Like many European cities, there are plenty of statues and parks in Buenos Aires– it makes the city feel very welcoming! Photo by: Evan Berman
There are few South American cities that captivate people more than Buenos Aires. From steak and soccer to dancing and fashion, this city is well known– and for good reason. We only spent parts of 2 days in Buenos Aires but had plenty to do.
The recap of our brief but exciting time in Buenos Aires is part of the larger South American Adventure. For more information on this trip, follow these links:
Flight: CHS-JFK in Delta Comfort+
Flight: JFK-SCL in LATAM Economy+
Osaka Santiago, Chile Restaurant Review
Flight: SCL-AEP in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
Flight: AEP-FTE in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
Trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentine Patagonia
36 Hours in El Calafate, Argentina
Flight: FTE-USH in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
Flight: USH-AEP in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
2 Days in Buenos Aires, Argentina (This Article)
Flight: AEP-SCL in Aerolíneas Argentinas Economy
Flight: SCL-MIA in LATAM Business Class
Hyatt Place Ft. Lauderdale/Plantation
Flight: FLL-CHS in Silver Airways Economy Class
Trip Summary:
The last city we visited prior to returning to the US was Buenos Aires. We spent a bit over a day and a half there and enjoyed the warm weather as well as the spectacle that is Argentine soccer!
The highlights of Buenos Aires included:
- Sampling many different types of meats cooked on the traditional parilla– exceptional flavor!
- Tasting many wines from Mendoza and other parts of Argentina
- Exploring the city, including the Fine Art museum, the Eva Peron museum and Recoleta Cemetery
- Excellent drinks, including a local craft beer and spirits bar as well as upscale cocktails and a tropical scene
Buenos Aires is the capital city of Argentina and the largest city. With a population of roughly 15.5 million, the city is massive, both in terms of geography and people.
The country is well known for soccer, steak, beautiful people, and wine. Buenos Aires is located on the coast and as such, is at lower elevation that the wine regions, such as Mendoza.
Unfortunately, like Chile, Argentina has seen its share of turmoil, both economically and politically. From frequent, recurring debt crises to extreme governments on each side, Argentina certainly is never boring!
Flight Info:
I flew Aerolíneas Argentina from El Calafate, Argentina (FTE) to Buenos Aires (AEP) via Ushuaia, Argentina (USH) on Flights AR 1864 and AR 1891.
The flights were uneventful but had beautiful views from my window seats. Most notably, I caught the sunset as we headed towards Buenos Aires.
Read more details about the flight from El Calafate to Ushuaia here and the flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires here.
Price: I booked all of the intra-South American flights through Chase Travel. The entire trip cost $531.60 and I used the $300 travel credit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve as well as 15,440 UR Points to pay for the flight. As such, I paid $0 in “real money.”
Points Earned: 458 Delta SkyMiles (88 on the FTE-USH leg and 370 on the USH-AEP leg)
Lodging Info:
We stayed 2 nights in Buenos Aires, both at a homestay in the Palermo district. This neighborhood is known for its nightlife. Read all about this stay in this article. If you want to hear more about the craziness surrounding this stay, check out this article.
Price: $103.51
Points Earned: None earned. We ended up paying in cash and saved $80 by doing so– I was happy with that exchange! 😉
Airport Details:
As mentioned above, I flew into AEP, the smaller of the 2 international airports in Buenos Aires. While AEP is quite hectic, the airport was not the worst I’ve seen. There is 1 terminal, though all domestic flights depart from gates 1-13 and 14-22 are the international gates.
I will review AEP more fully in a separate article. Per Flight Connections, the main airline that flies there is unsurprisingly Aerolíneas Argentinas (SkyTeam member). Felix Airways (a Yemeni airline that operates in Argentina), Air Labrador, Gol (Brazilian startup), LATAM all operate several flights. Other airlines that fly there are Sky Airlines (a low-cost carrier that merged with Star Alliance member Avianca in 2021), Paranair, Euroairlines, and JetSmart (an ultra low-cost carrier that operates a codeshare with OneWorld member American Airlines).
There is only 1 lounge, located by the international portion of the terminal, though it appears to be closed and is only accessible by paying a $50 entry fee. There is; however, a Priority Pass Restaurant, Outback Steakhouse. This turned out to be a false flag as I was told that the Priority Pass is only valid for people who are dining in. Oh well.
Transportation Details:
Rideshare:
Once again, Lyft was not available. We opted to take Ubers everywhere we went, though I took a taxi into the city from the airport. Here is a sampling of our rides:
Airport:
The Uber to the airport at 5:40am was 1,650 Argentine Pesos or $5.79. In contrast, my taxi from the airport to the city was 1,631 pesos ($5.72). Pretty reasonable!
Attractions:
We took two other Ubers, both for short distances from Palermo to downtown and back. One was 760 ($2.67) pesos and the other 1,050 pesos ($3.68).
Soccer:
I’m not a huge soccer fan. However, as the famous saying goes: when in Rome… grab a beer and watch the Argentine national team play!
I’m also convinced that I was the good luck charm that enabled them to win. Prior to my arrival in Buenos Aires, Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. I flew in the night before a big win over Mexico and they didn’t lose another match the rest of the way. So, I think it’s a guarantee that if I visit your favorite team’s city, they’ll win it all right? 😉
Food & Drink:
Buenos Aires was very enjoyable but we did not plan as many great dining experiences as in other parts of the trip. Don’t worry, neither of us starved 🙂
Posta Recoleta:
Some context is necessary for this restaurant. We were in Buenos Aires on a Saturday afternoon when Argentina was playing Mexico in the World Cup. First and foremost, it was important to be around the locals and people watch. The weather was glorious and we wanted to sit outside and eat at a parilla. We saw this restaurant and decided to eat here.
