7 Days in Buenos Aires Baby!

We arrived in Buenos Aires after an 18 hour bus trip. On the bus we decided to purchase “Cama Ejecutivo” seats and thus our seats looked like recliners and were for the most part, super comfortable. Nonetheless it was still a bus, and buses suck so getting out was fantastic.

We made our way to our hostel, Milhouse Avenue and settled in. The hostel is really well known amongst travellers of the area and anyone who has looked at BA on hostel world, and we liked it.

In the afternoon we we met up with one of our friends from Uni (Hi Ness) who also happened to be in BA. After searching the streets until 10pm for a feed we found El Remanso. We got great steak (chicken for me), pasta and all you can eat salad for only $135 (more than our standard meal but not too bad… And for all you can eat salad… I was sold). 

The next day we went on an afternoon Buenos Aires Free Walking Tour. This tour was similar to the ones we did in Chile, such that you pay whatever you think the tour is worth (they make their money off tips).

The tour visited some of the local historical sites around Plaza de Mayo. It was good however it was stinking hot, and thus we were all happy when it ended and we could seek some shelter from the sun. After the tour we raced back to the hostel, grabbed some money and hopped on the subtle (subway) to Palermo to meet a couple we met at Iguazu Falls for dinner. 

In Palermo we went to La Cabrera, a boutique restaurant well known for it’s huge steaks. Between 7 and 8 you get 40% off your meal and thus Sean ordered the largest steak there was, 800g whilst myself, Sammy and Rach all got 400g steaks. I of course couldn’t finish mine (I’m not mad about meat) and so Sean helped, meaning he ate AT LEAST 1kg of steak that evening.

After the meal we went and had a couple of bottles of red wine at a bar/restaurant in Palermo Soho.

The next day we did another walking tour, this time in the morning. The tour again took us around some of the well known areas in the city’s north. After the tour Sean, Sammy and I headed back to our hostel (about a 3km walk) and managed to get lost. HOWEVER upon getting lost we found a delicious and cheap bakery, and we did eventually find our way back.

That night we had drinks at our hostel (snuck a bottle of red wine in) and headed over to the other Milhouse hostel where there was happy hour and a party. From the other hostel we hopped on a minibus and got taken to a big club in the area, Terrazes.
We headed home around 4, it was fun but nothing to write home about. 

Sunday we headed to the markets of San Telmo. We again met up with Ness and explored for a few hours. The markets were full of cute little trinkets and other touristy stuff. We didn’t buy much however Sean got a new (much needed as he had been using a ziplock bag) wallet for AR$40.

On the way home from the markets we visited Cafe Tortoni, BA’s oldest cafe. Established in 1858 the cafe has been maintained in its original condition. It was beautiful inside (and very old school). That evening we met Ness and co for a last dinner. We went to Rico’s Tacos in Palermo. 

Monday morning Rach flew home, and thus the pack became 3. That day we adventured around town, got a buffet lunch and visited an amazing ice creamery (Argentineans brag that their ice cream is better than anywhere in the world).

Tuesday we were meant to do a walking tour in La Boca, however it was pouring so this was cancelled… Instead we did a “Cook & Booze” class where we got to drink wine and make our own empanadas!

The class turned out to be lots of fun! We made 3 empanadas each, 2 traditional ones and one we designed ourselves (I won a t-shirt for my wine bottle design) as well as making a pastille, a sweet pastry filled with quince paste.

On our last day we visited La Boca. Here there are many colourful houses and stores and of course the Boca Jnr Stadium. We got all the standard tourist photos in the town and headed to the stadium for a short self guided tour.

From La Boca we returned to the hostel, had lunch, gathered our things and headed for the Bus station.

Next stop Mendoza, I can already taste the Malbec!