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Santiago, Chile

Overview

Introduction

Santiago, like Chile in general, has enjoyed a renaissance of

cultural, intellectual and especially commercial activity for

more than two consecutive decades. The Andes Mountains

overlook Santiago's eastern edge, and their snowy peaks

provide good hiking, skiing, rafting and kayaking—and the

beach is only a short drive away. Small wonder it is the

country's capital and largest city, and one of the continent's

largest metropolises.

Centro (downtown Santiago) is still dotted with Spanish

colonial buildings and old churches, as well as many sparkling new modern buildings. Other

neighborhoods house international restaurants, upscale boutiques and lively nightlife. Tourist areas are

compact, and the resident Santiaguinos are pleasantly helpful. The city has a certain efficiency not found

elsewhere in Latin America, and an obvious prosperous feel to it. The major drawback is that ongoing

development and traffic congestion have created air pollution and smog, and the shanty towns on the

outskirts appear to be growing (albeit in a controlled state).

Highlights

Sights—The city's birthplace, beautiful Cerro Santa Lucia; the wrought-iron splendor and colorful,

otherworldly seafood of the Mercado Central; the presidential Palacio de la Moneda and the nearby,

bustling downtown square Plaza de Armas.

Museums—Ancient art at Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino; poet Pablo Neruda's home, La

Chascona; the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes—the building alone is worth the visit; extensive

international fashion history exhibits at the Museo de la Moda; Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos

Humanos, recalling the trauma of the Pinochet dictatorship; a visit to the many excellent private art

galleries in the city, such as Galeria Animal and Galeria de Arte Isabel Aninat in Santiago's posh Vitacura

barrio.

Memorable Meals—A meal at the world-renowned Puerto Fuy; a magical, romantic dinner at Como Agua

para Chocolate; a taste of some of Chile's many rare seafood delicacies at Infante 51; a tableside

serenade of Latin love songs at the funky El Caramano; cool cuisine and new fusions at Zully.

Late Night—Dancing at Las Urracas; a bottle of wine while soaking up live jazz at the intimate El

Perseguidor in Bellavista; salsa dancing at Havana Salsa; live music at La Batuta.

Walks—A jaunt along the Mapocho River in Parque Forestal; scaling the (modest) heights of Cerro San

Cristobal for panoramic views of the city; a Saturday-evening stroll in lively Bellavista; a walk through the

historic Lastarria neighborhood to visit its many specialty shops, museums and cafes.

Especially for Kids—Fantasilandia; the Museo Interactivo Mirador; taking the funicular train up the hill to

the charming national zoo at Cerro San Cristobal.

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Geography

Santiago is divided in half by a river, the Mapocho, which runs east to west through the city. Much of the

civic and tourist activity is concentrated on the southern bank. That's where you'll find the downtown area,

known as Centro, which is basically a triangle bounded by the river, Alameda (the city's major

thoroughfare) and the Pan-American Highway.

Barrio Brasil is the traditional neighborhood just west of Centro, with the Barrio Yungay and Quinta

Normal districts farther west; to the east, Barrio Lastarria is a rapidly growing gastronomic, shopping and

nightlife zone. Heading east from Centro, you'll find a succession of smart neighborhoods: Providencia,

Las Condes and Vitacura in particular. These neighborhoods contain the bulk of Santiago's hotels, plus

some fine restaurants and shops.

Generally speaking, the farther northeast you go, the more exclusive the neighborhoods become. On the

north bank of the river, opposite Centro, Barrio Bellavista is an area of fine restaurants and lively nightlife.

The Paris-Londres neighborhood, centered around the San Francisco church, is one of the few districts

left that still evokes 1920s Santiago, with its cobbled streets and low-slung town houses, some of them

now serving as small hotels.

Rather than use compass points to explain directions, most folks in Santiago use the looming Andes as

the key reference point. On clear, relatively unpolluted days (which alas, seem to be getting fewer and

fewer), it is easy to orient yourself in the urban sprawl simply by remembering that the Andes are always

to the east.

History

When Pedro de Valdivia led a Spanish expedition from Peru to the land that would become Chile in 1540,

he had to contend with both an attempted mutiny by many of his men and violent resistance from the

native peoples of the region, the Araucanians and Picunches. He and his remaining men founded

Santiago del Nuevo Extremo on 12 February 1541 and built a fortress at the foot of a hill he named Santa

Lucia. They spent the next two years under siege as Picunche guerrillas attacked them constantly. It was

only with the assistance of Peruvian reinforcements that the attacks subsided, though periodic battles

between the Araucanians and the colonists continued into the next century. Major earthquakes in 1647

and 1730 also slowed growth in the area.

A number of Santiago's major governmental structures were erected at the end of the 18th century and

during the first decade of the 19th century. However, the city's cultural and intellectual importance was

modest. Chile won its independence from Spain in 1818, and the leader of the Chilean liberation

movement, Bernardo O'Higgins, is a national hero. Santiago didn't begin to become a metropolis until

after World War I, when jobless nitrate miners from the Atacama Desert moved there.

After World War II, the process accelerated with industrialization, and an influx of rural Chileans rapidly

swelled Santiago's neighborhoods with apartments, housing projects and vast commercial spaces.

Santiago's darkest hour arrived on 11 September 1973, when military insurgents stormed the city, taking

over radio stations and bombing La Moneda, the presidential palace. The popularly elected Socialist

president, Salvador Allende Gossens, refused the military's calls to resign and is believed to have

committed suicide. The leader of the coup, Gen. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, installed himself as the

country's leader and ruled until his defeat in a 1988 referendum. Though internationally rebuked for

oppressive tactics and human-rights violations, Pinochet's authoritarian government did manage to push

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through economic reforms that made Chile economically stable and successfully implemented

communications and infrastructure projects.

Pinochet was arrested in the U.K. in October 1998 after a Spanish judge issued an international warrant

over human-rights violations, but was released on medical grounds and returned to Chile in March 2000.

Pinochet's arrest provoked an avalanche of other human-rights-related arrests within Chile, involving

dozens of his former generals and officers. Pinochet himself was stripped of parliamentary immunity in

Chile in 2000, and in January 2005 was placed under house arrest in Santiago and indicted for the

disappearance of nine opposition activists and the murder of one. His family remains under investigation

for illegal enrichment after the discovery of numerous bank accounts, some under pseudonyms, in the

U.S. and elsewhere. Several of them were also charged with possessing false passports. In December

2006, Pinochet died of a heart attack at the age of 91. The center-left government of Michelle Bachelet

refused to hold a state funeral.

Bachelet, whose father died in 1974 after being tortured and jailed by Pinochet's military government, was

the first woman president in Chile's history. She made an ambitious "social protection" agenda the focus

of her four-year term, and ended in March 2010 with sky-high approval ratings. Her replacement was

Sebastian Pinera, a center-right billionaire businessman who distanced himself from Pinochet and the

extreme right at an early stage—to the displeasure of many diehards allied with the dictatorship.

Port Information

Location

For nautical visitors to Chile, the port of Valparaiso (Terminal de Pasajeros) is 75 mi/120 km west of

Santiago. The clean, modern cruise-passenger terminal, which receives only about 40 vessels per year

because of high port charges, was built in 2003 and features a cafe and bar, Internet connections,

souvenir shops and tourist-information kiosks. Cruise ships dock alongside the cargo terminals, and

passengers are bused to the nearby passenger terminal. Phone 32-255-6391. http://www.vtp.cl.

Potpourri

Santiago's exemplary metro system links together five numbered lines—No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 4-A and

No. 5—but there is no No. 3. It was projected but never built.

Chile is wine country, and Santiago has three commercial wineries—two of them with vineyards—within

the city limits, and several more just outside.

Santiago is Chile's capital, but Congress is housed elsewhere in Valparaiso, Chile.

In theory, at least, Santiago's proximity to both the Andes and the Pacific Ocean makes it possible to go

skiing and surfing on the same day.

Chile is a biogeographical island, surrounded on all sides by the Andes, Pacific Ocean and the Atacama

Desert. This geographical isolation has led to the development of a high rate of endemic plant and animal

species found nowhere else in the world. About half of Chile's roughly 5,000 plant species are considered

endemic.

The Telefonica CTC communications company built its Santiago corporate headquarters in the shape of a

35-story cell phone.

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Chileans have formed hundreds of slang terms. The most popular word that is bandied about is huevon

(pronounced WHAY-von), which has multiple meanings depending on its context. It can be, for example,

a friendly greeting: "How are you, huevon?" Or, the term can be stated as an insult if said in anger: "You

huevon!"

See & Do

Sightseeing

Thanks to an exceptional subway system, getting around for sightseeing is easy except at peak hours,

when the trains can get uncomfortably crowded. For navigational purposes, get a good map and note the

main thoroughfare, Avenida Libertador General O'Higgins (popularly known as the Alameda), which

becomes Avenida Providencia as it heads northeast. Everything, more or less, is along or just off this

avenue, and the main subway line runs beneath it. When in doubt, look for the Andes Mountains. If

they're to your right, you're heading north; to your left, you're heading south; if they're in front of you,

you're eastward bound; if they're behind you, you're going west.

Visitors interested in history or architecture will be impressed by the many colonial-era Spanish buildings

and churches that dot the historic Centro area, especially the hilltop Cerro Santa Lucia, where Pedro de

Valdivia founded the fortress that became Santiago. Those more curious about modern Chilean life will

want to gravitate toward the cafes of Barrio Brasil or Bellavista—the center of the city's bohemian culture

and home to galleries, theaters, street performers and nightlife. Also in Bellavista is one of Santiago's

most-recognized and frequented sights, the Statue of the Virgin, which stands atop the 2,800-ft/853-m

Cerro San Cristobal—take the funicular railway, or it's also a fairly easy (and safe) walk.

Throughout the city are several good art and history museums, ranging from the Museo Nacional de

Bellas Artes to the University of Santiago's planetarium to the excellent Museo Chileno de Arte

Precolombino. Santiago also has many parks and plazas: Parque Metropolitano (the city's largest) and

Parque Quinta Normal are two of the most interesting parks, and the winding Parque Forestal is one of

the nicest; the best plazas are the historic Plaza de Armas and Plaza Nunoa. Wildlife buffs and thrill

seekers will enjoy the city's zoo, but its amusement parks, although serviceable, are somewhat lackluster

and run-down.

Probably the best way to tackle the city is to visit one neighborhood a day, beginning with the culturally

and historically significant Centro and nearby Barrio Lastarria. You might then hit Barrio Bellavista and

Providencia, and Barrio Brasil, Barrio Yungay and the Quinta Normal, taking at least one full day to see

each cluster. You'll find that walking is really the best way to get around (during the day, anyway). There

are so many surprises in Santiago—its architecture, sounds and people—that it is really worth taking the

time to explore on foot.

Be aware that some sights vary their hours by season, with longer hours in summer (December-February)

than in winter (June-August).

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Historic Sites

Catedral Metropolitana Plaza de Armas, Santiago Centro Santiago, Chile Phone: 696-2777 http://www.iglesiadesantiago.cl/catedral.php Dominating the west side of the Plaza de Armas is Santiago's baroque cathedral, the fifth church erected

on the site (the others met their doom in earthquakes). The building was begun in 1748 and has

undergone a seemingly endless series of modifications (it seems always to require some additional

construction). Particularly interesting are the massive cedar doors of the main facade, the main altar with

its elegant carved wooden seats, and the mighty silver Altar del Santisimo. There is also a rare wooden

statue of a recumbent St. Francis Xavier, and the chandelier that lit the first meetings of the Chilean

Congress immediately after independence is kept there. The Bavarian Jesuits of the Hacienda Calera del

Tango created all of these works in the mid-18th century.

Open Monday-Saturday 9 am-7 pm, Sunday 9 am-noon. Free.

Cementerio General Avenida La Paz, Recoleta Santiago, Chile Phone: 737-9469 http://www.cementeriogeneral.cl Santiago's most picturesque cemetery is the final resting place of many historical figures, most notably

President Salvador Allende (who appears to have killed himself during the military coup of 1973) and

legendary leftist folk singers Violeta Parra and Victor Jara. The cemetery also includes a massive wall

with the names of the 3,000 victims (the desaparecidos) of the military dictatorship that ruled Chile 1973-

90.

Daily 8:30 am-6 pm. Free for pedestrians, Ch$1,000 for cars.

Iglesia de la Merced/Museo de la Merced MacIver 341 Santiago, Chile Phone: 664-9189 http://www.museolamerced.cl With its bright yellow pillars and orange facade, this is one of the most distinctive churches in Santiago. In

the right nave is the tortured likeness of the Cristo de la Agonia, thought to be a gift from Spanish King

Felipe II. Entombed beneath the floor of the church is the body of Ines de Suarez, who arrived in Chile in

the company of Pedro de Valdivia, making her the first Spanish woman to set foot in the country. She is

accorded the status of a conquistadora by the nation. In the corner tower is an immense bell. Adjoining

the church is the Museo de la Merced, with a small but interesting collection of religious iconography and

other artifacts, including a fine display about Easter Island that holds one of the few rongo rongo tablets

remaining outside of the island itself.

Church open daily 9 am-1:30 pm and 5-8 pm; museum open Monday-Friday 10 am-2 pm and 3-6 pm.

Ch$1,000.

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Iglesia de San Francisco and Museo Colonial San Francisco Londres 4 Santiago, Chile Phone: 639-8737 http://www.museosanfrancisco.cl This grand, rather austere church is the oldest in Chile (begun in 1583, but with a 19th-century bell

tower). On the principal altar is the Virgen del Socorro, the first image of the Virgin to arrive in Chile,

brought by Pedro de Valdivia. Valdivia's wife, Marina Ortiz de Gaete, as well as Joaquin Toesca and

other important figures in the history of the capital, are buried below the church. Right next to the church

is the San Francisco Convent and Museum, home to Chile's Franciscan order since 1553. The museum

has one of the continent's finest collections of paintings from the Cusco school of religious art.

Church open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-7:30 pm, Sunday 10 am-2 pm. Museum open Tuesday-Saturday

10 am-1 pm and 3-6 pm, Sunday 10 am-2 pm. Ch$1,000.

La Chascona Fernando Marquez de la Plata 0192 Santiago, Chile Phone: 737-8741 http://www.fundacionneruda.org/en/la-chascona/address.html Literary buffs and fans of the movie Il Postino will want to visit this onetime home of Pablo Neruda (1904-

73), the Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet and diplomat. At the foot of Cerro San Cristobal, the site

overseen by the Fundacion Pablo Neruda displays the house as Neruda lived in it, including its library

and gardens, but has added a cafe, bookstore and souvenir shop. Makes an excellent stop during a visit

to Bellavista.

Daily except Monday 10 am-1 pm and 3-6 pm (till 7 pm in January and February). Ch$3,500 per person

guided tours in Spanish, English or French.

Palacio de la Moneda Morande 130, Centro Santiago, Chile Phone: 690-4000 http://www.presidencia.cl One of the finest colonial constructions in Spanish America, La Moneda is the masterwork of Italian

architect Joaquin Toesca y Ricci, who is responsible for much of the neoclassical architecture in the city.

Finished in 1805, La Moneda originally housed Chile's mint, but today it is the official seat of the

government's executive branch. Following the election of President Ricardo Lagos in 1999, the pedestrian

walkway that lines the interior patios was opened to the public for the first time. You can also watch the

changing of the guard every other day at 10 am at the principal entrance off Plaza Constitucion, the civic

hub of Santiago. Guided tours are offered only in Spanish and ideally should be reserved a week in

advance, though it's worth trying on shorter notice.

Pedestrian walkway open daily 10 am-6 pm.

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Plaza de Armas

This is the heart of downtown Santiago, home to the cathedral, National History Museum, Casa Colorada

and Central Post Office. It bustles with activity around the clock, with street artists and mimes rubbing

elbows with evangelical preachers, sidewalk vendors, lawyers, politicians and immigrants newly arrived

from the countryside. Check out the historical maps of Santiago displayed along the northern edge of the

plaza in front of the museum and the post office. They show Santiago's expansion since its founding and

are guarded by an imposing statue of Chile's conqueror, Pedro de Valdivia. To reach the Plaza, take Line

5 (green line) of the Metro to the Plaza de Armas stop, or walk north from the Alameda along the main

pedestrian mall, Paseo Ahumada.

Museums

Museo Artequin Portales 3530 (across from Parque Quinta Normal) Santiago, Chile Phone: 681-8656 http://www.artequin.cl The Museo Artequin is set in the unusual Pabellon de Paris building, which was fabricated in Paris in

1889 to house Chile's display in the World's Fair and then was disassembled and shipped to Chile.

However, it did not become a museum until 1993. Principally for children, this interactive exhibition space

features reproductions of great works of art (such as the Mona Lisa), slide shows and multimedia

displays. The exhibits, though somewhat preachy, are designed to promote artistic interest and ability.

Tuesday-Friday 9 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-6 pm. Closed in February. Ch$800 adults,

Ch$500 students, free for seniors.

Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino Bandera 361 Santiago, Chile Phone: 928-1500 http://www.precolombino.cl Located on the second floor of the Colonial Palacio Real Casa de Aduana (Customs House), Santiago's

pre-Columbian art museum houses an important private collection of 3,000 indigenous-art pieces. The

collection is divided into six geographical areas: the Sala Mesoamerica (Central America and Mexico), the

Sala Caribe (Caribbean islands), the Sala Intermedia (mostly Panama, Colombia and Ecuador), the Sala

Andes Centrales (mostly highland Bolivia and Peru), the Sala Amazonas (lowland Amazonia) and the

Sala Andes del Sur (Chile and northwestern Argentina). Displays are labeled in Spanish and English.

There is also an excellent display of Andean textiles. A well-stocked museum store sells books and

replicas of pieces by Chilean indigenous groups. Don't miss the silver jewelry of the Mapuche Indians of

southern Chile. English-speaking guides are on staff (call for reservations).

