We arrived in Buenos Aires in the evening, and after a rough night’s sleep in a shared dorm room, we knew we needed to find something else for the next few weeks. Gone were the days of cheap private rooms that we enjoyed in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. It was time to say goodbye to hostels and start embracing Airbnbs. Admittedly, it was fun to start “playing house” together again.
Our first full day here got off to a rough start. We knew getting cash in Argentina would be tough, but it proved to be pretty (and temporarily) spirit-breaking. Hours were sunk into trying to get a money order through Western Union without success. Thankfully, we had better luck the following day. Imagine if, in the United States, you could only carry and make purchases in $1 bills—that’s what carrying cash around felt like here due to the volatile economic state and brutal inflation.
Despite all this, Buenos Aires is incredibly easy to love. This beautiful city is full of free museums, gorgeous green spaces, and delicious food. You could spend such an extended period here without running out of things to experience.
Theaters
There is no shortage of theaters in this city. Teatro Colon is one of the most famous. Globally renowned, many people opt to take a tour of this stunning building that took 20 years to complete. We were fortunate enough to find a free ballet showcase here with a wide variety of performances. The show itself was incredible, and our front-row seats by the musicians were an extra bonus. I don’t think sitting this close in such a gorgeous theater is likely to happen again anytime soon!
We also visited El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a theater from 1919 that’s now a massive bookstore. It was the perfect place to explore on a rainy afternoon, and it’s certainly the fanciest bookstore we’ve ever stepped into. It was interesting to see which books are popular here, and it was a treat to flip through physical books after a few months of audiobooks and ebooks.
Museums & Parks
Who doesn’t love a good museum or park? We were blown away by the sprawling space dedicated to both in the city. It reminded us of Chicago if Lincoln Park, Grant Park, Millennium Park, and the entire museum campus were combined and doubled in size. Over our time here, we had the chance to make free visits to:
• Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur – a lush oasis along the river that’s perfect for a stroll and birdwatching
• Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes – a lovely collection of world-renowned artwork by artists including Monet and Van Gogh—even enjoyable for those not well-versed in art history (aka us)
• Museo Histórico Nacional – offered a deep dive into Argentina’s past, and we were lucky to catch a free guided tour in English! We love a happy little coincidence.
Eats & Drinks
With endless free things to do in the city—from exploring neighborhoods like La Boca and watching free tango performances to enjoying all the parks, plazas, and museums—our budget was freed up for food. This allowed us to indulge in steak and empanadas almost daily. We also enjoyed the Italian influence woven into the culture here, savoring cannolis, ice cream, pizza, and fresh ravioli. Aside from the food, it truly felt like everyone was speaking Italian here, throwing off our ability to somewhat communicate in Spanish!
We quickly adopted mate culture. This caffeine-rich, shared drink from the yerba mate plant became not only a coffee replacement but a favorite pastime. Everywhere we went in the city, we would spot people carrying their mate and thermos. We became those people, and we’re never looking back. There’s something beautiful about the ritual of perfectly soaking the herbs, sipping the bitter, earthy drink (it’s good, we swear), and repeating the process over and over with someone you love, as if time is of no concern. We can’t wait for our friends and family in Chicago to try it themselves!
We thought we were done with mountains. We thought wrong—we just can’t seem to stay away. Next stop: Bariloche!
