Visiting Buenos Aires

A new law in Argentina will protect the consumer from now on, with the prices of the services and products destined for foreign tourism. This will avoid the differentiated prices for tourists, usually a bit more expensive than for local consumers.

The 8th bis article specifies respect of the air tickets, granting protection to the tourist as a consumer. From now on, all the passengers local and foreign tourists will pay the same price.

The argument of “Defensa de usuarios y consumidores” (DEUCO) -Entity of Defense for Users and Consumers- is that “… there can not be discriminatory prices for a foreign visitor due to the inequality that this implies…”

Also, Guillermo Lavallen of the Hotels of Tourism Asociation (AHT) clarified that they are putting in practice this policy for some years, and the differentiation made was necessary in the 2001-2002 crisis.

This Saturday prepare your self to go 200 years back and to re-live part of the Argentine history. The English invasions, the “Cabildo” opened in 1810, and other important facts that gave origin to Argentina, will be able to see them trough the performance of characterized artist with the military and civil suits of that time. The spectacle is free and forms part of the set of “La Gran Vía de Mayo”. A good occasion for tourists to learn more about Argentinean history and culture.

The spectacle will be done this Saturday 26th in “Plaza the Mayo” (May Square), from 5 p.m., and on Sunday in “Plaza Alberdi” (Alberdi Square) Villa Urquiza´s neighborhood, Nuñez St 4500.

Do not forget to bring your camera.

“La Gran Vía de Mayo” is the new program stimulated by the area of tourism of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires that has a purpose of revitalize the former “Avenida de Mayo”, which history and culture are related so narrowly with the origin and development of Buenos Aires and of its more important events.

To say “Avenida de Mayo” (May Avenue) is to think about its European architecture, which we will see along the road, approximately 1600 mts, from “Plaza de Mayo” (May Square) up to the National Congress. It is undoubtedly the avenue that marks steps for Buenos Aires, like for example, the first subway inaugurated in Latin America, one of the first ones in the world (1913´s), it also possess the highest skycrafts in Latin America for those years, around 1923, the Palace Barolo of 100 meters of height built by the Italian Architect Palanti that can be visited in May Avenue 1370.

“La Gran Vía de Mayo” begins on April 12th and continues until May 18th, with a series of artistic activities with outdoors stages, bars and other designated buildings. There will be approximately 200 free spectacles, with varied subjects, from music, theatre, dance, shows of tango and different guided tours. In the weekends the traffic is cut and the street is transformed in pedestrian crossing.

We recommend everybody to visit “La Gran Vía de Mayo”. It is an important events in Buenos Aires, in the frame of one of the nicest avenues in terms of architecture and so rich in traditions and histories.

You can find the monthly and weekly schedule in this link.

It is getting near the date of one of the events that more attention and interest generates in the sport area of the Republic Argentina. It is important, not only to local level but anywhere in the world where football is played, represents a real party and an experience worth being lived. Boca Juniors and River Plate are two of the most popular clubs of Buenos Aires, the Argentinean football match that generates major expectations, and where there measures up once again the power, skills, and creativity of the game of every team. But it does not end there. Every match is a real spectacle of colors, a party of popular songs, garlands, horns, and all that highlight the best of each club.

Every match of Boca and River, it summons dozens of thousands of sympathizers, each one with their flags, shirts and badges, which they put in action with every goal, with every victorious game, with every competitive situation. They compose the unique and perfect show, and where the passion is the common denominator.

This passion that distinguishes so much all Argentineans, here you can see it multiplied a hundred times. Next 4th of May, we will be able to confirm this again. It is known that the football in Argentina is unique for the special characteristics, but the football of Boca-River, is an obsession that in addition attracts thousands of tourists from all parts of the world, to be there seated and to be a part at least for 90 minutes of this madness, has turned into another tourist attraction that Buenos Aires has to give.

You can’t miss the BOCA vs RIVER match, they don’t play very often. Consult here, everything about how to be present match, fromTRANSFERS FOR BOCA RIVER to the TICKETS FOR THE STADIUM and everything solved in order you can enjoy the Boca River match as we do.

Clausura Tournament 2008: follow the Boca Juniors Athletic Club, River Plate and other teams along the Argentine soccer championship

BOCA JUNIORS vs RIVER PLATE
INDEPENDIENTE vs RIVER PLATE
BOCA JUNIORS. vs RACING CLUB
Libertadores Cup: Accompany the Agentine teams along the Libertadores Cup.
Experience this marvelous show.
BOOK YOUR SEATS.

In your visit to Palermo you cannot allowed to miss one of the most beautiful botanical gardens of the world, the botanical Garden of Buenos Aires, Carlos Thays.

We suggest to cross it in all its extension this way you can appreciated all its passages, gardens and paths; 7 hectares that the land occupies give sample of the immense collection of plants that since its foundation in 1898 have been giving form to this wonderful habitat of trees, flowers, shrubs of the whole world. Among them, are species corresponding to Oceania, Africa, Europe, American and a special sector dedicated to the Argentine flora.

It possesses approximately 5500 different kinds. To mention some examples, Ginkgo Biloba of the Asia; Eucalyptus, Acacias, and Casuarinas of Oceania with hazelnuts, elms and Europe’s oaks; with ferns, palms, and gum trees of the Africa, and Sequoias of North America between others.

Its gardens correspond to styles according to their origin, such as the Frenchman, the Roman, and the Japanese. And one recently created named “Garden of the Senses”, with aromatic species from a program dedicated to persons not clairvoyants and handicapped children.

The name and design is owed to the architect and landscape painter Carlos Thays, a Frenchman that was living in our country, who has devoted himself specially to the promotion of the botany and the landscape painting in our country. Among his more recognized works there is located the design of the Centenary Park, Plaza Lezama, Patricio´s Park, and Belgrano’s Hills.

