Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires is a city in Argentina.

Contents

Intro

Buenos Aires, the city that never sleeps, seems to be becoming the next global destination. More and more people from all around the world swarm in to gaze at its beauties and experience it’s addictive lifestyle. Along with this touristy influx, there is obviously the need to have a comprehensive list of information for everyone to have in hand.


CURRENCY

The local currency is the argentine peso and its denomination is the centavo. Currently (February 2010) the rate is about 3,8 pesos to the US dollar and 5,2 pesos to the Euro. You can always check out the correct rate at http://www.xe.com. All prices in Buenos Aires (and the rest of Argentina) are marked with the dollar ($) symbol. This means argentine pesos. If the prices refers to US dollars, it will be marked as U$. In other words:
$50 = 50 argentine pesos
U$50 = 50 US dollars

Buenos Aires has a chronic problem of a lack of coins. Everyone needs coins and nobody has any. Always make sure you have some on you, because you will need them for public transport. If you go to kiosks and shops to ask for change, 99% of the times they will say they don’t have any. So when you buy something and you are asked if you have coins to pay with, simply say no and save yourself the trouble of looking for them when you need them.

GETTING TO BUENOS AIRES

Buenos Aires is used as a node for all travel within Argentina. In other words, the easiest way to get anywhere in Argentina is to get to Buenos Aires first, especially if you travel by plane. There are several ways of reaching the argentine capital and there is a very complete and comprehensive website that contains all the information you need to know: http://www.xcolectivo.com.ar/ .

  • by plane

For flights to and from Buenos Aires you can check a number of websites and airlines:

  1. http://www.dohop.com/
  2. http://www.lan.com/
  3. http://www.iberia.com/
  4. http://www.varig.com/
  5. http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/

Buenos Aires has 2 airports, the Ministro Pistarini (Ezeiza) international airport (http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airport/airportDetails.do?airportCode=EZE )and the Jorge Newbery airport (http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airport/airportDetails.do?airportCode=AEP ). Most of international flights (if not 100% of them) come and go through the Ezeiza airport. On arrival at Ezeiza airport there is a reciprocal fee that some nationalities must pay (http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/) Ezeiza airport is located a bit further outside the city centre and, unfortunately, there is no rail connection between there and the city centre. There are three alternatives to cover that distance.

  1. Taxi: It will cost you aprox $80 - $100. It is the quickest way to get there and back (about half an hour tops), but the airport taxi drivers and notorious to be ripping passengers off in various ways, go to the stands on the outside, dont trust the ones who come and talk to you as you are waking towards the exit.
  2. Private bus service: Manuel Tienda Leon (http://www.tiendaleon.com.ar/prehome.asp ) is a quick and fairly cheap bus service that takes you straight to Retiro, the train and bus terminal point in the centre. It costs $40 and takes about half an hour. You can then ask for a transfer to your hostel, hotel, fellow cser, an it will be about $5
  3. Public bus: Bus number 8 runs the route city center -> Ezeiza airport -> city center. It only costs $2.00, but it takes about two and a half hours, so give yourself plenty of time to get there. It is a reliable bus that passes frequently and is also quite safe. Just make sure that when you take it towards the airport it says in the front AEROPUERTO (because this bus has various branches) and also that you have coins, as it is the only accepted method of paying your fare.
  • by boat

If you are in Uruguay, it is the most common and easy way to get to Buenos Aires. Check out http://www.buquebus.com/, http://www.cacciolaviajes.com/site120109/frame.php or http://www.coloniaexpress.com/ar/default.aspx for pricing, time schedules and contact info.

