Just found this forum a few weeks before our trip. Some helpful content. I wanted to share a trip report.
My partner and I recently returned to BA after more than 16 years (we spent a week there in November 2007, and 6weeks in early 2008). It was a relief to find that we still loved the city. What had changed: fewer cats, less dog poo, and the arrival of craft beer. What hadn’t changed: working out how best to pay for things!
Here’s what we got up to. We wanted a ‘slow travel’ style city break.
*Friday 22nd Nov*
We flew during the day to BsAs with Iberia from Madrid - they ask for fewer air miles and charge lower fees than British Airways. When we arrived, we bought and charged up a couple of SUBE cards at the Open 25hs, and took a pre-booked Tienda León transfer car to our Airbnb. Our host gave us a warm welcome. The small apartment on the ninth floor was comfortable and had a balcony, and its location on Billinghurst/Juncal was perfect for us and a great location!
We went to Carrefour for some groceries but didn’t bring ID for paying by card and had to go back and get it. It’s a bit of nonsense, as my UK driving license isn’t recognized anyway and they just override the error! I thought this was crazy and I don't remember having to show an ID the last time we came to BA to come to store or anywhere else!
We braved a pizza from our local Big Pizza - it filled a hole, but the base really was like cardboard! The pizza is as bad as the last time we came to BA. They did not improve at all!
*Saturday 23rd Nov*
We needed to get some cash, and had brought some new US dollar bills with us. The Blue Dollar rate at the time was ARS1115. We tried Berlin Cambio in Palermo and were offered ARS1040. We tried another cambio near the top of Calle Florida and were offered ARS1060. We eventually went with a ‘cueva’ at the top of Florida and got ARS1090.
During the day we walked down Santa Fe, through Microcentro, and to Puerta Madero. We decided to try the local fast food and had a burger at the somewhat expensive Puerto Madero branch of Mostaza. Look, we were hungry, and already had a dinner reservation…
That evening we went to Musgo in Palermo. The venue and service were excellent. The small dishes to share were mostly very good.
We had a glass of Petit Verdot on our balcony when we got back.
*Sunday 24th Nov*
This morning we got a couple of buses to Caballito to ride one of the historic trams. It’s free, but you’re encouraged to buy a little souvenir. Afterward we walked for a bit and then got the bus to Chacarita to have lunch at the ‘German’ restaurant Gambrinus. I got to try Pollo Maryland (the one with a fried banana). After lunch, we explored the Chacarita Cemetery, which is larger than the Recoleta one, and free to enter. In Recoleta you have to pay now! Last time we came it was free.
In the evening we went to see the band La Farsa del Dr Berretín at La Trastienda (we’d randomly booked this about a month beforehand). There were a few sound issues near the beginning, but otherwise, it was an excellent performance. Such a shame a few in the audience ignored the ‘prohibido fumar’ signs. To be fair it seems like less people smoke vs. the last time we came to BA.
*Monday 25th Nov*
We took it easy in the morning, and then went for lunch at a local hole in the wall, La Nueva Gata Alegría, which was very good. Afterwards we had a long walk around Recoleta.
In the evening we did the first leg of our ‘Recoleta Craft Beer Crawl’ - stopping in at Braus, Biere, and Temple.
We picked up some empanadas from a branch of Tomasso and took them back to our balcony to have with a glass of wine.
*Tuesday 26th Nov*
Once the rain had cleared, we headed on foot to the Museum of Fine Arts. Afterwards we went back to the cueva on Florida and changed some more dollars, and then went for a cocktail and late lunch at Kuro Neko. There was some confusion, but we got most of what we ordered and it was excellent.
In the evening we did the second leg of the beer crawl - La Barraca, La República de Wai, and Hormiga Negra.
We picked up some Big Pizza empanadas this time, which were better than their pizza!
*Wednesday 27th Nov*
It was a very wet morning, and we decided to put our planned trip to La Plata on hold. Instead, once the rain had finally cleared, we walked over to Palermo and headed to Cvichepe for lunch. Excellent food, especially the arroz con mariscos and the papas a la huancaína. The ceviche tasted superb but was somewhat overwhelming - we should’ve ordered the leche de tigre. Or just one ‘trio’ to share instead of three separate dishes!
We then walked around Palermo Hollywood, past Hotel CasaSur, and back home.
We spent a quiet night in on the balcony.
*Thursday 28th Nov*
We got the train from Plaza Constitución to La Plata. It was slow (it’s a stopping service that takes about 1h:15m) and the aircon was turned up to max, so we were quite cold. But it was an experience, and cheap. We walked to the cathedral at the centre and then went for lunch at La Bodeguita. They didn’t have our first choices, so we both ended up with bife de lomo - a lot of steak for a very good price. The meat was tender, despite being cooked past ‘jugoso’, and not particularly seasoned - but this is a common problem as I understand.