Daily except Monday 10 am-6 pm. Ch$3,000 adults, Ch$1,000 students, free for children younger than

13.

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Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Parque Forestal (in front of Calle Mosqueto) Santiago, Chile Phone: 977-1741 http://www.mac.uchile.cl This previously restored and enlarged facility occupies the back half of the Museo de Bellas Artes (the

entrance is separate). The Museo de Arte Contemporaneo has a collection of approximately 2,000

contemporary paintings, sculptures, engravings and photographs. There are also rotating exhibits and

periodic shows of student work. The building's high, arched iron-and-glass ceiling creates a bright, airy

atmosphere. Just outside is Parque Forestal, which holds a characteristically obese horse sculpted by the

Colombian Fernando Botero, donated to the city by the artist in 1992. On Sunday afternoon, this area fills

up with jugglers, magicians, vendors and people from all walks of life.

Tuesday-Saturday 11 am-7 pm, Sunday 11 am-6 pm. Ch$600 adults, Ch$400 students and seniors.

Donations also accepted for post-quake restoration.

Museo de Artes Visuales Jose Victorino Lastarria 307 Santiago, Chile Phone: 638-3502 http://www.mavi.cl This modern-art museum contains a collection of contemporary Chilean paintings, including works by the

20th-century muralist Roberto Matta. There are six exhibition rooms, one on each level. But the most

interesting thing about the museum may be the building itself, which is squeezed into a narrow space at

the back of tiny Plaza de Mulato Gil. It occasionally has displays and exhibitions in the plaza itself.

Although the rest of the plaza has an enchanting old-world feel, the modern facade of the museum makes

it a controversial addition to the neighborhood. The museum is handicap-accessible.

Daily except Monday 10:30 am-6:30 pm. Ch$1,000 adults, Ch$500 students and seniors. Free on

Sunday.

Museo de Historia Natural Parque Quinta Normal Santiago, Chile Phone: 680-4600 http://www.dibam.cl/historia_natural This museum is a fine introduction to the country's diverse flora, fauna, geology and ecology. The

permanent display is arranged along a long, narrow tunnel, intended to evoke the country's unusual

shape. Strolling through the galleries, you symbolically pass from the northern part of the country, through

the central region and finally to the extreme south. The museum also houses extensive collections of

fossils, butterflies and other insects, stuffed birds and artifacts from Easter Island, including two volcanic

moai and two rongo rongo hieroglyphic tablets. In the central hall is the massive skeleton of a blue whale.

The museum's only drawback is its lack of English translation.

Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5:30 pm, Sunday and holidays 11 am-5:30 pm. Ch$600 adults, Ch$300

students and seniors.

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Museo de la Moda Vitacura 4562, Vitacura Santiago, Chile Phone: 219-3623 http://museodelamoda.cl This extremely hip, privately owned museum has won rave reviews internationally for the quantity and

quality of the fashion exhibits it has to offer. Its owner, Jorge Yarur, has purchased more than 10,000 of

the world's best pieces of fashion history, including rare dresses from the 16th century, clothes from the

leading designers of the past century, and clothes that belonged to celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe,

Clark Gable, Madonna and Princess Diana. A recent acquisition is John Lennon's military-style jacket

from the cover of The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.

Tuesday-Friday 10 am-6 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-7 pm. Ch$3,500 adults, Ch $2,000 students

and seniors.

Sunday 9:30 am-6:30 pm. Ch$3,900 adults; Ch$2,600 children, students and seniors.

Neighborhoods & Districts

Barrio Brasil/Estacion Central

Just west of downtown, the Barrio Brasil area was once among the most elegant neighborhoods in

Santiago. Rundown until recently, it's undergoing rapid renewal as private universities, restaurants and

artists renovate its classic mansions, and once-vacant lots fill with stylish new apartments and lofts. The

center of the neighborhood is Plaza Brasil, whose playground is a series of sculptures made by the

daughter of famous Chilean painter Roberto Matta. Shaded by palms and other exotic trees, it's a

pleasant place to spend an afternoon. Beyond the western edge of Barrio Brasil are the Quinta Normal

and Estacion Central areas; the latter takes its name from the spectacular iron-and-glass train station.

(Keep watch over your belongings when around the crowded station, as it sometimes attracts thieves

looking to rob unsuspecting tourists.) This area is also home to the University of Santiago and, just north

of that, Quinta Normal, the park where the Natural History and Artequin museums are found. In the

southern region of Barrio Brasil/Estacion Central are Parque O'Higgins and Club Hipico, Santiago's

classic thoroughbred racetrack.

Bellavista

Although some complain that the city's original bohemian area has become oversaturated with tourists

and that police are overprotective, Bellavista remains the center of Santiago's artistic and intellectual life,

bustling with galleries, restaurants, cafes and theaters. Chile's most famous literary figure, poet Pablo

Neruda, lived there, and his former home remains a pilgrimage site for literary travelers and political

sympathizers (Neruda was an unrepentant Communist). This neighborhood is also home to the hilltop

Statue of the Virgin, a common postcard image that stands at the summit of Cerro San Cristobal.

Sprawling northeast from the edge of Bellavista is Parque Metropolitano, the city's largest and most

impressive park (also home to the national zoo).

Centro

The city's downtown is the center of civic and business activity and contains most of the city's historical

sites and major museums. The streets are laid out in a grid and are easy to navigate. Colonial-era

structures and places of worship sit side-by-side with modern businesses, government offices,

embassies, restaurants and hotels.

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Las Condes

An exclusive neighborhood, primarily residential, Las Condes is to the east of Providencia. While most of

the city's cultural attractions are elsewhere, many of Santiago's movers and shakers call Las Condes

home. It also has a number of excellent art galleries and private schools.

Lastarria

Adjacent to Bellavista and near the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and the Museo de Arte

Contemporaneo is a neighborhood packed with restaurants, theaters, booksellers and antiques dealers,

extending to the historic street Jose Victorino Lastarria (its pedestrian mall has a weekend antiques and

crafts market). Worth a visit on Lastarria are the Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro, the Museo Arqueologico de

Santiago and the Visual Arts Museum.

Providencia

East of downtown, this trendy neighborhood is home to embassies, fine hotels, restaurants, bars,

boutiques, galleries and the like. Its attractions are fairly scattered, but the subway makes a number of

convenient stops in the area. To traditionalists, Providencia and neighboring Las Condes have become

symbols of U.S. cultural influence, with their fast-food franchises, mall developers and big-name stores.

The Alameda

Not so much a specific destination as a 2-mi-/3-km-long "culture walk," the Alameda (technically a

boulevard) runs through the heart of Santiago and is flanked by gorgeous gardens, statuary, impressive

old buildings, Victorian monuments and green spaces throughout.

Vitacura

Increasingly viewed as the newest and most chic of Santiago's neighborhoods, Vitacura is a good choice

for food and drink, with a sushi scene and outstanding venues such as the restaurant Zanzibar. Fashion

boutiques and independent art galleries line Alonso de Cordova, and as the neighborhood approaches

Las Condes, upscale residential properties take over.

Parks & Gardens

Parque Forestal

Just north of Plaza Italia

Santiago, Chile

A riverside park that offers pleasant summer shade and long, cool walkways between lanes of high-speed

commuter traffic. A favorite spot for romantic couples and home to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes,

it's much tidier than in the past.

Daily 24 hours. Free.

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Parque Metropolitano and Cerro San Cristobal Bellavista Santiago, Chile Phone: 730-1300 http://www.parquemet.cl

Extending northeast from Bellavista, this 1,785-acre/722-hectare park is the city's largest and most

frequented, drawing Chileans and tourists alike. The main attraction is the 115-ft/25-m Statue of the

Virgin, which gazes out from atop Cerro San Cristobal. You can reach the top by either taxi or funicular

from Bellavista's Plaza Caupolican, or by the aerial tramway that traverses the park from Providencia, or

you can walk if you're up for it. Even if you have no interest in religious statuary, the hilltop affords a

panoramic view of the city and the Andes on clear days. The parkland surrounding Cerro San Cristobal is

also worth visiting. You'll find gardens, promenades, walking trails, pools, the national zoo, and a number

of restaurants and cafes. The pools located at the peak of the hill, Antilen and Tupahue, are a diversion

for both adults and children—swimmers feel like they are floating along the edge of the world.

Park hours daily 8:30 am-11 pm. Pool hours daily except Tuesday 10 am-7 pm. Admission to the park is

free for pedestrians, Ch$3,000 for cars Monday-Friday, Ch$4,000 for cars Saturday and Sunday. Zoo

admission is Ch$3,000 adults, Ch$1,500 children. Pool admission is Ch$7,500 adults, Ch$4,000 children

at Antilen; Ch$6,000 adults, Ch$3,500 children at Tupahue. Tramway is Ch$1,800 round-trip for adults

and Ch$1,100 for children, Ch$700 if getting off at the Zoo.

Parque Quinta Normal

Avenida Portales (at Matucana)

Santiago, Chile

Located next to the University of Santiago, Quinta Normal is a large urban park dating from 1841, when

its lands were purchased by the government for use in horticultural research. Eventually, the park was

converted into the country's first botanical garden, and it became a gathering spot for the country's

European-influenced nouveau riche. Today, the shady, pleasant park is much more egalitarian—on

weekends and holidays, it fills up with picnicking families, soccer players and lovers of all ages. However,

it retains its original beauty and is often cited as one of the loveliest parks in all of Latin America. It has its

own Metro station. Attractions include an artificial lagoon with boats for rent, tennis courts and a number

of museums, including the Natural History Museum.

Daily except Monday 8 am-8:30 pm.

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Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries

Cousino Macul Quilin 7100, Penalolen Santiago, Chile Phone: 351-4100 http://www.cousinomacul.cl This winery's beautiful limestone and brick wine cellar was designed by French architects in 1872 and

was considered an architectural marvel.

Guided tours in English and Spanish Monday-Friday at 11 am, noon, and 3 and 4 pm. Saturday tours at

11 am and noon. Ch$8,000 with tasting of two wines, souvenir glass included.

Undurraga Camino a Melipilla Km 34 (45 minutes southwest of Santiago) Talagante, Chile Phone: 372-2850 http://www.undurraga.cl Guided tours and tastings Monday-Friday at 10:15 am, noon, and 2:30 and 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday

at 10:15 am and noon, with reservations.

Ch$8,000 includes three reserve wine tastings and a souvenir glass.

Vina Concha y Toro Virginia Subercaseaux 210 Pirque, Chile Phone: 476-5269 http://www.conchaytoro.com Chile's largest and most famous vineyard is just 45 minutes south of Santiago, depending on traffic. The

place is so gorgeous that tourists come from Japan and New Zealand just to see this one winery. Tours

are offered in English and Spanish.

Hours are 10 am-5:10 pm daily except Monday and holidays; ask for availability of English-language

tours. There is a separate wine bar, open daily 9:30 am-6:45 pm. Ch$8,000 per person includes a tasting

of its famous cabernet sauvignon.

Vina Santa Rita Camino Padre Hurtado 695, Alto Jahuel (28 mi/45 km south of Santiago) Buin, Chile Phone: 362-2520 or 362-2590 http://www.santarita.com This lesser-known but high-quality vineyard has its own restaurant, a hotel, and excellent tours in English

and Spanish, including two premium wines and a souvenir glass. Tours must be reserved two days in

advance.

Admission ranges Ch$9,600-$30,000, but it's free if you eat in the restaurant (minimum consumption per

person Ch$12,500).

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Recreation

Given its easy access to the Andes and the ocean, Santiago offers almost unlimited recreational

possibilities. However, during April-October, Chile's coldest months, be warned that the smog can

occasionally make physical activity unhealthy in Santiago. (For example, outdoor gym classes for

elementary schools are often canceled because of air-pollution alerts.) But when the smog subsides, the

city has extraordinary access to outdoor recreation.

Biking is a great pleasure along the banks of the Mapocho River or in Cerro San Cristobal. Local

authorities are also slowly building several bike lanes along city streets. But when biking in the city

outside of park areas, as in any big city with more than 5 million residents, one needs to be cautious.

Traffic can get heavy. If you avoid main roads, riding is less stressful. And no matter where you venture,

always ride defensively. Most Chileans respect the pedestrian right of way, but, in a city of this size, there

are plenty who don't—most notably bus drivers. There are also occasional potholes, and sidewalks don't

always connect.

Indoor health clubs are booming—most hotels now have on-site facilities. For visitors staying more than

several weeks, temporary gym memberships are readily available and inexpensive. With Chile's

increasing success in the world of tennis, new and improved tennis facilities are cropping up around the

city. Head to the nearest park, and you're likely to find a game of soccer or basketball to join. In winter,

world-class skiing is within an hour's drive.

Nearby Cajon del Maipo (93 mi/150 km southeast of Santiago) and other outlying areas provide

numerous outdoor opportunities, from rafting and kayaking to hiking to climbing. The coast is just two

hours away from Santiago; for surfing, try the beach at Pichelemu, though it's more distant.

Nightlife

In the years since Chile's return to democracy, Santiago's nightlife has taken off. Many discos and dance

clubs don't get started until 1 am or so. Friday and Saturday are the biggest nights, but Thursday can be

pretty busy, too. The most lively areas are Barrio Bellavista, which has strong alternative-rock venues and

a gay scene on its Recoleta side and Barrio Brasil, but the Suecia strip in Providencia has declined in its

appeal.

Dancing is very popular, with salsa and techno music generally providing the beat. Major weekly dance

parties are publicized by street posters plastered around town. Although Santiago is not particularly

dangerous, a common scam among cabdrivers is to pick up foreigners in the early morning hours and

charge outrageous fares—watch the meter closely or call a trusted radio taxi. Practically no fare in central

Santiago should cost more than Ch$3,000. Do not pay any fare that is higher without checking with a

local.

Most Chileans enjoy their local wines and favor a grape brandy cocktail known as the pisco sour, the

national cocktail. Beer, though, is the drink of choice among younger Santiaguinos, while the older,

sophisticated set gravitates toward martinis.

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Shopping

Santiago may lack the flair of Buenos Aires in terms of contemporary design and fashion, but certain

items, such as lapis lazuli jewelry and crafts from the countryside, are worth seeking out. The best place

to get an idea of what's available is the underground crafts display at the Centro Cultural Palacio La

Moneda, immediately behind the presidential palace.

Shopping Hours: General hours are Tuesday-Saturday 9 am-8 pm, but many stores (outside of shopping

malls) close on Saturday afternoon. Monday hours vary considerably. Most malls are open daily 10 am-

10 pm and sometimes later, especially around Christmastime. Many shops are closed in February. Shops

in Santiago rarely observe the siesta.

Markets

Mercado Central

San Pablo 967

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 696-8327

http://www.mercadocentral.cl

A soaring wrought-iron structure that was partly prefabricated in England and erected in Santiago in the

1870s, the market is packed with fish and shellfish, fruit and vegetable stands, and many seafood

restaurants. Be aware that the produce there tends to be more expensive than at other markets, though

it is of generally good quality.

Mercado La Vega

Santiago's main wholesale vegetable market is the best place to buy the produce for which Chile is

famous. Vendors sell gorgeous vegetables and exotic fruits such as the warty green chirimoya and the

purple- and yellow-striped cucumber fruit. The Vega is part of Chile's nitty-gritty daily life, unlike its

somewhat sanitized cousin, the Mercado Central. From the Cal y Canto subway stop, cross the Mapocho

River. One block north of the river, you will begin to hear the bustle of the Vega.

Opens daily around dawn and closes in the late afternoon, between 4 and 6 pm.

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Shopping Areas

Parque Arauco Presidente Kennedy 5413, Vitacura Santiago, Chile Phone: 299-0629 http://www.parquearauco.cl A huge indoor mall with hundreds of stores, a movie theater, a food court, a bowling alley and more.

Don't expect bargains, as nearly everything is imported. A park and a pool attached to the back of the

mall make it a nice place to take children.

Daily 11 am-9 pm.

Patio Bellavista Constitucion 30-70, Bellavista (there is also an entrance on Pio Nono) Santiago, Chile Phone: 249-8700 http://www.patiobellavista.cl This outdoor shopping area at the gateway to the Bellavista neighborhood is considered one of

Santiago's best places to shop (especially for imported items), eat and hang out. There are more than 80

restaurants, bars, artisan and specialty shops of all kinds, wine shops, art galleries, a dance academy and

even a hotel. Also occasional free music, theater and other entertainment.

Pueblito los Dominicos Apoquindo 9085, Las Condes Santiago, Chile Phone: 220-8741 http://www.pueblitolosdominicos.com At the eastern end of Avenida Apoquindo, this compound of 180 artisan studios and shops nestled

against the foothills of the Andes is popular with both Chilean and foreign visitors. Originally grabbed by

conqueror Pedro de Valdivia from the Mapuche, then left to the Dominican order by a subsequent

owner, the property includes a colonial church—now a national monument. In the craft fair, a shady

maze of tall trees and wooden booths, you can find goods from throughout Chile: lapis lazuli jewelry and

amateurish paintings but also some original artwork by Chilean woodworkers and weavers. There are

also good places to eat. Linea 1 of the Metro now has its terminal station there.

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Specialty Stores

Aji Lastarria 316, Barrio Bellas Artes Santiago, Chile Phone: 639-9928 http://www.aji-chile.com Jewelry, clothing and other items made by three noted Chilean artisans. The trendy designs are

considered some of the more fashionable in the city. Jewelry includes designs utilizing lapis lazuli,

copper, ceramics and various Chilean stones.

Open Monday-Saturday 11:30 am-9 pm.

Artesania Pura Isidora Goyenechea 2966, Las Condes Santiago, Chile Phone: 333-3144 http://www.purartesanos.cl Handicrafts with a fashion sense, with products from around the country, including wool sweaters,

basketry, organic bathing and personal goods, and much more.

