Jewish tour of Buenos Aires

Jewish Tour of Buenos Aires

An in-depth historical tour of Jewish life in the country from the formation of the Argentine state to the present.

Argentina is home to Latin America’s largest Jewish population, with a community of around 240,000, whose history goes back to the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions when Jews fled to Argentina to escape persecution. During the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century, the Argentine Republic underwent unique and far-reaching changes. One of them was the growth of its population (due to immigration from Eastern and Western European countries sponsored by the Argentine government) in such a magnitude that it quadrupled the numbers of its inhabitants in forty-five years. In turn, this increase was made under conditions that substantially modified its composition in proportions that have not changed until today. Today, Buenos Aires is an international hub of Jewish life and boasts a sophistication that is unmatched in South America.

This comprehensive tour is an exploration through Buenos Aires districts that reveals landmarks and institutions of a vibrant Jewish heritage. Lead by experienced guides, this Jewish Tour of Buenos Aires is an unique learning experience that educates visitors about Jewish life in the country from the formation of the Argentine state to the present.

What will I experience?

Jewish Quarter and the Garment District

Begin with a scenic drive through the vibrant neighborhood of Once (Buenos Aires’ most important garment district) an exciting opportunity for immersion in a fascinating religious and cultural experience.

The growth of the population in the city and the urban modifications of the time meant that by 1910 the Jewish presence began to move from east to west, towards the neighborhood popularly called “Once”, named after the September 11 train terminal located in the neighborhood. The Garment District is home to a number of well-known designers, their production facilities, warehouses, showrooms, and suppliers of fabric and materials.

Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe as well as Sephardim from the Middle East settled in Once neighborhood along with its institutions, synagogues, retail stores and best kosher restaurants of Buenos Aires.

Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA)

Founded in 1894, A.M.I.A’s initial mission was to promote the well-being and development of Jewish life in Argentina and to secure the continuity and values of the Jewish community. A.M.I.A soon became the place where Jewish people could come together and participate in Jewish life. Tragically, a terrorist bombing on A.M.I.A in 1994, killed 84 people and left the facility destroyed. The center was re-built in 1999, featuring an original Agam memorial monument to the Victims of the AMIA Bombing 1994 by the Israeli artist Yaacov Agam.

Today, AMIA continues offering responses in employment, childhood, the elderly, youth, care for vulnerable families, disabilities, education, youth, community burials, culture, and support to Jewish communities throughout Argentina.

Paso Synagogue (Ashkenazi Traditional)

The Great Paso Temple is one of the most beautiful in all of South America. The first Talmud Torah (house of religious studies) of the City of Buenos Aires was located here, founded in 1894. Its imposing construction, a historical heritage of the city, was erected in 1929 and contemplates the most beautiful Ashkenazi iconography from which its founders originated.

Gran Templo Paso is a vibrant, intense and thriving community experience, Modern Orthodox oriented, open and friendly.

Shoah Museum of Buenos Aires

The Holocaust Museum of Buenos Aires has re-opened to the public after a two-year refurbishment. It hosts groundbreaking exhibits, most notably “Dimensions in Testimony,” a curated, interactive experience—already showing at select museums around the world—where visitors can virtually engage with survivors of the Shoah.

The Buenos Aires Shoah Museum, the only of its kind in Latin America, serves as a museum, memorial and moral reminder by telling the story of the Holocaust and its impact in Argentina and wider South America.

Under the motto, ‘To remember is to avoid repeating history,’ the foundation’s mission is to keep the memory of the Holocaust present, honor those lost and to serve as a poignant reminder of the atrocities that can stem from racism and xenophobia.

Nazi Artifacts

In 2019 the museum took custody of the largest collection of Nazi artifacts to ever be discovered in Argentina. A collector in Buenos Aires was discovered to have more than 70 Nazi artifacts in a house raid. The items were most likely brought to Argentina by Nazis escaping to Argentina to avoid prosecution in Germany after World World II. The collector faced criminal charges for having possession of items of illegal origin.

The museum also has a library of over three thousand volumes of Holocaust-related literature in Spanish, German, Yiddish, and Polish.

Libertad synagogue and the Jewish museum of Buenos Aires

The Libertad synagogue was founded in 1862. In 1932 with an influx of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, the congregation built a new building. Today it is recognized as a historical monument by the city of Buenos Aires- and houses a museum and a Kosher restaurant.

The Israeli Embassy Memorial Plaza

This is the last stop of our tour. The Israeli Embassy Memorial Plaza in Buenos Aires recalls in stone the void left by a terrorist attack. At 14.45 on March 17, 1992, a powerful bomb shattered the building of the Israel Embassy in Buenos Aires, taking the lives of 29 people.

On 20 November 2007, a memorial was inaugurated on the site of the former embassy. A marble monument, a replica of the column of the original embassy building, stands today in the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, in memory of those who died who died on that fateful day in 1992, bearing the verse of the prophet Amos:  “I will raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old.”

*This tour is available during week days except for Jewish holidays. The duration of this tour is 4 hours.

Don’t miss this one in a lifetime opportunity of an in-depth discovery experience of immersion into an ancient culture living in the modern times and very best of Jewish Buenos Aires.

BOOK NOW 

 

READ MORE

JEWISH HERITAGE TRAVEL TO SOUTH AMERICA

Libertad Synagogue in Buenos Aires

Libertad Synagogue in Buenos Aires

Libertad Synagogue enjoys a vibrant history in Buenos Aires City dating back to the early 1800s and it is proud of its rich and well-documented past.

 

The history of Argentinean Jewry begins with a legend: the story tells that by the end of 1862, on the occasion of the High Holidays, the first minyan in Buenos Aires was gathered. Even though its members had been anonymous, they were responsible for putting down the roots of the communal life in Argentina, and as a result of their initiative some years later the Israelite Congregation of Argentina (CIRA) was founded.  

The origins of a Jewish quarter and Libertad Synagogue

At the beginning of the 19th century, the present-day Lavalle square  was a vacant lot that became important due to the installation of the Artillery Park. Around 1857, with the inauguration of the train station in the place where the Colon Theater is located today, the landscape was transformed until it became an important center of urban circulation. Plaza Lavalle was one of the most attractive spots for recently arrived Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe.

In 1895, 62% of the Jews lived in the area limited by Lavalle, Viamonte, Libertad and Talcahuano streets. It was there that the first ethnic restaurants, libraries, precarious workshops arose, and the Yiddish press took its initial steps. In this vibrant environment, the Israelite Congregation (CIRA) stood out, established in 1862 by a small group of Jewish immigrants of French, German and English origin. Its temple, erected in 1897 on Libertad street, was the first in the city. During the festivities, the tall galleys of the men of the Congregation mixed with the caps of the humblest.


As a result of the wide range of Jewish immigrants who arrived in the country between 1920 and 1930, there was a need to broaden the goals of the organization and also to enlarge the facilities of the synagogue. Thus, in 1932, the new building was founded.

About the stunning architecture of Libertad Synagogue

Its cornerstone is from 1897 but the current headquarters belongs to a new building built in 1932.

