Photo: GU
Time to dance
Is it love, or passion? By day, Buenos Aires can seem a brash, opinionated, loud town with devilish traffic. But by night she is a whispering, alluring temptress. Whether you're a clubber, an opera buff, a tango lover or a bespectacled intellectual fascinated by the writings of Borges, Buenos Aires has a corner set aside just for you.
Most fascinating of all are the Porteños, as the inhabitants of the port city of Buenos Aires call themselves, with deep cultural links to Europe inherited from forefathers arrived in crowded immigrant ships a century ago, jumbled with a raw South American energy that provides their unique and contradictory fibre. Broad boulevards, imposing architecture and the unflagging determination of the Porteños to enjoy their fabulous city to the full makes it difficult to resist a relaxed lifestyle unlike that of any other major city in the world.
Most fascinating of all are the Porteños, as the inhabitants of the port city of Buenos Aires call themselves, with deep cultural links to Europe inherited from forefathers arrived in crowded immigrant ships a century ago, jumbled with a raw South American energy that provides their unique and contradictory fibre. Broad boulevards, imposing architecture and the unflagging determination of the Porteños to enjoy their fabulous city to the full makes it difficult to resist a relaxed lifestyle unlike that of any other major city in the world.
Best view
Crowne Plaza Panamericano Hotel
The 23rd floor of the Crowne Plaza Panamericano Hotel overlooks the impressive Avenida 9 de Julio ("the widest avenue in the world" according to Argentines). Order a drink or sushi at the Kasuga Sushi Bar and enjoy breathtaking views of the classic Colon opera house across the avenue and of the 67 metre-high white "Obelisco" that marks the geographic centre of the city.
Carlos Pellegrini, 551; Tel: 4348 5000; www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/home
Best thing to do for free
Recoleta Cemetery
The final resting ground for generations of Argentina's elite. An eerily peaceful mini-city of the dead, featuring marble and stone mausoleums coronated with angels blowing stone trumpets and life-size likenesses of the illustrious departed. Ironically, this is where Evita Perón, who fought the country's oligarchy so fiercely, rests, in the Duarte family vault, under three layers of thick steel to guard her coffin from would-be desecrators.
Junín, 1760; Tel: 4803 1594
Where to watch the world go by
La Biela
The quintessential people-watching spot of Buenos Aires in the upscale Recoleta area. A little noisy, but its still worth it to mingle with the "beautiful people" in a city renowned for beautiful women and handsome men. Pick an outside table underneath the sprawling branches of the ancient rubber tree and let the "simpatico" waiters in their green waistcoats serve up delicious coffee. This is US actor Robert Duvall's favourite hangout when he flies to dance the tango in Buenos Aires.
Quintana, 596; Tel: 4804 0449
Nighttime hangout
Bar Unico
Its noisy and crowded and fun, and as its name denotes, unique. The preferred pre- and after-club gathering spot for the youthful crowd that congregates in Palermo Hollywood.
Honduras, 5602
Cultural hangout
The Evita Museum
Preserves the memory of Argentina's champion of the poor, Eva Perón, both in her early role as film actress and her later status as political and social idol.
Lafinur, 2988; Tel: 4807 0306; Tues-Sun, 2-7.30pm; www.evitaperon.org/museum/
Bring back
Argentinian fashion
Pick up some of the great new fashions from young Argentinian designers. They look good, feel great and with the favourable exchange rate, are exceptionally affordable. Palermo Soho is peppered with cosy boutiques. Men should pay a visit to Felix for casual clothes with a colourful dash, while women looking for something chic and bohemian should try Cat Ballou where clothes are made from traditional Argentinian materials and velvet dyed by the owners.
Felix: Gurruchaga, 1670; Tel: 4832 2994; www.felixba.com.ar/; Cat Ballou: Costa Rica, 4520
Leave there
Souvenir T-shirts
T-shirts, caps and postcards with Argentine icons of the past such as former soccer star Maradona, revolutionary hero Che Guevara and Evita Perón.
Time for love
Bereber
Soft lighting, Moroccan cuisine and cushions on the floor make Bereber an ideal choice for an intimate dinner.