  • by bus

The most common and widely spread method of traveling within Argentina (or even beyond) is by long-distance buses. Buses all around the world do not have the fame of providing the most comfortable means of getting from A to B, especially when we are talking about distances of hundreds and hundreds of kilometers. In Argentina, however, the long-distance bus services are all privatized and the buses are surprisingly comfortable. A 16–hour journey would actually be done quite comfortably, as all seats in all buses are soft, spacious and reclining. In fact, if you opt for a higher-class seat, it is practically a bed. All bus routes can be accessed through http://www.plataforma10.com. Unfortunately the website is only in Spanish, but it is quite comprehensive, as all you need to do is state your origin and destination of travel and it will immediately provide you with time schedules, pricing and availability. You even have the possibility to buy tickets online. You can also check out which other companies travel from Buenos Aires to different points of the country or even abroad, in the site of the Bus Station (Retiro): http://www.tebasa.com.ar

  • by train

The argentine rail system used to be very good, with access to every single little village. Nowadays, unfortunately, the biggest part of it has been abandoned and the actual functioning lines are limited. You can have a look at the FerroCentral website http://www.ferrocentralsa.com.ar/ for time schedules, pricing and service details of all trains that go in and out of Buenos Aires. This is of course for long distance travel. If you are interested in the Buenos Aires province train lines, you can have a look at http://www.tbanet.com.ar/inicio.asp. The trains are always a much cheaper option than the buses, but they take a significantly longer time and the services are not as frequent, so it depends whether you have the time to spare or not.

  • by car (or motorbike)

It is possible to rent a car at any major city around Argentina, so that is an option as well if you wish to get to Buenos Aires. The cost is typically $200 per day and you do not have distance limits, so you could easily travel around if this is within your budget. Do bear in mind though that Argentina has a lot of main roads that are simple dirt tracks and not the easiest of terrains to drive through. You can check out these two websites:

  • by hitchhiking

As with the rest of the world, in Argentina too hitchhiking is a possibility. Problem is, the closer you are to bigger cities, the more the people are accustomed to living with fear and prejudism, so be prepared for long waits on the side of the motorway until someone picks you up. For the ones of you that have hitchhiked before, it’s all the same, so I won’t go into explaining the DO’s and DONT’s. All I will say is that you CAN travel long distance to get in and out of Buenos Aires, or wherever else in Argentina for that matter. There is a website set up by hitchhikers in the country: http://www.autostopargentina.com.ar. Personally I have never used it, so I cannot comment on it, but it is there if you choose to use it.

  • by bicycle

You got a bike? Hop on it and whiz through the argentine country roads (not allowed on the motorways) and into the big city. Of course it is doable and many people manage it, but remember that people in Argentina don’t exactly drive with proper due care and attention. Within Buenos Aires there are a few cycling paths scattered around, they are being extended but they are still limited and even when they do exist, drivers don’t necessarily respect them. Don’t ride with fear, but be extra extra careful, because they have not discovered the use of turning indicators, lights and brakes yet. As for priority, it is simply claimed by the one who has the biggest car, or the biggest balls.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Public transport within Buenos Aires is quite trustworthy and well spread out around the city. There is a little book that you can buy in any newspaper stand that is called GUIA “T” de Bolsillo. This is a pocket guide that contains information about all bus and subway routes you could possibly need. It mentioned in detail the route that every single bus follows and with a comprehensive, multi-page grid, it helps find exactly which bus you need to take to go where you wish. It also contains useful numbers for practically anything in Buenos Aires. Believe me, if you are staying a few days or more, you need it. Every single resident of the city, argentine or not, has one always with them. If you are more technologically inclined, you can use these websites:

So, having your own, personal guide with you, these are your transportation options:

  • Urban trains

There are several urban trains lines that you can take, usually to leave from the heart of the city and go to the immediate provinces, or as it’s known, Greater Buenos Aires. Those are the Mitre, San Martin and Belgrano lines that you take from RETIRO (map of which you have in this pdf file: http://www.tbanet.com.ar/archivosdescargas/TBA_Mapa_Red.pdf ) and the Roca line that you take from CONSTITUCION (map and timetables included here: http://www.temperleyweb.com.ar/horariosplaza.htm ). The cost varies, but it is always less than a couple of pesos to go anywhere. The frequency of the trains is anything between quarter-hourly and every half hour.