Open Monday-Friday 10 am-9 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-9 pm.

Artesanias de Chile Bellavista 0357, Providencia Santiago, Chile Phone: 777-8643 http://www.artesaniasdechile.cl Local and regional crafts.

Open Monday-Saturday 10 am-7 pm.

Club de Amantes del Vino Alto Las Condes, Kennedy 9001, Local 3253, Las Condes Santiago, Chile Phone: 213-1248 http://www.lacav.cl A combination wine bar and store, it also offers wine-appreciation classes and tastings, and it can help

arrange tours of wineries.

Open Monday-Saturday 10 am-10 pm, Sunday 11 am-10 pm.

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Dining

Dining Overview

Santiago's dining scene was formerly seriously underrated, but is now receiving the recognition it

deserves, especially in regards to its seafood and nouvelle cuisine. The city's history of immigration and

its sustained economic growth have given rise to a worldly and varied group of restaurants. At the same

time, Santiago's middle and upper classes are now more traveled and demand places to eat that meet

their sophisticated palates. This, mixed with the rooted influence of traditional Chilean cuisine, creates a

unique urban dining experience in which options abound.

Chileans are late-night eaters, so most restaurants open their doors for supper around 8 pm. Although

there are excellent restaurants all over the city, a first-time visitor's best bet is to visit one of the capital's

restaurant districts. A good first choice is Bellavista, the city's original bohemian neighborhood. Another is

Barrio Brasil, though its best offerings are more scattered. Santiago also has two restaurant malls. Paseo

San Damian, located in Las Condes, has three restaurants and one bar. The second, and far more

sophisticated, is called Borderio, located in Vitacura. It houses 10 high-end restaurants offering cuisines

from all over the world.

Many foreigners tend to put all Latin American cuisine in the same category, but don't expect Chilean

food to be as hot and spicy as Mexican food. In fact, some may find Chilean cooking rather bland. Table

sauce such as aji is a cure for this, as it is made from spicy chili peppers. Many Santiago restaurants

have begun to specialize in rural Chilean and Creole dishes, which involve relatively little meat except

chicken, and an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. These dishes include humitas (boiled corn

paste wrapped in corn husk, similar to Mexican tamales), pastel de choclo (corn and beef or chicken

casserole), charquican (vegetables and dried beef), budin de acelga (leafy greens in a cheese casserole),

porotos granados (thick soup made from fresh shelled beans and pumpkin), porotos con riendas (beans

cooked with spaghetti), pollo arvejado (chicken cooked in juices and peas) and cazuela (chicken or beef

soup with vegetables).

You're never far from Chile's 2,600-mi/4,200-km coastline, so expect to find fresh seafood almost

everywhere. Clams, mussels, oysters and sea urchins are usually served as a first course. Exquisite main

dishes include seviche (fish and/or shellfish cooked in lemon juice), mariscal (raw or cooked fish and

seafood stew), machas a la parmesana (razor clams with Parmesan sauce), congrio con salsa margarita

(conger eel with seafood sauce), paila marina (fish and shellfish stew) and chupe de locos (abalone

casserole). Because of toxic red-tide conditions, though, eating raw shellfish is inadvisable.

Expect to pay within these guidelines, based on a dinner for one, excluding drinks, tax and tip: $ = less

than Ch$8,000; $$ = Ch$8,000-$12,000; $$$ = Ch$12,001-$15,000; $$$$ = more than Ch$15,000.

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Local & Regional

El Caramano

Purisima 257, Bellavista

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 737-7043

http://caramano.tripod.com

Known for its fun and warm atmosphere, El Caramano's walls are covered in graffiti (and you can scribble

your own), and on weekends musicians serenade you at your table with Latin love songs. Best of all, the

traditional Chilean-style food features an assortment of beef and fish dishes. Try corvina trauco (sea

bass), which arrives smoking hot covered with aluminum foil. For an appetizer, order the sopaipillas (fried

bread).

Daily for lunch and dinner. $$. Most major credit cards.

El Hoyo

San Vicente 375, Estacion Central

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 689-0339

http://www.elhoyo.cl

This is a picada, meaning an informal, typically Chilean and also relatively inexpensive restaurant. Diners

can try sandwiches such as pernil (ham) and arrollado (pressed cuts of pork spiced with paprika) and

drinks such as vino pipeno (young wine). The house specialties include terremoto (wine with pineapple

ice cream) and costillar al horno (baked ribs). To evoke the atmosphere of rural Chile, guests sit on old

wine barrels (which are also used to support the tables), and various equestrian accessories hang on the

walls. The bar scene is lowbrow but charming.

Daily for lunch and dinner. $-$$. No credit cards.

Galindo

Dardignac 098, Providencia

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 777-0116

http://www.galindo.cl

Barrio Bellavista may have morphed from bohemian to bourgeois, but no-frills Galindo is a survivor, a

reminder of what the neighborhood used to be. Its clients, many of them from the arts community, chat at

sidewalk tables, but they eschew the sophistication and elaborate decor of other nearby restaurants to

enjoy simple sandwiches and basic Chilean dishes such as pastel de choclo and porotos, along with draft

beer and red wine.

Daily for lunch and dinner. $. Most major credit cards.

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Los Buenos Muchachos

Ricardo Cumming 1031, Centro

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 566-4660

http://www.losbuenosmuchachos.cl

Not so much a restaurant as an experience, Los Buenos Muchachos has been serving parrillada (Chilean

tabletop barbecue) as well as pork, fish and seafood for more than 60 years to the accompaniment of

arguably stereotypical folk music and dance. Some call it hilarious, others rich in culture, and still others a

great place for loads of good, inexpensive food; in fact, it defies categorization. There is a second location

at Ruta 5 Sur, Km. 35 in Buin.

Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations required Friday and Saturday. $. Most major credit cards.

Puerto Fuy

Nueva Costanera 3969, Vitacura

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 208-8908

http://www.puertofuy.cl

It's easy to see why this is a hot spot in Santiago's culinary scene. The menu changes daily with

imaginative, tasty dishes made from Chilean seafood and beef.

Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards.

Cuisines

Italian

Da Noi Trattoria Ristorante

Italia 1791, Nunoa

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 274-2001

http://www.danoi.cl

A small, comfortable restaurant with many excellent dishes, especially the signature gnocchi and ravioli.

Finish your evening with budin de manjar (caramel pudding).

Daily for lunch and dinner. $$. Most major credit cards.

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La Pizza Nostra

Providencia 1975

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 231-8941

http://www.lapizzanostra.cl

Conveniently located in the middle of the shopping district of Providencia, the food at this long-time

institution never disappoints. Typical Italian pastas, fish and good-quality pizza. Order a bottle of red wine

from the ample wine list.

Daily for lunch and dinner. $-$$. Most major credit cards.

San Fruttuoso

Mallinkrodt 180, Bellavista

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 415-2762

http://www.sanfruttuoso.cl

One of the oldest and best Bellavista restaurants, this Italian food is worth the pesos. Modern versions of

old-style plates from northern Italy. The restaurant offers generous portions of pasta, exceptional fish and

seafood, and much more, with some ingredients imported straight from the old continent.

Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. Reservations recommended. $$$-$$$$.

Most major credit cards.

Seafood

Donde Augusto

Mercado Central (corner of Paseo Ahumada and Ismael Valdes Vergara)

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 671-4558

http://www.dondeaugusto.cl

This is one of several nearly interchangeable seafood venues in the riverside Mercado Central, but it has

the best vantage point for viewing the entire place. After walking through the fish market itself, enter the

splendid interior of the building, a wrought-iron structure designed by architect Fermin Vivaceta. The

sunlight pouring in through the metallic figures on the roof, plus the frenzied activity of a central market,

make this a special place to eat a meal. Try any of the fish dishes, such as corvina (sea bass) or congrio

(conger eel).

Daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. $$-$$$. Most major credit cards.

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Ibis de Puerto Varas

Borde Rio, Monsenor Escriva de Balaguer 6400, Local 4, Vitacura

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 218-0111

http://www.ibisdepuertovaras.cl

Tucked away in the posh Vitacura neighborhood, the Borde Rio is Santiago's most important food court,

bar none. This trendy, two-story complex houses diverse and numerous restaurants, and Ibis de Puerto

Varas is without doubt the one that you should visit. There you'll find Chilean seafood served up in grand

style, from atun de isla de pascua (Easter Island tuna) to the country's best fish dishes bathed in assorted

sauces.

Daily for lunch and dinner. $$$$. Most major credit cards.

Infante 51

Jose Manuel Infante 51, Providencia

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 264-3357 or 236-6771

http://www.infante51.cl

If you want to try the best food Chile has to offer, then it must begin with the seafood gathered along the

country's long Pacific coastline. And none do better at preparing Chile's natural advantages than Xavier

Zabala, part-owner and chef of Infante 51. Zabala—probably Chile's best-known chef—has gathered well-

deserved fame for the taste and extensive offering of his fish and other seafood plates, some of which

you will find nowhere else. Also some fine beef and pasta dishes. The atmosphere is elegant and

pleasant.

Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. Reservations recommended. $$$-$$$$.

Most major credit cards.

Puerto Peru

Condell 1298

Santiago, Chile

Phone: 363-9886

http://www.puertoperu.cl

From modest beginnings, Puerto Peru has become one of Santiago's top fish and seafood choices

(including seafood-based pastas), with spicier options than most Chilean palates usually prefer. There's a

smaller selection of meat-based Peruvian dishes such as lomo saltado (stir-fried beef strips and

vegetables).

Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations advisable on weekends. $$-$$$. Most major credit

cards.

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Steak Houses

Las Vacas Gordas

Cienfuegos 280

Santiago, Chile

You might find better beef, and you might find cheaper beef, but you won't find better and cheaper beef

than at this casual restaurant that's helped make booming Barrio Brasil one of the city's top diners'

destinations. It's almost always crowded, but the kitchen and service are both efficient.

Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. $-$$. Most major credit cards.

Security

Etiquette

Chile has become known as the South American nation most open to doing business with foreign

companies. The customs and procedures are similar to other countries, though often formal even if

slightly more accommodating to outsiders.

Appointments—For high-level initial meetings, it's a good idea to use a third party from Chile to arrange

meetings and make introductions. Consultants can be hired to fill this role, and bank personnel

sometimes serve as intermediaries. A meeting will typically be scheduled well in advance. In social

situations, Chileans can be casual about the clock, but in business, punctuality is expected of guests and

is far more important.

Personal Introductions—Use a firm handshake with direct eye contact. Last names with the appropriate

Spanish title are used. If your acquaintance has a professional title, you will learn it when introduced; if

not, senor (male), senora (married female) and senorita (unmarried female) are appropriate. The title and

the person's last name should be used until you are instructed otherwise.

Note that it is typical for a person to have two surnames, one from the father and one from the mother.

The father's surname is given first during the introduction, and it is also the name that is used to address

or speak of the person. Thus, "Senor Mario Sanchez Benitez" would be addressed as "Senor Sanchez."

Maternal names are not used in professional circles, although they invariably appear on business cards.

Also, a common practice in Chile used to emphasize formal respect for older people is to sometimes use

"Don" or "Dona" before the person's name. For example, when referring to Mario Sanchez you might say

"Don Mario."

Negotiating—Discussion of nonbusiness matters usually takes up a fair amount of time at the outset of

meetings, although this habit is fading as Chile becomes more attuned to U.S. business practices. The

topic of business is introduced more quickly than in some other Latin American countries, but the pace is

definitively slower than in Europe or in North America. Success can hinge on building a rapport with your

Chilean colleagues, which usually takes some time.

Business Entertaining—Meals and other forms of entertainment tend to emphasize relationship-building

rather than direct business discussions. They usually take place at restaurants and hotels.

23 | P a g e

Body Language—Personal body space is close. Resist the urge to back away. It is common for

participants in a conversation to politely touch each other on the arm or back. Take your cue from your

acquaintance.

Gift Giving—The giving of presents is not a major part of doing business in Chile. It is more common

after the relationship is well-established. Flowers are appropriate when visiting a home and can be sent in

advance of your arrival.

Conversation—A sense of humor is appreciated, but remember that unless you are fluent in Spanish,

attempts at humor may not translate well. Avoid talking politics unless you know your contact and their

opinions well. Use particular care regarding the events of 1973, when Gen. Augusto Pinochet overthrew

constitutional president Salvador Allende and instituted a 17-year dictatorship.

Other Information—Machismo is certainly present in Chile, though decidedly less emphatic than in some

other Latin American countries (after all, Chile recently had a female president). Women can and do

conduct business in the country, though they may on occasion encounter some gender-based resistance.

Personal Safety

Santiago is generally a safe city, especially in most areas frequented by tourists, though some

Santiaguinos believe violent crime has risen in the past decade. But compared with other countries in the

region, violent crime is minimal. Nevertheless, visitors should take common sense precautions. These

include carrying money close to the body (and hidden, if possible), not wearing conspicuously valuable

jewelry, not walking alone at night and avoiding poorly lit side streets at night. Taxis are a good option.

The majority of crimes committed against tourists are pickpocketing and simple assault. Firearms assaults

are unusual.

The riskiest neighborhoods are usually the ones that empty out once the sun goes down; otherwise,

areas with dense pedestrian traffic such as the downtown pedestrian malls and main downtown streets

such as Alameda Ahumada, Huerfanos and Augustinas, are attractive to pickpockets. Be aware of your

surroundings, and try to act as if you know where you're going. Thieves sometimes also target the train

and bus stations, and the Metro, because of the volume of tourists who pass through, so keep a close

watch on your bags at all times. Providencia, Las Condes and Vitacura are safer at night, but there have

been occasional robberies late at night in the vicinity of bars and restaurants. Steer clear of the

poblaciones on the outskirts of the city, especially Pudahuel and Conchali, although neither attracts

visitors anyway.

Chilean drivers can be reckless but generally (except for bus drivers) defer to pedestrians. The Alameda,

however, can be dangerous.

For the latest information, contact your country's travel-advisory agency.

Health

Visitors are not required to have any special vaccinations. Although sanitation is generally good and tap

water is safe to drink, a few special considerations should be taken when eating. Avoid raw seafood

(except for fish in seviche) and make sure fruits and vegetables are thoroughly washed and disinfected.

Cholera only rarely makes an appearance in rural Chile, but there's no need to take chances.

Santiago's increasing smog is another health consideration, as suspended particles in the air (the biggest

component of pollution in Santiago) can cause or aggravate respiratory illnesses during the fall and winter

24 | P a g e

months. Still, few tourists actually experience problems. Santiago's mild climate can tempt winter-worn

northerners to strip down and soak up the rays. Be careful in doing so, as Chile in general has less

protection from ozone because of its relative proximity to the Antarctic ozone hole, making the sun's

ultraviolet rays deceptively ferocious. Be sure to apply sunblock, and consider wearing a hat and UV-

rated sunglasses.

Increasing numbers of Santiago doctors speak English, and emergency services are reasonably priced.

Probably the best place to seek medical treatment is the Clinica Alemana (the German Clinic, phone 210-

1111). It has a reputation for having good doctors and services, and many private insurance policies can

cover emergency treatments there.

Travelers needing medications will find that pharmacies are located throughout Santiago and are usually

well-marked with the word farmacia. Prices are comparable with those in the U.S. and Europe, and many

visitors are pleased to find that medicines requiring prescriptions in other countries are sold over the

counter (check expiration dates, however). Many pharmacies are open until 10 pm, and a rotating

schedule for 24-hour pharmacies is published in local newspapers and can be found at the desks of many

major hotels.

Farmacias Ahumada is one recommended chain, but there are several other reliable ones. Be aware,

though, that all Chilean pharmacies have the merchandise behind counters and a convoluted buying

process: Select the product; take a receipt to the cashier; take a new receipt to the packing station; and,

finally, pick up your tightly wrapped medicine. The protocol can be confusing to visitors. Farmacias

Salcobrand (phone 600-360-6000) has a delivery service until midnight Monday-Friday, till 10 pm

Saturday and Sunday. Few pharmacy workers speak English.

For the latest health information, contact your country's health-advisory agency.

Disabled Advisory

Santiago's streets are not accommodating to disabled people, at least in the older parts of town. The high

curbs, crumbling pavement, lack of ramps outside buildings and on sidewalk corners, and almost

nonexistent wheelchair elevators make it difficult for a disabled person to get around in the city. However,

newer buildings and even Metro stations are incorporating wheelchair access ramps and other

handicapped-accessible infrastructure, and ramps at intersections are becoming more common.

Transportation services for the disabled are provided by Servicio Tixi. Toll-free 800-372-300. Ciudad

Accessible maintains a database for disabled travelers. http://www.ciudadaccesible.cl.

Facts

Dos & Don'ts

Don't use the word mozo to call a waiter—in neighboring Argentina it's innocuous, but in Chile it's

insulting. Instead use garzon or mesero.

Do consider carrying home a bottle of pisco, instead of or in addition to Chilean wines (quality pisco is

much harder to find overseas).

Don't even think about bribing the Carabineros, Chile's uniformed police, at a traffic stop. Unlike many

Latin American police forces, they have a world-famous (and justly deserved) reputation for

professionalism, and you might find your car impounded and yourself in jail. On the other hand, don't

25 | P a g e

hesitate to ask Carabineros for information or directions. Although they may act formal, they are also

exceptionally polite and helpful.

Don't make a right turn on a red light unless a traffic sign specifically permits it.

Do use public transportation, especially the Metro, to get around town. Though crowded in the morning

and afternoon rush hours, the Metro is fast, clean, cheap and goes almost everywhere (at least until

10:30 pm, when it closes). It is also quite safe at all hours.

Don't eat pizza, French fries or sandwiches with your hands; Chileans use forks and knives.