The work could be carried out thanks to the important economic contribution of the Austrian businessman Max Glücksmann, who lived in Argentina for work, in part, due to his activity as a representative of the German record company Odeón. His passion for music and his cultivated knowledge of architecture were the reason why Glücksmann worked closely on the design of the synagogue together with the commissioned architect Alejandro Enquin, with whom they shared the same taste and constructive interests.

In the Jewish liturgy, music is one of the key elements. That is why Glücksmann insisted that the ceiling be vaulted to achieve outstanding acoustics that would allow one to enjoy the sound of the tubular organ that he had installed in 1931: a spectacular German Walker-brand instrument that today is one of the three that survive in the world, due to because the others were destroyed by Nazism during World War II.

With an austere aesthetic, the style of the work ranges from Romanesque to Byzantine with one foot set in Art Deco, the quintessential architectural style of the time. There is a great influence from the synagogues of northern France and southern Germany. The semicircular Roman arch is the main element that is repeated throughout the construction. Even at the base of the chandelier – in Romanesque style – that crowns the space, the arches are also repeated.

 

The synagogue has been named a historical monument by the city government.

 The facilities include a museum that addresses the history of the community, exhibits of a diverse range of items related to Judaism, a kosher restaurant, and of course, the synagogue. Within the synagogue two Conservative minyanim are carried out, one traditional and one egalitarian.

We invite you to attend the Kabbalat Shabbat services of the egalitarian minyan every Friday of the year at 7:30 p.m. The daily trades take place in the auxiliary temple, you can send us an email to check the updated schedules.

 

Keep in mind that for security reasons, it is necessary to present an original passport or ID at the time of admission.

Jewish Museum of Buenos Aires “Salvador Kibrick”

The museum was the first of its kind in Latin America and is located next to Argentina’s first synagogue in Calle Libertad, in the old Jewish neighborhood.

The museum was founded in 1967 by Doctor Salvador Kibrick, member of the Congregación Israelita de la República Argentina. He was the first person to donate personal objects to the collection, including torah scrolls, siddurim, paintings, religious objects, old books, coins, and mezuzot.

The Jewish museum of Buenos Aires narrates the stories of the immigrants, our traditions and the Jewish colonies. Committed to transmit what is characteristic of the Jewish people, we present an interactive tour through a permanent collection in constant dialogue with the present aiming to create a link between the exhibition and interpretation.

The museum is open Mondays through Fridays from 10am to 6pm. It’s mandatory to present your original passport upon entry. Photocopies and digital photographs will not be accepted.

If you want to book a Jewish tour in Buenos Aires with a private local guide, contact us and we will customize a tour that will be meaningful and unforgettable.

CONTACT US 

 

READ MORE

JEWISH HERITAGE TRAVEL TO SOUTH AMERICA

Best Atacama Desert luxury hotels: a review of San Pedro de Atacama’s top lodges

Best Atacama Desert luxury hotels: a review of San Pedro de Atacama’s top lodges

A couple of years ago, the Atacama Desert was an unknown destination for many travelers. Accessible only to backpackers and the most adventurous explorers, this unique place, a desert between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains, was a hidden gem. It is full of oases where it bursts, both in the fertile river valleys and in the semi-arid Altiplano thousands of meters above sea level. Add to the mix the tallest volcano on the planet, the tallest geysers, the oldest mummies, and the clearest skies, you have a recipe for an epic adventure. Its growing popularity among the world’s most discerning travelers stems from the arrival of luxury accommodations in the area that offer a combination of world-class comfort and active adventure.

While you can’t go wrong at any of the high-end hotels reviewed here (Explora, Tierra, Awasi and Alto), people often ask me which one is the best. It is not the same if you travel as a couple, if you travel as a family or if you travel alone exploring the region. Each hotel has its characteristics, facilities and program that make it attractive for those who travel as a family or as a couple. Read on to learn the differences between the best luxury accommodations in the Atacama Desert in Chile.

AWASI: A LUXURY HOTEL WITH PRIVATE EXPLORATIONS AND BEST CUISINE

Awasi is a collection of three small luxury lodges that offer all-inclusive private programs in South America’s most iconic destinations ( Awasi Atacama desert, Awasi Iguazu falls  and Awasi Patagonia in Torres del Paine). Rather than having large facilities and common areas, they have gone for privacy and intimacy as their driving attributes.

What makes Awasi Atacama different from other hotels in Atacama?

  • Small luxury lodge with just 12 rooms
  • Private guide and 4WD for each room
  • Located in the village of San Pedro Atacama
  • Best chef – Relais & Chateaux-quality cuisine
  • An exclusive experience with a focus on privacy and solitude

    Awasi Atacama is located in the heart of charming San Pedro de Atacama town and it is a small property with just 12 rooms made in the local adobe fashion and with all the comforts and pleasures of a five-star experience. One private guide and a 4WD are assigned to each room, resulting in tailor-made excursions.

    Having a private guide and vehicle during your stay allow guests to build your trip excursions around your interests. No matter which excursions you choose, having a private guide allows you to experience the area at your own pace – you never have to worry about slowing others down or wishing things would speed up in a group setting. Plus, San Pedro de Atacama sits in high altitude with many excursions taking you higher, so a private vehicle can whisk guests back to the hotel at a moment’s notice if the altitude is taking its toll.

Bear in mind that the hotel offers free WiFi in the main building only. The therapists offer massages, reiki and other treatments at the hotel but there is no Spa.

As a Relais and Chateaux hotel, it should come as no surprise that the cuisine is really fabulous. Meals are served in a beautifully-designed indoor/outdoor space that feels exceedingly private and plush.It definitely offers a more private and quiet experience and so would suit those that are after these elements on their trip.

If you are thinking of traveling the last two weeks of December, we strongly recommend booking a year in advance. Awasi fills up far in advance, so it’s never too early to talk to our trip specialists   about a trip to this ultra-luxurious setting.

EXPLORA ATACAMA: HOTEL WITH A WIDE RANGE OF CAREFULLY DESIGNED EXPLORATIONS

Explora lodge in Atacama is an all-inclusive lodge. It is located near San Pedro de Atacama, on the beautiful Ayllu de Larache, once inhabited by ancient Atacameño families. Because of their early investment in the area, Explora offers crafted excursions that are completely exclusive to their guests. The company owns the Puritama Hot Springs, for example, giving guests access to their own pool, and can take trekkers into otherwise off-limits areas in the Moon Valley (two of the region’s top attractions). And for high-altitude treks up the side of volcanoes, Explora is the only way to go.

What makes Explora Atacama different from other hotels in Atacama?

  • Exclusive excursions to Puritama Hot Springs, Moon Valley, and Tatio Geyser
  • Best choice for horseback riding (only lodge with their own stables)
  • Widest range of crafted tours (trekking, horseback riding, biking, drives)
  • Exceptional service and highly trained guides

talk to our trip specialists for more details, and be sure to ask about the special offers for honeymooners and multi-destination travelers if either those sound like you.

