Planning your first trip to Buenos Aires? This vibrant South American capital offers an intoxicating blend of culture, cuisine and history that makes it the continent's most appealing metropolis. Travel expert Simon Calder and Latin America specialist David Nichols share their essential recommendations for making the most of your Argentine adventure.
Where to Stay and What to See in Buenos Aires
For your initial visit, Recoleta stands out as the perfect all-round neighbourhood for sightseeing, leisurely strolls and dining out. If you're fortunate enough to pass through Buenos Aires multiple times, consider mixing up your accommodation locations. The leafy district of Palermo makes an excellent choice for subsequent stays, particularly at weekends when its streets come alive with upscale boutiques and trendy cafes.
Within Palermo, the Palermo Viejo area boasts atmospheric streets lined with Art Nouveau villas and offers the city's most interesting shopping opportunities. For accommodation, the Miravida Soho comes highly recommended - a boutique hotel housed within a beautifully restored 1930s mansion situated on a quiet cobbled street in Palermo.
During the warm early summer months, visitors should embrace the local tradition of enjoying a cold beer and bar food at establishments like the popular Meridiano 58, located conveniently nearby.
Essential Buenos Aires Landmarks and Activities
No visit to Buenos Aires would be complete without exploring these key attractions:
The Recoleta Cemetery contains elaborately designed tombs housing the city's elite, including the final resting place of actress Eva Duarte, better known to the world as Evita.
Begin your city exploration at Plaza de Mayo, the historical hub of Buenos Aires. The eastern side features the iconic Casa Rosada (Pink Palace), where Evita and her husband President Juan Perón famously waved to adoring crowds from the balcony.
East of the plaza, beyond two busy highways, awaits the spectacular Puente de la Mujer - a rotating footbridge designed by Santiago Calatrava that resembles the leg of a tango dancer. This architectural marvel leads to the rejuvenated dockland area of Puerto Madero.
To the south, the colonial streets of San Telmo buzz with activity on Sundays, hosting a vibrant flea market and spontaneous street tango performances. Continue to La Boca, where Buenos Aires was originally founded by Spanish settlers in 1536. The highlight here is undoubtedly the Caminito, a former railway siding transformed into an open-air gallery officially known as the Museo de Bellas Artes al Aire Libre.
Practical Travel Advice for UK Tourists
For those concerned about passport details when booking flights, Calder offers reassuring advice. You can safely book flights before receiving your new passport, provided you avoid online travel agents that demand passport information at the point of purchase. The only crucial requirement is that the name on your booking matches your passport exactly - which shouldn't change with a replacement document.
Airlines typically only require passport details during check-in, either online 24 hours before departure or at the airport. Calder cautions against including middle names on flight bookings unless absolutely necessary, as this increases the potential for administrative errors.
For dual nationals holding both British and Norwegian passports, specific guidelines apply. You must always enter a country using that nationality's passport - Norwegian when travelling to Norway (or any Schengen area country) and British when heading to UK destinations like London, Manchester or Edinburgh.
Using your Norwegian passport in Schengen countries helps you avoid the new EU entry-exit system, while your British passport remains essential for UK entry to circumvent electronic travel authorisation requirements. When checking in for round-trip flights, always use your UK passport to satisfy airline systems, then simply present your Norwegian document upon arrival in Norway.
Meanwhile, for those considering closer-to-home destinations, Cambridge emerges as an excellent city break choice. Its cultural highlights include the world-class Fitzwilliam Museum, the fascinating Scott Polar Research Institute, and the beautiful Botanic Garden featuring species that inspired Charles Darwin.
Punting on the River Cam remains available year-round, though it's particularly enjoyable during spring and summer months. The city also boasts significant green spaces, including Midsummer Common where cows have grazed since the 12th century.
For dining recommendations, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire suggests the historic Eagle pub, where Francis Crick and James Watson first announced their discovery of DNA; Fitzbillies for their famous Chelsea buns; and the Orchard Tea Garden, once frequented by literary figures including Rupert Brooke, Virginia Woolf and Bertrand Russell.