  • Underground (subte)

Even though it serves its purpose and gets you where you want to go fast, avoiding all the traffic, it is the least preferred mean of public transport by most people. To start with, it is very limited. There are 6 lines in the whole city, with a total of 63 stations. Main problem is that 4 lines of those lines are parallel, running horizontally across the city and the other 2 are vertical to the others, but run on the way out east side of the city. So for the approximately 70% of the city’s ground, you would either need to go all the way east with one line and then go back west with the other, or just take the bus. Apart from that, all lines shut all days of the week at about 10.30pm. That is mainly for reasons of safety, which is the third and most important downfall of the subway; most of the pick pocketing takes place down there. So people are very wary of using it and usually try alternatives. The price for each subway ticket is $1.10. You can buy packs of 10 passes, but that does not get you any discount. There is also a magnetic card that you can put money on and use, but that does not get you a discount either. You do not need to pay twice when you change between lines without exiting the station. The subway website is: http://www.metrovias.com.ar.

  • Buses

The bus service grid is very extensive, with lots of lines going to every single corner of the city and usually with high frequency. And it gets better. All buses run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (unless if there is a strike of course). Naturally, during the late night hours the frequency is less, but you can count on your bus arriving sooner or later if you don’t mind waiting. The price change according to the distance, it can be $1.10, $1.20 or $1.25. How to know how much to pay? Tell the driver where you are heading.

  • Taxi and Remis

Taxis or Remis’s (same thing), as in every major city of the world, are everywhere. It will not pick you up if it already has a customer inside. If it is available, it has a little red light on the top left corner of the windscreen, as you see it coming, which says LIBRE. Compared to global standards, taxi fares are cheap here. CAUTION: Never pay with a $100 note. It is one of the most common scams for a taxi driver to take your note and return it, claiming he has no change, so you need to pay with something smaller. What you eventually find out later is that the $100 note is not the one you gave him, but a fake one with which he replaced it. There is a good and relatively cheap taxi service to take you to the airport. You need to call and reserve and it will cost you $52 + tolls.

  • Radio Taxi Pidalo – 4956 1200 & 4932 2220

TOURIST INFORMATION

There are several tourist information centers scattered around the city. You can find the biggest ones at:

  • Recoleta Design Shopping – It is located inside the Recoleta Design Shopping Centre, right next to the exit on the side of the Recoleta cemetery.
  • Abasto Shopping – Inside the big Abasto shopping mall, located at Avenida Corrientes 3247, there is a helpful tourist information centre open from 11am until 9pm.
  • La Boca, Theater de la Rivera – At Pedro de Mendoza 1821 there is a tourist information centre open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10am until 5pm.
  • San Telmo – At Defensa 1250 the tourist information centre is open Mondays through Fridays from 12pm till 6pm and weekends from 11am until 7pm.
  • Retiro, Bus Terminal – Located at avenida Antartida Argentina and Calle 10, open Mondays through Saturdays from 7.30am till 1pm.
  • Puerto Madero – Located at Avenida Alicia Moreau 200, Dock 4, this tourist information centre is open weekdays from 12pm till 6pm and weekends from 10am till 8pm.
  • Florida street – At the heart of the tourist packed pedestrian street, the tourist information centre is open Mondays through Fridays from 9am till 6pm and Saturdays from 9am till 3pm. It’s exact location is the corner of Florida and Roque Saenz Peña.


SIGHTSEEING & PLACES OF INTEREST

While doing the touristy bit, there are many spots and structures that will catch your attention all over the city. We list some of them here, in no particular order.

It is located in Recoleta (duh!), next to the Recoleta Design Shopping Centre. The architecture and detail of the family tombs is truly impressive. Free Tours: - From Tuesday to Sunday: 9:30, 11, 14 y 16 hs. (Spanish) - Tuesday and Thursday : 11 hs. (English) - Wednesday: 11 hs. (Italian) - Friday: 11 hs. (Portugues) The tours are suspended if it rains.

  • Caminito

It is part of the neighborhood of La Boca. A very old part of the city which is known for its multicolored buildings and its tango-related tradition. Saturdays and Sundays are best to visit it, as there are many street artists, tango on the cobbled streets and many restaurants open to satisfy your appetite.

  • San Telmo

The old, traditional neighborhood of Buenos Aires. The architecture of most of the buildings is remarkable and there are many antique stores on either side of the cobble-stone paved streets. On Sundays there is a huge antique and street artist market spread on the whole length of Defensa street, beginning at Plaza De Mayo and ending at Plaza Dorrego. The plaza itself holds a big antique fair, where you can find anything from very old books, to antique furniture.