ALTO ATACAMA: BEST HOTEL FOR STARGAZING

Alto Atacama is a little further out of town than other properties in the area, 2 miles or a 10-minute drive from San Pedro de Atacama and very close to the Pukara de Quitor, a pre-Inca fortress. Settled in a quiet valley, surrounded by terracotta-colored mountains, it has been built with local materials to blend in with its natural environment and the typical Atacameño construction style.

What makes ALTO Atacama different from other hotels in Atacama?

  • Best hotel for stargazing – unique observatory experience + personal terraces for private viewing
  • Great for history lovers and those looking to learn more about the region
  • Unique location near archeological ruins and the Cordillera de la Sal mountain range
  • All of the hotel’s 42 rooms come with a private terrace.
  • Spa with 6 open-air swimming pools, indoor and outdoor jacuzzi, sauna and steam bath.
  • Restaurant serves a changing menu prepared with organic locally sourced ingredients

His excursions are designed to take you through the extensive history of the Atacama region, beginning with the oldest ruins and rock formations. Its spa is also a welcoming oasis, and a new “spa excursion” is popular with guests looking to spend a day on the grounds.

If you are drawn to the desert for the crystal clear night skies, Alto is the place to be. the lodge has an observatory where you can gaze at the stars on revolving loungers while enjoying a hot drink. Your on-site astronomer will give you a guided tour of the Milky Way, and Alto’s purpose-built property ensures near-zero light pollution.

HOTEL WITH BEST SPA: TIERRA ATACAMA

With so many great hotels up in this region of Chile, it is difficult to pick an out and out winner as each offer something different.

Tierra Atacama is a lodge recognized for its spa facilities and services. It has a heated indoor pool in addition to its outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, and spa treatments that use local elements such as volcanic mud, desert herbs, and lithium-rich salts. The spa and pool are excellent options after a long day of trekking or horseback riding. It also has many facial and body treatments that can be reserved in advance.

What makes ALTO Atacama different from other hotels in Atacama?

  • Best spa and widest range of spa services
  • Beautiful views of Licancabur volcano
  • Yoga classes on an outdoor platform
  • Outdoor fire pits and plenty of places to lounge

Another Tierra highlight is the view: Many of the rooms and common areas face a stellar view of Licancabur, the most impressive volcano in the region. The interior common spaces have a modern aesthetic but are smaller and less spacious than Explora’s, so if you’re visiting Chile during the winter months (June to August) it may feel a bit cramped due to Tierra’s popularity.

Tierra also has a great variety of local wines, and the chefs are experts at integrating local ingredients (some straight from Tierra’s gardens) into the kitchen.

Like Explora, Tierra will sometimes include up to two nights free in Santiago if you’re making your way to one or more of their lodges, which can help take some of the stress off the timeline and budget. You can get even more value if you visit more than one Tierra location—they’re the only lodge with a location in Chiloe, a lush contrast to the Atacama Desert. If you’re traveling as a family, two apartments on the property are perfect for groups looking to sprawl in their own space.

Since the lodge fills up fast, it’s best to check on availability with one of our trip specialists.

READ MORE

BEST OF CHILE ATACAMA DESERT

Best of Chile’s Atacama Desert

BEST OF CHILE’S ATACAMA DESERT

What is so special about Atacama Desert?

The Atacama Desert in Chile is a unique and stunning destination that offers a range of outdoor activities and experiences.

Chile’s Atacama Desert, the driest nonpolar desert on Earth, stretches across a roughly 600-mile (1,000 kilometers) tract of land wedged between the coastal Cordillera de la Costa mountain range and the Andes Mountains. The driest desert in the world is a territory of vast horizons, without shadows, where tourism coexists with avant-garde astronomical projects. San Pedro de Atacama is the capital and starting point to explore its lunar valleys, geysers, salt flats, a sacred volcano and a lagoon where it is possible to float like in the Dead Sea, under an always blue pre-altiplano sky.

San Pedro de Atacama: the town

San Pedro de Atacama is the most visited tourist destination in the country. The popularity of this adobe town stems from its position in the heart of some of northern Chile’s most spectacular scenery. However, before there were luxury hotels there and Caracoles Street was home to as many tourists as Fifth Avenue, Atacama was a cult destination for unconventional travelers, romantic and adventurous hippies. And, in part, it still is. Only now the segment has widened to the point that this desolate portion of northern Chile, pure excess of salt, volcanoes and cracked earth, receives more tourists than Easter Island and Torres del Paine.

Old, hot and dry

The Atacama is the oldest desert on Earth and has experienced semiarid conditions for roughly the past 150 million years/ Scientists estimate that the desert’s inner core has been hyper arid for roughly 15 million years, thanks to a combination of unique geologic and atmospheric conditions in the area.

The Atacama is tucked in the shadow of the snow-capped Andes Mountains, which block rainfall from the east. To the west, the upwelling of cold water from deep in the Pacific Ocean promotes atmospheric conditions that hamper the evaporation of seawater and prevent the formation of clouds and rain.

In other deserts around the world, like the Sahara, the mercury can soar above 130 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius). But temperatures in the Atacama are comparatively mild throughout the year. The average temperature in the desert is about 63 degrees F (18 degrees C).

Geologic wonderland

Much of the Atacama Desert’s core is caked in thick salt deposits called playas, which can stretch for miles and are nearly half a meter thick (1.6 feet) in some places. The desert is speckled with stones that have been carried across the playas by powerful wind gusts. Alluvial fans, which are large, fan-shaped sediment deposits, connect the desert plateau with the mountains that surround it and suggest that water once flowed from the Andes into the desert.

The Atacama also features a 435-mile-long (700 km) and 12-mile-wide (20 km) swath of desert known as the nitrate belt. Nitrate minerals can be found in everything from explosives to fertilizer and were mined extensively in the Atacama before the 1930s.

Traditionally scraped from the desert’s crusty surface or mined from rocky veins, nitrates were initially thought to be carried to the desert by wind-swept sea spray. Recently, scientists discovered that one of the sources for the desert’s “white gold” might be ancient, evaporated groundwater.

Other materials, such as lithium, copper and iodine, have also been mined nearby.

