When in Buenos Aires
Visitors arriving from Europe would be excused for thinking they are still close to home upon turning up in Buenos Aires. This coastal city, that means "fair winds", has a huge European flavour to it but the traveller who gets to know the place will discover there is much that is unique about the Argentine capital.
The combination of quiet cobbled streets, bustling boulevards, quaint cafes and vibrant restaurants makes for a wonderful and fascinating mix that is an unforgettable experience for most visitors, not forgetting the city's noisy, confident and friendly inhabitants.
For those who know their history, the European flavour of Buenos Aires will not come as a surprise. Founded, in most people's eyes, by Spanish explorer Juan de Garay in 1580, the city owed much of its early success to contraband trading with the British and Portuguese and in 1776 the city became the capital of the Río de la Plata viceroyalty. Growing upset at Spain's continued interference with the region's affairs led to civil war in 1810 and independence by 1816.
Much of the European feel of the city's buildings was provided by the large-scale development project of the 1930s, which saw an attempt to bring some European sophistication to the city's ancient streets.
Today, following decades of political and financial upheaval, most recently in the riots of 2001, there appears to a sense of calm and prosperity returning to the city and Argentina.
Those flying in to the city from abroad will most likely find themselves at Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarni, known locally as Ezeiza, which lies to the south of the city. From here local and special airport buses take around an hour and a half to reach the city centre in the typically heavy traffic, with the latter variety normally including hotel drop offs.
The Aeroparque Jorge Newbery handles the majority of regional and domestic flights. Just five miles north of the city, Aeroparque is a great place to arrive if you can arrange it, with the normal assortment of buses having you in town in no time.
The city centre's Retiro bus and train stations are conveniently next door to each other, with trains departing to all points of the compass on a regular basis.
Once on the sightseeing trail, most visitors are unlikely to require much in the way of public transport due to the proximity of most of the sites. However, if public transport is required, travellers would be well advised to stick to the efficient if ancient Subte metro system as buses can be confusing for the uninitiated.
The spring months of September to November and autumn, between March and May, are considered the best times to enjoy Buenos Aires, when temperatures are pleasant and the stifling summer heat is absent. If arriving in autumn, remember to bring the wet weather gear as the season is notorious for its storms.
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Introduction