Because of its story (link it directly with Thays) and its remarkable value it was declared Historic Monument in 1997.

The Botanical Garden counts in addition with valuable architectural works, like the principal building, English style, built in 1881 by the engineer Jordán Wysocky, and a “art nouveau” green-house of iron and glass brought it from France in the year 1900, this building measures 35 meters long per 8 meters width, which shelters approximately 2500 subtropical and tropical species.

Also it is of emphasizing the valuable collection of sculptures and monuments that are located in the different gardens and paths, as for example ” The Spring ” of Lucio Correa Morales, the ” First Vigors ” of Blay and Fábregas, “Saturnalia” of Ernesto Biondi, “L’acquaiolo” of Vincenzo Gemito, “Flora Argentina” of Emilio Ardia, “Mercury” of Ricardo Cerma and Ed Loreda and Alfredo Bigatti’s “Purity”, among other important works.

In the endless number of activities that develops the botanical garden in order to generate interest brings, over of the plant world and the ecosystem, a program of guided visits with free entry, of 90 minutes of duration approximately.

The guided visits in English take place every Friday at 12:00hs and you must register before that date. Telephone 4831-4614 or 4831-4527 or consult via email: buenosairesjardin@buenosaires.gov.ar

In Spanish: Every Saturday, Sunday and Holidays at 10:30. Without previous inscription

Night Tours: Every last Friday of the month at 21:00hs. Previous inscription is required

Botanical Garden Carlos Thays
Santa Fe 3951, Palermo, City of Buenos Aires
Tel: 4831-4527

We can’t deny that Buenos Aires is well known in the whole world for three determinate aspects in our culture Tango, Maradona and excellent meat.

In the begging of the 90s, the international success of the company Tango Argentino opened our doors to the whole world. A new generation began to dance Tango, a lot of bands were formed and many young people began practicing this sensual dance that attracts peoples of all ages and society levels, “Tango” and “Milonga” schools were opened and the “2×4” became more famous.

Tango became well know as an international dance. After the 2001 crisis and the following years the 3 to 1 dollar exchange and more advantages with the EUROS, is what make us received thousands of tourists from all over the world that wants to live this mystic dance and this is something possible only in Buenos Aires, the Tango capital.

The ones that loves this mystic dance has the chance to a sightseeing along a typical “Conventillo” in La Boca, go along “Caminito” full of those new realistic sceneries and a beautiful modern art expositions in the street, where painters, artists, sculptors, dancers and singers expose their art.

Learn how to dance tango in groups or individual classes; enjoy an artistic show, with a band, singers and first level dancers; and even have a tango class at the same place, enjoy a shopping tour where you can get special shoes, dressing, crafts, and silver stuff in San Telmo, where you may also find the international silversmith Juan Carlos Pallarols.

Aand later……..enjoy with the five senses the “Asado Criollo” ritual in a rural environment, with firewood meat and the best Argentinean wines!!!!!

Here you will find some interesting addresses:

Silversmith Juan Carlos Payarlos. Unique silver artwork 1039 Defensa Phone Number: 4300 6555 - 4361 7360 - 4362 0641

La Cueva de la Música, Were you will find all the Tango music. 744 Lavalle Phone number: 4328-0072

CALDEN Argentinian Meats, Cordero del Sur, Trucha del Sur 4701 Honduras Phone number: 4833-2221

.

Buenos Aires book shops have a style and special caracteristics.Big and luxurious located on the most important avenues; o specialized on sales and used books, hidden on the neighbourhoods. Its main attraction for the tourist is on the history they represent and mostly on the cultural and relaxing space they offer. Other interesting characteristic is that many porteñas book shops are located on historical and valuable buildings. Go through the book shoops, search for books on shelves, talk to the owners it s a perfect way to know and understand the city and it s habits. In 1750 the first book sellers had established in Buenos Aires.

There were stores that, besides other stuff, such as food or medicine, sold books. One of them was located at the corner of Alsina y Bolivar. On that same corner is now today Libreria de Avila, the only store in the city that maintains it location and stuff since the colonial times. During the 20^Th century many important bookshops and publishing houses were open, such us “Librería de la Ciudad”, frecuently visit by Jorge Luis Borges, or “El Ateneo-Grand Splendid”, a magnificent and luxurious bookshop located in Santa Fe avenue, which is built in an antique cinema building and that was recently declared the second most important bookshop in the world according to an article in the british newspaper The Guardian. Many bookshops offer spaces for reading with confortable sofas and tables to have a coffee. Spaces where cultural events are performed. The readers can sit and enjoy, or read the book they had chosen from the shelves. Bookshops Tours: The areas where you can find most bookshops in Buenos Aires is Corrientes Avenue, between Callao and 9 de Julio (San Nicolas neighbourhood). There are chains bookshops (Ghandi – Galena, Hernandez, Cúspide), big stores (Losada, Longseller, Lorraine), and many many others. Most of them are dedicate to sales and clearance sale.

In Corrientes, Santa Fe and Juramento avenues and also in shopping centres, there hay big bookshops with the last realisements, and many interesting turistical information and stuff: such us books with photographs, and luxurious editions about tango. In Avenida de Mayo, from 500 until 1200, there are some bookshops that sell strange editions, first editions, old books or books that no longer exists, handwritten, etc.In the area that goes from Suipacha and Corrientes, on directions to San Martin Park, there are fancy bookshops attended by well known booksellers, such us Libreria Casares.

For the ones that prefer doing research on sales tables – mainly in Parque Centenario, Parque Rivadavia or Plaza Italia, are an excellent option to get great copies – used or brand new ones- to cheap prices, both books and magazines