Buenos Aires Tips

Effective December 28, 2009, citizens of US, Canada and Australia will be required to pay a fee when visiting Argentina.
Americans will pay US$131, Canadians US$70 and Australians US$100. The entry fee will be collected only at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires.
The fee permits Americans multiple entries into Argentina for 10 years. Canadians and Australians [...]

If you are taking a trip to Argentina and don’t plan on leaving Buenos Aires, you probably don’t need any special vaccinations. However you may need certain vaccinations if you will be traveling to other parts of Argentina, such as Iguazu Falls.
Below is a brief summary of recommendations offered by the Centers for Disease Control [...]

No matter what country you visit there are always a few bad apples looking to take advantage of tourists and exploit their disorientation and unfamiliarity with their surroundings. Unfortunately this is also true in my beloved Buenos Aires.
Personally I’ve not fallen victim to a tourist scam in Buenos Aires, and I’ve taken numerous trips, staying [...]

Looking for a good Buenos Aires travel guide? The Government of the City of Buenos Aires has published a handy, 26-page travel guide that you can download and print before your trip.
The guide, which is in PDF format, contains all kinds of useful information for tourists. Topics include, museums, sports, festivals, neighborhoods, getting around the [...]

Argentina has postponed implementation of a proposed tourist fee that was set to take effect this March, according to the American Citizen Services Newsletter published by the US Embassy in Argentina.
In late 2008, Argentina announced it would charge a reciprocal entry fee from citizens of all countries that charge Argentines visa or entry fees. That fee was scheduled to [...]

How much do things cost in Buenos Aires? Is Buenos Aires cheap?
Compared to other major cities around the world, yes, it is cheap. In this article we’ll look at the costs of common items to give you an idea how much things cost in Buenos Aires.
But first, a little history. 
Buenos Aires wasn’t always a cheap [...]

Most tourists don’t need a pre-arranged visa to enter Argentina but it depends on your country of citizenship. Tourists from Canada, United States, Germany, Australia and the UK — just to name a few countries — don’t need to get a visa in advance of their arrival. If you are a citizen of one of [...]

The Pistarini International Airport, EZE, is a busy airport. Departure is much less organized than arrival. I recommend arriving at least two hours before your flight. Two and a half hours would be better. Three hours may be needed if the airport is busy.
A taxi ride from central Buenos Aires (Palermo, Recoleta, Micro Centro, etc.) takes about [...]

The two main Spanish-language newspapers in Buenos Aires are Clarín and La Nación (The Nation). I find the depth and quality of journalism of both papers to be very high. I do, however, prefer to read Clarín primarily because it is published in a smaller tabloid format.
Newspapers are sold at newspaper/magazine stands on many streets, [...]

How bad is crime in Buenos Aires? The question is more difficult to answer than you might think.
On one hand, many people who have visited Buenos Aires will say things like “I walked everywhere in Buenos Aires at all hours of the day and night and never had a problem or felt unsafe. I saw [...]

Electricity in Argentina is 220 volts, 50 Hertz, AC.
In recent years Argentina has switched to Type I plugs and outlets. These are diagonal with flat prongs. The neutral and line wires are reversed from that used in Australia and other countries.
Some buildings still use older Type C outlets which have round prongs.
Some buildings have hybrid [...]

If you need to rent a cell phone while visiting Buenos Aires here are a few of your options.
If you are renting an apartment from an agency, the agency may be able to set you up. For example, when I needed a second cellular for my girlfriend’s use the agency handling my apartment rental provided [...]

Even though the water in Buenos Aires is safe to drink, upset stomach or travelers diarrhea can still strike. Last December I discovered, much to my dismay, that two common, effective, brand-name products that help relieve the symptoms of upset stomach are not available in Argentina. These products are Pepto Bismol and Immodium. Fortunately, similar [...]

What’s the best neighborhood in Buenos Aires? Well, the decision of where a person wants to live often comes down to a matter of taste, lifestyle and personal preference. That said, let’s take a look at my favorite neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, ranked in order from best to least-best.
Palermo
Palermo is probably the best neighborhood for [...]

Taxis are everywhere in Buenos Aires and you’ll almost certainly use them during your trip.
There are two types of taxis in Buenos Aires: radio taxis and regular taxis. Radio taxis can be identified by the sign on the roof that says “radio taxi”. If you wish, you can call a radio taxi to pick you [...]

For tourists, the safest, most reliable way to get from the airport to your hotel or apartment in Buenos Aires is to use the official airport taxis.
After you have passed through immigration and picked up your luggage, you will emerge in the airport greeting area. Look for a large booth that says Taxi Ezeiza. These [...]

The subway in Buenos Aires is called the Subte (SOOB-tay). Here’s what you need to know to use it.
First thing, you’ll need a map. You can find one online at the official Subte website.
Different Subte lines are identified with different letters. Line “D” is the line most often used by tourists since it runs through [...]

In Buenos Aires, you can change currency at banks or at currency exchange houses (casas de cambio). Look for the ones that post the exchange rates outside. Generally, currency exchange rates are excellent at these places and the spreads are quite tight. 
You need to have your passport with you to change money. It’s a legal [...]

Many stores in Buenos Aires, particularly those in the larger malls like Patio Bullrich, Alto Palermo and Galerias Pacífico, participate in the Global Refund program for tax free shopping.
When you make a qualifying purchase of over 70 pesos at one these stores you can request a Global Refund Cheque. This entitles you (a non-Argentine citizen) [...]