This is the government’s building, right at the east side of Plaza de Mayo, de central square of Buenos Aires. You can’t possibly miss the large, pink building that has a lot of history to tell.

  • El Obelisco

Like every single city on the planet, Buenos Aires too has it’s phallic symbol. A big obelisk right in the heart of the city, at the junction of avenues 9 de Julio and Corrientes. Great controversy followed the rise of this monument as the people’s opinions regarding its necessity and beauty are divided.

The Boca Juniors football stadium is a must for all football fans that visit this city. Located in the neighborhood of La Boca, tourist swarm in to just have a look at it and take photos, or even to watch a game of the world-famous team.

The football ground of Boca’s big rival, River Plate is another landmark worth seeing. Located in the posh neighborhood of Belgrano is yet another option for football enthusiasts or for anyone with an encyclopedic interest.

This is the city’s most famous modern and contemporary art museum. It holds two exhibitions, one permanent and one that periodically changes. This is not just another museum, but a place that art lovers find fascinating and people that are not that big on art also consider worthwhile. On Wednesdays entrance is free. It is located near the corner of Av. Figueroa Alcorta and Jeronimo Salguero, in the neighborhood of Palermo.

Another art museum located in the heart of Recoleta, right in front of Plaza Francia. Various exhibitions of modern art get displayed in there it is definitely worth a visit. Free entrance.

  • El Ateneo

This is a bookstore that has evolved into a franchise. The most impressive of them all, which is also the biggest, is located on avenida Santa Fe 1860. This used to be an opera which at some point was shut down and eventually converted into the bookstore that it is now. The opera’s structure was maintained 100%. Technically, the singers and spectators were replaced by books! :)

  • Plaza Francia

Buenos Aires is full of parks at every single corner of it. Plaza Francia however, is the most active and interesting of them all. On Sundays especially it is like a big party. There is a big arts & crafts fair surrounding the park. There arepeople playing music in various spots. There is a capoeira group practicing and a percussion group playing not so far from them. There is also a part of the park full of jugglers and juggling equipment if you wish to try your skills, or improve what you already know. Overall, it is a very lively place where it is worth spending a sunny Sunday afternoon.

  • Puerto Madero

The modern, high class side of the city. What used to be the commercial port has now been converted into the rich man’s marina. Many businesses have their offices setup there, all on either side of the canal. Work environment aside, one can have the opportunity to dine in some of the finest (and most expensive) establishments Buenos Aires has to offer.

This fairly unknown museum contains the work of the argentine painter Alejandro Xul Solar. A beautiful collection of his work and is definitely worth visiting.

SPORTS

There are various choices for sports and recreation in Buenos Aires. One could simply put their running shoes on and go for a healthy afternoon in one of the numerous parks for a good run and plain exercise. Otherwise, for something more organized and possibly competitive, the following choices are provide.

  • Ice skating

There is an ice-skating rink in the area of Belgrano. Depending on the day, the closing hours vary, bus whichever day of the week, it would not shut before midnight. Visitors are charged per hour on the rink and the cost is $20. http://www.myway-online.com.ar

  • Capoeira

There are some capoeira groups around the city. I would say it is best to see them play in a roda and then choose if you wish to practice with them or not. On Sundays in Plaza Francia, around 3-4pm there is a regional group that gathers and practices. Also, in Parque Lezama, again on Sundays and around the same time, there is an Angola group playing. http://www.capoeira.com.ar/ http://www.capoeiraorixas.com.ar/ http://www.capoeirasiri.com.ar/ http://www.gangazumbi.com.ar/

  • Circus acting

Circus scene is huge in Buenos Aires. There are many circus schools for all sorts of acts, so if you are interested in joining one, it will be easy to find one. One I have tried and can recommend is at the corner of Independencia and Peru in San Telmo. They have a class on Mondays at 6.30pm so you could go and try it out.

  • Fútbol 5

This is the name used for a mini-football court of 5x5. There are numerous of this spots around the city, so you actually have many options to choose from. All you need to do is gather 3-4 buddies and get to one of the organised spots.