Our top recommendations for the best attractions and places to visit in Atacama:

  • Star gazing: With some of the clearest skies in the world, the Atacama Desert is a popular destination for stargazing and astronomical observation. Visitors can go on guided tours or visit one of the many observatories in the area.
  • Moon Valley: This moon-like landscape features otherworldly rock formations, sand dunes, and canyons, offering a unique and breathtaking experience for visitors. The circuit goes from the Quebrada de Cari, the salt caves –not suitable for claustrophobic people– and the Duna Mayor, ideal for climbing in the late afternoon, to the Tres Marías formation.
  • Geysers del Tatio: This geyser field is one of the largest in the world and is an incredible sight to behold. Visitors can take a guided tour and witness the geysers erupting at sunrise.
  • Salt flats: The Atacama Desert is home to several vast salt flats, including the Salar de Atacama, which is one of the largest salt flats in the world. These stunning landscapes are ideal to explore and capture stunning photographs.
  • Hot springs: The Atacama Desert is home to several hot springs, including the popular Puritama Hot Springs. Visitors can soak in the warm, mineral-rich waters and enjoy the scenic surroundings.
  • Cejar Lagoon and Piedra Lagoon: The Cejar lagoon is part of a hydrological basin caused by an accumulation of salts. The most curious thing is that, in the midst of this saline material (with a high toxic content), abundant swampy vegetation grew, called a bofedal. These reed beds, wild straw and pitch are enough to house small families of flamingo, ducks and seagulls.
  • Bird Watching: Chaxa Lagoon is located in the eastern sector of the Atacama salt flat. It is the largest lithium reserve on the planet. But the reason everyone goes there is to get a meal of altiplano birds. There is the Chilean flamingo, the small parina and the great parina and at certain times of the year the Puna plovers, the eaglet, the Andean gull and the Baird’s sandpiper also arrive.
  • Sandboarding and dune buggies: The Atacama Desert is known for its vast sand dunes, which provide a thrilling and unique experience for adventure-seekers.
  • Explore San Pedro de Atacama: The largest oasis in the Atacama desert has a stable population of five thousand inhabitants, almost the same number of dogs that roam among the adobe houses, a colonial church of brilliant white and, paradoxically, one of the most expensive square meters in Chile in its most sparsely populated region with the fewest services.
  • Cultural tours: The Atacama Desert is also home to several indigenous communities, including the Atacameños, who have lived in the area for thousands of years. Gain knowledge about the history, traditions, and way of life of these communities.

These are just a few of the many activities and experiences available in the Atacama Desert and that can be done daily from San Pedro de Atacama. Whether you are looking for adventure, relaxation, or cultural experiences, the Atacama Desert has something to offer for everyone.

How to get from Santiago de Chile to San Pedro de Atacama

Sky Airline, LATAM Chile and JetSMART fly from Santiago to Calama every 2 hours. Alternatively, Pluss Chile operates a bus from Santiago to Calama hourly. (The bus takes 22 hours). A shuttle can be arranged ahead of time for transport from the Calama airport to your accommodations in San Pedro de Atacama, which takes just over an hour.

If you plan to travel…

  • The Atacama Desert is a very popular destination. If your dates are not flexible and you plan to travel in the high season (especially the last two weeks of December and the first week of January), book your accommodations one year in advance if you can only travel during that time.
  • The desert sun burns even if it is cloudy. Dark sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen are essential. A flashlight is also useful.
  • In San Pedro there is no bank, but there are three ATMs. In any case, it is advisable to carry cash in Chilean pesos.
  • Although it is a desert and it is very hot, at night it is very cold. Take a lot of warm clothes.

Remember planning a memorable vacation is more than a few quick clicks online. Contact us  and our local travel experts will help you plan so you don’t have to worry about the details yourself.

 

READ MORE

BEST ATACAMA DESERT LUXURY HOTELS: A REVIEW OF SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA’S TOP LODGESMA

What is an Estancia?

What is an Estancia?

The word estancia is widely used in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and in the south of Chile to refer to a vast agricultural area, it is quite similar to the notion of ranch in North America. But is it not quite the same.

A little bit of history will be helpful for you to understand the meaning of an authentic estancia in Argentina. 

The first ranches and farms (farms are much smaller than ranches), appeared in Argentina in the 16th century, during the Spanish colonization. The conquerors and explorers were rewarded with large tracts of land. They accepted these lands as “payment” for their efforts.

The lots from the farms were used for agriculture, while the lots from the ranches specialized in breeding. The lots of the stays had to measure at least half a league by a league and a half, which is about 2025 hectares of land. This area was calculated so that between 800 and 1,000 cows fed on natural pastures, which is equivalent to about 2 to 2.5 hectares per animal. But some ranches reached 250,000 hectares.

Originally, the Pampa estancias were used to raise sheep for wool, but also cows for meat, fat and tallow. Tallow, a residual product obtained from the melting of animal fat, was used to make soap to clean, but also to soften and waterproof leather.

From generation to generation, these territories remained within the same families by inheritance, making Argentina a great land of great landed aristocrats. Those aristocrats are very known families in Argentina and they still own many estancias.

Those lands, recently occupied by the Creoles since the 18th century, were still inhabited by different indigenous tribes such as the Tehuelches, the Mapuches and the Araucanians. But the Indians began to fight to defend their land so the ranchers had to resist their regular attacks, building huge wells and placing cannons around their properties.

Throughout the colonial period, the farms were more numerous than the ranches, but from 1820 things were reversed. In fact, in those days large export and breeding farms were developed in the country. Around 1850, ranchers had to acquire the entire Argentine countryside, modernizing barbed wire facilities and corrals, buying sheep shearing machines, building stables…

From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, the phenomenon was reversed again. Through the sale of lots and the succession of inheritances, the lands were divided and the size of the estancias was reduced. In order to get as much profit as possible from their farms, these large landowners began to hire gauchos (Argentine cowboys), giving them the opportunity to gradually settle down by allowing them to use their land in exchange for a share of the crops produced on their land.

Since then, the rancher has been in charge of accounting and marketing, while the gaucho has been in charge of production and later receives a part of the profits; half, a third or a quarter following the contracts. Likewise, the production of the ranches became mixed, combining the production of cereals with Pampas livestock, at the same time that sheep farming was developed in Patagonia.

Today, many ranches continue to be active throughout Argentina. Many ranches have opened their doors to tourism and have an additional income from their main activities.

What to Expect on your Estancia Visit

While some are known more for their horseback riding activities and facilities, all estancias invite guests to experience their unique culture. You’ll get a giant-sized taste of asado, traditional Argentine barbeque, empanadas (stuffed bread or pastry) and plenty of other local specialties, which often include dishes for which Argentina is not as well known for such as finest freshwater fish offerings.

Every estancia has its own special character and history; they offer several alternatives in authentic estancias to spend a day in the Pampas countryside see the vastness of the land and learn about the traditions and activities of these working.

Some fun activities you can do at an Argentine Estancia:

  • Take polo lessons
  • Go horse-back riding
  • Take a cooking class
  • Wine tasting
  • Witness Gauchos do their daily activities such as herding, cutting, roping and taming animals
  • Play Taba and other gaucho games
  • Have a Reiki and Shiatsu massages
  • Learn how to dance Tango
  • Relax by the pool
  • Play Tennis or Pickle ball

Specialized Estancias: Horseback Riding and Showmanship

Some estancias specialize in breeding horses and offer ideal conditions for travelers wanting the ultimate horseback riding vacation. Ranging from beginner to expert levels, these ranches usually offer guided trail rides, polo lessons, and a chance to ride along with the gauchos as they go about their daily ranch activities. There are even a few that will let small groups of guests take on roles almost to the point of being a gaucho for a week or more. At the other extreme, some ranches also have their own tack shops and will outfit a guest in gaucho apparel and equipment whether he or she ever rides a horse. Those estancias that cater more to serious riders tend to be located to the north and far south of Buenos Aires while dude ranches can be found on the outskirts of almost all major cities in Argentina.