After lunch we went to the cathedral museum, and took the lift up one of the towers.
A Google Maps fail took us on a long trek out of the centre in search of the stop for the express bus back to BsAs (apparently the main bus station is actually near the train station, but we missed it). Anyway, we managed to flag the bus down on the edge of town before it reached the motorway. We also didn’t appreciate how much it cost, and our SUBE cards failed to work on the next bus - a Good Samaritan came to our rescue and tapped us both in!
In the evening we did the third leg of the beer crawl - Malevo, Cuenca, and Figueroa.
*Friday 29th Nov*
After a lazy morning, we walked to Don Hernaccio’s in Palermo for the pricey but superb Michelangelo sandwich. We then visited Museo XUL SOLAR, an artist I’d never heard of until the SaltShaker blog mentioned him recently. Talking of which…
In the evening we were booked into Casa SaltShaker (https://www.casasaltshaker.com/) - a ‘puerta cerrada’ restaurant in Recoleta. We went there on our last trip and I’ve been following Dan Perlman’s blog ever since (many of the restaurants we tried were his recommendations - not Big Pizza for the avoidance of doubt!). It was lovely to see Dan and Henry again. We had a wonderful evening with a superb five-course meal and matching wines. Our fellow diners at the communal table were four ladies from New York, and the conversation was great.
*Saturday 30th Nov*
We fancied a little trip to the northern suburbs. So we took the train from Retiro to San Isidro. We walked to the cathedral and the port, snacked at Sauzalito, and then walked to Perú Beach, where we finally got to see the shoreline and the river. Afterwards we walked along Perú to see the gated houses, and then got the train from Acassuso to Belgrano C, where we had a quick look at a very lively Barrio Chino. We then had a couple of beers at PIBÄ and Cervecería Tacuara in Belgrano, and then excellent wine and pasta at La Tratto Biasatti Ristorante.
*Sunday 1st Dec*
We weren’t going to let Big Pizza be the only pizza of our trip, so we took the subte to Tribunales and had ‘un grande’ at Pizzería Güerrín. Afterwards we walked down to San Telmo (Defensa, Bolívar, mercado) to take in the Sunday street fair, and then got the bus back to Santa Fe.
In the evening we went out for a last beer at Biere, and then returned to our apartment to enjoy a bottle of Cuvelier Los Andes Colección 2019 that we’d spent our remaining pesos on.
*Monday 2nd Dec*
Back to Madrid overnight, and then to London.
My partner and I recently returned to BA after more than 16 years (we spent a week there in November 2007, and 6weeks in early 2008). It was a relief to find that we still loved the city. What had changed: fewer cats, less dog poo, and the arrival of craft beer. What hadn’t changed: working out how best to pay for things!
Here’s what we got up to. We wanted a ‘slow travel’ style city break.
*Friday 22nd Nov*
We flew during the day to BsAs with Iberia from Madrid - they ask for fewer air miles and charge lower fees than British Airways. When we arrived, we bought and charged up a couple of SUBE cards at the Open 25hs, and took a pre-booked Tienda León transfer car to our Airbnb. Our host gave us a warm welcome. The small apartment on the ninth floor was comfortable and had a balcony, and its location on Billinghurst/Juncal was perfect for us and a great location!
We went to Carrefour for some groceries but didn’t bring ID for paying by card and had to go back and get it. It’s a bit of nonsense, as my UK driving license isn’t recognized anyway and they just override the error! I thought this was crazy and I don't remember having to show an ID the last time we came to BA to come to store or anywhere else!
We braved a pizza from our local Big Pizza - it filled a hole, but the base really was like cardboard! The pizza is as bad as the last time we came to BA. They did not improve at all!
*Saturday 23rd Nov*
We needed to get some cash, and had brought some new US dollar bills with us. The Blue Dollar rate at the time was ARS1115. We tried Berlin Cambio in Palermo and were offered ARS1040. We tried another cambio near the top of Calle Florida and were offered ARS1060. We eventually went with a ‘cueva’ at the top of Florida and got ARS1090.
During the day we walked down Santa Fe, through Microcentro, and to Puerta Madero. We decided to try the local fast food and had a burger at the somewhat expensive Puerto Madero branch of Mostaza. Look, we were hungry, and already had a dinner reservation…
That evening we went to Musgo in Palermo. The venue and service were excellent. The small dishes to share were mostly very good.
We had a glass of Petit Verdot on our balcony when we got back.
*Sunday 24th Nov*
This morning we got a couple of buses to Caballito to ride one of the historic trams. It’s free, but you’re encouraged to buy a little souvenir. Afterward we walked for a bit and then got the bus to Chacarita to have lunch at the ‘German’ restaurant Gambrinus. I got to try Pollo Maryland (the one with a fried banana). After lunch, we explored the Chacarita Cemetery, which is larger than the Recoleta one, and free to enter. In Recoleta you have to pay now! Last time we came it was free.