SHOPPING

As in every big metropolitan city, in Buenos Aires too there are several shopping hotspots. There are areas with purpose-specific stores, but if you want to do a bit of the good ol’ browsing and window-shopping, you have the following shopping center options:

  • Florida street

A big pedestrian street in the heart of the city, starting at the top of Plaza de Mayo, filled with shops left and right to shop until you drop. You will find absolutely everything you desire there, but it is a very touristy place. That means the prices are higher than usual and also that it’s the pick pocketer’s favourite hangout. Keep your wits and wallet with you at all times. You have been warned.

A big, fancy shopping mall in Palermo, right next to station BULNES of subway line D. Classy shops, a classy food court and lots & lots of people is what you will find.

Another big shopping center located in the neighborhood of Almagro. You easily arrive there by taking subway line B and getting off at station CARLOS GARDEL.

One of the biggest shopping centres of south America is located just outside the heart of the city, in Martinez. With buses number 60 or 130 (there are more, but those two are the easiest to spot around the city) you will be there in no time.

A very nicely designed shopping centre in the heart of Palermo. Located at av. Figueroa Alcorta and Jeronimo Salguero 3172.

A classy shopping centre which used to be the mansion of a wealthy family and used for auctions, it was renovated but still remaining with its neoclassical architecture. It is located in Recoleta, on av. Libertador, between Libertad and Montevideo streets. Open all days from 10am till 9pm.

  • Spinetto

One of the smallest, but of the oldest shopping centres of Argentina. It is located in the neighborhood of Once, on Matheu 256.

If you are looking for shopping on the supermarket level, there are big supermarkets scattered everywhere around the city, even within all these shopping centres. The biggest ones being COTO, CAREFOUR, JUMBO, DISCO, VEA are also the more expensive ones. There are many smaller supermarkets, practically on every block of the city, usually owned by Chinese people, hence the reason why those mini-markets are referred to as “chinos”. Then, there is also a china-town, if that is your thing. It spans over a total of approximately 6 blocks, beginning at the corner of Libertador and Juramento in Belgrano.

  • Music Instruments

If you are looking for anything music related, you need to go to Talcahuano street. All of Talcahuano, between Corrientes and Rivadavia, it is full of music stores. Have a look at the map here: http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff336/capoeiristagr/musicmap.jpg

WHERE TO EAT

Argentina is world-widely known for its high-quality meat and there is an endless variety of restaurants to try it in. We have compiled here a list of websites and suggestions to make your life easier.


If you are in the mood for delivery:

CINEMAS

You have plenty cinemas all around the city. Small ones and big complex.


You can find out what to watch here:

http://www.terra.com.ar/carteleracine/

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/cartelera-cine/index.asp

http://www.villagecines.com/

http://www.cinemark.com.ar/


If you’re looking for independent films, check out:

http://www.cinevivo.com.ar/home/?tpl=home

http://www.elreverso.com.ar

http://www.malba.org.ar/web/cine.php?subseccion=programacion_diaria

http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/agenda/contenido.php?menu_id=18240

THEATERS

The full guide of what's going on in the theatres is here:

http://www.alternativateatral.com/

NIGHTLIFE

Ok, so we have reached one of the most extensive sections of this document. In case you don't know it, Buenos Aires is known as the "city that never sleeps". In fact, you don't have to sleep either if you don't really want to, as there are ALWAYS things to do. In this list we will try to enter as many worthwhile places to go as possible. Obviously, this list could be endless, but we will be trying to be updating it everytime something new and groovy is discovered.

  • Peñas
A Peña is a traditional argentine restaurant where one can enjoy good food, good wine and good folklore music.
  • El Empujon del Diablo - One of my favourite peñas in Buenos Aires. It is a peña in the style of the province of Salta, hence the wine and recipes that are from that part of the country. There is live music every single night, for which you will be charged something around $10. You do have the option to sit in a different section though and you do not have to pay. The place is gorgeous, the music wonderful and the people, both owners and customers, are all very friendly. A HUGE recommendation.
  • Nightclubs


  • Bars

Some bar reviews: http://baresdebuenosaires.blogspot.com/

Palermo Hollywood:

  • Sonoman. Good drinks and good music (if you are into rock). Fitz Roy 1655. http://www.sonoman-restoranbar.com.ar/
  • El Carnal. A wide variety of drinks, a beatiful terrace. Chill out music in general, except on fridays, when it's reggae night. Niceto Vega 5511 (right in front of Niceto Club). http://www.carnalbar.com.ar/
  • Tiki Bar. Hawaiian like bar. Niceto Vega 5507.

