An Introduction To Buenos Aires

Update: At the time of writing, eight Argentine pesos was equal to exactly one US dollar. Recent political upheaval, however, has led to a major devaluation of the peso and rapidly fluctuating exchange rates. Please keep this in mind when referring to any mention of costs throughout this guide.

BUENOS AIRES is a city which lends itself perfectly to aimless wandering. Though vast, it’s mostly a very walkable place, and orientating yourself is made pretty straightforward thanks to the city’s regular and logical grid pattern.

The city is approximately triangular in shape and its boundaries are marked by Avenida General Paz to the west, the River Plate to the northeast and by its tributary, the Riachuelo , to the south. Holding the whole thing together is Avenida Rivadavia , an immensely long street (Porteños claim it is the longest in the world) which runs east to west for nearly two hundred blocks from Plaza de Mayo to Morón, outside the city limits.

Major Routes in Buenos Aires

Parallel to Avenida Rivadavia run four major avenues, Avenida de Mayo, Corrientes, Córdoba and Santa Fe. The major north-south routes through the city centre are, to the east, Avenida L.N. Além – which changes its name to Avenida del Libertador as it swings out to the northern suburbs – and, to the west, Avenida Callao. Through the very heart of the centre runs the spectacularly wide Avenida 9 de Julio – an aggressively car-orientated conglomeration of four multi-lane roads.

The city centre is bounded approximately by Avenida de Mayo to the south, Avenida L.N. Além to the east, Avenida Córdoba to the north and Avenida Callao to the west. At its southeastern corner lies the city’s foundational square, the Plaza de Mayo , centrepiece of the Haussmann-style remodelling that took place here in the late nineteenth century, and home to the governmental palace, the Casa Rosada . Within the centre lie the financial district, La City , and major shopping, eating and accommodation districts.

It’s a hectic place, particularly during the week, but from the bustle of Florida , the area’s busy pedestrianized thoroughfare, to the fin-de-siècle elegance of Avenida de Mayo and the café culture of Corrientes , the area is surprisingly varied in both architecture and atmosphere. With the exception of the Plaza de Mayo and the Teatro Colón – Buenos Aires’ world-renowned opera house – it’s perhaps not so much the centre’s sights that are the main draw but rather the strongly defined character of its streets, which provide a perfect introduction to the rhythm of Porteño life.

Read more at the Buenos Aires Destination Guide