almacen which I enjoyed. But the dinner before was awful. The other show was the one by Carlos Copes. Again, I enjoyed the show but the food wasn’t that great. I found the shows to be designed for the tourists. So they were expensive.

Who are your favorite tango performers?

I like Gustavo Naveira and Giselle-Ann, Chicho Frumboli and Juana Sepulveda, Sebastian Arce and Mariana Montes, Pablo Inza, Carlos Gavito, Hugo Patyn, Miriam Larici, Geraldine Rojas, Cecilia Gonzales, Milena Plebs, Mora Godoy…  my list is endless, but those are the top ones for me. I prefer tangueros to tango performers. Tango performances can be pulled off by any good jazz dancer. Tango requires soul and passion and an intimate one on one connection.

I like lots of Apilado style dancers who are not performers. They are not necessarily Milongueros. Milonguero is not a style. It is a way of life. The “Milonguero Style” was something created for the USA market. Most of the Milongueros dance Apilado. Dancers who dance with their heart driven by an emotion created by the music. Puppy Castello, Ricardo Vidort, El Chino Perico, Pepito Avellaneda, Alberto Dasseiu. Lots more. Some here, some passed away.

What’s the best tango school? Who are the best instructors?

I like DNI for more advanced nuevo style tango. The old studio was small and crowded their new studio is great. Run by Pablo Villaraza and Dana Frigoli. Also a great place to buy shoes.

I also like Tango Brujo and Escuela Argentina de Tango. I found that with Escuela Argentina de Tango it is not uncommon that the instructors you hoped to work with who are listed in the schedule are either late or miss their class completely. This is annoying at times.

As for instructors, all of those mentioned above as favorite performers. If you can get them and in no particular order: Natasha Probej, Soledad Larratapia,  (followers techniques), Pablo Villaraza and Dana Frigoli, Martin Gutierrez, Matias Facio.

Where is the best place to buy tango shoes in Buenos Aires?

DNI for good men’s shoes and Neo shoes makes comfortable shoes for tangueras. Also Tango Brujo and Fabio for ladies and mens shoes.

Any other tips for tango dancers planning their first trip to BA?

Not everywhere takes Visa or US$.

You can only take out $100 per time from the ATM’s and have to pay about $3 to $5 each time.

US$ can only be exchanged at approved Money Exchange offices. Some banks will only do it if you are a customer. Of course you can get it on the street but caveat emptor.

Source: BA Tips

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

The Puente de la Mujer is a unique pedestrian bridge located in the Puerto Madero district of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  The name Puente de la Mujer is Spanish for “Bridge of the Woman.”  Designed by Santiago Calatrava in 2001, the bridge is meant to represent a couple dancing Tango, mimicking the movement  of a man leaning over a woman.  This, coupled with the fact that the surrounding streets have primarily female names, gives the bridge its name.

The Puente de la Mujer bridge

A man leaning over a woman in Tango dance

The History

The Puente de la Mujer took three years to build! The bridge was originally built in Victoria, Spain, and taken over in parts to Buenos Aires over the course of five months.  Donated by Don Alberto L. Gonzalez to the city of Buenos Aires, the bridge was a thank you gift to the city for 60 years of work.  It is estimated to be valued at $6 million.

The Architecture

Porteños (as Buenos Aires residents are called) are known to value monumentality and symbolism in architecture. This can be seen in other famous structures of the area, i.e. the obelisk, Casa Rosada, and La Bombonera. The Puente de la Mujer is taken to be a symbol of a new era in Argentina’s history and the new millenium. The bridge adds a beautiful modern look to Puerto Madero that stands out amongst the typically brick buildings of the area.

How to Visit

Puente de la Mujer is located in Puerto Madero a few blocks directly behind/east of Casa Rosada, the president’s palace.  Take subway Line C to the “Plaza de Mayo” stop, or Line B to the “LN Alem” stop and walk east towards the dams.

La Boca and its colors

The conventional explanation for La Boca’s name is that the neighborhood sits at the mouth (“boca” in Spanish) of the Riachuelo.

A Painting by Antonio Berni

It is known throughout the sporting world as the home of Boca Juniors, one of world’s top football clubs. La Boca is a popular destination for tourists visiting Argentina, with its colourful houses and pedestrian street, the Caminito, where tango artists perform and tango-related memorabilia is sold. Other attractions include the La Ribera theatre, many tango clubs and Italian taverns, as well as La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors.

As one of Buenos Aires’s 48 barrios, La Boca is located in the city’s south-east near its old port. The barrio of Barracas is to the west; San Telmo and Puerto Madero are to the north.

La Boca is partly an artist colony, and mostly a working-class neighborhood. Benito Quinquela Martin was one of the most famous painters of Argentina that came out of La Boca. Antonio Berni, whose paitings can be admired at the Malba Museum in Buenos Aires, is another one of the world’s renowned painters of the time. We should also name, Raul Soldi and Eduardo Sivori.

Caminito: 
In 1959, Quinquela Martin and his artist friends created the street of Caminito, as a means of recreating the way old La Boca used to look – a reminder of where everyone had come from, not just in La Boca, but Buenos Aires, and Argentina, because this barrio and its port had been the gateway for many immigrants into this city and country (up until Puerto Madero and then Puerto Nuevo were built as replacements in the early 1900s), who then went on to make Buenos Aires and Argentina what they are today. This is the most famous street in La Boca and is the center of tourist activity in the area. The street is commonly shown on postcards for its multi-colored houses. Many artists also show off their work on the sides of the main street.