Don't eat anything more than a piece of fruit when walking down a street. Wolfing down a sandwich or

pastry on a crowded boulevard or corner is considered the height of rudeness.

Geostats

Passport/Visa Requirements: Citizens of Australia, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. need passports but

not visas. They also must pay an entrance fee of Ch$34,400-$69,130 depending on nationality.

All U.S. citizens must have a passport when traveling by air to or from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean,

Central and South America and Mexico. Reconfirm travel-document requirements with your carrier prior

to departure.

Population: 5,279,190.

Languages: Spanish.

Predominant Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic).

Time Zone: 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-4 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the

third Sunday of August to the first Sunday of May.

Voltage Requirements: 220 volts. Three-pin sockets are the norm, so most North American devices

require adapters though not necessarily transformers.

Telephone Codes: 56, country code; 2,city code;

Money

Currency Exchange

The Chilean peso is one of South America's strongest currencies. Because of Chile's continuing high

economic growth rates, the peso has remained strong against the U.S. dollar and other foreign

currencies.

The best way to change money is to use the ubiquitous ATMs, and credit cards are widely accepted for

services and other purchases. For cash or traveler's checks, though, use one of the many casas de

cambio (money-exchange bureaus). There is no black market in Chile for U.S. dollars, and rates vary only

slightly from place to place. In particular, the area just west of Plaza Constitucion, along Calle Agustinas,

is lined with money exchanges. If you can wait, don't exchange money in the airport—you will get a

slightly better exchange rate in the city. Hotels may offer to change money, but the rates are better at

banks.

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Practically every bank branch has ATMs that accept Visa or MasterCard. In fact, a great many

pharmacies, service stations and other stores have ATMs, making them easier to find than in many U.S.

and European cities. Only BancoEstado, though, refrains from imposing a service charge of Ch$2,000-

$3,500 per transaction.

Taxes

The national sales tax is 19%. Many hotels include sales tax in the overall price per room. However, Chile

does have a law that exempts foreigners from paying this tax at hotels if they pay with U.S. dollars or an

international credit card. If a hotel attempts to do to the contrary (which is not likely), remind them of this

fact.

Tipping

The common tip in restaurants is 10%. Servers do not expect more, and Chileans sometimes leave less

or none at all. It is also customary to tip supermarket baggers, parking attendants, baggage handlers at

airports, bellhops at hotels and people who deliver food. A tip of this sort probably should not exceed

Ch$300, unless the service has been extensive or extraordinary. Even though taxis may seem

inexpensive, they are relatively expensive for Chileans, and therefore tipping is unnecessary.

Be aware that postal workers charge a small fee for letters delivered: This is a fee for services—it's how

they make their living. Tipping messengers, though, is uncommon.

Weather

Chile is a mostly midlatitude country whose seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern

Hemisphere. In general, Santiago's mild Mediterranean climate resembles that of California, with a long

dry spring and summer (September or October-April) and a wetter winter (May-September). Annual

rainfall averages around 14 in/36 cm. Temperatures rarely fall below freezing in winter, and snow is

uncommon (except, of course, in the nearby Andes). Summers may reach 95 F/36 C, but the city's high

altitude (about 2,000 ft/600 m above sea level) means it almost always cools off at night. The best times

to visit Santiago are spring (September-December) and autumn (March-April).

During winter, low clouds combined with light winds and rainfall can lead to a severe pollution problem—

of particular concern to people with respiratory conditions.

What to Wear

Take along a variety of clothing—because of Santiago's altitude, temperatures fluctuate significantly

between day and night year-round. Leisure travelers should pack shorts, pants, and short- and long-

sleeved shirts. If you're traveling in summer, a light jacket or sweater is recommended because evenings

still get cool. In the winter, heavy wool sweaters or down jackets help keep out the chill, but even then it

can warm up in the daytime; it sometimes rains a lot in winter, so take a raincoat. In spring, mornings are

generally cool, afternoons hot and evenings cool once again.

Because Santiago is situated relatively close to a major hole in the ozone layer that has been forming

over Antarctica, visitors are advised to take proper precautions against ultraviolet rays, such as wearing

UV sunglasses, a hat or visor, and sunscreen with a high SPF that includes zinc or titanium oxide.

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Dark suits with ties are a must for business travelers, especially in winter months. In summer, a jacket

and tie are the norm, but business travelers are certainly not expected to wear heavy wool suits in the

sweltering heat. In this case, tweed or linen jackets and lightweight slacks are perfectly acceptable.

Chileans, whether in business situations or social settings, are very image-conscious. In business

meetings, men should always wear ties, a watch and have polished shoes. Take your hat off when you sit

down to talk or eat. In general, Chileans frown upon people who dress slovenly and don't pay careful

attention to all aspects of personal hygiene. When going out to bars or restaurants at night, dress may be

less formal, depending on the venue.

Communication

Telephone

Public pay phones are readily available throughout Santiago. A local call costs Ch$100. Older models still

take coins, but depending on the company that built the phone (Chile's phone service is privatized), it may

require a phone card, which you can usually purchase at the nearest corner kiosk or pharmacy. Visitors

can also purchase phone cards with fixed values up to Ch$5,000 and make calls from any landline—the

cost of each call is deducted as it's made. It's also possible to call from any of the abundant centros de

llamados (call centers), which often have fax and Internet service, as well.

Phones in Santiago and vicinity use the area code 02 and have seven digits; cell phones throughout the

country use 09 and have eight digits; when calling another cell phone, it is not necessary to dial the prefix.

In the provinces, area codes have a zero and two or three additional digits, and all regular numbers have

six digits. Toll-free numbers begin with 800, and numbers beginning with 600 are local calls from

anywhere in the country.

Cell phone rentals are readily available, and inexpensive prepaid cell phones are available for purchase;

some are so cheap that, with the initial credit, they're literally paying you to accept the phone. SIM Cards

are available for purchase from the main carriers, Entel, Claro and Movistar, but also require purchasing

prepaid credit for calls. Coverage is sometimes spotty in rural areas, but in general, it is excellent.

Internet Access

Internet cafes are taking root in Santiago, especially in neighborhoods frequented by young people—near

the universities and around downtown. In general, expect to pay Ch$500-$750 per hour for connection

time. Some Internet cafes will allow customers to plug in their own laptops.

Many accommodations, even backpacker hostels, have Wi-Fi—so do many cafes and Metro stations, and

some neighborhoods as well. Top-end hotels, though, often charge for the privilege.

In the Santiago airport, free Wi-Fi connection is only available in VIP airline lounges, but several cafes

offer connections to their patrons.

Newspapers & Magazines

Santiago has eight daily newspapers, all in Spanish. Most Santiaguinos read the conservative morning

papers El Mercurio or La Tercera. On Friday, both include an extended section focused on entertainment,

dining and nightlife in the city. La Segunda is a daily newspaper published in the afternoons. For daily

business news in Spanish, try Diario Financiero or Estrategia.

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One of the most widely read magazines is the satirical bimonthly The Clinic, which got its start and took

its name from the suburban London clinic where Gen. Pinochet was arrested. Another good source for

independent perspectives on Chile is El Periodista.

Most international hotels have a good selection of English-language newspapers in the lobby, often for

free. A condensed six-page version of The New York Times can be found at many hotels. The online

Santiago Times is a daily English-language digest of Santiago's Spanish-language press, but there is no

print daily in English (http://www.santiagotimes.cl).

Transportation

Santiago's public transportation system is extensive and modern. The rapidly expanding Metro will take

you almost anywhere quickly, and most sights in Centro, Barrio Brasil, Providencia and Las Condes lie

along a single east-west line. Transantiago, an integrated bus system, replaced the previous chaotic

collection of private bus routes. The bus system has had its share of woe, with user complaints about

lower frequency and less coverage, but matters have improved greatly.

Taxis are generally handy and inexpensive. Renting a car is possible, although more expensive than in

most Latin American countries, but learning the routes on a short visit is difficult and parking almost

equally so. There are many new underground parking structures in the city, however.

If you are determined to or must rent a vehicle, you must be at least 22 years old, hold a valid

international driver's license before traveling to Chile (you cannot procure one there), and hold a valid

driver's license for your own country. You must leave a blank voucher of an international credit card with

sufficient funds on it (and in any case with a minimum of US$1,000) as a security deposit with the car

rental company. Finally, the credit card has to be in the name of the individual who rents the vehicle.

Traveling to other parts of Chile and other parts of South America is generally done by air and bus, since

the rail system services only a few parts of the country. Luckily, there numerous private bus operators,

and the buses themselves are clean and comfortable, sometimes luxurious. Some even have on-board

Wi-Fi.

Public Transportation

Santiago has both bus and subway systems. Bus travel tends to be chaotic and, during rush hours,

extraordinarily crowded, but the Transantiago reform (http://www.transantiago.cl) replaced aging diesel-

spewing buses with newer, cleaner and more comfortable buses, many of them articulated. To figure out

where a bus is headed, check the digital readout above the windshield; the Transantiago Web site also

has a trip-planning function.

Under the Transantiago system, passengers must purchase bus-ticket cards, called BIP, available at

Metro stations and many other locations. BIP cards are used instead of coins. The BIP card can also be

used for the Metro. Travelers unfamiliar with Santiago's layout might want to wait until they know the city

a little better before getting on a bus—many routes begin or end in dubious neighborhoods on the city's

outskirts, so knowing when to get off is important. On the other hand, the bus is an inexpensive way to

see much of the city, and onboard crime (save the occasional pickpocketing) is rare. The best times to

use the bus system are around 10 am-1 pm, when most of the city's residents are at work. Peak rush

hours are 8-9 am and 7-9 pm, making bus travel then crowded and slow.

The Santiago Metro system is clean, quick, efficient and easy to use, even for newcomers. There are five

lines, but the most useful for visitors is probably Linea 1 (Line 1), which crosses the city roughly east to

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west. Stations are marked by signs with three red diamonds. Fares range Ch$510-$620 depending on the

time of day and are paid with either a rechargeable BIP card or a small individual ticket that you can buy

inside the Metro station and then slide into the turnstile. No ticket is necessary to exit the system.

Taxi

Taxis in Santiago, which are painted black with yellow tops, are relatively inexpensive and are the safest

way to travel (aboveground, anyway). Cabdrivers do not generally speak English, although they can

sometimes understand basic English words. But don't underestimate the conversations they can afford:

They are sometimes professionals who have gone behind the wheel because of economic difficulties, and

they can be valuable and interesting sources of information about the Chilean way of life, as well as

excellent sources of information for what's happening around town. When taking a taxi during the day, it is

perfectly fine to hail one on the street or go to a designated taxi stand, but at night it is preferable to call a

radio taxi.

Some drivers may take roundabout routes to run up the meter, especially if it is obvious the passenger

does not know his or her way around. If possible, try to give them instructions, not only about the final

destination, but also about the route to take. Passengers will save time by paying with exact change or

small bills, as drivers tend to keep as little cash in the cab as possible. Tipping is uncommon and

unnecessary.

For More Information

Recommended Guidebooks

Moon Handbooks Chile by Wayne Bernhardson (Avalon Travel Publishing).

How to Survive in the Chilean Jungle: An English Lexicon of Chilean Slang and Spanish Sayings by John

C. Saez (editor), John Brennan and Alvaro Taboada.

Additional Reading

Distant Star by Roberto Bolano (New Directions Publishing Corporation).

My Invented Country by Isabel Allende (HarperCollins, 2003). Observations on her home country by the

once-exiled Chilean novelist.

The Movies of My Life: A Novel by Alberto Fuguet (Harper Perennial).

Pinochet and Me: A Chilean Anti-Memoir by Marc Cooper (Verso).

Travels in a Thin Country: A Journey Through Chile by Sarah Wheeler (Modern Library).

Tourist Offices

Sernatur

Sernatur has ample printed information in English, and satellite offices in every regional capital and some

other cities. Ave. Providencia 1550, Providencia. Santiago, Chile. Phone 731-8300.

http://www.sernatur.cl.

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Puerto Montt, Chile

With a beautiful setting on the Gulf of Reloncavi, 630

mi/1,015 km south of Santiago, Puerto Montt, Chile's

fastest-growing city, is the gateway for the "Inside

Passage" ferry to Puerto Natales and cruises to the

western Patagonian fjords, and the starting point for

the Southern Highway. Initially settled by German

immigrants who spread throughout the southern lakes

district, Puerto Montt dates from 1853, but little

remains of its early German heritage, which is better

glimpsed at nearby Puerto Varas (which also has

better accommodations).

Today, the economy is primarily based on forest products and fishing; its port of Angelmo has exceptional

fish and seafood, especially the centolla (king crabs) and locos (abalones). There are several national

parks in the vicinity.

Punta Arenas, Chile

Chilean Patagonia's most important city, Punta

Arenas was an important supply station for ships

prior to the completion of the Panama Canal and

the home to mansions of the wool barons who

transformed the economy of southernmost Chile

and Argentina. The main sights are the Plaza

Munoz Gamero, with its monument to Hernando

de Magallanes (Magellan), the regional museum

(formerly the Braun-Menendez mansion), and the

cemetery—graves and monuments to the first

settlers and pioneer families from throughout

Europe, including Yugoslavs, Britons, Italians and Spaniards.

With the region's only commercial airport, Punta Arenas, 1,915 mi/3,085 km south of Santiago, is the

gateway to Tierra del Fuego, large offshore penguin colonies, Torres del Paine National Park and other

more remote destinations. Fort Bulnes, 35 mi/55 km south along the Strait of Magellan, is a

reconstruction of Chile's initial 19th-century settlement; nearby is the site of Puerto de Hambre, whose

16th-century Spanish settlers starved to death during a bad winter.

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Ushuaia, Argentina

Most consider Ushuaia to be the southernmost

city in the world. Ushuaia's port is a common

stopover for visits to Antarctica.

The port itself, at Avenida Maipu 510, is wholly

given over to commercial shipping.

Passengers disembarking there generally

head straight for the city proper, as there are

no tourist facilities at the port terminal itself.

The city grew around a prison, whose

prisoners helped to build the town and the

foundation for the Tren del Fin del Mundo (End of the World Train), the southernmost railway in the world.

The railway connects visitors to Tierra del Fuego National Park.

Other attractions in Ushuaia include wildlife (penguins, birds and orcas) and nearby ski areas. The ski

areas often keep the lifts running in summer for hikes to a nearby glacier.

The city experiences misty and foggy conditions for much of the year, so rain protection is a necessity for

visitors. Be aware that the city also experiences strong winds. Warm clothing is necessary even in

summer months, when average high temperatures don't rise much above 47 F/14 C.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

The city of Puerto Madryn is in the north east of Chubut Province in the Patagonia region of Argentina on the shores of Gulfo Nuevo, a large, deep water bay of the Atlantic Ocean. The city is a popular summer destination because of its beautiful beaches - although the water can be very cold and the wind impressive.

The current population is estimated between 60,000 to 70,000 and the city has been growing rapidly in the last few years due mainly to the expanding tourism industry, fishing and Aluar-the aluminum refinery.

Puerto Madryn is the gateway to nearby Peninsula Valdes.

The area was first populated by the indigenous Tehuelche people. The first Europeans to settle in the area were Welsh arriving in 1865. They named the city for Baron Madryn of Wales

From Puerto Madryn daytrips run to Punta Tombo. This is a penguin colony where you can walk

among thousands of penguins between the months of October and March.

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Punta del Este, Uruguay

During high season, glamorous Punta del Este,

Uruguay (or Punta, as most call it after a couple of

days), is filled with rich South Americans, mainly

Argentines, looking for sun and fun.

Located 70 mi/110 km east of Montevideo, Punta

del Este proper is a narrow spit of land jutting into

the Atlantic, surrounded by beaches and a yacht

harbor, but informally it encompasses a much larger

area. Around its edge is the oceanfront promenade,

the Rambla General Artigas, which is lined with

cafes, bars and seafood restaurants. You can

spend the day at the beach enjoying one of many

watersports (yachting, swimming, surfing, deep-sea fishing and waterskiing). Then relax in the afternoon

with a traditional British high tea (tea and scones) at one of the tearooms in town.

West of town, the wonderfully surreal Casa Pueblo is a good place for a break from the sun: The Moorish-

style fortress, once the home of painter Carlos Paez Vilaro, is now an art gallery and hotel. Punta also

has great golf courses, tennis courts and a vibrant nightlife (restaurants, discos and casinos).

Because of its unique geography, the peninsula at Punta lets you watch the sun both rise and set over

water. The beaches are good, with each having a certain ambience of its own—one stretch of sand may

be for families, another for sporty types, one for teenagers and another, apparently, for supermodels

(many of whom spend their summers there instead of Buenos Aires). The scene changes from season to

season, so you'll just have to find where you're comfortable. Playa Mansa, protected by the peninsula, is

calmer than the Playa Brava beaches that face the Atlantic. The Mansa beaches are favored by families

and watersports enthusiasts. Playa Brava's waves draw surfers, and the activity carries on into the night,

with numerous pubs and nightlife options.

Day trips can be taken to Isla Gorriti, a beautiful island just off the coast, which has uncrowded white

beaches and the ruins of an 18th-century fort. Another boat trip will take you around Isla de Lobos, an

island jammed with sea lions. If you would rather travel by car, drive a short way to the resort town of

Piriapolis, anchored by the grande dame of Uruguayan resorts, the Argentino Hotel. Or drive east from

the peninsula past the spectacular mansions to Jose Ignatio, an increasingly popular small resort 19

mi/30 km west of town with perhaps the prettiest beaches, best waves and finest restaurants in Uruguay.

The season runs December-March (summertime in the Southern Hemisphere). During January and

February, the beaches can be crowded, the traffic horrendous and the prices steep. The best time to visit

is early December and from early March.

