Everything Buenos Aires has to offer

Buenos Aires is a tough city, and it can almost get a bit overwhelming at times, buildings and asphalt everywhere.

The city can’t even be compared to Oslo, either in size or in terms of culture.

One of the things I appreciated most in everyday life surrounded by asphalt was the parks they have there. There are lots of beautiful parks you can wander through, whether you need peace and quiet or want to be entertained.

My favorite place in Buenos Aires was Ecoparque Ex Zoo, in the Palermo neighborhood.

The park used to be a zoo.

After many protests from animal rights activists, the park was turned into a kind of “ethical zoo,” where only animals originating from the Argentina region remained, in addition to those that were too old to be transported away.

The park is absolutely beautiful. Right in the city center you’ll find a place full of nature, charming little buildings and sculptures, and many animals wandering along the paths.

You can walk among the peacocks or watch the capybaras. They also have giraffes, hippos, and a somewhat lonely mandrill.

This is where I used to go if I felt overwhelmed by the city, or if I just wanted to have a really nice day! Right next to Ecoparque is Jardin Botanico, a botanical garden with many different plants, where you can also find a lot of peace and quiet. Very much worth a visit.

I also loved Parque 3 de febrero. Here you’ll find a small lake or pond in the middle of the park, and the chance to rent a pedal boat, something I still regret not having time to do. This park is also located in Palermo, and is well worth a visit on a sunny day.

A park I never had time to visit is Jardin Japonés, a Japanese garden that is said to be very beautiful.

In Buenos Aires there is so much to do that four months just isn’t enough to discover everything! There is an entrance fee here, so remember to bring cash if you’re planning to visit the Jardín Japonés.

Buenos Aires also has lots of great museums, many with student discounts, and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is even free.

The museum that made the biggest impression on me was Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA).

There you can see lots of art from Argentina and other Latin American countries, including two works by none other than Frida Kahlo.

If you enjoy watching movies as much as I do, Buenos Aires is a great fit for you! We used to go to the outdoor cinema at Post Street Bar several times, and it only cost 35 Norwegian kroner.

It’s a super fun experience, but I made a bad purchase and bought a burger there, which wasn’t that good. Enjoy the movie with some good fries instead!

They showed some of my favorite movies, like Amélie from Montmartre and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Highly recommended.

If you feel like watching movies in Spanish, Gaumont cinema only shows Spanish-language films in the original language, no dubbing.

There were several cinemas we stumbled upon that were showing old, exciting films, and there were several different film festivals being held while we were here, so keep your eyes open!

At Soler Vino Pizza Palermo you get a glass of red wine and some slices of pizza when you buy a ticket to the movies.

If you’re into music, I’d recommend these places:

• Bebop club:sit down and enjoy a nice jazz concert in a very lovely venue.
• La Bomba del Tiempo: super fun drumming show every Monday with lots of locals in the audience
• Soria Bar:a cool bar in Palermo that often has live music on Fridays
• Palermo Groove:a cult concert venue with lots of exciting artists
• Swing City: A really cool place to listen to jazz concerts!

If you love to dance, or just want to experience that part of the culture from a distance, you should check out the tango scene in Buenos Aires.

We were so lucky that we managed to get tickets to the final of the Tango World Championship – completely free! After standing in line for an hour or two, we got some of the last tickets.

The dance was absolutely enchanting, and it was incredibly memorable.

There are several bars where you can dance or watch others dance, but not all of them are free. I would recommend going to La Viruta, where both locals and foreigners gather to dance.

There I got help from a really old man to dance properly!

The most fun experiences always happen when you try something new. You can also try tango classes at El Beso.

At El Boliche de Roberto there is often someone singing beautifully on Tuesdays, and sometimes someone steps out onto the dance floor and dances a bit of tango.

If you want to see ballet or opera, or just admire the beautiful building from the inside, you should try to get tickets at Teatro Colon.

They often have cheap tickets for sale, and we asked our teacher for a recommendation on where we should sit.

If you buy in good time, you can find really cheap tickets with a great view!

If you enjoy shopping second-hand, there are many fancy but fairly expensive vintage shops in Palermo.

It’s fun to check out, but the best and cheapest thrift store can be found in Parque de Los Andes, or at flea markets and random second-hand shops in the Recoleta neighborhood.

Sometimes we stumbled across various markets and shops with very cheap clothes, and often the chance to haggle.

Parque de Los Andes has a large market with lots of clothes, bags and other gadgets every weekend (except when it rains).

Le Paradise Vintageis like a shopping mall made up only of second-hand shops, and you can find many treasures here!