Plaza Serrano:

  • Crónico. One of the chepeast bars in the area. And this is not a very cheap area. J. L. Borges 1646. http://cronicobar.com/
  • Utopía. The bar con the most inexpensive beer around the square. Serrano 1590.
  • Prólogo. Not so cheap, but with a large variety of beers. Serrano 1580.
Also in Palermo, you give a try to handcraft beer, in Antares. Armenia 1447. http://www.cervezaantares.com/base.html

Abasto:

  • El Imaginario. Cultural bar, with expositions, and bands playing. In the corner of Bulnes and Guardia Vieja.

http://www.imaginariocultural.com.ar/

  • Hidden Gems

LIVE ACT VENUES

There is live music for all tastes in Buenos Aires and there is something to see every night of the week. Here we will recommend some of the ones you should most probably not miss out on.

  • La Bomba de Tiempo - This is our Monday addiction. An incredible percussion group graces our ears with their energetic, african (and not only) rhythms. Every single Monday of the year, in the KONEX centro cultural at Sarmiento 3131. Ticket costs $15 and the show starts punctually at 20.00. Be there a little bit earlier to avoid the huge queue. You will always find a group of CouchSurfers in front of the entrance on the other side of the road, with a bottle of beer in hand to welcome you. Believe us when we say that if you are in Buenos Aires YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS AT LEAST ONCE!!! So go ahead and shake every part of your body to the crazy beats, coz MONDAY IS FUNDAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

DAY TRIPS

There are a number of options of you wish to escape the city early morning and return in the evening. Most of those options would be dependent on weather permitting, but being in Argentina, it is highly unlikely that the weather will be bad enough to stop you from going where you want.

  • La Plata

A small city in the south of Buenos Aires, only 40 kilometers away. You can go by bus, train or rent a car if you wish. It’s a graphic, beautiful little place where you can easily spend a few pleasant hours.

  • Tigre

Get the train (Tigre line) from Retiro and go to Tigre for the day. Have a walk through it’s small, residential streets and then catch the boat to have a ride through all the little islands of the river. On some of those islands there are organized camping sites if you wish to stay there for the night, or more. When the weather is good, it’s a gorgeous place to spend a quiet weekend in.

  • San Isidro

This is one of the high-class neighborhoods of Greater Buenos Aires. Catch the Belgrano train line from Retiro, get off at San Isidro and have a walk around. You will be amazed by the difference in the way of life between there and any other area of Buenos Aires.


RENTAL ACCOMMODATION

In Buenos Aires you have two different types of renting:


1) By contract, is the cheaper, you need a 'warranty' and it's a 2 years contract.

The "warranty" for the rent is the title of ownership of a property that supports the rent in case you don't pay it. 90% of the times they ask you a Capital Federal warranty only.

Before accepting your warranty, the real state agency makes an analysis of the title (that you pay) to check if it was previously used in other rents, etc.

Sometimes they ask that you have a family relationship with the owner of the warranty. Sometimes they request two warranty. It depends on the real state agency and the craziness of the property owner, really.

There are some places which offers warranty if you have a legal income and you can demonstrate how much you earn > http://www.monclair.com.ar/Garantias/que%20es.htm

There are people who also "sell" the warranty, offering the property title to several people in exchange of money. But sometimes it doesnt work because it doesn't pass the analysis done for the real state agency and it's rejected. That's why is risky to buy a warranty.


2) Temporary rent, way more expensive (and used for those who cannot find a warranty, even if they are not foreigners).