Armenia, 1880; Tel: 4833 5662
Best-kept secret (till now)
José Luis
A small Spanish restaurant specialising in seafood that, tucked away at the end of a shopping arcade. Not many people know it despite its location at the heart of Recoleta, delicious food and excellent service.
Quintana, 456; Tel: 4807 0606
The thing to eat
Bife de lomo
The Argentinian equivalent of a sirloin steak, so tender that in some restaurants waiters will cut it with a spoon while serving.
Green space
Palermo Park
The city's beautiful sprawling green lung, 350 acres of trees and lakes created by a 19th-century French landscape artist. Visit the zoo, the botanical gardens or the planetarium. The city government provides free outdoor gym classes while others jog, skate, cycle, play soccer or simply soak in the sun.
Best ride
Taxis
Take taxis everywhere. They are cheap, never costing more than a few euros for most inner-city rides, the drivers are talkative to a fault, and they don't expect tips. As a matter of fact, they will usually round off the cents in your favour.
Keep the kids happy
Persicco
The best ice cream in Argentina, which is saying more than a lot, is based on the gelati traditions from immigrant Italians and improved with the superior milk from Argentine dairies.
Salguero, 2591; 9am-2am
Escape the crowds
Ecological Reserve
The Reserva Ecologica alongside Puerto Madero was a deserted landfill that has been taken over by lagoons, wild grass and a large variety of birds. You can jog, cycle or simply walk along the paths and look back at the high-rise buildings of the Buenos Aires downtown banking district.
Tristán Achával Rodríguez, 1550; Tel: 4315-1320
The film to see before I go
La Cienaga
Released as The Swamp in Britain, it relates the slow decay of a middle-class family and contains a rare insight into the Argentine psyche.
... and the novel to read
In Patagonia
Although first published in 1977 and a travel journal rather than a novel, Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia admirably conveys the uniqueness of the Argentine experience and points you in all the right directions.
Where to eat (budget)
Pippo
Pippo specializes in pasta but the real attraction is the clientele itself, loud and gesticulating Porteños in their natural environment.
Montevideo, 341; Tel: 4374 0762
Where to eat (moderate)
Uriarte Bar
Situated in Palermo Soho, the Uriarte Bar attracts the arty crowd with its wood-burning oven and a sophisticated menu.
Uriarte, 1572; Tel: 4834 6004
Where to eat (posh)
Cabaña las Lilas
The best meat in town can be found at Cabaña las Lilas. Its luxurious setting in the converted dockside area of Puerto Madero complements the impeccable service.
Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo, 516; Tel: 4313 1336
Where to stay (budget)
Boquitas Pintadas
A fun art hotel run by two Germans in the colonial San Telmo district. Each room is decorated with works by different artists. Its modern restaurant serves kitsch cocktails and there are art events, poetry readings and DJ parties on weekends. Prices range from $30 to $50 a night.
Estados Unidos, 1393; Tel: 4381 6064; www.boquitas-pintadas.com.ar/
Where to stay (moderate)
Hotel Plaza Francia
With rooms available from $74 to $107, this hotel is a well-kept secret. Ideally located in the posh Recoleta district, it is a stone's throw away from Recoleta Cemetery, the city's main museums and arts centres and some of its fanciest restaurants.
Schiaffino, 2189; Tel: 4804 9631; www.hotelplazafrancia.com/
Where to stay (posh)
Alvear Palace
Probably the city's most luxurious hotel, the five-star Alvear's French-style architecture, thick carpets and courteous service reek of old-world splendour, as do the prices which begin at $410 for a double room.
Avenida Alvear, 1891; Tel: 4808-2100; www.alvearpalace.com/
Find out what's on
What's Up In Buenos Aires
To keep up with what's going on in the city, try WUBA (What's Up In Buenos Aires), a website run by an expatriate American living in Buenos Aires (www.whatsupbuenosaires.com/).
Get there from the airport
Airport transfer: Taxi
Both the borough of Ezeiza and the City of Buenos Aires run authorised taxi services from both terminals. The journey into central Buenos Aires should take approximately 45 minutes.
Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
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