To start, we had the beef tenderloin carpaccio. Much thicker than your normal lean slices of beef carpaccio, the flavor was large too!
Next up, we had the “Grill plate.” If you’re not adventurous in eating, skip this part! The 3 meats are kidneys, sweetbreads, and liver. This was an unusual choice but we enjoyed it nonetheless.
Finally, I ordered what I would call filet mignon en croûte. The Spanish have a different name for this but the same concept applies: cook a filet under a tent of flaky pastry dough so that the outside has a bit of crunch while the inside (where the meat is) is delightfully tender. Unfortunately the sides were very disappointing. I don’t normally skip food but I was unable to finish the bland accompaniment.
Price: 15,050 pesos ($52.81 or $26.41 per person)
Points Earned: 0 points as I paid using cash to save nearly $40, $20 per person
Verne Cocktail Club:
If you are looking for an elevated atmosphere to enjoy cocktails, I highly recommend that you visit Verne Cocktail Club. From the outside, this building is unassuming, but upon entering, the fun begins. The inside is dark, hence the lack of pictures. With many booths and tables, this is a terrific spot for a romantic evening. We went outside to a tiki-inspired courtyard. This space reminds me of Tulum with the upscale atmosphere and high-quality cocktails.
We had 2 drinks a piece and they were all quite tasty. Ranging from an old fashioned to tropical drinks, there is something for everyone.
Price: 8,200 pesos ($28.77 or $14.39 per person)
Points Earned: Again, we paid in cash to get a significant discount based on the Dollar Blue conversion rate. As such, no points were earned.
Perro Verde(?)
Despite my best efforts, I do not remember the name of the bar down the street from our homestay or the small club we headed to afterwards with our new group of friends. Neither exist on Maps (truly the sign of a good local spot) and so they shall be remembered only in our memories. That being said, I want to note how good the drinks were at the bar across from our homestay. It is both a craft beer bar and craft distillery and neither area disappointed.
With 16 beers on tap (all local) ranging from IPAs to stouts and everything in between as well as ciders and liquor, it is impossible to go wrong. However, the real star of the show was their incredible take on gin and tonic. They used fresh strawberries to go along with the homemade tonic and local flavored gin (I went with the citrus orange– “naranja”) and I was blown away. Speaking with the guys behind the bar the second night we were there, it was abundantly clear that this is the kind of place where everybody knows your name. Put in 2009 Anasagasti Palermo in your route guidance and you’ll see for yourselves!
Price: 10,000 pesos ($35.09 or $17.55 per person)
Points Earned: 0 because we paid in cash as per usual in Argentina.
Activities:
There is plenty to see and do in Buenos Aires. With only 1 full day, we decided to focus on Recoleta. Since the national team was playing, the famous stadium where Réal Madrid plays was not as appetizing as usual. The tour might have been a fun time, but most say that the best experience is to watch soccer live there and we obviously were not going to the game (it’s a bit of a hike to Qatar, no?).
Eva Peron Museum
One of the most well-known figures in Argentinian history and for that matter South America is Eva Peron. Fashion icon, feminist, political leader, and mother, Evita as she is known by her adoring fans, led a remarkable life though it was relatively short. The museum was her house and allows visitors to see what her life may have been like. If you’re looking for a historically accurate representation, this isn’t the place for you. She is painted in a saintly light, though that is their prerogative.
Price: 1,500 pesos ($5.26)
Points: None earned, paid in cash for the better conversion rate.
Recoleta Cemetery:
Quite possibly the most famous landmark in Buenos Aires, the Recoleta Cemetery is where the Duarte family is buried. As the guide put it: “do not call her Eva Peron, her name was Eva Duarte.” When she married Juan Peron, the future leader of Argentina, she changed her name to Eva Duarte de Peron. When you look for her burial plot in the cemetery, know that you look for the Duarte family plot, not the Peron plot. Otherwise, you may be in for a long day!
We spent roughly an hour and a half walking through the giant cemetery, marvelling at the various designs, statues, poses, and other choices that these wealthy men and women had adopted for their burial. It’s never hard to find the burial of Eva Peron (she’s at the front to the left in the cemetery)– just follow the crowds!
Price: 1,400 Argentine Pesos ($8.59 at the time of entry, card only)
Points: 17 Capital One Miles (2x on all purchases with the Capital One Venture X Card)
National Museum of Fine Arts
If you know me, you’d know that no trip is complete without a stop at the Fine Arts museum. Buenos Aires has a large museum that is unfortunately still undergoing construction. Not many paintings have been displaced but there were many temporary structures inside. The museum features lots of European artists, particularly the French, and was overall quite a pleasant experience, though nothing extraordinary or worth going out of your way to see.
Price: $0. The museum is completely free to enter. I normally buy a souvenir to commemorate my visit but the selection was remarkably poor.
Points Earned: Let’s see, 2x on a $0 purchase is… 0!
Total:
Price:
Food and Drink: 42,250 Argentine Pesos ($148.25 or $74.12 per person)
Transportation: 5,291 Argentine Pesos ($12.48 for me)
Flights: $531.60 (I used the $300 travel credit from the Chase Sapphire Reserve as well as 15,440 UR Points so it was $0 out of pocket)
Hotel: $103.51 ($51.75 per person)
Activities: 2,900 Argentine Pesos ($13.85)
Total Price: $284.17 ($152.20 for me)
Points Earned:
Food and Drink: None, paid in cash
Transportation: 97 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Flights: None, award flight
Hotel: None, paid in cash
Activities: 17 Capital One Miles Woohoo!
Total Points: 97 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points and 17 Capital One Miles
Hasta Luego, Argentina! Next up: a quick flight back to Santiago before returning to the US.
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