Buenos Aires for The Curious Wanderers: a Friday-to-Monday weekend
Faded marble, bandoneón, and smoke off the grill.
No theme, just the city at its best. The sights that earn their reputation, a workshop or a market, one strange place nobody told you about, and dinner where the food is the point.
Friday: Cafés and old stairs
- Galería Güemes
A 1915 art nouveau arcade with a viewing platform on the 14th floor. Ride the old lift to the top for the late light.
- Café Tortoni
Borges and Gardel drank under the stained glass. Order a submarino and look at the tango posters at the back.
- Café San Juan
Small, loud and candle-dim, with pork belly, rabbit and a Malbec list. Book a table for nine.
Saturday: Markets and a workshop
- Mercado de San Telmo
An 1897 iron-and-glass hall of greengrocers and butchers, and antique stalls at the edges. Buy a bag of nuts and a coffee.
- Museo Fernández Blanco
A neocolonial mansion of silver, santos and colonial furniture from Spanish America, rarely busy. The garden patio at the back is a good place to rest.
- El Preferido de Palermo
The pink almacén on a corner Borges knew, with tortilla, milanesa and a short Malbec list.
Sunday: The strange tomb and the tunnel
- Cementerio de la Recoleta
Find the tomb of Rufina Cambaceres, said to have been buried alive. The art nouveau mausoleum is at the back of the cemetery.
- El Zanjón de Granados
Brick tunnels and cisterns of the 1700s, found under a mansion in 1986. The guided tour is short and quite dark.
- Los Galgos
A 1930 bar restored to its mirrors and brass. Order a vermouth cocktail and a plate of cheeses.
Monday: Books and sweets
- El Ateneo Grand Splendid
A 1919 theatre turned bookshop. Take a coffee on the old stage under the painted ceiling.
- Palacio Barolo
A morning tour of the Dante-inspired tower, with the dome view at the end. Book the first slot.
- Confitería Ideal
A 1912 tea room of mahogany, marble and a glass roof. Order a tostado and a coffee, and a medialuna to go.