Other estancias, while offering horseback riding for guests, also have regularly scheduled events on site that demonstrate the unique skill of the estancia’s gauchos. On these ranches, a visitor usually will see gauchos displaying their world-class horsemanship as they break a young horse or display showmanship of their considerable equestrian talents.

Finding an Estancia near Buenos Aires

For many visitors, a trip to Argentina means a stay in and around Buenos Aires. For those looking for equestrian showmanship or opportunities to soak up the estancia culture without the need to test their horseback riding skills, there are dozens of locations within an hour’s drive west and southeast of the city.

Some of the oldest estancias in Buenos Aires are found in San Antonio de Areco. If you visit Buenos Aires, make sure you make time to get to know the estancias and learn about the typical activities and traditions.

Visitors can learn to cook the typical Argentine barbecue, walk through large areas of the pampas, ride horses, learn to play polo, listen to authentic music from the region, meet silversmiths in their workplaces, visit historic houses and museums

Contact our experienced Travel Advisors and share your thoughts with them. Taking your preferences into account, they will help you plan your visit to the Estancia that will meet your expectations.

What is San Antonio de Areco?

What is San Antonio de Areco?

Many people wonder what there is to do in San Antonio de Areco. This small town, less than two hours from Buenos Aires, is the ultimate destination for all things gaucho, history, and rural Argentine culture.

It’s also one of the most popular day trips from Buenos Aires.

San Antonio de Areco is nearly 70 miles northwest of the Argentine Pampas Region. It’s a great 1½-hour day trip by car from Buenos Aires—or the perfect jumping-off point for those who choose to visit at a nearby estancia, or a traditional large rural ranch and estate.

The town’s only real sights are a couple of museums, the most important of which is the Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes. But what really makes Areco memorable is the harmonious architectural character of the town’s centre: all cobbled streets and faded Italianate and colonial facades punctuated by elaborate wrought-iron grilles and delicately arching lamps. There are also some excellent artisans working in the town in talleres (workshops). Weaving and leatherwork are well represented, but the silversmiths are the highlight.

The must-visit place is Centro Cultural y Taller Draghi, named for the famed silversmith Juan José Draghi, who called both President Bushes and Ronald Reagan clients. The museum is dedicated to the man who revived silversmithing in Argentina. You should see the historic collection of astonishingly detailed belt buckles, knives and containers for making yerba mate tea.

Of their work bench, silver pieces and gold are born; trails, knives and matés are used by neighbors of san Antonio de Areco, it glimpsed a personal, new and different style. This fact doesn’t escape to visitors that arrive to the district of Areco: who begin to converge assiduously to their shop with special orders: candlesticks, marks, alhajeros, pitchers, cutleries, machetes ( gaucho knives) etc.

The machete (or gaucho knife) is a tool made by former gauchos , native to the pampas. Besides being a cutting element as a working tool , it is used to kill animals and remove the skin of the animals,=make thongs and leather working and woodworking used by the gaucho in their crafts. He has also developed as a weapon of self-defense style for protection in such Pampa regions. Along with his poncho and his horse form the best alliance to fend off possible attacks , using it as their own very particular laws and philosophies as in some Western martial arts.

San Antonio de Areco, the national capital of gaucho traditions, hosts the annual Fiesta de la Tradición, the country’s most important festival celebrating pampas culture. Despite its modest promotion as a tourist destination, playing on its appealing setting by the banks of the tranquil Río Areco, the town has retained a surprisingly genuine feel. You may not find Areco full of galloping gauchos outside festival week, but you still have a good chance of spotting estancia workers on horseback, sporting traditional berets and rakishly knotted scarves, or of coming across paisanos propping up the bar of a traditional boliche establishment.

Annual Tradition Day Festivities in Areco

The festival, during which gauchos who still actually work in the fields and those who have desk jobs but keep their skills (and knives) sharp in their spare time, participate in parades, giant cookouts and demonstrations of horse-riding skills.

Areco has a prestigious literary connection: the town was the setting for Ricardo Güiraldes’ Argentine classic Don Segundo Sombra (1926), a novel that was influential in changing the image of the gaucho from that of an undesirable outlaw to a symbol of national values.

Famous Gaucho: Don Segundo Sombra

Just behind Fierro in terms of recognition and fame is Don Segundo Sombra, a fictional character and protagonist of one of Ricardo Güiraldes’ novels written in 1929. Don Segundo has a mythical aura around him and represents in many ways the ideal gaucho as seen by those in search of symbols of Argentine national identity at the start of the 20th century. He is strong, elegant and honest but as his name indicates he has a sombre, lonesome side to him.

The gaucho is a legendary figure of Argentine society, a rebel reminiscent of ‘Che’. His elegance is supposedly inherited from the Spanish conquistadores and his freedom is intrinsically linked to the symbol of the country’s pampas.

Gauchos, the Argentine version of the cowboy, had their heyday in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but much of the culture, from horseback riding to silversmithing to bringing your own knife to dinner, still survives and stirs national pride.  His elegance is supposedly inherited from the Spanish conquistadores and his freedom is intrinsically linked to the symbol of the country’s pampa.

In 1866, an English rancher by the name of Wilfred Latham wrote: “I cannot conceive of anything more exhilarating than a gallop across the plains…. a cloudless sky of deep azure, an atmosphere marvelously light and pure communicating a sense of indescribable buoyancy and pleasurable existence – a soft breeze flowing, as it were, over the vast plain, boundless as an ocean – contribute to engender an irresistible feeling of joy.”

Ricardo Guiraldes Museum

It takes the name of Ricardo Güiraldes to honor the novel Don Segundo Sombra, published in 1926. Definitely worth a visit – recommend a guided tour as it is very interesting to find out some of the stories behind the artefacts. Entry is free. Everything related to the life and work of this remarkable writer is on display there. Visitors will learn about the life, customs and routine of the countryside people from their origins until today.

Pulperias

The “pulperia” (grocery store) was until the early twentieth century the typical commercial establishment of the various regions of Latin finding widespread from Central America to the southern cone countries. Its origin dates back to the XVI century, and provided everything then was indispensable for everyday life: food, beverages, candles (candles or candles), coal, medicines, textiles and others.

It was also the social center of the humble and middle classes of the population, there characters typical of each region would gather to talk and see what’s new. The “pulperias” were places where you could drink alcohol, cockfights were held, were playing dice, card games, etc..

The main square has La Esquina de Merti on a corner and this is a pulperia (a former grocery and bar) that has been converted into a restaurant, but with all the old, genuine interior and items from its former function. There is seating outside and inside, but eat inside to appreciate the full experience. We highly recommend baked meat empanadas and a “picada”.

Picadas, which are consumed at home or in bars, cafés, “cafetines” and “bodegones” are also popular; they consist of an ensemble of plates containing cubes of cheese (typically from Mar del Plata or Chubut), pieces of salame, olives in brine, french fries, maníes (peanuts), etc.; picadas are eaten accompanied by an alcoholic beverage (“fernet”, beer, wine with soda, to give some common examples).

