Argentina Honeymoon - Part 1 - Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Brad and I recently got married in October of 2022 and to be honest, yes we were so excited to get married, but I think we were more excited to plan and travel for our honeymoon. We were talking about this pretty early on in our wedding planning and had initially started a big list of all the places we really wanted to go to. Pre-requisites included:
A location that was new for both of us
A lot of outdoor activities
New Zealand was a strong contender for a while, and I had always wanted to go to Bali, but Brad thought there wasn’t enough fishing (apparently with marrying Brad travel activities now must include fishing). So back to the drawing board we went. Neither of us had been to South America, we love seeing bigger cities, we like to hike, and Brad knew of some people (Hi David Coggins! and Isabel!) who had been fly fishing in Patagonia, so Argentina was a natural pick for us. We came across some amazing hotels and we were sold! Over the next few weeks we will post about our itinerary and favorite spots.
Rough Itinerary
Buenos Aires (2 nights)
El Calafate (2 nights)
El Chalten (3 nights)
San Martin De los Andes (4 nights)
Mendoza (3 nights)
First up, Buenos Aires! A few things to note: We felt very very safe here. We went in mid November (their spring) and the weather was PERFECT. We also found the crowds to be very manageable (and supposedly significantly less than the summer). We walked most places, but there were some city bikes we wanted to try. We were told Uber’s were unreliable - often drivers would make you pay in cash after you already reserved with your phone online. Instead, we used Cabify and found the process identical to Uber and significantly cheaper!
Inflation in Argentina is talked about A LOT and the US dollar can go a long way. There are two exchange rates. The official rate (used by credit cards, banks, etc.) and then the dollar blue rate is often used when exchanging crisp $100 US bills with vendors and other “informal places”. Long story short, bring plenty of cash and don’t be afraid to exchange using the unofficial dollar blue.
Official Rate: 1 US dollar = 210 Argentine pesos
The Dollar Blue Rate: 1 US dollar = 380 Argentine pesos
Lastly, we found tipping here not mandatory. The norm was usually about a 10% tip at restaurants.
Day 1:
We checked into the Mine Hotel, dropped our bags, and explored the surrounding Palermo SoHo neighborhood.
After an overnight flight, we had a much needed latte at Cuervo Café.
San Telmo Market - lots of vintage and artisan booths. Make sure to go on a Sunday for the whole experience! Keep your wallets close as this place is known for their pick-pockets.
We walked from San Telmo towards the hotel to see Casa Rosada (houses the presidents office), the Obelisco and large plant BA letters.
Pizzería Güerrín- Pizza and goblets of red wine for cheap. Buenos Aires is actually known for their pizza, and while different than what we are used to, its much cheesier and sooo good. You don’t need much else in life.
Floreria Atlantico - One of the world’s 50 best bars. Amazing cocktails below a floral shop.
Lo de Jesús - When in Argentina, you have to eat steak and drink Malbec. This place was the perfect local spot recommended by many.
*Floreria Atlantico*
Day 2:
Walked around and explored the Palermo neighborhood.
Japanese Gardens - this was not on our initial list, but was so fun to walk through.
The Shelter - Brad always needs a good latte to start the day. This one was terrific.
Cocktails at the Pony Line Bar in the Four Seasons. Eat, drink a latte and then a few cocktails, sleep repeat.
More cocktails at Tres Monos. Tiny bar with neon lights and a great late night vibe.
We also enjoyed walking around the Recoletta neighborhood. A few favorite spots were:
Arandu- funky leather and outdoor store
El Ateneo Grand Splendid- old tango theatre turned bookstore. my heart <3
Cementerio de la Recoleta - one of the most popular tourist attractions in BA (expect people and/or crowds) known for its mausoleums and sculptures.
We ended with dinner at the famous El Preferido de Palermo. Don Julio is the most famous restaurant in the area, but the lines are crazy and it’s a little overhyped. El Preferido is excellent and very friendly. While we were waiting for a table they even gave us free empanadas and drinks!
*El Preferido - What a cutie little pink restaurant*
Check out the MAP for our top spots. Check in next week for more about El Calafate. As always, reach out/comment if you want more details or have travel questions - Brad loves to talk about credit card points.