In the evening we went to see the band La Farsa del Dr Berretín at La Trastienda (we’d randomly booked this about a month beforehand). There were a few sound issues near the beginning, but otherwise, it was an excellent performance. Such a shame a few in the audience ignored the ‘prohibido fumar’ signs. To be fair it seems like less people smoke vs. the last time we came to BA.
*Monday 25th Nov*
We took it easy in the morning, and then went for lunch at a local hole in the wall, La Nueva Gata Alegría, which was very good. Afterwards we had a long walk around Recoleta.
In the evening we did the first leg of our ‘Recoleta Craft Beer Crawl’ - stopping in at Braus, Biere, and Temple.
We picked up some empanadas from a branch of Tomasso and took them back to our balcony to have with a glass of wine.
*Tuesday 26th Nov*
Once the rain had cleared, we headed on foot to the Museum of Fine Arts. Afterwards we went back to the cueva on Florida and changed some more dollars, and then went for a cocktail and late lunch at Kuro Neko. There was some confusion, but we got most of what we ordered and it was excellent.
In the evening we did the second leg of the beer crawl - La Barraca, La República de Wai, and Hormiga Negra.
We picked up some Big Pizza empanadas this time, which were better than their pizza!
*Wednesday 27th Nov*
It was a very wet morning, and we decided to put our planned trip to La Plata on hold. Instead, once the rain had finally cleared, we walked over to Palermo and headed to Cvichepe for lunch. Excellent food, especially the arroz con mariscos and the papas a la huancaína. The ceviche tasted superb but was somewhat overwhelming - we should’ve ordered the leche de tigre. Or just one ‘trio’ to share instead of three separate dishes!
We then walked around Palermo Hollywood, past Hotel CasaSur, and back home.
We spent a quiet night in on the balcony.
*Thursday 28th Nov*
We got the train from Plaza Constitución to La Plata. It was slow (it’s a stopping service that takes about 1h:15m) and the aircon was turned up to max, so we were quite cold. But it was an experience, and cheap. We walked to the cathedral at the centre and then went for lunch at La Bodeguita. They didn’t have our first choices, so we both ended up with bife de lomo - a lot of steak for a very good price. The meat was tender, despite being cooked past ‘jugoso’, and not particularly seasoned - but this is a common problem as I understand.
After lunch we went to the cathedral museum, and took the lift up one of the towers.
A Google Maps fail took us on a long trek out of the centre in search of the stop for the express bus back to BsAs (apparently the main bus station is actually near the train station, but we missed it). Anyway, we managed to flag the bus down on the edge of town before it reached the motorway. We also didn’t appreciate how much it cost, and our SUBE cards failed to work on the next bus - a Good Samaritan came to our rescue and tapped us both in!
In the evening we did the third leg of the beer crawl - Malevo, Cuenca, and Figueroa.
*Friday 29th Nov*
After a lazy morning, we walked to Don Hernaccio’s in Palermo for the pricey but superb Michelangelo sandwich. We then visited Museo XUL SOLAR, an artist I’d never heard of until the SaltShaker blog mentioned him recently. Talking of which…
In the evening we were booked into Casa SaltShaker (https://www.casasaltshaker.com/) - a ‘puerta cerrada’ restaurant in Recoleta. We went there on our last trip and I’ve been following Dan Perlman’s blog ever since (many of the restaurants we tried were his recommendations - not Big Pizza for the avoidance of doubt!). It was lovely to see Dan and Henry again. We had a wonderful evening with a superb five-course meal and matching wines. Our fellow diners at the communal table were four ladies from New York, and the conversation was great.
*Saturday 30th Nov*
We fancied a little trip to the northern suburbs. So we took the train from Retiro to San Isidro. We walked to the cathedral and the port, snacked at Sauzalito, and then walked to Perú Beach, where we finally got to see the shoreline and the river. Afterwards we walked along Perú to see the gated houses, and then got the train from Acassuso to Belgrano C, where we had a quick look at a very lively Barrio Chino. We then had a couple of beers at PIBÄ and Cervecería Tacuara in Belgrano, and then excellent wine and pasta at La Tratto Biasatti Ristorante.
*Sunday 1st Dec*
We weren’t going to let Big Pizza be the only pizza of our trip, so we took the subte to Tribunales and had ‘un grande’ at Pizzería Güerrín. Afterwards we walked down to San Telmo (Defensa, Bolívar, mercado) to take in the Sunday street fair, and then got the bus back to Santa Fe.
In the evening we went out for a last beer at Biere, and then returned to our apartment to enjoy a bottle of Cuvelier Los Andes Colección 2019 that we’d spent our remaining pesos on.
*Monday 2nd Dec*
Back to Madrid overnight, and then to London.