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Montevideo, Uruguay

Overview

Introduction

Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, is one of South

America's more attractive capitals, even if its

once-grand colonial architecture could use a little

sprucing up. Home to nearly half the country's 3.3

million people, it's a city of beaches, plazas,

restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and casinos. The

Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) and the newer downtown

area hold the most interest for visitors. Improved security has made the Ciudad Vieja the heart of the

city's nightlife, though its accommodations are only so-so. We suggest two nights to visit both the old and

new parts of town.

If time is available, drive around the suburbs and the harbor to see ships coming in (sunset from the pier

is beautiful).

Festivals include South America's longest celebration, the 45-day-long Carnival de Montevideo, and a

rodeo during Easter.

See & Do

Sightseeing

A pleasant way to start your tour is to see the entire city from the 11th-story terrace of the Palacio

Municipal, located on the main street, Avenida 18 de Julio. Or you can take in the view from the old

Spanish fort. Afterward, go to Ordonez Park to see the rose garden (more than 850 varieties) and La

Carreta (a covered-wagon monument—there's a similar one for stagecoaches in El Prado Park). Other

sights include the Palacio Taranco (an 18th-century European-style mansion), the Casa Garibaldi (once

the home of Italian freedom fighter Giuseppe Garibaldi) and the renovated Solis Theater, South America's

best in terms of beautiful architecture, acoustics and broad cultural offerings). If you need to take a break

for a coffee or beer, both Plaza Entrevero and Plaza Constitucion have pleasant outdoor cafes.

Also worth seeing are the Plaza Independencia, Museo Torres Garcia (works by Uruguayan artist

Joaquin Torres Garcia), National Museum of Fine Arts (Parque Rodo), Museum of Natural History, the

Legislative Palace (mosaic floors and stained-glass windows) and the beaches (Ramirez, Malvin or

Pocitos).

There's an exceptional gaucho museum upstairs from the Banco de la Republica, which also has a small

money museum on Avenida 18 de Julio. Make a point of stopping in, if only to see the building itself—the

interior is marvelous. The Rambla, the avenue running along the beach, is good for walking.

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Shopping

Montevideo has several interesting outdoor markets, including the Feria de Villa Biarritz (open Saturday

as a flea market and Tuesday as a farmers market) and Feria de Tristan Narvaja (a sprawling flea market

open Sunday morning). The artisans market, located on San Jose Street, is open Monday-Saturday.

Dining

Dining Overview

If it's lunchtime, head for the Ciudad Vieja's Mercado del Puerto. Inside this ornate building (it was once a

train station), market stalls have been converted into parrillas (grills) and seafood restaurants (try El

Palenque), with exterior sidewalk seating as well. Many of the establishments have proper tables, but

many visitors prefer sitting on a stool facing the grill for an up-close view of the action.

For lunch and dinner, the Bacacay pedestrian mall and Mitre Street, near the Solis Theater, are the heart

of the Ciudad Vieja's nightlife. Restaurants worth trying include El Abasto (Bacacay 1309) for beef, Don

Peperone (Sarandi and Bartolome Mitre) for pastas and La Corte (Sarandi 586) for a more diverse

international menu.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Overview

Introduction

Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a wonderful

combination of sleek skyscrapers and past

grandeur, a collision of the ultrachic and

tumbledown. Still, there has always been an

undercurrent of melancholy in B.A. (as it is

affectionately known by expats who call Buenos

Aires home), which may help explain residents'

devotion to that bittersweet expression of

popular culture in Argentina, the tango. Still

performed—albeit much less frequently now—

in the streets and cafes, the tango has a

romantic and nostalgic nature that is

emblematic of Buenos Aires itself.

Travel to Buenos Aires is popular, especially with stops in the neighborhoods of San Telmo, Palermo—

and each of its colorful smaller divisions—and the array of plazas that help make up Buenos Aires tours.

Highlights

Sights—Inspect the art-nouveau and art-deco architecture along Avenida de Mayo; see the "glorious

dead" in the Cementerio de la Recoleta and the gorgeously chic at bars and cafes in the same

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neighborhood; shop for antiques and see the tango dancers at Plaza Dorrego and the San Telmo Street

Fair on Sunday; tour the old port district of La Boca and the colorful houses along its Caminito street;

cheer at a soccer match between hometown rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate (for the very

adventurous only).

Museums—Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA: Coleccion Costantini); Museo

Nacional de Bellas Artes; Museo Municipal de Arte Hispano-Americano Isaac Fernandez Blanco; Museo

Historico Nacional; Museo de la Pasion Boquense (Boca football); one of two tango museums: Museo

Casa Carlos Gardel or Museo Mundial del Tango.

Memorable Meals—A drink, elegant tea or snack at Cafe Tortoni; the best beef at a parrilla (steak

house) such as Cabana Las Lilas or La Cabrera; delicious wood-oven-baked pizza at Siamo Nel Forno in

Palermo Hollywood; the trendy restaurants Olsen in Palermo Hollywood or Sucre in Belgrano; pasta at La

Parolaccia; the unique dining experience of El Obrero in La Boca.

Late Night—Dancing in the huge Crobar disco or the Funky Room at Club Bahrein; samba in Maluco

Beleza; quaffing a beer at The Kilkenny or Down Town Matias; exploring the lively Puerto Madero and

Palermo Viejo areas.

Tango—An over-the-top tango-and-dinner show at stylish Piazzolla Tango; intimate concerts in San

Telmo bars; old-style tango dancing at the remaining milongas across the city, such as the Club Gricel,

Salon Canning or El Nino Bien.

Walks—Calle Defensa from the Plaza de Mayo to Parque Lezama in San Telmo; stroll through the

Rosedal rose gardens, particularly September-February; follow the trails in the Costanera Sur Ecological

Reserve.

Especially for Kids—Feed the animals at the Jardin Zoologico; stroll along the yacht basin at Puerto

Madero; check out the stars at the Galileo Galilei Planetarium; take a boat ride in the Parque de Palermo;

the rides at El Parque de la Costa theme park.

Geography

The city of Buenos Aires occupies 79 sq mi/127 sq km of flat terrain, bordered on the east by the Rio de

la Plata. The central city streets are laid out on a grid pattern, with few diagonals, but outlying

neighborhoods are more irregular. Greater Buenos Aires sprawls in all directions across the humid

pampas and contains roughly half the country's population.

The city is made up of 48 distinct barrios, or neighborhoods, and those nearest the Rio de la Plata hold

the most interest for tourists. The downtown area, also known as the Microcentro, is the banking,

business and government district. Plaza de Mayo, together with the neighborhoods of Monserrat and San

Telmo toward the south, make up the city's historical heart. To the north and northwest are the middle-

and upper-class residential districts of Retiro, Barrio Norte, Recoleta, Palermo (the city's largest) and

Belgrano. The southernmost barrio most tourists will visit (usually in daylight, when it is safest) is La Boca,

a colorful working-class neighborhood with strong Italian roots.

History

After it was permanently settled in 1580, Buenos Aires had 230 years—its colonial period—of erratic

growth. After Argentina broke from Spain's rule in 1810, Buenos Aires evolved rapidly as a commercial

hub and seat of political power, becoming the federal capital in 1880. Europeans recognized the potential

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of the port city: The British poured money into the area, and the Spanish and Italians arrived in droves,

along with French, eastern European, Japanese and German settlers.

When immigration from the Old World was all but halted after 1930, those of Spanish-South American

mestizo origins migrated from the interior and filled many jobs. From this influx arose conflicts with the

existing urban population and the problem of crowded city slums and shantytowns.

It was from these throngs of poor people that populist President Juan Peron, along with his wife Eva

(Evita), found their greatest support. They often stirred huge crowds of Argentines in speeches from the

balcony of the Casa Rosada, which overlooks the Plaza de Mayo. Peron's presidency (1946-55) was

followed by decades of truculent military rule, with only brief periods of respite.

The Plaza de Mayo is still the site of demonstrations, although the famous annual marches calling for a

full accounting of events in the so-called "Dirty War" of 1970-83, when the country was run by a military

junta and more than 30,000 dissidents "disappeared" now occur only on 24 March. On Thursday

afternoons, the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo still march in their distinctive head scarves embroidered with

the names of the missing, demanding information about their children and grandchildren who were taken

by police and military death squads.

For most of the 1980s, economic problems, including hyperinflation, limited the city's progress, but Carlos

Menem's 1990s presidency tamed inflation and brought some stability. Redevelopment took place,

including in the Puerto Montt waterfront. The downside of Menem's legacy was an overvalued peso and

systemic corruption that brought financial collapse. Marches and demonstrations by the unemployed and

the middle class, who lost their dollar-denominated savings to devaluation, have diminished but still occur

on occasion.

The election of the late Nestor Kirchner in 2003, along with subsequent judicial and foreign-policy

reforms, went a long way toward turning things around. Although elected by a slim margin, Kirchner was

popular, and the economy rebounded, albeit temporarily. In October 2007, Kirchner died of heart

complications. However, in late 2010, his widow, Cristina, was handily elected as his successor. Thanks

to a heavy-handed policy of almost autocratic decision-making, Cristina Kirchner immediately alienated

many important constituents. Forced to back down on several key economic issues in the face of open

hostility and threats of violence, the country—and Buenos Aires in particular—continues to face an

uncertain economic future.

Port Information

Location

Cruise ships stop at Buenos Aires, typically November-April, on round-the-world cruises, Argentina-Brazil

summer cruises (the summer months there being November-February) and the popular Argentina-Chile

cruises, which stop over in Patagonia en route.

Located in the Puerto Nuevo area, north of the Puerto Madero development zone, the Terminal de

Cruceros Benito Quinquela Martin is on Avenida Presidente Ramon Castillo, between Avenida de los

Inmigrantes and Avenida Antartida Argentina. It has a tourist-information office, shops and cafes. Nearby

there's a locutorio for phone and Internet access, and taxis are usually parked in the vicinity. Phone 4317-

0600.

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Potpourri

Buenos Aires boasts one of the world's largest concentrations of psychiatrists and psychologists in the

so-called "Villa Freud," an area overlapping Barrio Norte and Alto Palermo. It is also the site of nearly

18,000 cosmetic surgery procedures every year.

Alto Palermo's Museo Evita is the first Argentine museum honoring a woman.

Dating from 1913, the Subte was South America's first underground rail system, and many original

wooden cars still run on Line A, from Plaza de Mayo.

Retiro's Kavanagh Building, which overlooks Plaza San Martin, was the city's first skyscraper (1935).

Jose de San Martin is clearly the country's main hero, with statues, streets and plazas named after him.

He is also referred to as simply El Libertador. His tomb in Buenos Aires' Metropolitan Cathedral is treated

as a shrine.

Although it can get really cold in the winter months (June-August), it has only snowed twice in Buenos

Aires in the past 100-plus years, in 1918 and 2007.

Because of the heavy Italian influence on their culture, Argentines speak Spanish with an Italian accent.

They are also the only Spanish speakers who pronounce words with "ll" as "shhh." For example, llamas

would be pronounced shamas.

See & Do

Sightseeing

Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, many visitors make a beeline for Plaza Dorrego in the San Telmo

neighborhood of colonial and tango fame, whether or not the Sunday flea market is in progress. Many put

the Recoleta Cemetery high on their list of things to see: You can pay your respects to Evita if you look

for the tomb marked Familia Duarte.

As you take in the city's displays of civic grandeur, absolutely do not miss the Teatro Colon: try to watch a

performance, or at least take a guided tour of its labyrinthine interior. The view of the building from

anywhere on the Avenida Villamonte is stunning.

Make time to see the delightful greenery in the Parque Tres de Febrero (in Palermo Chico), which houses

many Japanese gardens, a rose garden, art museums, a lake with paddleboats, a horse track and more.

Those drawn to the water should stroll around the Puerto Madero area, which harbors a yacht club,

expensive restaurants, two museum ships, several hotels, offices, movie theaters and a university

campus. Or, for a less upper-crust look at the water, head to the old port neighborhood of La Boca,

Buenos Aires' colorful version of Little Italy.

Those who happen to be in Buenos Aires on a Sunday should take a car service or bus to the Mataderos

Fair to watch folk dancing and the gaucho displays. There's plenty to eat: Try some empanadas or the

hearty meat-and-corn stew.

Museum enthusiasts won't want to miss the National History Museum, although it steers clear of

controversial events since the 1970s, or the Isaac Fernandez Blanco Museum of Spanish-American Art, a

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replica of a Peruvian colonial mansion complete with gardens. Alto Palermo's Museo de Arte

Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) is definitely worth a visit.

For those wanting to take in some classical art, Recoleta's National Fine Arts Museum is the destination

of choice. Palermo's Eduardo Sivori Museum exhibits more contemporary works. The country's cultural

heritage is explored at the Jose Hernandez Museum of Popular Argentine Motifs. La Boca's Museo de la

Pasion Boquense traces the history of Boca Juniors, soccer player Diego Maradona's club, and there are

two tango museums—the Museo Casa Carlos Gardel and the Museo Mundial del Tango—for fanatics of

this famous Argentine dance.

Museum admission prices are a universal bargain, generally ranging from "a small donation requested" to

several pesos.

Historic Sites

Avenida 9 de Julio

Named for the day in 1816 that Argentina declared independence from Spain, this main north-south

thoroughfare is 460 ft/140 m wide and lays claim to being the widest boulevard in the world. It is now

more pedestrian-friendly, although one can cross underground near the landmark Obelisco as well.

Basilica Nuestra Senora del Pilar Junin 1904 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4803-6793 http://www.basilicadelpilar.org.ar

This 18th-century church is considered one of the best-preserved examples of Argentine colonial

architecture. Its ornate silver altar, tile work and chapels deserve more than a quick look, and don't miss

seeing the skulls and bones at the entryway—they're the remains of some of the area's early inhabitants.

See it in conjunction with the Recoleta Cemetery, which is right next door. Its former monastery is now the

Recoleta Cultural Center and the Buenos Aires Design Center. The small Museo de los Claustros del

Pilar, located in the original cloisters of the monastery, has a beautiful selection of religious artifacts, and

you can enjoy the excellent views of the cemetery from upstairs windows.

Church open daily 7:30 am-10 pm; museum daily 10:30 am-6 pm. Museum admission 4 P; church

admission is free.

Cabildo de Buenos Aires Bolivar 65 (opposite Plaza de Mayo) Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4334-1782 http://www.cultura.gov.ar/direcciones/?info=organismo&id=9&idd=5 Dating from the mid-18th century, this building was the place where, on 25 May 1810, locals capitalized

on the Spanish crown's political woes in Europe and launched the independence movement by deposing

Spanish viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros. The structure's left and right wings were demolished to

make way for the Avenida de Mayo in 1889 and Diagonal Sur (Avenida Julio Roca) in 1931. The building

now houses a rather unexciting museum, guarded by sentinels in period uniforms, that offers a fine view

of Plaza de Mayo.

Museum open Wednesday-Friday 10:30 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11:30 am-6 pm. Admission 4 P.

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Catedral Metropolitana On Plaza de Mayo (at San Martin 27) Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4345-3369 http://www.catedralbuenosaires.org.ar This cathedral facing Plaza de Mayo has been rebuilt many times during the past four centuries. The

current building, completed in 1827, has a neoclassical facade and an eclectic interior, in which a

colonial-era altar coexists with Italian Renaissance paintings. An adjacent chapel contains the

mausoleum of national hero Gen. Jose de San Martin guarded by statues representing Argentina, Peru

and Chile.

Open Monday-Friday 7 am-7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am-7:30 pm.

Cementerio de la Recoleta Junin 1760 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4804-7040 http://www.cementeriorecoleta.com.ar

One of the most important sights in B.A., the elaborate tombs in the 19th-century Recoleta Cemetery

cover 13 acres/5 hectares. The miniature Gothic cathedrals, neoclassical temples and art-deco shrines

are the final resting places of illustrious founding fathers, local aristocracy and important families. You

could easily spend a day or two there and never get bored by all the graceful angels adorning the tombs.

The most famous resident of the cemetery is the firebrand wife of President Juan Peron, Eva Duarte de

Peron, known simply as Evita. For many, a visit to her family vault (Duarte, not Peron) is a pilgrimage.

The municipal tourist office offers guided tours (in Spanish) at irregular intervals. Call 5614-8869 for

reservations.

Daily 7 am-5:45 pm.

Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo Ave. Defensa 422 (a few blocks south of Plaza de Mayo) Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4331-1668 http://www.curiosamonserrat.com.ar/iglesia/domingo.html

This church's altar (carved from a single block of white marble) and huge organ (one of the country's

largest and oldest) are worth a look. Note the bullet marks on one of the belfries—it was fired on by

incensed locals in 1807 when English troops who had invaded the city occupied the building and flew the

Union Jack there. English flags captured during various battles, along with artifacts, are on display inside

the church.

Basilica open Monday-Friday 7 am-6 pm, Saturday for Mass at 6:30 pm, Sunday 11 am-5 pm. Entrance

free. To visit the convent during the week, call ahead to arrange a guided tour. It also opens on Sunday

for free guided visits.

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Obelisco

Plaza de la Republica (at the intersection of Avenida 9 de Julio and Avenida Corrientes)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://bsas.gov.ar/areas/med_ambiente/obelisco_01.php

Considered a symbol of Buenos Aires, this monument was erected in 1936 to commemorate the 400th

anniversary of the city's first (albeit not permanent) founding. It stands 220 ft/67 m high, making it a useful

landmark when navigating the city.

Palacio Barolo 1370 Ave. de Mayo Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4381-1885 http://www.palaciobarolotours.com.ar This restored office building was the tallest building in Latin America (and one of the tallest in the world)

when it was completed in 1923. The architecture can best be described as a mix of neo-romantic and

neo-Gothic, but also is said to derive some of its inspiration from Dante's Divine Comedy. It's worth a stop

if only for the 22-story-high views of the city. Bilingual, guided tours are offered during the day, but an

even better option might be the evening guided tours, when the lighthouse on the top floor is turned on

and the tour ends with wine and a local delicacy.

