Buenos Aires Nightlife
A city of passion that never sleeps, Buenos Aires is internationally renowned for its late nights and determination to sweat on the dance floor.
The home of the Tango, Argentinians are a people adept at their national dance and you can find it being indulged in as an everyday part of local life. It is the ultimate location to come to and watch the beauty of this latin rhythm and language of the body, or even take to the floor yourself.
If this is a slice of Argentinain culture you wish to sample, head to a highly charged milonga (Tango house), where you can watch the social ritual of the milongueros and milongueras as they follow the rules of the dance ? codigos ? as their people have for more than a century. The epitome of "see and be seen", it is just like you've seen it in the movies. Breathe in a big gulp of confidence if you do go, because your every move will be watched by smouldering eyes.
It is at the weekend that the city really comes alive. Many locals save up during the week to party away the weekend, so it is at this time that you will get the best sense of the city's true atmosphere and the glamour that its reputation so loudly speaks of.
One of the best places to find this is around the Arcos del ferrocarril. One of the city's current hot spots, the railway embankment conceals about a dozen bars and clubs tucked away underneath. Because it's a favourite with the locals, weekends are definitely the best time to go to catch a bit of Argentinean fire and magic without feeling too much like a tourist.
The dance club atmosphere of Buenos Aires has changed a little since a tragic fire struck in 2004. A that time, more than 190 lives were claimed in the fire, in which many partygoers were unable to get out of the building because of a lack of exits and safety measures. All clubs were shut down for several months, and the country underwent a period of national mourning.
Since then, there have therefore been many changes to the disco scene and things are still settling down. Several venues have been closed down and others have opened in their place. Closing hours can now be fairly strict and venues are now often filled to far less than capacity. Look for a licensed club and relax in the knowledge that the city is now a very cautious one.
Plaza Serrano, or Plaza Cortazar, is an excellent place to start your evening. You can begin in one of the plentiful cafes, move on to a bar as the atmosphere livens and then nip in to a club when the sun has gone down to begin the real day's work. This square has grown as a nightlife spot only fairly recently, so while the clubs may be young in reputation they are certainly becoming some of the most important scene-setters.
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Nightlife
