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Argentina
Okay, like every tourist you've already visited Calle Florida. After all, despite everything, there is always something interesting to do there - shopping at Falabella, a coffee at Florida Garden. There are also good bookshops like Ateneo and Cúspide Libros, which have pleasant cafés away from the hubbub of the street - you do not even remember that you are in Florida. And I cannot fail to mention the Galerias Pacifico, with good shops and ceilings worthy of an art gallery.
What you might not know is that the top floor of the Galerias Pacifico is the Centro Cultural Borges where you can find concerts, exhibitions, films, educational programs and workshops. This centre is a great place to see tango shows - not tourist traps, but authentic ones. The prices are quite fair: for the tango show "Bien de Tango" I paid $100 (aprox. US$25). Certainly off the beaten track.
www.ccborges.org.ar
Centro Cultural Borges, Viamonte esq. San Martín C1053ABK, Buenos Aires
+54 (11) 5555-5359
Google map: bit.ly/Ncl3LR
A tennis course tailored to your specific requirements. The company can also combine it with Tango lessons and Spanish teaching and conversation. I'd recommend this because of the high quality of the tennis facilities and coaching (my coach had worked with players on the ATP circuit and top five juniors from across South America) and because of the excellent personal service received (recommendations on food, cultural and leisure throughout BA, an individual tour of the city from a lecturer in the History of architecture from the University in BA, visits to nearby haciendas etc) the holiday allowed me to combine intensive tennis coaching with a relaxing visit to BA.
Beautiful little tango bar in the San Telmo district. The place is so small that you can really appreciate the performers' skill. You do get roped in with singing and even dancing, but it's done with such good humour that it's really not that painful.
The bar is featured in Wong Kar-Wai's film Happy Together.
Estados Unidos 299
San Telmo
Buenos Aires
Google map: tinyurl.com/nhvc5v
www.bar-sur.com.ar/
Every Sunday evening the residents of the cobbled streets of San Telmo indulge themselves in their favourite pastime, the tango. Don't pay for an expensive tango show, simply observe from a bustling cafe these locals doing what they do best well into the early hours of Monday morning.
San Telmo is easily reached from Buenos Aires's main Avenue, Avenida de Mayo, walking for approximately 15 minutes along La Defensa.
Snacks or meals in a traditional setting. The locals frequent it as well as tourists. Cheap and friendly. There's also tango shows in the evenings.
Avenida de Mayo 857
Google map: tinyurl.com/mo93r2
The Tortoni has become Tango's equivalent of the Hard Rock Cafe selling T-shirts and nonsense, with even waxworks of Borges and Gardel sipping coffees!
Infinitely more authentic, with just as much architectural style, is the Cafe Ideal in Suipacha (half a block from Corrientes). Even if you've got two left feet and never thought of having a tango lesson ... pinch your nose and go to one of the lunchtime beginners classes in English. They're a hoot ... and very cheap.
Suipacha, just up from Corientes.
www.confiteriaideal.com/public/
Whats Up Buenos Aires has started a tourism project showing BA culturally. I did a behind-the-scenes art tour and it was fascinating.
A place to go and dance tango or just to look at people dancing 'for real'. Unlike most of other tango places, that do shows 'for export', it is rough and ready (in a barely-converted warehouse) and full of young people. Lessons also available, including some for same sex couples.
Sarmiento 4006. Tel 15 5325-1630. Buses: 168-92-151-160-36 Subte A estación Castro Barros y Subte B estación Medrano.
Google map: tinyurl.com/n89zo5
I saw the Piazzolla Tango Show for 200 pesos (140 without dinner). I was very impressed. The three course dinner was good with a nice bottle of wine, although the service made many mistakes and the menu was very simple.
The show was great. The band was excellent, the singers were fantastic, and the dancers perfect. There might have been a story line but I could not figure it out. You will enjoy it even though it is a very controlled experience, I felt like I was in a scene from the Godfather. Very Italian.
Every weekday evening from about six o'clock, there are cheap lessons for all abilities, you can just turn up and try your hand/feet.There will always be people more rubbish than you. If you stick it out for a few lessons, ladies, you will eventually be allowed to do the kick which, when done well, is a very sexy move that makes you feel like a proper dancer. If done badly, it leaves your partner with limited chances of fathering a child.
Avenida de Mayo - near Cafe Tortoni
Since La Catedral closed at the beginning of this year after it failed to comply with the new regulations imposed by the local government following the fire at Cromagnon nightclub, young portenos have been desperately searching for an equally bohemian tango venue. Unfortunately, La Catedral really is unbeatable, but until it re-opens, most young dancers appear to have gravitated to the pogoda in the Barrancas de Belgrano.
Located in the open air on Juramento y Luis M Campos, just one block from the Belgrano C train station, free lessons are given at 7pm everyday and a fabulous milonga takes place after the class on Sunday evenings. This is one of the few tango events with such a high concentration of young people, all of which are happy to take you through the steps.
Barrancas de Belgrano park on Juramento y Luis M Campos. Directly in front of the Belgrano bus terminal and Belgrano C train station
Is this your business?Search Been there