Tours Monday 4-7 pm, Wednesday and Friday 8 pm, Thursday 4-7 pm and 8:30 pm. Day tours 50 P,

night tours 95 P.

Palacio del Congreso Nacional Western end of Avenida de Mayo Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4010-3000 http://www.congreso.gov.ar

Begun in 1888 and opened in 1906, the Italianate Congress building has a towering copper dome that is

illuminated at night. Both the upper-house Senate and the lower-house Chamber of Deputies are open for

guided tours. Take a photo ID or passport. Enter at Hipolito Yrigoyen 1849.

Guided tours of both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies take place on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

and Friday at 11 am and 4 pm in English and 11 am and 5 pm in Spanish.

Plaza de Mayo

Microcentro

Buenos Aires, Argentina

This plaza is a little less grand than you might envision, although the monumental obelisk and soaring

palms are attractive. The lack of shade means it's not really a place for relaxed people-watching. You're

more likely to set foot there on your way to see one of the sites bordering the square: the Cabildo (first

city council building), Catedral Metropolitana and the Casa Rosada (the presidential palace). The plaza

has been the site of many political demonstrations (see it in the morning, when there's less chance of

running into a gathering), as well as public addresses by presidents and other leaders.

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Teatro Colon Tucuman 1171 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4378-7127 for tour information http://www.teatrocolon.org.ar

Opened in 1908 and modeled on Milan's La Scala (but actually larger), this is the architectural and

cultural heart of Buenos Aires. Since the beginning of the 20th century, opera stars from Maria Callas to

Luciano Pavarotti have sung on the stage of the Colon, considered one of the world's top opera houses

for its natural acoustics and infrastructure. Seats 2,400 people.

Ticket office for tours open 9 am-3:45 pm. Tours in English on the hour 11 am-2 pm. Tours 60 P.

Torre de los Ingleses Ave. del Liberador 49 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4311-0186 http://www.torremonumental.buenosaires.gob.ar

Presented to the city by British residents in 1916, this clock tower stands 195 ft/60 m tall and offers some

of the finest panoramas of downtown. The square where it stands was renamed Plaza de la Fuerza

Aerea (Air Force Square) in the wake of the Falkland Islands War, but the new names given to the tower

(Torre Monumental and Torre del Reloj) haven't stuck—Englishmen's Tower it remains.

Open Monday-Friday 10 am-5 pm; Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9 am-6 pm. Call during the week to

make reservations for the tour.

Museums

Museo de Arte Espanol Enrique Larreta Ave. Juramento 2291 (go north on the metro D line) Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4783-2640 http://www.museolarreta.buenosaires.gob.ar It's worth a trip to the outlying barrio of Belgrano to see this elegant mansion, built and owned by an

Argentine novelist who admired Spanish culture. It is packed with grand old furniture and his collections of

Renaissance and modern Spanish art. The Andalusian gardens out back are draped with climbing plants,

and a native ombu tree stands at the center.

Open Monday-Friday 1-7 pm; Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 am-8 pm. Guided tours Saturday and

Sunday at 4 and 6 pm. Guided tours available during the week by reservation only. 1 P, free on Thursday.

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Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) Ave. Figueroa Alcorta 3415 (between Salguero and San Martin de Tours) Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4808-6500 http://www.malba.org.ar

This world-class museum in the Palermo neighborhood is home to the renowned collection of Eduardo

Costantini. Works by Latin American artists are the focus: Some (such as Frida Kahlo and Diego de

Rivera) are better known than others, but all are interesting. Check out the works of Argentine artists Xul

Solar and Antonio Berni. The top floor hosts traveling international modern art exhibits. The building itself

is airy and filled with natural light, which makes viewing the art a pleasure. The adjoining cafe is popular.

Open daily except Tuesday noon-8 pm, Wednesday till 9 pm. 25 P adults, 12 P students, 11 P seniors,

free for children younger than 5. Wednesday admission 10 P adults, 6 P seniors, free for students.

Museo de Arte Popular Jose Hernandez Libertador 2373, Recoleta Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4803-2384 http://museohernandez.org.ar

The most comprehensive collection of folk art and gaucho (cowboy) silverwork in Argentina can be seen

at the Jose Hernandez Museum of Popular Argentine Motifs. A reproduction of a 19th-century pulperia

(country general store and bar) awaits visitors in an old house that was donated in 1938.

Guided tours Wednesday-Friday 1-7 pm; Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 am-8 pm; closed New Year's

Day, Labor Day, Good Friday and Christmas Day. 1 P, free on Sunday.

Museo de la Casa Rosada Hipolito Yrigoyen 219, Plaza de Mayo Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4344-3804 http://www.casarosada.gov.ar

Built on the site of the city's first permanent fort, this eclectic Italianate building is the seat of national

government. It has been pink since 1873, when (as some historians claim) President Domingo F.

Sarmiento decided that would be the best way to pacify two warring political factions, whose colors were

white and red. The current paint job is an attempt to re-create its original shade of pink. Free guided tours

of the museum (where you can see some personal belongings of past presidents, as well as some of their

carriages and excavated portions of the original fort) are given throughout the day, and tours of the actual

Casa (where government functions are carried out) are given in the late afternoon.

The museum is open daily except Monday 10 am-6 pm. 1 P, free on Wednesday and Saturday, with free

guided tours in English.

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Museo de la Ciudad

Defensa 219

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4331-9855

http://www.museodelaciudad.buenosaires.gob.ar

The City Museum's exhibits showcase Buenos Aires' architectural heritage and document the everyday

life of its inhabitants throughout history. The museum itself is at the top of a narrow marble staircase in a

late-19th-century building. The display windows of the well-preserved La Estrella pharmacy on the

building's ground floor serve as a sort of permanent exhibit, as well.

Open Monday-Friday 11 am-7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-8 pm. 1 P, free on Monday and

Wednesday.

Museo Evita Lafinur 2988 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4807-0306 http://www.museoevita.org This museum, a former mansion, is dedicated to Eva Peron, the most controversial Argentine woman in h

istory. Some of her personal items, film clips of her public appearances and movies, and excerpts from

her speeches are on display. The building was once a shelter—established by Evita—for unwed mothers

and their children.

Open daily except Monday 11 am-7 pm; closed New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Labor Day, Christmas

Eve and Christmas Day. 15 P admission, 35 P guided visit.

Museo Mundial del Tango Ave. Rivadavia 830, First Floor (Palacio Carlos Gardel) Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4345-6968 http://www.anacdeltango.org.ar/museo.asp

This museum preserves the history of the genesis, evolution, boom years (1910-30) and decline of

Buenos Aires' best-known export. The fantastic collection includes old tango scores garnered from the

National Academy of Tango (which also is housed in this building), as well as funyi (fedora-style) hats

(including one of Carlos Gardel's, of course), old suits, shoes and other paraphernalia.

Open Monday-Friday 2-8 pm.

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Parks & Gardens

Although there are other, smaller parks in town, the area in Palermo alternately referred to as Parque

Tres de Febrero, Parque de Palermo and Bosques de Palermo is an enormous complex of parks and

green spaces in the Palermo neighborhood. It's a gem within the city. Look for the distinctive native ombu

and gomero trees, the jacarandas with their purple flowers, and the cherry trees from Japan. From the

central Plaza Intendente Seeber, you can easily reach the Rosedal (rose garden), the Japanese garden

and, to the south, the zoo and botanical gardens. The area is abuzz with activity, especially on weekends.

Phone 4800-1135.

http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/med_ambiente/parque_3_de_febrero/resena_historica.php?menu_i

d=18892.

Carlos Thays Botanical Garden Ave. Santa Fe 3951 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4831-4527 http://jardinbotanico.buenosaires.gob.ar This garden contains several thousand plant varieties, arranged by continent. Three-quarters of the space

is devoted to Argentine plants. Three greenhouses are used for tropical plants, one for cacti. It's a great

place to stroll or relax on a bench with a book, as long as you aren't allergic to cats—an incredible

number of feral cats call the garden home.

Monday-Friday 8 am-6 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am-7:30 pm. Free.

Parque Lezama

Avenida Alte. Brown, San Telmo

Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/cultura/casco/recorridos/circuito_parque_lezama.php?menu_id=241

04

Though run-down in parts, this handsomely designed park, the former grounds of a mansion built by

Charles Ridgely Horne in the mid-19th century, is widely believed to be the site of the founding of Buenos

Aires. On the park's south side is the mansion, which now houses the National History Museum; on the

northern side are the imposing Russian Orthodox Church and the murky Bar Britanico cafe, where

scenes for Argentine TV series are often filmed. Drummers and other musicians sometimes perform, and

artisans hawk their wares.

Rosedal

The intersection of Avenida del Libertador and Sarmiento

Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/med_ambiente/parque_3_de_febrero/rosedal

These rose gardens are a popular place to stroll, especially September-February, when the flowers are in

bloom. You can also rent a paddleboat and take to the adjacent lake.

Daily 8 am-8 pm, shorter hours in winter.

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Recreation

Buenos Aires offers plenty of green space to enjoy. The enormous (890-acre/360-hectare) Costanera Sur

Ecological Reserve is east of the Microcentro and Puerto Madero. In good weather, it's a great place to

go for bird-watching, bicycling and more. Phone 4342-6003.

http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/med_ambiente/reserva/resenia.php.

The Costanera Norte runs alongside Jorge Newberry Airport and is more for strolling and easy cycling or

fishing. It has two distinct areas—the northern reserve

(http://www.argentinaviajera.com.ar/espanol/buenosaires/palcostanera.html#uba) and the southern

reserve (http://www.buenostours.com/costanera-sur-ecological-reserve).

If you fancy a swim, there's Parque Ribera Sur, a huge pool and park near the Autodromo, Buenos Aires'

speedway, in Villa Lugano, as well as a more family-friendly pool called Parque Norte, north of the airport.

And the Parque de Palermo (http://www.argentinaviajera.com.ar/espanol/buenosaires/palermo.html),

somewhat surprisingly the most-visited section of the city, is a wonderful area for a variety of activities:

ride a bike, visit a planetarium (or zoo or botanical garden), go for a walk or jog, rent a boat, smell the

roses or bet on the horses. It's a great place to people-watch, too.

Tennis courts are free and are everywhere in the more upscale neighborhoods and in several parks.

Some hotels also have their own courts, and there are several tennis clubs in town that offer day passes.

Several companies offer bike tours of the city. A trip to an estancia outside the city will include horseback

riding.

Nightlife

Going out at night—until the small hours of the next day—is a cherished porteno custom. In the

beginning, there were (and still are) tango music and dance halls, then nightclubs and discos. Now,

British pubs, high-end cocktail lounges, angular dance clubs and theme cafes are the rage.

Nightspots are everywhere, but there are pockets of particular interest along the Costanera Norte

riverside drive and in Puerto Madero, the Microcentro, Palermo and Belgrano. Palermo Viejo, along with

its immediate neighbors Palermo Chico, Palermo Hollywood and Palermo Soho, has a particularly good

assortment of places to hang out—you can easily hop from one bar to another without having to walk very

far.

Nights in Buenos Aires begin late and often end in the wee hours of the morning. Many people dine late,

have a drink or coffee and then hit the clubs shortly after midnight (although 2 am is when the dance

clubs really get going). Clubs don't close before 5 am (when the subway starts running again) and most

close well after dawn, so you can pick up breakfast before heading home.

Shopping

You'll find abundant shopping opportunities in Buenos Aires. Be prepared for some genuine sticker shock

on many retail items, but leather goods are among the best deals, perhaps as little as one-third the price

you would pay at home. Typical Argentine gaucho handicrafts can be found easily, often in specialty

stores called talabarterias. Such items tend to be leather belts and hats, which are often trimmed with

silver.

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Street markets in Mataderos, Plaza Francia and Plaza Dorrego are some of the best places to shop.

More establishments are concentrated in the barrios of Recoleta, Retiro and Barrio Norte. Home

decorations, along with elegant, expensive and European-imported clothes, can be found in several

shopping malls, but especially in Palermo Viejo (prices have risen on imported goods, though, so don't

expect to find many deals on them).

Paraphernalia for the preparation and consumption of yerba mate can be found everywhere. Wine is

naturally high on a lot of shopping lists, although you will have to lug it home, as well as claim your value-

added-tax refund at the airport, which can be a maddening process if you're in a hurry.

Buenos Aires is also one of the best places in the world to find antiques, but shipping some antiques out

of the country can require a special permit from the government's cultural office. The packaging of these

goods is also an important consideration. Check with your antiques dealer on these and other shipping

issues.

Shopping Hours: Shops in town are generally open Monday-Friday 9:30 or 10 am-8 or 9 pm (many also

close 1-3 pm for siesta), Saturday 9 am-1 pm. Shopping malls with food courts and cinemas are generally

open daily 10 am-10 pm with no siesta. Note that many shopping malls in Buenos Aires also have

cinemas, which are very popular during the humid summer.

Markets

Mataderos Fair

Lisandro de la Torre and Avenida de los Corrales (a 30-minute cab ride from the Microcentro)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://www.feriademataderos.com.ar

If you're in town on a Sunday, don't miss this fair, which is certainly Buenos Aires' most authentic in terms

of handicrafts and traditional wares. You can shop for handicrafts when you aren't sampling the great

food or watching locals dance. There are gaucho displays, too.

Sunday 11 am-8 pm in winter, 6 pm-midnight in summer.

Plaza Dorrego Market

Humberto Primo and Defensa

Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://www.buenosaires123.com.ar/ferias/feria_san_telmo.php

Sunday brings a fun, flea-market atmosphere (along with every tourist in the city) to this epicenter of the

tango world. If you can tear yourself away from the dancing, you may stumble upon a find or two—there

are handicrafts, as well. Note that most of the "antiques" there are for the tourist trade and not originals.

Sunday 10 am-5 pm.

Plaza Francia Fair

Junin to Avenida Pueyrredon (near Recoleta Cemetery)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

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http://www.feriaplazafrancia.com

This is a fine place to look for crafts and leather goods.

Open Saturday and Sunday noon-8 pm.

Plaza Italia

Santa Fe y Uniarte

Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://www.365buenosaires.com/d2351_feria-plaza-italia-libros.html

Normally a used-book emporium, it is also a market for inexpensively priced handicrafts.

Saturday and Sunday noon-8:30 pm.

Shopping Areas

Avenida Santa Fe Avenida Santa Fe between avenidas Uruguay and Pueyrredon Buenos Aires, Argentina

In this 12-block area, shoppers will find a bewildering number of quality shoe and leather-purse stores,

with reasonable prices.

Calle Morillo at Avenida Scalabrini Ortiz

This area at the southwestern edge of Palermo contains a multitude of discount leather shops far away

from the tourist masses. You can buy off-the-rack, get jackets custom fitted, or even select your style and

color and have a coat custom tailored. Very little English is spoken there—take along a phrase book or

dictionary.

Most shops will accept credit cards, but prices are 10%-15% lower if you pay cash. No extra charge for

hotel delivery.

Galerias Pacifico Entrances on Florida, Viamonte, San Martin and Cordoba Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 5555-5100 http://www.galeriaspacifico.com.ar

This is one of the ritzier shopping malls in the city—the landmark building is famous for the Mexican-

inspired friezes on the central cupola. The gorgeous building is reason enough to have a look-see, even if

you're not really shopping.

Open Monday-Saturday 10 am-9 pm, Sunday noon-9 pm.

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Materia Urbana

Defensa 702

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4361-5265

http://www.materiaurbana.com

This upstairs gallery has been busily adding new stores and artists under its umbrella. There are already

more than 100 local artists and designers on display there, the vast majority specializing in contemporary

sculpture, ceramics, painting, photography, jewelry, home decor and design. It may be a bit too hip for the

over-40 crowd, but it has some of the best prices in town.

Daily 11 am-7 pm.

Specialty Stores

Abraxas Defensa 1092 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4361-7512 http://www.abraxasantiques.com

This shop features a great selection of art-nouveau and art-deco jewelry pieces and decorative antiques.

Monday-Saturday 10 am-8 pm, Sunday 9 am-8 pm.

Arandu Paraguay 1259 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4816-3689 http://www.arandu.com.ar

In addition to leather clothes, hats, accessories and luggage, this talabarteria sells equipment for polo and

other equestrian sports. There are additional locations in Recoleta at Ayacucho 1924 and in Arandu

Atalajes at Talcahuano 949.

Open Monday-Friday 9:30 am-8:30 pm.

Artepampa Defensa 917 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4362-6406 http://www.artepampa.com Unique, Argentine-styled sculptures, paintings, tapestries, furniture and other goods made imaginatively

from various materials including leather and paper.

Open daily 10:30 am-7 pm.

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Balthazar Defensa 887 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4300-6926 http://www.balthazarshop.com

This is one of the city's more chic—and expensive—men's clothing shops. High-end ready-to-wear

collections with a European accent. If you pay in cash, you are offered a 20% discount. There is a second

location in Palermo Viejo at Gorriti 5131.

Open daily 11 am-8 pm.

Club de Tango de Oscar B. Himschoot Parana 123, Fifth Floor Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4372-7251 http://www.clubdetango.com.ar The late Oscar B. Himschoot was a tango institution in Buenos Aires, who knew and collected just about

anything related to tango. Now his granddaughter, Jimena Vazquez Acuna, runs the crammed little tango

store of "Oscarcito," which should be the first stop for every aficionado. There you can buy everything

tango, from CDs to original scores, books, postcards, videos and other memorabilia. Jimena throws in her

knowledge and anecdotes for free.

Open Monday-Friday noon-6 pm.

Marcelo Toledo

462 Ave. Humberto 1 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4362-0841 http://www.marcelotoledo.net

One of Buenos Aires' better-known (and very high-end) silversmiths. The store has every conceivable

item you can imagine in silver, and then some. One of the best places to buy a luxury mate kit. The store

itself is a work of art.