Colorful neighborhood of La Boca

La Boca Soccer Stadium: 
The Boca Juniors is one of the biggest soccer teams in Argentina and happens to be one of the clubs that the soccer great Diego Maradona played for. Their stadium, La Bombonera (or the chocolate box – a name due to its shape), is not so surprisingly located in the La Boca barrio. It is possible to get tickets to most games and be a part of a truly Argentine experience. A Soccer Tour is a recommended way to experience this Argentine phenomenon. 

Museo de Bellas Artes Quinquela Martin 
Once a residence and studio of the artist Quinquela Martin, this museums has a collection of early 20th century Argentine artists. The museum is also known as the Fine Arts Museum of La Boca. Artist and philanthropist Benito Quinquela Martín, one of La Boca’s most famous sons, donated this huge building to the state to create a cultural center in 1936. Don’t be surprised to have to jostle your way through kids filing into class: downstairs is an elementary school, something that the galleries’ bland institutional architecture doesn’t let you forget. Quinquela Martín set out to fill the second floor with Argentine art—on the condition that works were figurative and didn’t belong to any ‘ism.’ Badly lit rooms and lack of any visible organization make it hard to enjoy the minor paintings by Berni, Sívori, Soldi, and other local masters. The smaller third floor contains only Quinquela Martín’s own work, namely the vibrant port scenes that first put La Boca on the map. Outside is a huge sculpture terrace with great views of the river and old port buildings on one side; and the Boca

Benito Quinquela Martin - Painting of La Boca

Juniors stadium and low-rise downtown skyline on the other. Signs about the history of the museum are translated into English, but nothing else is.
Pedro de Mendoza 1835
Phone: 4301-1080

Tour La Boca on your first day in Buenos Aires with our unique and exclusive 7 days / 6 nights Buenos Aires Secrets Tour.

1. Step 1

   Enjoy dinner and a professional tango show at the many dinner theaters Buenos Aires has to offer. Esquina Carlos Gardel, La Ventana, Taconeando, El Querandí, Señor Tango, Michelangelo, Complejo Tango, and Che Tango are some of the city’s most popular tango show theaters. Come hungry and ready to be amazed by the fancy footwork displayed by these tango pros.

2. Step 2

   If you have already eaten, but are craving some tango for dessert–fear not. There are many tango shows in Buenos Aires that focus strictly on the dance. These are usually more low-key and less touristy. Check out Recoleta Tango, Café Tortoni, and the Teatro Colón.

3. Step 3

   Take a giant leap off the tourist path, and head to a local bar or a milonga, to observe tango performed by local residents, called Porteños. These dancers are not professionals, but they all share a passion for the dance of their country, and certainly put on quite a show. After a few Quilmes (Argentina’s famous beer), you just may feel like joining in. Salon Canning, Bar Celta, Milongueando, Confitería Ideal, Bella Vista Tango Club, La Viruta, Soho Tango, Mundo Tango, and Porteño y Bailarín are just some of the many milongas in Buenos Aires.

4. Step 4

   One of the best places to see live tango is on the streets of the city itself. Flock to a crowded, tourist-laced area for a chance to see a free performance right on the street amidst the chaos of the city. With their own music in tow, these street dancers are more often than not extremely talented and are well-deserving of a peso or dos.

5. Step 5

   Head to the San Telmo market, which occurs every Sunday, to witness some of tango’s finest amateur talent. In addition to the rare antiques and beautiful hand-made goods you will find at the market, it is also a great place to catch live tango right on the closed-down cobble stoned streets leading up to the market tents.

6. Step 6

   The crowded pedestrian-only shopping street, la Calle Florida is perfect not only for a great bargain, but for live entertainment in the form of tango as well.

7. Step 7

   La Boca, one of the city’s most unique neighborhoods and original immigration port, is the perfect place to experience the real spirit of Argentine tango. Brightly colored buildings, beautiful art, and live music provide the perfect backdrop for an impromptu tango show in Caminito. La Boca is after all, the birthplace of tango.

Source: eHow

Malba Museum of Latin American Art

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes: Av. del Libertador 1473 (Palermo) The biggest museum in Buenos Aires. Argentine and international paintings and sculptures are found in this often quiet museum. Tue. to Fri. 12.30-7.30 pm. – Sat. Sun & holidays 9.30am-7.30pm.  Contact: 4803-0802 / Fax: 4803-8817

Casa Museo Carlos Gardel: Jean Jaures 735 (Abasto) The house of the most famous tango singer that ever lived. Carlos Gardel occupied the house with his mother, from 1927 until his death in 1935. Opens: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri. from 1.00pm to 5.00pm. Contact: 4964-2015

Museo Xul Solar:This is a good small museum constructed in the old house of the painter by the same name. Xul Solar used colorful themes and esoterism along with a variety of weird objects.Laprida 1212. Phone: 4824-3302 Tuesday-Fridays 12-20hs.Fridays 12-19hs.

Museo de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia: Av. Angel Gallardo 470 (Parque Centenario) There you’ll find a huge collection of the natural resourses of Argentina and the Antartic. Mon. to Sat. 2-7 pm. Contact: 4982-5243/5550

Museo de Motivos Argentinos José Hernandez: Av. del Libertador 2373 (Palermo) Full of gauchos artifacts, the history of mate, information about important Argentines from colonial times, and the history of the aborigenies. Wed. to Fri. 1-7 pm. Sat. and Sun. 3-7 pm. Contact: 4802-7294