Planning Your Budget Vacation to Buenos Aires

Argentina is the jewel of South America. The vibrant cities, magnificent landscapes, and tall mountains make it irresistible for the traveler’s tongue. Argentina is synonymous to the words tango, beef, football, and the Andes.

Ever since 2001, Bueno Aires has gone through an economic setback which has made this city a bit affordable than usual. Although it is the most expensive country in South America, yet some tips can help you maintain your budget while you’re on travel in the city.



1. Cheap Transportation

Travelling within cities is best done by buses. Be a bit more active and take overnight buses because it’ll save your accommodation for one night. You could sleep on the way or read a book or even watch a movie on your tablet.

The overnight bus trip itself can become a fun part of your journey. It will cost you $5/hour on a bus and buses are cheaper than trains and air travel. The cool thing about bus journeys is that food is served on it and Wi-Fi is available too.

You can get around Bueno Aires by using its subway which is 7 pesos for 10 trips. Also you can walk around Bueno Aires as well to discover it like you can in New York or Toronto. The city is beautiful so the walk will be quite interesting.

2. Affordable Food

The best restaurants to eat at in Argentina are those that serve all you can eat buffets. The options to eat are ample and the food is appetizing which will quench your hunger for quite some time. Restaurants are not that expensive and people usually eat on the pampas which are grassy plains where beef is served.

These pampas are quite affordable. You can get a meal for $10 at a cheap restaurant, fast food like burgers is $7. Fine dining will cost you not more than $30. If you eat the ‘menu-of-the-day’ items at a restaurant, they’ll be quite cheap too.

3. Currency

Before you change your money into the local currency, check out the best rate that you can get from banks or money exchange shops.

4. Travel in Low Season

For every budget trip, the main thing to do is to travel in the low season. For Argentina it’s the summer months from December to February.

5. Low Cost Accommodation

You can get a hotel room starting at $20/night or if you want to go cheaper, than rent out an apartment with a kitchen and sometimes a pool too. Homestays are the most popular option for tourists if you don’t mind sharing a room in local host family’s house. It costs between $100-$140 per week and includes three meals a day. It’s a pretty good deal and you’ll get to know the locals and Argentinian culture this way.

Bueno Aires of Argentina is called the Europe of South America but only sights wise, if you compare its travel costs from that of Europe, you’ll notice a huge difference. Argentina is cheaper and you can easily spend the amount of money that you would on a Europe trip and still get the sights that Europe is popular for.

Have you been to Buenos Aires? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations.

Photo Credits (Flickr CC): Buenos Aires by flavouz

Five Places to Visit in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is the largest city and also the capital of Argentina. The city is also rated as one of the 20 largest cities in the world. There are a lot of places to see and things to do in the city like you can spend your day visiting the city's museums to learn more about the history of the city and the country or wander around the neighborhoods or check out the coolest restaurants and clubs. Buenos Aires is also the birthplace of the newly elected Pope Francis.

Here’s a list of Five Places to Visit in Buenos Aires, Argentina:



1. Plaza de Mayo – Plaza de Mayo has been around since the 16th century and it is here where political protests and gatherings have taken place. There are lots of colonial type buildings surrounding the plaza and at the eastern end you can see the Casa Rosada or the Presidential Palace. A nice place to take a walk and just enjoy the background and feel of the plaza.



2. La Recoleta Cemetery – This place is also called the Cementerio de la Recoleta. It is one of the city’s main attractions because of its numerous monuments made from marble, dark granite and some are bronze, others are decorated with stone angels and statues of the Virgin Mary. Some of the famous and prominent people such as past presidents, writers and sports stars are buried on this cemetery. A great place to visit if you want to learn some of Argentina’s past.



3. San Telmo – This place is best visited on Sundays to attend the Weekly Street fair and flea market. Be aware though that the place is crowded during this time as well. If you like shopping then this place is right for you just be watchful for good deals and bring in your own water because it can get quite expensive here. On Sunday nights, there is also a tango performance in the plaza.



4. The Palermo Viejo District – A trendy neighbourhood with charming cobblestone streets. There are a lot of bookstores, bars, and boutiques in the area.



5. Teatro Colon – This place is an impressive seven stories opera house which was opened in 1908. There is also a small museum in the lobby and they offer guided tours in English. A good place to visit if you’re in to ballet, opera and listening to classical music.

Have you been to Buenos Aires? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations.

Photo Credits (Flickr Creative Commons): Buenos Aires by Martin Terber/Plaze de Mayo by seretide/ La Recoleta Cemetery by BrianMKA/ San Telmo by Denise Mayumi/ Palermo Viejo by Andrew Currie/ Teatro Colon by Roger Schultz