Marrasco & Speziale Pasco 765 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4942-4418 http://www.marascoyspeziale.com.ar

This family-owned store is more than five decades old. It finely crafts its own line of shoes, boots, hiking

boots and outdoor wear, with lots of offerings made from fine Argentine leather. It will tailor to your needs.

Open Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-1 pm.

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Martin Fierro Santa Fe 992 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Named for the hero of an epic 19th-century Argentine poem, this talabarteria (not to be confused with the

string of convenience stores under the same name) sells custom ladies' clothing as well as ready-to-wear

items, with native barracan wool and cotton fabrics. Onyx and rhodochrosite figurines, too.

Open Monday-Saturday 10:30 am-7:30 pm.

Mishka El Salvador 4673 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4833-6566 http://www.mishkashoes.com.ar

This urban footwear shop has shoes that are original, unique and colorful to the extreme (its hallmark), all

of which have complex linings and distinguishing characteristics. The shoes are quite popular, but also

quite pricey. There is a second location in Paseo Alcorta.

Monday-Saturday 10:30 am-8:30 pm. Sunday 3-8 pm.

Musimundo! Ravignani 1470 Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: 4555-8600 http://www.musimundo.com

This well-stocked store—easily the largest music store in the city—contains electronics on the ground

floor and an extensive CD and DVD selection up the escalators. The store now also carries books.

Staffers will open and play anything you are interested in hearing or seeing before you buy. Go there to

stock up on tango music—from old favorites to the latest electronica. Several locations throughout the

city.

Open Monday-Saturday 10 am-9 pm, afternoon hours on Sunday.

Dining

Dining Overview

Buenos Aires, with its strong European tradition, offers a symphony of cuisines, many melded in

unexpected ways. Italo-Argentine pizzas, for example, have more ingredients and greater variety than the

Italian originals. A growing number of restaurants specialize in "new cuisine," or fashionable fusion

creations by big-name chefs. Others serve up dishes from the chefs' countries of origin. Asian—

particularly Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Indian—restaurants have answered the demand for exotic

food.

The country has a way with meat, and parrillas (steak houses) in particular are good places to see how

the locals get their protein. Make sure you go with a healthy appetite—the variety of grilled meats is

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remarkable. Popular cuts of steak include bife de lomo and bife de chorizo (not to be confused with the

sausage of the same name).

Since the 1990s, a large group of young chefs and restaurateurs has been challenging the meat

hegemony. In barrios such as Las Canitas and Palermo Viejo, Vietnamese, Mexican, Japanese and

sushi, Greek and Catalan restaurants have opened. In addition, pizzerias such as Filo are upgrading the

standards. It is easy to avoid steak and salad, if that's what you want to do, and the ethnic cuisines are

fairly vegetarian-friendly.

Argentine wines are regarded highly, especially red wines produced in the Mendoza subregions of Cuyo

and Lujan, near the Andes. White and sparkling wines have improved and are also winning international

awards. Bodega Norton varieties in particular are highly regarded. Red Malbec and white Torrontes are

unique to the country.

The city's leading restaurant districts are in and around the Microcentro area (including Retiro), trendy

Puerto Madero, chic Recoleta, Palermo Viejo and Las Canitas (northern Palermo).

Breakfast is usually served 7-10 am, and lunch is eaten noon-3 pm. Argentines dine very late in the

evening. Until 9:30 or 10 pm, most places are empty. Parrillas are best visited after 10 pm, when the grill

is warmed up and the dining area is jumping. There's little hurry once you're seated; you won't be rushed

along. Most restaurants don't close until the last customer leaves, and 2 am is not too late to order coffee

or cognac.

In Argentina, the Spanish word carne doesn't mean "meat," but specifically "beef." If you say you don't eat

carne, a server might suggest chicken or pork (sometimes called carnes blancas, or white meats). If you

are a vegetarian, say "soy vegetariano/a."

Expect to pay within these general guidelines, based on the cost of a dinner for one, not including drinks,

tax or tip: $ = less than 40 P; $$ = 40 P-65 P; $$$ = 66 P-120 P; $$$$ = more than 120 P.

Local & Regional

Club del Progreso

Sarmiento 1334, San Nicolas

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4372-3380

http://www.restorandelprogreso.com.ar

Billed as the "historic Argentine restaurant," it is a favorite spot for the movers and shakers of Buenos

Aires. Power meals in an old, classic building with a "new classic" take on Argentinean beef, chicken and

seafood dishes such as calamari with house-made pappardelle or rib-eye steaks in a black pudding crust

with wild potatoes.

Open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner only. Reservations recommended. $$$$.

Most major credit cards.

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Demuru

Honduras 5296, Palermo Soho

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4831-5812

http://www.demuru.com.ar

This cute and cozy restaurant (formerly called Desde el Alma) is one of the best places in town to snuggle

up with a loved one, either in the front room with a fireplace in winter, or in the back room modeled after

an upscale family dining room. Plenty of fish and vegetarian dishes provide some relief for the beef-

shunning crowd, although it serves excellent steaks and terrific Patagonian lamb, too.

Open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner only. Reservations recommended. $$$-

$$$$. Accepts Visa cards.

El Sanjuanino

Posadas 1515

Buenos Aires, Argentina

This is one of the best spots in town to try traditional empanadas from the San Juan area, the

semicircular pies filled with tangy ground beef, corn, chicken or ham and cheese. The decor is warm and

cozy at this friendly place, and, considering its posh address, it's surprisingly cheap.

Daily for lunch and dinner. $-$$. Most major credit cards.

Fervor

Posada 1519

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4804-4944

http://www.fervorbrasas.com.ar

A small restaurant in Recoleta quickly winning fans for its finely prepared beef and seafood dishes. It is

sometimes hard to get a table, but it's worth the effort to check it out.

Open daily for lunch and dinner. $$$. Most major credit cards.

La Vineria de Gualterio Bolivar

Bolivar 865, San Telmo (between Independencia and Estados Unidos)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4361-4709

http://www.lavineriadegualteriobolivar.com

This place may look low-key, but it's one of the best in the city. Argentine chef Alejandro Digilio has

worked in the famous El Bulli restaurant of Ferran Adria in Barcelona, and he's adding hints of molecular

cuisine to fabulous Argentine meat and fish creations. Try the ever-changing 11-course tasting menu

written on a chalkboard. Interesting list of rare Argentine wines, too.

Daily except Monday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards.

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Miramar

San Juan 1999, San Cristobal

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Out of the way and seemingly suspended in the 1950s, this barrio favorite makes no concessions

whatsoever to fashion—not even fresh paint—but the kitchen produces flavorful pastas, stews and

seafood. Sample local delicacies such as partridge, oysters, rabbit and anchovies. The rabo de toro

(oxtail soup) is highly recommended. Excellent wine list. The service is exemplary, but the wait can be

long and the space crowded, so try to time your arrival to this much-loved eatery. Tango fans should go

on Sunday evening, as Julio Pane occasionally performs with his bandoneon (accordion).

Open daily except Monday for lunch and dinner. $$. Most major credit cards.

Sucre

Sucre 676

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4782-9082

http://www.sucrerestaurant.com.ar

Although no longer the "in" place it was in years past, Sucre is still a fashionable place to eat. It's big, with

trendy decor, and the diverse, contemporary menu boasts pasta dishes such as ravioli in rabbit and

black-olive sauce or organic chicken filled with couscous, apples and nuts. Or try a traditional Argentine

plate—the Patagonia leg of lamb. That is, if you can get in the door; the room is perpetually packed.

Open daily for dinner. Reservations available. $$$-$$$$. Most major credit cards.

Tomo 1

Carlos Pellegrini 521

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4326-6698

http://www.tomo1.com.ar

This is a perennial favorite among experts on Buenos Aires cuisine; sisters Ada and Ebe Concaro opened

this now-legendary restaurant in 1971 out of a Belgrano-neighborhood home. Their quality cooking was

appreciated, and they moved in 1994 to the mezzanine of the centrally located Hotel Crowne Plaza

Panamericano. The menu changes constantly, but the plates are always lively takes on beef, Patagonian

lamb, pork, duck, quail, foie gras, seafood and pasta. It's not a place for intimate dining, though, so just go

for the food and quality wines.

Open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner only. Reservations recommended. $$$$.

Most major credit cards.

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Cuisines

Italian

Bella Italia

Republica Arabe Siria 3285 (there is a second location at Cuba 1935 in Belgrano, phone 4788-5606)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4802-4253

http://www.bellaitalia-gourmet.com.ar

Inconspicuously tucked into an upper-middle-class neighborhood near the Parques de Palermo, this

stylishly cheerful cafe has exceptional light lunch offerings using seasonal ingredients. Look for panini,

gnocchi, cannelloni, magnificent desserts and wine by the glass. Limited shaded sidewalk seating.

Monday-Saturday for dinner. Reservations recommended. $$-$$$.

Broccolino

Esmeralda 776

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4322-7754 or 4322-7652

http://www.broccolino.com

This place is famous for delicious, reasonably priced pasta dishes served in generous portions in an

unpretentious dining room. The spaghetti with caviar is especially popular. Other Italian favorites, such as

garlic chicken, polenta and lentil stew, are followed by complex desserts, if you can find room. It caters to

tourists, with English-speaking waiters, and dinner is served as early as 7 pm.

Daily for lunch and dinner. $$-$$$. Most major credit cards.

Filo

San Martin 975

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4311-0312

http://www.filo-ristorante.com

Pizzerias are among the city's most conservative restaurants, but flamboyant Filo is among the most

extreme exceptions. It offers unusual toppings in a design-oriented environment owned by an Italian

expatriate. At lunchtime it gets the business crowd, but at night it attracts fashionistas, with music to

match.

Daily for lunch and dinner. $$-$$$. Most major credit cards.

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La Parolaccia

Alicia Moreau de Justo 1052

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4783-0200

http://www.laparolaccia.com

Don't be put off by the name, which translates to "the curse word." It serves exquisite Italian food—with

copious amounts of pasta and good wines—and has an atmosphere appropriate for both business and

nonbusiness meals. Its sister, La Parolaccia di Mare (just down the block), specializes in seafood. There

are seven other locations throughout the city.

Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations available. $-$$. Most major credit cards.

Siamo Nel Forno

Costa Rica 5886

Buenos Aires, Argentina

In a Latin American country heavily influenced by Italy and Italians, Buenos Aires is suprisingly not a hot

spot for good pizza. But this restaurant is an exception. The chef and owner, Nestor Gattorna, prepares

his pizza with the best quality ingredients, churning out greaseless, delicious pizza from a wood-heated

oven with remarkable consistency and speed. Don't miss this restaurant if you need pizza.

Daily for dinner. Reservations recommended. $-$$. Most major credit cards.

Sottovoce

Libertador 1098

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4807-6691

http://www.sottovoceristorante.com.ar

This is the fashionable place to eat first-rate pasta. Former President Kirchner was known to haunt this

classic Italian restaurant, which has locations both in a glamorous section of Recoleta and in Puerto

Madero. Traditional pasta dishes are done with great care, and the restaurant also offers excellent meat

and fish plates, as well as fine service.

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations available. $$$$. Most major credit cards.

Spanish

Jose Luis

Ave. Quintana 456, Recoleta

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Even the wine is from Spain at this beef- and pasta-free Asturian restaurant, which impresses patrons

with cool gazpacho, big servings of besugo a la sal (sea bream oven-baked in a salt crust) and hake

garnished with smoked ham and clams. If possible, leave room for a strawberry soup with yogurt mousse.

Open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$-$$$$. Most major credit

cards.

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Museo del Jamon

Cerrito 8

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4382-4144

http://www.elmuseodeljamon.com.ar

Just off Avenida 9 de Julio, this restaurant pays homage to all kinds of Spanish prosciutto. Some

specialties are cochinillo (suckling pig) and tapas (Spanish appetizers), which are served at the bar. It

also has a very good wine selection. There is a second location is in Puerto Madero at Ave. Alicia Moreau

de Justo 2020.

Open daily for lunch and dinner. $$-$$$. Most major credit cards.

Oviedo

Beruti 2602

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4821-3741 or 4822-5415

http://www.oviedoresto.com

This elegant spot is renowned for the freshness and quality of its dishes, particularly the seafood. It also

has the dubious reputation as the most expensive nonhotel restaurant in town. Items range from exquisite

appetizers—try the goat-cheese croquettes—to classics such as paella and roasted goat. Excellent wine

list.

Open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards.

Tancat

Paraguay 645, Retiro

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4312-5442

http://www.tancatrestaurante.com

Packed from midday on, this Spanish tasca has few tables, but porteno businesspeople bump elbows

happily for fixed-price lunches at the bar and tapas later on. The fish is usually a good entree, and the

jamon serrano (cured ham) makes an excellent appetizer.

Open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. $-$$. Most major credit cards.

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Seafood

Centro Vasco Frances

Moreno 1370, Monserrat

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4381-6696

http://www.rvascofrances.com.ar

French-Basque restaurant founded in 1895, located in the former ballroom of the Basque Cultural Centre.

Specialties are excellent traditional garlicky fish and seafood dishes, probably the best in Argentina. Try

mar y tierra made with two kinds of rice, one blackened with squid ink. Service can be slow.

Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. $$$. Most major credit cards.

Steak Houses

Cabana Las Lilas

Ave. Alicia Moreau de Justo 516

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4315-1010

http://www.laslilas.com/restaurant.php

This popular, upscale steak house raises all its beef on a ranch west of the city. You can order a tender

rib eye or well-prepared beef spare ribs, blood sausage, sweetbreads or pork flank steak, among other

favorites from the grill.

Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$. American Express and Visa only.

El Obrero

Agustin Caffarena 64 (at Caboto)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4362-9912

http://www.bodegonelobrero.com.ar

Local dockworkers, celebrities and tourists rub shoulders in the great social leveling of this much-loved

crumbling steak house decorated with Boca Juniors football memorabilia. The grill offers every cut you

can imagine—truly some of the best steaks in town. In winter, the soups are recommended. The wine list

is good, as are the classic Argentine desserts such as bread pudding and creme caramel with dulce de

leche. It's in a dicey area, so take a taxi.

Open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. $-$$. No credit cards.

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La Cabana

Alicia Moreau de Justo 380

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4314-3710

http://www.lacabanabuenosaires.com.ar

Run by the Orient Express group, this elegant place serves the swankiest, priciest steaks in town, treating

each piece of meat like a precious commodity. This old supper club was revamped into a temple to old-

style dining. Check out the baby beef, ogle the stuffed cows and grandiose furnishings, then insert your

bar code into a kiosk to learn the origin of the steak you just ate. Those wishing to take a turn at the grill

can join the chef for a master barbecue course.

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards.

La Cabrera

Jose Antonio Cabrera 5099

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Phone: 4831-7002

http://www.parrillalacabrera.com.ar

The best parrilla in Palermo, and probably one of the best in town, though it's very small. Try the huge

bife de chorizo, which would cost you four times as much in North America, and wash it down with a

bottle of Malbec. Many other excellent cuts are available, all juicy and tender. Another house specialty is

provoleta de queso de cabra (grilled goat cheese), and the more adventurous should also try chinchulines

de cordero (small intestines of lamb) or the mollejas (sweetbreads).

Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Monday for dinner only. Reservations required. $$$. Most major

credit cards.

Security

Etiquette

Although it derives its language and much of its heritage from Spain and Italy, Argentina reflects a wider

range of cultures than many of its South American neighbors. It also tends to be a bit more cosmopolitan,

adopting some of the customs and styles of Europe and North America. As a result, many visitors will find

that, with rare exceptions, most etiquette rules are similar to those they're familiar with.

Appointments—Set your business appointments at least a couple of weeks in advance, if possible. In

general, punctuality is practiced and expected in business, but more so of the guest than of the Argentine

business contact. Social events, on the other hand, almost always assume a start time at least 30

minutes after the time on the invitation. If possible, avoid business trips in January and February, when

many workers take their summer vacations.

Personal Introductions—A firm Western-style handshake is customary. Maintain direct eye contact.

Titles are important: If your acquaintance has a professional title, you will learn it when introduced; if not,

senor (male), senora (married female) or senorita (unmarried female) is appropriate. The title and the

person's last name should be used until you are instructed otherwise. Note that it is typical for a person to

have two surnames, one from the father and one from the mother. The father's surname will be given first

59 | P a g e

during the introduction, and that's the name that is used to address or speak of the person. Thus, "Senor

Juan Guerra Fernandez" would be addressed as "Senor Guerra."

Negotiating—Business is about building relationships. Personal ties and contacts are important. Expect

small talk and the accompanying issues to precede business. However, initial contacts usually carry an

air of seriousness and formality. Expect to build a rapport over time. Your second, third and even fourth

meeting will likely remain formal, though friendly. If you have met in a personal context, the warmth of the

relationship is likely to increase more rapidly. Although the business world in Argentina remains male-

dominated, women are making significant progress.

Business Entertaining—Expect dinner to start late—often as late as 11 pm. Although the majority of

business meals occur at dinner, the business lunch is becoming more common; these are often extended

affairs that begin between 1 and 2 pm. People also meet at midmorning over coffee. Regardless of when

the gathering takes place, don't expect to make a lot of progress on a deal: Meals are considered a time

to build relationships, not to conduct business.

Body Language—Personal body space is close. It is common for participants in a conversation to

politely touch each other on the arm or back, and a light kiss on the cheek is customary, even after the

first meeting. Take your cue from your acquaintance. Do not stand with your hands on your hips, as this

seems overly bold and might imply a challenge. The act of yawning in public is considered rude, so be

sure to cover your mouth, turn slightly away from your hosts and apologize.