In San Antonio de Areco we invite you to discover:

  • Almacén Los Principios (Moreno y Mitre)
  • Bar San Martin (Moreno y Alvear)
  •  Boliche de Bessonart (Segundo Sombra y Zapiola)
  •  El Mitre (Mitre y Alsina)
  •  La Vuelta de Gato (Camino R. Güiraldes, frente al museo)
  • El Tokio (Mitre y Arellano)
  • La Esquina de Merti (Arellano y Mitre)
  •  La Pulperia de Areco (Bolivar 66

Areco’s traditional gaucho atmosphere extends to the surrounding area, where you will find some of Argentina’s most famous estancias, offering a luxurious accommodation alternative to staying in Areco itself.

Argentine Polo

Argentine Polo

Where can I see the best Polo in Buenos Aires?

Whether you’re a polo enthusiast or not, there’s something thrilling about watching athletes on ponies racing across a field.

Every year, between the months of October and the beginning of December, you can see the best polo in the world. Tournaments start in October and run through mid-December. Both in the city of Buenos Aires and outside of the city there are multiple opportunities to experience polo in different ways.

Below, you will find the best options to watch or learn polo.

Argentine Open Polo

The Campeonato Argentino Abierto de Polo (Spanish for Argentine Open Polo Championship) is the most important international polo championship at club level, that has taken place every year since 1893 at the Campo Argentino de Polo of Palermo, Buenos Aires.   

November 1th, 2022, will mark the start of the most important polo tournament in the world, the Argentine Polo Open Championship (129th Abierto Argentino de Polo), or simply “El Abierto”, that will take place until December 2nd, 2017. This tournament, held every year at the Cathedral of Polo, the Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo (Av. del Libertador & Dorrego), brings together the best polo players in the world, and it is one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the international polo calendar. It´s also one of the main social events in Buenos Aires.

Other tournaments of the Argentine polo season that bring together the best of polo are:

  • Hurlingham Open, Ayshire Cup: October 11-29
  • Pilar Tournament: Begins on October 13
  • Copa Provincia de Buenos Aires: Begins on November 8
  • Chamber of Deputies Cup: November 3 to 28
  • 129th Argentine Polo Open: November 1 to December 2
  • VI Women’s Open: From November 21st to December 2

Experience Polo in the Pampas

Our Full Polo Day program is designed for you to become a polo player for the day. Any day of the year.

You begin the day with an informative talk about polo and its ponies while you taste some delicious empanadas and excellent argentine wine.

You will be able to visit the stables and learn from our guide how polo ponies are selected for the sport, their bloodlines and how they are trained.

 

You will also learn about the rules of the game, the characteristics of the player and the complex technique that the player must master.

You will attend a live professional polo match of 4 chukkers. More than 30 horses participate per game and you can enjoy a game of pure adrenaline.

Lunch time is part of this unique experience: the visitor will enjoy a complete barbecue that includes “asado”, a selection of grilled meats and beef, accompanied by top quality Argentine wines. You will have the opportunity to try our delicious typical Argentine countryside food (we also have vegetarian options).

After spending some time walking through our beautiful countryside, you will take a polo lesson where you will learn how to ride a horse, hold the mallet and hit the ball. At the end of the class, the participant will end up sharing a mini-polo game that will make you feel like a professional player!

At the end of the day, you will have a relaxing horseback ride through our trails specially designed for you to enjoy the Argentine countryside and its surroundings.

It is not necessary to know how to ride a horse, nor to have previous polo experience. We offer equipment and instruction for all levels.

Polo night tour

A new tour allows visitors to experience Polo at night.

Contact one of our specialists if you want to get tickets for the matches of the polo championships or to join a Polo Day tour. We suggest getting your tickets in advance as due to the popularity of the polo events, tickets always sell out.

Things to do in Palermo: the largest neighborhood of Buenos Aires

Things to do in Palermo: the largest neighborhood of Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the perfect city to discover on foot. Although the city is very extensive and there are 48 neighborhoods, it is possible to walk several districts if you explore them on different days.

The favorite neighborhood of many Porteños is the neighborhood of Palermo:  one of Buenos Aires’ most noteworthy neighborhoods. With nearly 350 acres of parks, wooded areas, and lakes, Palermo provides a peaceful escape from the rush of downtown. It’s also the largest neighborhood of the city, and is divided into smaller sub-districts, namely: Palermo Chico, Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood.

Palermo Chico

If you like architecture, leafy parks, monuments and statues (from rudimentary figurines to classical masterpieces), grand avenues and contemporary art you can’t miss out visiting Palermo Chico.

Designed by landscaper Charles Thays (Carlos Thays), it is characterized by its streets that break the grid, its green spaces and its important houses of the aristocracy.

Palermo Chico is a wonderful barrio for walking, especially so if you have an interest in architecture. It is a quiet neighborhood where upper-class families, millionaires and famous Argentines live. You can see large old houses, large houses and even some mansions. Inside these houses, the luxury and the number of maids and employees working in them stand out.

It stands out for the curved and irregular layout of its streets, abundant green spaces, mansions and embassies (Spain, Albania, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland, Morocco, Slovakia, Portugal, Greece, Canada, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay , Chile, South Korea, Haiti and Indonesia), the area where these embassies are located is popularly known as “The embassy area”.

The district is also popular with art enthusiasts and has some notable galleries and museums. We stop at MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires) on Figueroa Alcorta to see the work of Rafael Barradas and Diego Rivera plus temporary exhibitions from the likes of Andy Warhol and Frida Kahlo.

palermo-lago buenos aires

Where the Grass is Greener: Parks and Gardens of Palermo

  • EL ROSEDAL: Avenida Infanta Isabel and Iraola

El Rosedal is located in the heart of the extensive Parque Tres de Febrero, also known as Bosques de Palermo. The park is home to more than 1,000 species of roses, lining its many winding trails that lead a diversity of visitors to numerous overlooks, picturesque bridges, and a charming lake stocked with rowboats and flocks of geese. If you like literature, be sure to visit the Garden of Poets, one of the main attractions of the park, due to its large collection of statues representing various renowned writers from around the world.

palermo-jardin-japones
  • JAPANESE GARDEN (Japanese Garden) Av. Casares 2966 

     

The Japanese garden has become a symbol of intercultural relations in Buenos Aires. It is one of the largest of its kind outside of Japan. Aside from the general beauty and serenity found within its gates, the garden also offers a number of attractions, including a large cultural center that houses various exhibitions and craft classes, a greenhouse containing an endless variety of bonsai, flowers and plants to buy, a traditional Japanese tea house, gift shop and much more. You can grab a bite to eat at the restaurant or even feed the brightly colored carp that inhabit the lake. With its long list of activities and masterful landscaping, the Japanese Garden can be enjoyable for everyone.

Tip: the Japanese garden is right across from Germany Park. If you cross the park you will find our favorite place for lunch: Casa Cavia. A concept store with restaurant, cocktail bar, pastry shop, bookshop, flower shop, perfume shop and publishing house. The building is the villa Bollini Roca which was built in 1920 under the supervision of Norwegian architect and artist Alejandro Christophersen and became patrimony of the city in 2011. The inspiring historic space renovated itself thanks to the artistic direction of its founder Guadalupe Garcia Mosqueda. Mosqueda transformed it into a cultural pole of Argentinian excellence.