Pay attention that some of the prices are monthly, some of them are weekly. You will have to add the commission of the real state agency to the price you find. It's all negotiable, but usually it's the 10% of your monthly rent. Some apartments (really depends on the deal you make and how long you will stay) will ask one extra month of payment that they will give you back when you leave. I have heard that some owners tell you that you cannot let in other people into the apartment. That's bullshit, I haven't read a single law in BA allowing that. Feel free to complain! Try to find an argentinian speaker friend to talk with the real state agency and make the deal


Here are some links where you can start searching:

SPANISH LEARNING

There are many institutes where you can find a spanish course. Some of them, are:


If you're interested in private lessons you could try to find a teacher in classified websites such as Craigslist or Oxl.

TANGO DANCING & MORE

As most people that come to Buenos Aires want to learn and dance tango, we list some that you can try out. There are a couple of pages that have extensive lists of milongas (the name of the bars where you can dance tango) such as:

Instead of just going through a huge list, not knowing which one to choose, we will reccomend some that have been tried and tested:

Located at Av. Corrientes 2140, it is known to be one of the good places to take a class, with good teachers. Price should be $10 per person.

  • Buenos Aires Club

You can find this one in San Telmo, on Peru 571. One of the most atmospheric milongas I have personally visited, with great teachers and a relaxed bunch of people. The class I go to is on Wednesdays. Starts at 9pm, costs $12 and this includes the live music show that goes on after the class. You'll love it!

  • La Catedral de Tango

The name says it all. It is, to me, the most beautifully decorated space in Buenos Aires. Located at Sarmiento 4006, in the residential neighborhood of Almagro, it's got tango classes Monday through Saturday. Usually the class starts around 21.30, but give them a call to make sure. After dancing, dig in to the delicious food that only this place offers.

A good place to have your first steps in the world of tango. Located in Palermo at Armenia 1366, it's a busy place for dancing. Big space, but usualy waaaay too crowded and can get annoying at times.

  • FOLKLORE

Apart from tango, argentine folklore is also something that you should definitely try out. Best place is have your starting steps at dancing folklore is at:

  • La Catedral de Tango

Apart from the tango lessons, sundays are folklore nights with the class starting at 9.30pm and live music by various artists (main one being Semilla - http://www.myspace.com/semillafolklore ) starting at 11pm. Great atmoshpere, great music, great people.

JOB SEARCHING

If you decide you want to stay in Buenos Aires for a fair while and you want to get a job, there are various places to look in.

  • http://buenosaires.en.craigslist.org/ - Craig's list is a classic for job huting. There are many categories to browse through and many job offers for people who do not speak spanish.
  • http://www.zonajobs.com.ar/ - This is a very well organised website for you to look for a job. Register, fill in your CV details and start applying. Downside is that it does not allow you to upload your CV. You need to enter everything manually online. It take a while but it's worth the hassle.
  • http://www.bumeran.com.ar/ - Same as the previous one. As good and with the same downside.
  • http://www.universobit.com/ - This one is for informatics related jobs. Big database of positions for all techies out there.
  • http://www.opcionempleo.com.ar/ - This is an employment search engine for Argentina, Spain and all Latin America. It allows you to search a growing selection of jobs listed on company sites as well as jobsites in one go saving you the trouble of having to go to each site individually.
  • http://www.adlatina.com.ar/ - The heaven for media, marketing, advertising jobs related.
  • http://www.computrabajo.com.ar/ - a local version of craigslist.

Or you can try the good ol' "get out on the streets and start knocking on doors". :)

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

We do hope that you will never need this part of the information we provide, but it’s best to be prepared just in case things do not go quite as planned.
Emergency numbers:

  • Police – 911 4370 5911 (or just 911)
  • Medical Emergencies – 4923 1051 / 8 (or just 107)
  • Poisoning center – 0800 333 0160

Embassies:

Local CS Ambassadors: NOTE: The contact details of the local CS Ambassadors are to be used for extreme emergencies ONLY, such as:

  1. For whichever serious reason you chose to leave your host's house in a rush in the middle of the night.
  2. You have just arrived in the city, your host has not shown up at the pre-arranged meeting point, he/she is non-contactable and you have no idea where to go.
  3. You were robed out of everything you own and you do not know what to do.
  4. You were in an accident of some sort and you need assistance.

As long as these are the cases, those people are available for you 24/7. PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR USERNAME WHEN CALLING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS.

  • TO BE UPDATED
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