We will always have very fond memories of our time in Buenos Aires. Not only because of the incredible vibe that the city has to offer, but also because we got to spend some quality time with Tess’s Argentinian cousins. Post World War II many Italians left Italy in search of a better life, and while Tess’s grandparents came to our hometown of Melbourne, her Nonna’s brother made the trek to Argentina instead. He went on to have a family of his own including 3 grandchildren our age. This made for a fabulous weekend of reconnecting and exploring the city together!
We have to say, Tess’s cousins went above and beyond from the moment we met! We enjoyed a jam-packed day of discovering parts of the city beginning with a decadent breakfast at Confiteria La Ideal of medialunas (Argentinian ‘croissants’), and sweet treats filled with none other than dulce de leche. It would be a crime to visit Argentina without trying dulce de leche. They say they human body is made up of 60% water, but Argentinians must be made of 60% Dulce de leche based on the fact that it can be found in absolutely everything!
After breakfast we spent some time exploring the city centre with our wonderful family ‘tour guides’ and its historical buildings including the congress building, the Obelisque, parliament building, the historical railway station, the opera house, and Puente de la Muyer (Women’s bridge) in the Puerto Madero district. We stopped for a delicious meal at a Parilla before hitting the streets again.
Wandering through the local street markets we enjoyed seeing locals bask in the Saturday afternoon sun, enjoy family time, and eating at the local sandwicheries. We then headed to the famous San Telmo market (definitely worth a visit, see some photos of the market stalls below).
As we wandered Buenos Aires, it is impossible to miss the Spanish music, the artistic flair, and of course the tango dancers. Some of them were buskers, while others were just enjoying the summer sunshine and expressing themselves in the main squares. The tango is a beautiful, romantic dance that is worth watching on your stay in Buenos Aires (either in a show, or the main squares).
In the evening, we stopped by El Ateneo – a beautiful old theatre converted into one of the most picturesque bookstores we’ve ever seen. Finally, we finished up back in Palermo at Rapanui for Helados (ice cream) of which they had 4 different flavours of… you guessed it, dulce de leche!
Our time with our Argentinian cousins was one of the highlights of our trip so far! Despite only having met once/not at all, there was a familial connection that made it feel like we’d known each other our whole lives. We look forward to hosting them in our hometown of Melbourne one day and enjoying being tourists in our own city and they were for us.
While we would have been content with a catch up and lunch with the family, the wonderful tour they took us on was so much fun, and all of these places are worth considering during your visit. Buenos Aires is so multi-faceted, with a plethora of barrios (neighbourhoods), each with differing architecture, styles, food, and attractions. Will talk more about the colourful neighbourhood of Palermo in another post.
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