 

Casa Cavia is located on 2985 Cavia Street. (It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reservations are a must).  

  • BOTANICAL GARDEN (Botanical Garden) Av. Santa Fe 3951 

The 17-acre refuge is home to approximately 5,500 species of plants, trees, and shrubs, as well as a number of sculptures, monuments, and greenhouses. If that doesn’t impress you, the garden serves as a great place to escape the heat with its abundant shade and refreshing scent of nature, while blocking out the sounds of the bustling city that surrounds you.

Palermo SoHo

Palermo Soho was part of a prior working class district called Villa Alvear. In the late 1800s, the government commissioned the architect Juan Buschiazzo to modernize and develop the area. Buchaiazzio’s legacy remains with charming passageways and classic Spanish-style architecture throughout Palermo Soho.
Today SoHo has trendy shopping, nightlife  and dining. It is a hip neighborhood that is frequented by young people.

Palermo Hollywood

Palermo Hollywood for its part has become a gastronomic center with more than forty bars and restaurants, which are in the able hands of young and creative chefs.


Dorrego Flea Market:
Avenida Dorrego 1650

The Flea Market is a characteristic point of interest in the Colegiales neighborhood, right where the Palermo Hollywood area ends.

You will find antiques and decoration items. Furniture made from recycled materials. Crockery, armchairs, desks, bookcases, wardrobes, paintings, mirrors, trunks and all kinds of decorative objects. In addition to the sale of products to the public, restaurant services are offered. In the case of furniture, polishing, gluing and luster work is done on the pieces. It is advisable to go with time to fully enjoy it.

There’s nothing better than wandering through the gardens and streets of Palermo. If you’re looking for a really detailed tour and in-depth information, contact us and do a walking tour with a local professional guide.

 

Ideas offers a handful of neighborhood tours that highlight the best of Buenos Aires. The groups are kept small (no more than six people) and they are really focused on providing a lot of information on history, food and culture.

Contact Us and we will plan a customized walking tour for you.

Walking Tours: Recoleta District

palermo-flor tour

Walking Tours: Recoleta District

Buenos Aires has countless places waiting to be discovered. But if a traveler is visiting the city for the first time and asks me where to start, I would definitely recommend starting with a walk in the Recoleta neighborhood.

Recoleta is mainly residential, and it is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city to live. The parks, wide boulevards, art galleries, stylish design stores, museums and its famous cemetery make it one of the most important tourist and cultural neighborhoods. It is, by far, one of the best places to visit in Buenos Aires.

recoleta-cementery-tourism

An introduction to Recoleta

The name Recoleta originates from the Monastery of the Recollect Fathers (Convento de Recoletos Descalzos), a faction of the Franciscan Order. The monastery was built on land owned by the barrio’s first mayor, Rodrigo Ortiz de Zarate, after Juan de Garay presented it to him as far back as 1583. At the time, Recoleta was a solitary and desolate area unaware of the changes that were to come.

 

Recoleta is the neighborhood situated directly northeast of Buenos Aires City Center and shares a border with Almagro, Palermo and Retiro. The barrios popularity began towards the latter part of the 18th century when an outbreak of yellow fever (1871) in the southern suburbs forced the city’s residents to seek refuge elsewhere. Whilst the poorer headed south, the wealthier families chose Recoleta due to its higher terrain thus a lack of disease infecting insects.

 

With the migration to Recoleta came inevitable development and the new residents were quick to capitalize on the large estates present in the area by dividing them into smaller plots and building upon them. The transformation into a residential barrio was a quick process and the estates were soon replaced with the luxurious stately homes for which it is famed today.

recoleta-cementery-caba

What to do and see in Recoleta

  • AVENIDA ALVEAR

The name Recoleta originates from the Monastery of the Recollect Fathers (Convento de Recoletos Descalzos), a faction of the Franciscan Order. The monastery was built on land owned by the barrio’s first mayor, Rodrigo Ortiz de Zarate, after Juan de Garay presented it to him as far back as 1583. At the time, Recoleta was a solitary and desolate area unaware of the changes that were to come.

Recoleta is the neighborhood situated directly northeast of Buenos Aires City Center and shares a border with Almagro, Palermo and Retiro. The barrios popularity began towards the latter part of the 18th century when an outbreak of yellow fever (1871) in the southern suburbs forced the city’s residents to seek refuge elsewhere. Whilst the poorer headed south, the wealthier families chose Recoleta due to its higher terrain thus a lack of disease infecting insects.

With the migration to Recoleta came inevitable development and the new residents were quick to capitalize on the large estates present in the area by dividing them into smaller plots and building upon them. The transformation into a residential barrio was a quick process and the estates were soon replaced with the luxurious stately homes for which it is famed today.

  • RECOLETA CEMENTERY

Recoleta cemetery is considered one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world and a must see site in Buenos Aires. This famous cemetery is the final resting site of some of Argentina’s most elite citizens, founding fathers, heroes and of course well off families showing off their wealth with increasingly more elaborate tombs. The mausoleums occupy roughly 14 acres divided by alleyways, tree lined streets and brick laid paths.

Many of the cemetery’s older, elaborate tombs were constructed with imported French or Italian materials. The architecture (yes, some of these mausoleums are that big) varies throughout this city of the dead from Art Deco to Baroque and are a photographers dream. For a more in depth experience Contact Us and book a local professional English speaking guide.

  • DEL PILAR CHURCH

Attached to the cemetery is the brilliant-white church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, which symbolizes the heart of the barrio. It is the oldest in our city preserved in its original baroque style. Because San Ignacio, which is older, only retains a tower and the façade from its construction.

  • LA BIELA CAFE

A culinary passion that began in the mid-nineteenth century, and was renamed until finally reaching “La Biela.” Keeping its initial essence, it became the favorite meeting place for Buenos Aires citizens. One of the most historic and prestigious bars in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, which is presented as the must-see destination.

The emblematic La Biela coffee store is a place that used to be frequented by icons of Argentine literature, such as Jorge Luis Borges, Adolfo Bioy Casares and Ernesto Sábato, as well as old glories of the sport such as Juan Manuel Fangio and Jorge Newbery, among others.

  • CENTRO CULTURAL RECOLETA

Recoleta is also home to the magnificent Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, displaying work by Goya and Rembrandt and offering free entrance from Tuesday to Sunday, and the funky-looking Biblioteca Nacional ( National Library).

 

Opening hours

  • Tuesday to Friday, 11 am to 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 8 pm.
  • Monday: closed.
  • Free admission
  • EVITA MONUMENT

It was designed by Argentinian sculptor Ricardo Gianetti and it was inaugurated at the foot of a cliff dubbed Plaza Evita on December 6, 1999. The figure of Mrs. Eva Duarte de Perón stands on a pedestal made of black ceramic in the shape of a Latin cross.

