Iconic Concierge Winter 2022/23

THE ‘BARRIOS’!
A city of more than 15 million people
in its metropolitan area and more than
3 million in its urban core, Buenos
Aires is Argentina’s big, cosmopolitan
capital city. Consisting of 48 barrios
(neighbourhoods), one can group the
city into four major zones:
Centro
The actual city centre with most of the
major tourist attractions, such as Casa
Rosada and Teatro Colón.
Palermo & Recoleta
A hip residential neighbourhood packed
with restaurants, bars, and boutiques.
La Boca & Barracas
A very colourful neighbourhood with a
rich history, many art galleries and shops.
The Outskirts
Mostly residential but with some historic
architecture.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT!
We picked the middle of November for
the trip, as this is the transition from
spring to summer and hands down, the
best month to visit Buenos Aires. The
temperature of the late-spring air will be
in the mid-20s and reach the 30s by the
end of the month, and then there is the
blossom of the jacaranda trees:
Reaching 12-15 meters in height,
Buenos Aires boasts about 15,000
blooming trees scattered all around the
city. Every November, the beautiful trees
paint the streets in a spectacular and
striking lavender blue.
WHERE TO STAY!
The Argentine capital pretty much offers
any accommodation you are looking for,
from the cool Philippe Starck-designed
hotel in Puerto Madero, speakeasy-style
boutique hotels in Palermo, all the way
to some grand Belle Epoque palaces in
posh Recoleta.
After some research, we opted for the
5-star Palacio Duhau (Park Hyatt Buenos
Aires), completed in 1934 and modeled
after the Chateau du Marais near Paris.
Situated right on prestigious Avenida
Alvear in Recoleta, we loved the more
private and personal approach with no
tourists posing for selfies in the lobby,
the beautiful tiered gardens on the
terrace and the rooms, ranging from
spacious and functional to sumptuous
and palatial with butler service and
private terraces.
HOW TO GET AROUND!
The best (and sometimes the fastest) way
to explore the city’s neighbourhoods is
- on foot. And to connect to adjacent
Congreso Nacional
areas, we would opt for an Uber or the
local taxis. Rates are generally low, and
if a cab is available, the word ‘libre’ will
show in red on the windshield. A rental
car? You don’t need it, and you don’t
want it.
SNACKS & MATE!
Argentina is all about the empanada.
The ‘stuffed bread’ is a coveted handheld
pocket of love and can be a quick snack
or lunch, an entrée at any restaurant or
a complete meal. There are countless
types, some baked, some deep-fried, but
mostly filled with cheese, onions, beef
and sometimes braised ossobuco.
Mate is the national beverage of
Argentina, served in a strangely shaped
container (the ‘gourd’) with a straw (the
‘bombilla’) that people are holding,
sipping out of and even sharing it. It is
a caffeine-rich infused drink, made from
dried leaves (called yerba mate) mixed
with hot water.
DINING – STEAKS & MORE!
You definitely have to try a true
Argentinian steak, there’s just something
about the tenderness and the taste.
There are countless steakhouses in
the city, from the very touristy ones to
those secret places, the real original
‘parrilla’ of Argentina. There, you can
even try organs such as kidneys, and
intestines, or select your piece of
meat separately on the menu card.
Some of our favourite steakhouses
in the city are Fogón Asado, where
you can see the chef at work, Don
Julio, which received first place in the
list of “The World’s 50 Best” as the
best restaurant in Latin America, and
a locals’ favourite, Solomía Parrilla.
But then again, Buenos Aires offers
some excellent fine-dining options.
34 ICONIC CONCIERGE