Argentina - Info Sheets

Accommodations in Mendoza APART HOTELS ANDINO (1) Gral. Paz 47-P1º, Ciudad - Mendoza Tel. (0261) 4252906 apartandino@ciudad.com.ar www.andinoaparthotel.com.ar CONDOR SUITES (3) Julio L. Aguirre 90, Ciudasd-Mendoza Tel. (0261)...

SHORT-TERM APARTMENT RENTALS According to Argentine law any apartment or home rental less than 2 years must be furnished and fully equipped. This means that most short-term (ie, weekly or monthly) rental are geared toward tourists and are...

RENTING: POTENTIAL AREAS, SIGNING A LEASE, AND OTHER ADVICE AREAS San Telmo is an area of hostels, bars and the popular plaza Dorrego which hosts the famous flea market on Sundays. San Telmo feels attractively bohemian but prices are slowly...

Estancias are the large farms and cattle ranches found all over the country and now many of them are open to tourists. They offer a marvellous insight into Argentine life. You can usually choose between a Dia de Campo (one day at the estancia, not...

BA Accommodation -an asterisk * indicates that the hostel has been recommended by one of our members since February, though many of the hostels listed remain a pleasant option. -discounts offered to SAE members are listed next to hostel...

REAL ESTATE AGENT VOCABULARY Agente inmobiliario- estate agent Calefacción – central heating Dependencias - wash/ maids room Contrato - contract Alquiler – to rent Dueño – Owner of the property Ambiente – room Amueblado...

Argentine Cinema Argentina has a long rich cinematic history, and you don’t have to look far to find thrilling movies to help you enjoy your night and deepen your understanding of the country. Here are a few recommendations of excellent...

BUENOS AIRES CAPOEIRA In Brazil over 400 years ago, African slaves created Capoeira to defend themselves from their oppressors, the Portuguese. More than a simple fight, Capoeira seamlessly blends dance, acrobatics and music to create an...

Polo Quick – what international sport is absolutely dominated by Argentine nationals? “Not basketball?”, you say, “And not golf? Then surely it must be futbol, right?” All good guesses my friend, but it’s actually polo! Argentina is...

06February2008 SALSA Dancing in Buenos Aires CLUBS Azúcar Abasto Salsa classes every day for all levels Price: 10 pesos per day (there are several dance classes every day and for the 10 pesos you can join all of them) Av. Corrientes...

Salt Flats in Northern Argentina The salt flats are not very far from the city of Salta. Some of them are close to other tourist attractions like San Antonio de los Cobres. Most tour operators offer a day trip to the salt plains or longer ones...

Ski centers Winter 2007 INTRO The Argentine Andes offer quite a few winter sport centers, each of them with different features. From the ever-popular Cerro Catedral in Bariloche to the Mapuche owned Batea Mahuida, you’ll find them all here....

Traveling with kids to Buenos Aires When visiting Buenos Aires, traveling with kids probably isn’t the first thing that comes to your mind, but you’ll actually find many spacious green areas, parks, fun daytrip opportunities, museums,...

Wildlife Calendar for Eastern Patagonia This is a wildlife calendar: Whales: from June to November Killer Whales (orcas): March and April Tonina (a kind of black and white fat dolphin): from July to March Lobo Marino (a kind of seal): from...

Winter Camping Tips Winter camping is one of the most pristine rewarding experiences that you can have, if you are up to the challenge and do it in a safe manner. Unprepared, you will be at the whim of nature and most likely not enjoy what...

Yoga in Buenos Aires There are many yoga schools and yoga teachers out there. When I first arrived to the city finding a yoga class was easy, but finding one that met my yoga needs proved to be challenging. Below is a description of classes I...

Essential Buenos Aires information ARRIVING: To the airport Ezeiza (Aeropuerto Internacional de Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini): Taxi: Book and pay a taxi from the Taxi Ezeiza booth right outside the airport. They have fixed prices, a ride...

Cell Phones in Buenos Aires So picture this: you meet a really cute Argentine guy/girl in a club. You get their cell phone number and leave them a message the next day. But what do you do now? Do you sit around your hostel all day waiting...

Keeping in Touch Probably the best way to keep in touch is through email as telephone is very expensive in Argentina. There are cyber cafés almost anywhere you go, especially in big cities. Telephone is just as easily accessible as the...