María Eva Duarte de Perón (1919–1952), usually referred to as Eva Perón or by the affectionate diminutive Evita, was the second wife of President Juan Perón (1895–1974) and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death. Over the years, she became a part of international pop culture, most famously as the subject of Tim Rice’s musical, Evita.

  • FLORALIS GENERICA

Designed and paid by Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano, the Floralis Generica, a giant silver flower, has been a striking city landmark since it opened in 2002.

 

The enormous metal flower blooms anew each day in a pool of water next to the National Museum of Fine Arts, revealing four long stamens inside. Its six 13-meter-long petals open, which takes about 20 minutes, at eight in the morning and slowly close again at sunset, mimicking the actions of a real flower. When the petals are closed, the 18 ton flower is 75 feet tall and 52 feet wide, and when blossomed this amazing man-made flora is an incredible 105 feet wide.

105-foot wide giant metallic flower blooms anew every day in the heart of Buenos Aires.

palermo-flor tour
  • PLAZA INTENDENTE ALVEAR (known as Plaza Francia)

This pleasant green space is the perfect place to stop for a rest. It’s named after its central monument From France to Argentina, which was donated by the city’s French community to mark the centennial of Argentina’s May Revolution in 1910.

  • PLAZA INTENDENTE FOTO DEL DE

This pleasant green space is the perfect place to stop for a rest. It’s named after its central monument From France to Argentina, which was donated by the city’s French community to mark the centennial of Argentina’s May Revolution in 1910.

Monument offered as a gift by the French community in 1910, on the occasion of the Centenary celebrations. It is a work by the French sculptor Émile Edmond Peynot (1850 – 1932). The sculpture’s three central marble figures represent Science, Industry, Agriculture and the Arts

 

More than just a weekend street fair, the Feria of Recoleta is the heart of the district.  The most popular of the Buenos Aires Saturday markets you will find every type of person and thing for sale at the recoleta weekend fair.

 

Open on the weekends and holidays and located at the corner of Pueyrredon Avenue and Libertador Avenue and expanding across Plaza Francia it is the best place to get souvenirs of the city and of Argentina.  A must visit location while you are in Recoleta, make sure you schedule your visit for when the market is open.  Street food, live music and performers such as acrobats can also be found here.  It is family friendly, but you’ll also be savoring the Buenos Aires bohemian spirit which is rich in Recoleta.

 

Opening on Saturday and Sunday, as well as holidays, from 11am or just before noon until 6pm or dusk.

 

Crossing Avenida de Libertador – one of the city’s main avenues – you can kick back in the well-kept gardens of Parque Thays or Plaza Justo Jose de Urquiza, the latter of which houses a rotating sculpture display and stretches to the border of Palermo.

 

If you are interested in learning more about this fascinating neighborhood, Ideas offers the best walking tours of Buenos Aires since 2004. Contact us and we will plan an unforgettable walking tour in Recoleta.

Contact Us if you have any questions or if you want to start planning your trip for 2022.

BOCHA: A New open-air gastronomic market in the glamorous Campo Argentino de Polo de Palermo

BOCHA: A New open-air gastronomic market in the glamorous Campo Argentino de Polo de Palermo

Buenos Aires is taking the food hall concept to a whole new level. Bocha takes the greatest icons of Argentine food, our favorite chefs, to create a unique space for talents and flavors to meet. A space that contains the gastronomic heart of our country, in the center of the city with projection towards the world.

A unique landscape within our city, in which the open countryside merges with the architecture and embraces each gastronomic proposal at the hands of the main chefs of the current local scene. A privileged location in the heart of Palermo, with easy access for vehicles, bicycles and public transport.

What is BOCHA?

In a large open-air space next to the stands of the Campo Argentino de Polo, Bocha was installed, an open-air gastronomic market curated by renowned chef Narda Lepes: “The idea is to create a meeting place for the whole family, to that they eat rich, fresh, that they can try and learn from the kitchen of the best chefs but all year round, not just at a fair”, She explained.

It is located in the central part of the Campo Argentino de Polo, where the two fields meet, and is made up of 15 restaurants: Apu Nena by Cristina Sunae; Ribs to the River; Plant – Vegetable Kitchen; Shaffe; Bardo, the excellent mobile bar owned by Inés de los Santos; Togni’s pizzeria; Dogg; Vika Cocina, special mention because she is a young woman who cooks Armenian in a delicious way and is the favorite of the chefs; and Haiku by Yafuso, to prove a real Japanese proposal. For her part, Narda is in the epicurean restaurant of HSBC, as well as Capital Vinos – Wine Bar and Parrilla Pepe. In addition to Bocha, Imperial Beer house, Nómade and Cruza, which are established names, will continue on the premises throughout the year.

Hand-picked dining: Every dish has been personally taste-tested and approved by local experts.

What can I eat at Bocha?

Most of Bocha’s bars and restaurants are already established elsewhere in the city. This is the case of Apu Nena, the Asian tapas place run by chef Cristina Sunae, who arrives with her dumplings, her steamed bread, her vegan empanadas and her chicken skewers.

There is also Dogg (hamburgers and hot dogs) and Togni’s, the pizza “slice shop” that had already been operating with great success in Belgrano. In addition, Ribs al Río, which has a loyal public that follows them in their place overlooking the river in Costanera. It is a counter with many options: its artisanal smoked ribs and its “addictive” fries are two of the unbeatable of the house.

There are newcomers like Planta, a one hundred percent vegetable and homemade proposal: smoked carrot hotdogs, Caesar salad with crispy tofu and vegan pastries, among other options.

The first experience in front of the public of Vika Cocina, the Armenian dishes place of the young cook Victoria Karamanukian, “sponsored” by senior chefs who admire her work, also generates great expectations. The offer of stalls is completed with Pepe (grill on the go), Shafe (natural store), Haiku de Yafuso (Japanese cuisine) and drinks shops.

Within the promenade there are also bars and conventional restaurants (with tables and chairs in their own rooms). Bardo, the former itinerant bar of Inés de los Santos lands in Bocha with a menu of cocktails, drinks, sandwiches, salads, cheeses, cold cuts, etc. “We are going to have drinks that pair well at an organoleptic and conceptual level with what our neighbors offer,” says the bartender.

Bocha is great for Families with children

During the weekends there is a lot of entertainment for children: face painting by local artists, balloons, live music, puppet show, storytelling, horseback riding on polo ponies, bouncy houses and ping pong tables.

Where is it located?

During the weekends there is a lot of entertainment for children: face painting by local

Argentine Polo Field. Av. del Libertador 4096, Palermo.

Admission is free and free.

Open: Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Holidays from 12:00 to 20:00 and eves from 18:00 to 00:00.

A privileged location in the heart of Palermo, with easy access for vehicles, bicycles and public transport.

In the gastronomic stalls you can pay with cash or any credit card.

Before going to this food market, check opening hours at @bochapolo in Instagram because opening hours may vary. To find out about the events, on the IG @palermopolo.

Tip:
This visit can be combined with other attractions in the area such as Palermo Lakes, Rose garden or special events at Palermo Racetrack.

Contact Us if you have any questions or if you want to start planning your trip for 2022.