Buenos Aires is a fascinating city and according to many lists, the most visited city in South America. On a recent trip to Argentina, I decided to explore the top four sites in Buenos Aires that don’t appear on many “must do” lists or are at the bottom of lists. I think they deserve a higher ranking.
El Zanjón de Granados
Explore the way people lived and the old architecture of Buenos Aires at El Zanjon. Image by Tanenhaus | Flickr
El Zanjón is in the San Telmo area of the city. If you like architecture, archeology, and history, this tour of a historic dwelling puts it all together. As with many tours, it depends on who leads you through your experience. The tour lasts about an hour and the woman who guided us had a wealth of information, not just about this site but about Argentine history as well. She also had a great sense of humor!
El Ateneo Grand Splendid
A while back, I read an article in the NY Times travel section about the most beautiful bookstores in the world. Given the sad disappearing act of bookstores in the US, that article stayed in my memory. When I planned my trip to Buenos Aires it was a must see for me!
Just go there… you won’t want to leave! It’s not just a bookstore, but rather a gathering place and destination in and of itself. There are lots of nooks and crannies where you can settle in with a book or cup of coffee from their cafe. Be prepared to enjoy the ambiance here for at least an hour or two.
The Guardian has named it the second most beautiful bookshop in the world.
Learn about travel rewards credit cards that can get you to Argentina!
Water Company Palace
The Palace of Flowing Waters is a sight for sore eyes.
The Water Company Palace (aka Palace of Flowing Waters) turned out to be my favorite building in Buenos Aires.
Absolutely stunning architecture. Unfortunately, the day I went to see it was a holiday, so getting inside was not possible. Take your time walking around the block, as it’s in an area of Buenos Aires that’s off the beaten track; you’ll get a flavor for a local neighborhood, as well.
Teatro Colón
The Teatro Colón is a spectacular Latin American opera house.
Whenever I travel, I always take tours of the opera houses. Given its world ranking, Teatro Colón is a must. And if you can catch an opera there, all the better. I actually did catch an opera while in Buenos Aires, though it was a Live From The Met performance, so not done at Teatro Colón. Catching an opera, or any live performance, with an overseas audience is always a fun experience and one I’ve enjoyed in many places I’ve visited.
Gelato Tip
I’ll throw in an ice cream tip, too. Besides being a coffee snob, I’m an admitted gelato snob. I’ve heard people say that the gelato in Buenos Aires was even better than in Italy. Impossible, right? Or maybe not. I had to know for myself.
I got hooked on gelato in Buenos Aires. So here’s the scoop. Don’t bother trying all the ice cream shops in Buenos Aires! Just head to Un Altra Volta and thank me later! Or better yet, bring me home some Dulce de Leche Granizado and I’ll be your new best friend!
Dare I say the best gelato I’ve ever had! Image by Un Altra Volta
Buenos Aires is a big, fun city with lots to see and do. I enjoy finding gems such as these top four sites in Buenos Aires and then, of course, topping off my explorations with gelato!
Shelli Stein is a health and fitness entrepreneur who travels the world in search of culture, food, and fun! Besides contributing to PointMeToThePlane, you can find her at Joy in Movement.
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7 comments
Is there a Malvinas museum? We, as English speakers, tend to back the UK but England kicked out Argentina a little after they burned the White House.
Yes there is, Derek. It opened a few years ago. Thanks for reading.
Thank you for your article.. although el Teatro Colon and el Ateneo are visited… a lot, not to off the beaten path or missed especially Colon 😉 I speak as both a traveler and someone who lived there for a while
Thanks for reading, Sophie, and so glad to hear opera houses and bookstores are frequently visited places!
A nicely-done article. The best places are off the beaten path.
I love to hear about places that do not get the big write-ups in the travel books and forums.
Every place has it’s share of incredible off the beaten track spots. Thanks for sharing these secret ones with your readers
Elisa from Buenos Aires Off the Beaten Path Tours
https://baoffthebeatenpathtours.wordpress.com/
Glad you thought so, Elisa! Hope our readers look into your tour offerings. Thanks for reading.
[…] Just writing the word gelato makes me think about booking a trip to Italy or Buenos Aires. Yup, Buenos Aires, though maybe not known for gelato, is a fantastic gelato […]