Argentina
Saturday and Sunday near the Recoleta cemetery about 100 stands set up and create an open air market of artisan goods. Silver, leather, clothing, pottery, art- nice quality for better pricing than the stores they sell to.
Google map: bit.ly/qfjlRw
www.feriaplazafrancia.com/
Walking tours of street art in Buenos Aires. I was looking for a modern cultural tour and found graffitimundo. We visited walls, galleries and artists studios, which we couldn't have found ourselves. It was a fantastic way to meet artists and learn more about street art in Argentina.
The Museo Larreta exhibits Spanish art and historical objects. As for the museum itself, it showcases a kind of jumbled offering - a wall with medieval weaponry, a room with Jesus Christ at the front. I was a bit confused about the specific theme the curator was going for. BUT, the garden behind the museum building is absolutely charming. I walked past the somewhat arbitrary museum pieces, out the back door, and found myself facing a beautifully manicured maze of flora. Fruit trees, bushes, and the great ombu tree. A stone pavilion and a small theater set aside. It's so tranquil and pretty.
So, how to get there: Belgrano is next to Palermo. So you can hop on the Subte D line to Juramento. It's on the corner of Juramento and Obligado de Vuelta. You can check out: www.museos.buenosaires.gov.ar/larreta_entornoes.html.
The neighbourhood in the port area from which Boca Juniors derive their name was the point of arrival for the countless numbers of immigrants who came to Argentina, particularly Italians. There is an artists fair as well as Italian cantinas to relax in. Go for the beautiful coloured houses and because this is where Maradona grew up.
Barrio La Boca
It's the place you associate with Buenos Aires, where the houses are painted in electric pinks, blues, yellows and greens. Buy a small painting from the local artists as a souvenir.
Since devaluation in 2001, hundreds of talented, young designers have emerged from the woodwork in a bid to make a living during the economic crisis. Most of these appear to have opened small boutiques in Palermo Viejo, where one-off designs can be purchased for just a few pesos. For even better bargains, however, wait until the weekend before paying a visit to the area of Palermo Viejo surrounding Plaza Serrano. This is when the local bars play host to the city's design fair. Literally hundreds of local designers (most of which are still unable to afford to set up a shop of their own) flood the Plaza, offering everything from hand-made belts, customised shirts and one-off cocktail dresses. Arrive in the early afternoon to avoid the crowds.
Most of the bars surrounding Plaza Cortazar, Palermo Viejo
Great small museum with lovely pieces, representative of various schools of modern Latin American art. Nearby Palermo is nice to walk around and see some of the few old houses still left.
Avda. Figueroa Alcorta 3415
T +54 (11) 4808 6500
info@malba.org.ar
www.malba.org.ar
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