Argentine Spanish If you are going to spend time in Argentina, knowing some Argentine peculiarities won’t hurt. Besides lunfardo, the infamous language of Buenos Aires’ streets that has crept its way into the everyday Argentine Spanish,...

Buenos Aires Art Museums All museums marked with an ** are ones that shouldn’t bet missed. The recommended museums were chosen either because they exhibit pieces that offer an unique insight into Argentinean culture (such as the José...

Buenos Aires Rock Music Scene For some 40 years now, Argentine Rock has been a mainstay of the radio stations and music scene around the country and in Buenos Aires in particular. One of the primary reasons for this was that English music was...

CINEMA INFO SHEET Big-screen pictures are normally shown in the original language with Spanish subtitles. The mainstream cinemas are centered around Lavalle, but multiplexes have sprung up in most neighborhoods. The Galerias Pacifico, Calle...

ARGENTINE FOOTBALL Who is playing and when: Below is the schedule of the football games, with the team on the left-hand side as the host. The hosting stadium will also be the easiest way to purchase tickets, which will be available at the...

“How to have a Felíz Año Nuevo in Buenos Aires” Deciding what to do and where to go on New Year’s Eve is always stressful. Although Buenos Aires is not the quite the street-partying, champagne-toasting, mass count down that foreigners...

Ferias y Paseos Local Shopping (from antiques to hippy sandals) Buenos Aires is full of open-air markets and local vendors. Looking through the newspaper can help you find markets every day. Here is a list of the most popular markets....

Argentina - Poetry in Buenos Aires POETRY INFO SHEET Amid the cultural mayhem of the city of Buenos Aires poetry is not forgotten. As usual it lurks somewhere in the shadows of its more mainstream counterparts, such as theatre, dance and...

SCIENCE, MEDICAL AND TECHNICAL MUSEUMS Museo de Urología Address: Paraguay 1307, 3rd floor Tel/fax 4811-8657, 4811-7141; E-mail: medel@teletel.com.ar Opening hours: Call to arrange a visit from Monday to Friday, from 2pm to 8pm. Ticket...

Specialty Museums in Buenos Aires Museo de los Niños Abasto Address: Av. Corrientes 3247 Tel: 4861-2325; E-mail: educación@museoabasto.org.ar Opening hours: Tues - Sun 1pm-8pm Entrance: $5 (under 3 years olds free). This museum...

Nearly all Tango dance classes offered in Buenos Aires are multi-level, meaning that there will probably be dancers at all levels of experience together in the same class. A good Tango instructor should be able to structure the class to manage...

TANGO SHOWS Tango comes in many different forms, its not just the famous dance, but music and singing as well. If you understand Spanish, you will soon discover that the lyrics of the tango songs are very much about Argentina’s history, some...

The majority of Buenos Aires’s theatres are located on Avenida Corrientes. There is no shortage of good performances in Buenos Aires but it is a good idea to check the length of performances beforehand (traditional productions in the larger...

Truco “Cuarenta naipes quieren desplazar la vida. En las manos cruje el mazo nuevo o se traba el viejo: morondangas de cartón que se animarán, un as de espadas que será omnipotente como don Juan Manuel, caballitos panzones de donde copió...

MONEY The unit of currency is the Argentine peso divided into 100 centavos. Exchange rates can be found in any major newspaper in circulation. Peso notes in circulation are 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100. Coins in circulation are 1, 5, 10, 25, and...

We all know that Argentina has become ridiculously cheap for foreigners since the economic crash in 2001, and I think most of us have walked down Santa Fe, Calle Florida or one of the shopping malls with our hands full of shopping bags from Zara,...

ASADO To most people, meat is meat. Not to the Argentine. They eat an average of 59 kilograms of the stuff a year, and the way it is eaten, prepared and enjoyed is one of the most prominent aspects of the Argentine culture. An asado is an...

Coffee Culture: The Classic Cafés of Buenos Aires For the local porteño population of Buenos Aires, sitting in cafés is a national pastime. People don’t just go there for a quick shot of caffeine; they go to study, work, to read the paper...

Thanks to our friends at the Foundation for Sustainable Development for their guidance! The Ritual of Mate mate /ma-te/ n. an herbal drink consisting of dried yerba mate leaves, ground into a leaf and powdery mixture. This mixture is then...

Restaurants and Cafés in Buenos Aires Microcentro & Retiro Café Tortoni (coffee and pastries) Av de Majo 829 between Piedras and Tacuari Tlf : 4342- 4328/ Subte A, Piedras/ Bus : 10, 17, 64, 86 Open: 8am-3am Mon- Sat; 9am-1am Sun;...

Top ten restaurant lists as presented by Guia Oleo, the Argentimes, and the SAE BA Club! Top 10 Parillas — get your fill of Argentine beef! 1. Omm Carnes, Costa Rica y Godoy Cruz (Palermo). Roughly $30 pesos. 2. Las Talas del...

Veggie Fare in Buenos Aires If you are not one of the people who will be indulging in Argentina’s world-famous beef, do not despair. There are many health-conscious, vegetarian restaurants that span a variety of flavors. All of the...

Buenos Aires GLBT Information ACCOMMODATIONS Gay oriented Bed & Breakfast and Youth Hostels Aprea’s Guest House Av. Ricardo Balbín 2419 E-mail: guesthouse@aprea.com.ar http://www.aprea.com.ar/ Rates for 2005 (in US Dollars, per...

AIRPORT INFORMATION ON EZEIZA INTERNAITONAL (EZE) HOW TO GET INTO THE CITY FROM EZE: 1). Manuel Tienda Leon (MTL) runs buses and remises to their city centre terminal at Retiro (1299 Avenida Madero, +54 11 4383 4454, www.tiendaleon.com)....

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is it time to head over to Colonia to renew you visa? Do you feel like watching a tango show, or maybe take the opportunity to learn how to dance it yourself? Or do you want to take part of the Argentines passion...

SAE Staff “Insider Tips” ** Buenos Aires Activities ** › “Plaza Francia” “Plaza Francia hosts one of the best arts and crafts fairs in the city on Saturdays and Sundays. You can find a huge array of really high quality...

SAE's 2008 Staff Recommendations FOOD Bronagh recommends: Cheap fruits and veggies, from the shop on the corner of Juncal and Azcuenaga: If you go there in the evenings or at the weekend you'll need to join the queue. It's worth it....

Privileged Information Tips and insider information from those in the know. All of which will hopefully make life that little bit easier. Food Are you fed up with empanadas and asados? If you are longing for some European cuisine you can...

Useful internet resources For recent and not-so-recent arrivals in Buenos Aires The Basics • www.google.com.ar gives you the option to search for Argentine webpages • http://www.clarin.com/shared/v8/clima.html has everything you’ll want...

Doctors in Buenos Aires This list of doctors was put together by the United States Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Neither the Embassy nor South American Explorers takes responsibility for the personal integrity or professional ability of...

Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne disease found in the Amazon. There are an estimated 200 000 cases of yellow fever, causing 30 000 deaths, worldwide each year. Many countries require proof of vaccination and others recommend it. Brazil: If you...

Hospitals in Buenos Aires Part I: Public Hospitals General Info: In the event of an emergency, the emergency rooms at public hospitals are the best place to go. “Guardias”, as they are called in Spanish, offer excellent...

Emergency telephone numbers: Ambulance: 107 Fire: 100 Police: 101 While in Argentina, diseases you may be exposed to are generally from parasites, viruses, and bacteria. Altitude sickness may affect you along the entire length of...

Travel Illnesses You’re traveling around South America, meeting new people, trying new foods, and seeing new sites, when all of a sudden you can’t seem to keep food down and you feel so hot that it cannot possibly be explained by the...

How to get translation work in Buenos Aires… if you really want to! GENERAL NOTES This info sheet is based around being a Spanish to English translator, without professional translator qualifications. It is worth noting that you may...

¡HABLAR PORTEÑO! Your guide to Argentine slang SIMPLE WORDS: “Alucinante”: Amazing or incredible. “Amigovio”: Literally, a combination of the words “amigo” and “novio.” Basically, friends with benefits. “Atacado”:...

Spanish Schools in Buenos Aires Most schools offer group and private classes Daniela Wasser School 20% SAE discount Cordoba 4382 4777-3874 Email: info@danielawasser.com.ar Web: www.danielawasser.com.ar The Daniela Wasser...

Looking for some extra income while you’re in Argentina? Thought about teaching English? English teachers are in demand all over the world, and Buenos Aires is no exception. As more and more companies do business with American counterparts...

CORDOBA HISTORY The city of Cordoba was founded in 1573 by Jeronimo Luis de Cabrera, who named it after Cordoba, Spain. For most of its history, it has been known as a university center, in large part because Argentina’s oldest...

Crossing international borders in South American can always be an adventure, especially when the countries have had a somewhat rocky history as is the case of Chile and Argentina. This Info Sheet will tell you what to expect when crossing over...

If you spend some time in Buenos Aires the chances are you will want to do as the inhabitants of Buenos Aires, the porteños do, which is occasionally escape from the city. Even if you’re only here for a short while there are several places...

El Calafate www.interpatagonia.com El Calafate is a non-descript large Patagonian town. The attraction of El Calafate is the many glaciers coming down from the Southern icecap in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. A couple of years ago it has...

El Chalten www.welcomeargentina.com/elchalten/outings.html El Chalten, a tiny town of about 200 inhabitants, is located 210 km north of El Calafate, at the foot of Mount Fitz Roy. The town was founded following geopolitical arguments...

IGUAZU FALLS Iguazu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian state of Parana Region and the Argentine province of Misiones. They’re as tropical as Argentina gets, and a wonderful weekend getaway from...

An Otherworldly Trip El Valle de la Luna The Valley of the Moon, more commonly called Ischigualasto, is located in La Rioja in the province of San Juan. Ischigualasto or ‘where the moon poses’ in Guarani, is a geological...

Mendoza The city of Mendoza on the western side of Argentina, is almost directly opposite of the east coast city of Buenos Aires . . . and not only geographically. With only ~ 120,000 inhabitants in its Capital zone, Mendoza has a...

Misiones Province For most travelers the Misiones province means one thing: Iguazú Falls. The majority of people don’t bother to venture off the beaten path, but for the minority who do it is well worth the trip. Misiones has much more to...

PATAGONIAN ITINERARY (template V) A trip to Patagonia in autumn and spring is a race against time: in autumn to beat the onset of the harsh winter and in spring to finish before the onset of the main tourist season. I advise against going to...

PENINSULA VALDEZ Want to see penguins, right whales, and exotic birds, or orcas tearing up the shore in search of a snack? Interested in scuba diving with shipwrecks, searching out indigenous flora or watching native fauna? Maybe you prefer a...

Salta and Surrounding Areas Salta la Linda (Salta the Fair), as it’s called, is the center of tourist activity for the northwestern section of Argentina. This is where most travelers will begin their trip to the northern provinces of Salta and...

San Juan History Founded 13 June 1562 by Juan Jufré the homonymous capital city of San Juan province lies nestled in the Tucuna Valley. After being devastated by an earthquake in 1944, the quaint town was redesigned changing its colonial...

San Juan Province Three provinces comprise the Cuyo territory: San Juan, Mendoza and San Luis. The Cuyo territory in Argentina is one of contrasts. Rivers fed from water by the Andes crisscross areas of arid mountains. Man and nature dance arm...

SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE - Part One Santa Cruz Province is in the South of the country sharing a border with Chubut to the North and Chile to the South and to the West. It is generally split into two sectors: coastal and interior. The...

SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE - FURTHER AFIELD (2 of 2) While part one urged you to look beyond El Calafate and El Chalten and towards state capital Rio Gallegos, part two is dedicated to places situated at the very margins of the provincial tourist...

Sierras de Córdoba So from reading the Córdoba info sheet, you already know that Córdoba is a great getaway place from Buenos Aires. But what if you need a getaway from your getaway? In that case, you should head west to the “Sierras de...

Ushuaia (“The End of the World”) Ever wanted to brag about how you’ve been “to the ends of the earth?” If so, a trip to Ushuaia on the island of Tierra del Fuego will allow you to claim you visited the Southern most city in the...

First off, a reminder: the crime-related emergency telephone numbers are: • General Emergency: 911 • Ambulance: 107 • Police: 101 Where do I go? If you’re unsure of your Spanish, the best place to go is the “Comisaría del...

Safety in Argentina Argentina was one of the safest countries in South America until the economic crisis in 2001 and 2002. Since then, petty crime has increased dramatically, particularly in Buenos Aires. However, Argentina is slowly...

Argentina - Camping and Outdoor Stores in Buenos Aires Camping and Outdoor Stores in Buenos Aires These are some of the camping and outdoors stores in Buenos Aires. Most of them have mediocre equipment that will be fine for a short camping...

Casas de Provincias A "casa de la provincia" is a sort of embassy of that province in the city of Buenos Aires. They are a great source of information, both for researchers and travelers. You can get anything from demographic charts to hotel...

English Bookshops in Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is home to such internationally renowned authors as Jorge Luis Borges and Manuel Puig, so it should come as no surprise that the city is filled with an amazing amount of bookshops. Below is a...

Kayaking Info Sheet BAHAMAS BOATS Phone: (011) 4745 0804 Address: Av. Libertador 1945 San Fernando, Buenos Aires Email: guedes@arnet.com.ar http://www.astillerobahamas.com.ar/ NAUTICAL ESCAPES Phone: (011) 4728-2865 Address: Arroyo...

Frequently asked questions for safe and healthy travel So you want go to the jungle, but you don’t want make friends with the mosquitoes, the snakes, or other things that creep and crawl in the night? Feel like avoiding yellow fever and other...

Waxing Lyrical Hair. We’ve all got it, but frankly we don’t all want it. Well, I mean it’s ok on my head but when we start talking legs, underarms, upper lip, and that patch on my back…anyway you get the message. Luckily, hair removal...

WiFi SPOTS IN BUENOS AIRES: BNCafe Peña 2300 Duero - Rios De España Santa Fe 2499 Hotel Elevage Maipu 960 ITLA - Edificio Rouse Marie Parana 123, 4th floor, office #105 Mondo Spaghetti Cabildo Av. Cabildo 1829 Museo Renault...

A TOUR ON THE H-LINE You’d be forgiven for being unaware of the existence of the H-Line. Quietly opened a year behind schedule last October and only 3.5 km long extending south from Once along Avenida Jujuy to Parque Patricios, it doesn’t...

ARGENTINA AIRLINE INFORMATION The following are airline companies that fly to as well as within Argentina with the appropriate phone and fax numbers. Flight schedules and prices are subject to change, so please contact a local travel agent or...

Renting a Car in Argentina The extent of public transportation in Buenos Aires makes renting a car inside the capital unnecessary. However, renting a car is a great way for the independent traveler to explore the Argentinean countryside. The...

How to buy a car in Argentina Are you debating whether or not to buy a car in Argentina and drive it around the continent, and then sell it before you leave? Or are you living in Argentina and want to find out how to buy a car to putter around...

Public Transportation Traveling around by public transport in Buenos Aires is very easy with a basic knowledge of Spanish. First you must obtain the Guia “T” which is on sale at most magazine and newspaper kiosks. There are two...

Roads and Car Travel You will have more freedom if you have your own mode of transportation, especially if you want to explore the more remote areas of Argentina. Given the size of Argentina, the distance will probably be long, and road...

Taxi Info sheet The differences between Radio taxis Street taxis Remises Whats the best for - long, short, airport, local trips - reliability, bigger groups, good value, safety The first thing to realize is that it is NOT...

The Retiro Bus Station (www.tebasa.com.ar) The principal bus station for Buenos Aires is the huge Terminal de Omnibus de Retiro, normally just called “Retiro”. It has three levels: Top level: All ticket offices (140 in total) The offices...

VISA REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS When you go you will need the following: 1) Copies of all your documents 1. solicitud de visa de no inmigrante 2. certifiacado de visacion 3. and your passport. You will need three different copies...

How to renew your 90-day Argentina tourist entry permit A step-by-step guide, thanks for the help BANewcomers! 1. Where do I go? Direccion Nacional de Migraciones, Avenida Antartida 1355, Capital Federal. This is near Retiro station, but...

International Embassies in Buenos Aires REPÚBLICA DE ALBANIA Embajada en la República Argentina Dirección: Juez Tedín 3036 (1425) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires CANCILLERÍA Y SECCIÓN CONSULAR Email: ambasada.bue@netsat.com.ar...

The DNI Revealed, Cailin Ellis Jan. 18, 2008 Word Count: 642 You have probably heard the acronym DNI countless times during your stay in Buenos Aires, but what is it exactly, and what functions does it serve? While finding a concrete...

What to do if your passport is lost or stolen Getting your passport replaced is easier and faster if you have done two things beforehand. 1. You have a photocopy of your passport, plus your Argentine entry stamp; 2. You have registered at...