Buenos Aires City Guide For Holidays

After a few photos, this Lonely Planet Guide to Buenos Aires begins with a very calm table of contents, neatly divided into segments on neighbourhoods, shopping, eating, drinking, nightlife, the arts, sports & activities, and sleeping. While this guide is short on photographs, the text is laid out in a simple, easy to digest way that would make this a good choice for pragmatic shoppers more interested in content than visual flair.

History of Argentina

This edition of the Lonely Planet Buenos Aires City Guide begins with a 25 page summarised history of this tumultuous city. In these few pages, Anja Mutic, the author of this section only (the rest was written entirely by Sandra Bao) takes readers on the long journey of Buenos Aires, from its colonisation by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, all the way up to the current Kirchner presidency.

Culture of Buenos Aires

Reading a little about the history of a city before visiting it for the first time is always a worthwhile investment of time, but in the case of travel to Buenos Aires, it is particularly insightful. Why? Buenos Aires is a culture unto itself, and the people who live there have a particular view of themselves and their place in the world based on their long history and tumultuous politics.

The Lonely Planet Buenos Aires City Guide reaches to the bottom of this culture in the first few pages, and gives first time visitors a good introduction into a complicated place, and the hearts of the proud, elegant, and creative people who bring it to life everyday.

Sports in Argentina

Football is a national passion of the people of Argentina in general, and the citizens of Buenos Aires are a particularly virulent breed of football-fanatic. This lonely planet guide refers to attending a game as “an integral part of the Buenos Aires experience” (172) and offers details on which games to consider, where, and when. This section also discusses basketball, rugby, and horse racing, as well as yoga, pilates, and gym memberships available to visitors and temporary residents.

 

Which Guidebook to Choose?

Many travel guides to Buenos Aires list good restaurants, bars, clubs, and hotels, as well as the usual tourist attractions like the Recoleta Cemetery and the Palermo street markets. What this one provides that others may not is historical context, which puts the unique atmosphere of this town in perspective.

Also, this guide has a particularly extensive section on sports; those interested in attending a game or two while in town may want to check out this guide. Travellers looking for lots of photographs, extensive information about side trips and the areas surrounding the city, or a strong focus on budget travelling may want a different guide.

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