Gift Giving—Gift giving in business situations is common and appreciated. Fine, imported alcohols are a

good choice (Argentines pay a heavy duty on such items). Don't give imported wine, however, as it would

be considered a slight to the country's own vintages. In social settings, flowers or imported candies are

appropriate.

Conversation—Small talk is important. Soccer, culture, art, food, children and all things Argentine are

appropriate, with a few exceptions. In your first few conversations, avoid the subject of religion. Politics,

such as any remark about Eva Peron, the desparecidos, or the Falkland Islands conflict, is a risky topic,

so try to avoid the subject. Portenos are very proud of their city and culture (some would say to the point

of arrogance), so avoid direct criticism of Buenos Aires when possible.

Personal Safety

Violent crime is below levels common in the U.S. Buenos Aires is a big city, however, so take

commonsense precautions. Never show large amounts of money when making a purchase in the street.

Leave passports, tickets and valuables in the hotel safe. Never leave a purse, camera or shopping bag

unattended or hanging on the back of your chair in a bar or restaurant. Avoid any political demonstrations

you may encounter.

In most central residential and hotel areas, the sidewalks remain quite busy well past midnight, so tourists

are unlikely to find themselves on a dark and deserted street. Still, use common sense when walking in

some areas, and whenever possible avoid side streets late at night. Poorer areas, such as the La Boca

neighborhood, are best visited during daylight hours. Calle Paraguay, a central area with lots of pubs,

hotels and shops, is attractive to thieves after offices close. Winners at the floating casino in the port have

sometimes been robbed or worse as they walked or took cabs back to their hotels.

Muggings in taxis are an unfortunate reality, but they are much rarer now than they used to be. When you

need motor transport, you should hire a car service (remises) through your hotel or a reputable company

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recommended by someone you trust. When you go to a nightspot, ask the company that takes you there

to return and pick you up, or have the doorman call a service. Using a car service costs only a few pesos

more than flagging a taxi on the street, and it's worth the money.

With car services so reasonably priced, few tourists ever need to take a bus. The subway can be quite

convenient during busy traffic times, however, and travelers should keep their valuables tucked under

their clothing or grasped tightly to avoid urban pickpocket scams.

In an emergency, the number for the police is 111 (Spanish only); for medical aid it's 107 (Spanish only).

You may also contact the tourist police, Comisaria del Turista, which is open 24 hours (Ave. Corrientes

436). Phone 4346-5748. Toll-free 800-999-5000. http://www.policiafederal.gov.ar.

For the latest information, contact your country's travel-advisory agency.

Health

No vaccinations are required to enter the country. Tap water is good in Buenos Aires, food is safe, and

sanitation standards are fine in reputable restaurants.

Most pharmacies are open weekdays and Saturday mornings. When they pull down their shutters, they

post addresses of pharmacies in the neighborhood that are supposed to be open on a rotating basis

during the weekend. All too often, you will find the posted pharmacies closed when you get there. Consult

your hotel's front desk staff for directions to a pharmacy that is open.

The top hotels have English-speaking doctors on call, although not necessarily on the premises. In

general, the free public hospitals and clinics have some English-speaking doctors on their staffs, but not

always in their emergency rooms. The hospitals have excellent doctors but are understaffed when it

comes to the enormous numbers of patients they must see, and they suffer from miserly funding. Hence,

you may be asked for a contribution to replace the medicine and disposables used. Private hospitals and

clinics are excellent, with first-rate English-speaking doctors.

People with health problems who speak no Spanish should learn at least a few key words—ambulancia

and socorro (first aid)—and carry on them the address of their hotel or the hospital where they think they

might have to be taken.

Hospital Britanico (phone 4309-6400; http://www.hospitalbritanico.org.ar) is a private hospital where

English is spoken, and Hospital Aleman (phone 5777-5568 for emergencies;

http://www.hospitalaleman.com.ar) is a private German hospital that has English speakers in the

emergency room. Free public hospitals include Hospital Argerich (phone 4121-0700;

http://www.hospitalargerich.org.ar) and Hospital Fernandez (phone 4808-2600;

http://www.hospitalfernandez.org.ar).

For free municipal ambulance service to a hospital emergency room (sala de guardia), dial 107 or 4923-

1052. There are 70 ambulances stationed throughout the city.

For the latest information, contact your country's health-advisory agency.

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Disabled Advisory

Ease of travel for disabled people in Buenos Aires has improved somewhat since the arrival of modern

U.S.-based hotels, with their wide doors and specially appointed rooms and baths. Some older hotels

have added ramps and other amenities. Ramps have been installed on street curbs in town, and each of

the major bus lines has added a few low-floor vehicles with wheelchair bays and safety belts. New

subway stations have elevators for wheelchairs. Be advised, though, that the tiled sidewalks are in a

constant state of disrepair, even in the wealthiest neighborhoods.

Transportes de Discapacitados Motrices (TDM) provides transport in three special minivans that carry up

to three wheelchairs with companions. Offers airport pickup, city tours and other excursions, including

fishing. They speak English and Portuguese and operate 24 hours a day. Phone 15-4446-9883.

http://www.transpdisc.com.ar.

Facts

Dos & Don'ts

Do take a gift if you are invited to an Argentine's home for dinner, and do dress nicely—shorts are never

appropriate (unless you are a college student). In clothes-conscious Buenos Aires, they're not a good

idea on the street, either. Sandals are definitely out.

Don't expect Argentines to arrive punctually for social engagements. They'll probably be as much as 30

minutes behind schedule.

Do remember that grand churches are more than museums. Although women no longer have to cover

their heads or even shoulders, it's still polite to be conservative in dress.

Don't talk about international political matters. It's not a good topic in the best of circumstances, and many

Argentines still resent the U.S. government's lukewarm support for their country after the 2001 economic

collapse.

Do pamper yourself in a peluqueria (beauty salon). Their services are cheap and fabulous.

Don't order wine from any other country when in Argentina (unless in a fine French restaurant). Argentine

wine may not be the world's finest, but you will be told—unceasingly—that it is.

Do feel free to sit and people-watch in cafes after you've finished your coffee. This is a time-honored

custom in Buenos Aires, and servers expect it.

Geostats

Passport/Visa Requirements: Only a passport and proof of onward passage are required of citizens of

Canada, the U.K., Australia and the U.S. for visits of up to three months. Reconfirm travel document

requirements with your carrier before departure.

All U.S. citizens must have a passport when traveling by air to or from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean,

Central and South America and Mexico.

Population: 12,988,000.

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Languages: Spanish.

Predominant Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic), Jewish.

Time Zone: 3 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-3 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.

Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.

Telephone Codes: 54, country code; 11,Buenos Aires city code;

Money

Currency Exchange

The Argentine peso is the standard currency, divided into centavos. Prices are written with a $ sign in

front of them, but this is for pesos. Anything listed in U.S. dollars should have "US$" in the price, although

this does not automatically mean dollars are accepted. In the more tourist-oriented areas, higher-priced

items are often listed in pesos and in dollars as a means of providing a comparison to shoppers, many of

whom are from outside Argentina.

Exchange booths and banks readily change foreign currency into pesos, so avoid risky black market

exchanges. ATMs are widely available along the avenidas (much harder to find in between, especially in

Palermo), malls, and some hotels and outside of office buildings. Some will provide money in either pesos

or dollars. Credit cards are universally accepted at shops, restaurants and large hotels.

Traveler's checks are used infrequently since the exchange process can be problematic outside the city,

and the exchange comes with an additional commission. The main American Express headquarters is on

the central Plaza San Martin.

Most banks are open Monday-Friday 10 am-3 pm. A few remain open until 4 pm. Banks don't close for

lunch. Private exchange booths in tourist areas are open until the shops close, usually 8-10 pm.

Taxes

Argentina applies a 21% value-added tax (called IVA) to most goods and services (books, medicines and

some foods are excluded). Purchases made with credit cards may have an extra 10%-15% tacked onto

the price, reflecting the high rates that credit-card companies charge local shops.

Some businesses may offer discounts for cash payments. Note that hotels also charge (or at least should

charge, by law) a tax of 21%. This is not always disclosed in the hotel's literature, so be sure to ask

before booking.

The process for getting an IVA refund can be complicated, so some people don't bother, but the refund

amounts can add up if you're doing a lot of shopping. (You'll probably find that stores in the Microcentro

are more accustomed to the process than stores in outlying areas.)

First, you have to spend at least 70 P at a shop that displays a "tax-free" sticker. The shop must give you

a special tax-free sales slip along with a Global Refund check, which a staff member must fill out,

together with an envelope with the address of Global Refund (in case something goes wrong at the

airport). At the airport, you show your purchases (so don't pack them inside your suitcase) along with the

sales slips at customs. They stamp the check, which you take to a Global Refund stall in the airport to get

your cash refund.

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At land border crossings where there are no such stalls to give you a cash refund, write on the back of the

customs-stamped check whether you want the money credited to your credit card or sent to you in the

form of a bank check. Then drop the postage-paid envelope into a mailbox. You should have the refund

within four weeks.

Taxes on goods when leaving the country are exempt up to 1,200 P, plus an additional 1,200 P if the

goods were purchased in a duty-free shop.

The airport tax for all flights is 127 P. There is also a 5% tax on the purchase of airline tickets purchased

within Argentina.

Tipping

In restaurants, tip 10% of the bill. Movie ushers and bus terminal porters get a 1 P tip, air terminal porters

2 P per suitcase. Cab drivers get no tip, though it is common to round up the fare to the next 0.50 P-1 P

amount. Add a few pesos for help with baggage. Tip bellhops and concierges at hotels when warranted:

A good rule of thumb is to tip in pesos what you normally would in dollars or euros at home.

Weather

We think the best time to visit Buenos Aires is late spring (November and December) or fall (March-May).

Forget a summertime visit: the vast majority of Argentines take their vacations seriously and the city is

largely empty from Christmas well into February.

Seasons in B.A. are exactly opposite of those in North America: Summer in B.A. is December-February

and winter is June-August. In recent years, however, late August and September have been

unseasonably warm and pleasant, too.

The climate seems increasingly to be melding into one long warm-to-hot season and one shorter cool-to-

cold season. Buenos Aires summers are hot (averaging 82 F/28 C) and can be oppressively humid,

though once in a while there might be a cool evening. Winters are mild (averaging 40 F/5 C), but there

can be at least a couple of very cold and wet weeks. Rain can occur any time of the year, often as

thunderstorms.

What to Wear

Buenos Aires is far more clothes-conscious than any other city in Latin America, which is saying a great

deal. The city is a dressy place, so businesspeople should wear suits year-round. But with the younger

crowd, shorts, jeans and sneakers are surprisingly common. Typical attire for adults in Buenos Aires

would best be described as "sophisticated, just shy of formal." Although women should avoid revealing

clothing if they don't want extra attention, clothing is no more modest there than it is in the U.S. or Europe.

In summer (the North American wintertime) women will want to take separates and a few dresses; a light

sweater or wrap is suggested to combat the air-conditioning. A casual jacket with slacks and short-

sleeved, collared shirts are fine for men. Leisure travelers with no social obligations will do best with nice

jeans (always pressed) or linen slacks, and T-shirts or short-sleeved shirts and a light sweater. Practically

nobody wears a hat in Buenos Aires, so sunglasses and lots of sunscreen will be a help. Although there

aren't any strict dress codes for visiting churches, showing too much skin is considered disrespectful.

In late July and August, you'll need a warm coat with a scarf and gloves, as well as heavy pants and a

warm sweater for informal occasions. Leisure travelers need a parka, a midweight jacket for warmer days,

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jeans, wool slacks, sweaters, hats and gloves. The rest of the winter, that new leather jacket you

purchased there will do just fine.

A lightweight raincoat and folding umbrella are also handy year-round.

Communication

Telephone

To place a call to Buenos Aires, you must first dial your country's international access code, followed by

the Argentine country code, 54, and then the Buenos Aires city code, 11. To dial a Buenos Aires number

from within Argentina but outside of the city, first dial 011.

The number of digits in area codes and phone numbers varies. Most phone numbers begin with 4. Cell

phones begin with 15, which is dialed before the number. Most toll-free numbers begin with 0800.

Most public phones operate with phone cards purchased at a kiosk; those accepting coins or tokens

(called cospels) are nearly extinct. Try to make your calls from a private phone center—a locutorio or

telecentro—which will be much cheaper than calling from your hotel. In these centers you are assigned a

closed booth where you sit and call your number. The phone has a meter you can read, and you pay for

all calls when you leave. If you want to make an international call, you may have to tell the attendant

before entering the booth. These phone centers also send faxes, and some provide Internet access.

There's no charge if you don't get through.

Nearly all phones in the city are direct dial. Dial 0 first for a domestic long-distance call; 00 for a foreign

country, and then the country code and number.

You can use prepaid calling cards (tarjetas prepagas), sold in most kioscos and small supermarkets, to

make local and international calls from public phones, but not locutorios. All cards have a scratch-off

panel, which reveals a PIN. You dial a free access number, the PIN and the number you wish to call.

Many cell phones (dual-band GSM 850/1900 Mhz) will work in Argentina (with expensive international

roaming charges), but check with your specific carrier. If you have an unlocked GSM phone from North

America, buy a prepaid Argentinean SIM card (tarjeta SIM) on arrival—rates will be cheaper than renting

a phone. You can top up credit by purchasing tarjetas de cellular at kioscos, supermarkets and gas

stations, or by carga virtual (virtual top-up) at locutorios.

You can also rent a phone at the airport from Phonerental (http://www.phonerental.com.ar), which also

delivers to hotels. This is only recommended for very short stays. If you stay a bit longer, you can avoid

the higher rates of a rental phone by buying a cheap basic phone with a SIM card included for around 175

P. You only pay for outgoing calls. Of the three main mobile phone companies in Argentina—Movistar

(http://www.movistar.com.ar), Claro (http://www.claro.com.ar) and Personal

(http://www.personal.com.ar)—Claro seems to have the best coverage.

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Internet Access

If you need to check your e-mail or surf the Web, visit almost any locutorio on main streets in the city:

There is one every block or two. Prices are extremely low, but connection speeds vary greatly. Look for

velocidad alto signs indicating high-speed connections.

Wi-Fi is becoming more widely available, especially in cafes, restaurants and bars. Most hotels rated four

stars or more now offer Wi-Fi in public areas and/or guest rooms, but they usually charge for it. Many

cheap hostels offer free Wi-Fi.

Mail & Package Services

Correo Central

You can mail letters and small parcels from the Central Post Office. Service is slower than in Europe or

North America, but on the whole better than in other Latin American countries. There are several other

locations throughout the city. Stamps are available where postcards are sold. Open Monday-Friday 8 am-

8 pm, Saturday 10 am-1 pm. Sarmiento 151. Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone 4891-9191.

http://www.correoargentino.com.ar.

Newspapers & Magazines

The Buenos Aires Herald, the local daily English-language newspaper, can be found at all major

newsstands in the Microcentro area and in hotels. Its Friday "Get Out" supplement is a good place to look

for entertainment listings.

Newspapers and magazines in English and other languages are always sold at the newsstands at Florida

and Corrientes, Florida and Cordoba, and Florida and M.T. de Alvear (facing Plaza San Martin). Time Out

Argentina magazine is an excellent resource, available in English at newsstands. Major hotels stock

previous-day copies of the Wall Street Journal, Miami Tribune and International Herald Tribune.

Up-to-date information on restaurants and nightlife is also available at

http://www.whatsupbuenosaires.com.

Transportation

Air

Buenos Aires has two airports. Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), officially called Ministro Pistarini, 32

mi/50 km southwest of the center of town, handles most of the international flights (phone 5480-2500).

Jorge Newbery (AEP), also called Aeroparque, 5 mi/8 km northwest of the Microcentro, handles mainly

domestic flights. Phone 4576-5300. http://www.aa2000.com.ar.

The airports have no direct rail or subway links with the city center or with each other.

Taxi

Car services (remises) called by your hotel or restaurant are your safest option, but most of the taxis

plying the streets are also these same radio taxis. Look for a lighted libre (free) sign on the roof or in the

front window. The cars are new, and most have air-conditioning. Drivers charge 4.60 pesos to start and

0.52 P per 0.12 m/0.20 km and will wait for you for a fee. Your hotel can make arrangements for you, too.

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If you're going to take one of the city's black-and-yellow cabs, you'll have better luck flagging one down in

the street than boarding one at a taxi stop. Radio taxis are run by private companies that coordinate the

drivers. For a small extra charge, they'll pick you up at a specified address. Make sure the driver turns on

the taxi meter when you get in the vehicle. Drivers rarely speak English.

When handing a large bill to the driver, mention the size of the bill to avoid inconveniences or argument in

making change.

Reputable radio taxi companies include Annie Millet (phone 4816-8001); Eleven (phone 4807-6666); Mi

Taxi (phone 4931-1200); Radio Taxi Ciudad (phone 4923-7007); Radio Taxi Siglo XXI (phone 4633-

4000); and Remises REB (phone 4863-1226).

For More Information

Additional Reading

And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out) by Paul Blustein (PublicAffairs).

The Argentina Reader: History, Culture, Politics by Gabriela Nouzeilles and Graciela Montaldo (Duke

University Press).

Borges: A Life by James Woodall (Basic Books).

Sin Patron: Stories From Argentina's Worker-Run Factories by Lavaca Collective, foreword by Naomi

Klein and Avi Lewis (Haymarket Books).

Tourist Offices

Argentina Central Office of Tourist Information

This office provides information on all of Argentina, though it's of limited use beyond the most basic

questions. Open Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm. Santa Fe 883. Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone 4312-2232.

Toll-free 0800-555-0016. http://www.turismo.gov.ar.

Buenos Aires City Tourism Secretariat

This organization provides literature and advice at sidewalk kiosks and offices throughout the city. Main

office is open Monday-Friday 10 am-5 pm. Sarmiento 1551, Fifth Floor. Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone

4372-3612. http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar.