20221111_130245El Ateneo bookstore (November 2022)

(for Part 1 of Buenos Aires, read here)

After a visit to Recoleta Cemetery and some heavenly gelato, I wasn’t ready to return to my hotel just yet. I headed to my next stop: El Ateneo Grand Splendid (or “El Ateneo,” for short). My airport transfer guide from the night before had recommended it to me, and so I decided to check it out and see what it was all about. It was about a 15-minute walk over along Avenida Callao, one of the main arteries of the city and to admire the classical, European-inspired architecture at every turn.

A bookstore housed inside a former theatre, El Ateneo is absolutely lavish from floor to ceiling, retaining its opulent décor and golden splendor from the past. It was built in 1919 and hosted live performances like the tango. During the Golden Age of Cinema (1920’s), El Ateneo was converted into a movie theater and played the first “talkies” in Argentina. It wasn’t until 2000 that it became the bookstore it is today: much of the once-theatre has been preserved, from the high balconies to the main stage, the latter now turned into a café. It was absolutely bustling when I visited in the early afternoon, wandering all three stories and browsing around before I bought a nice souvenir for my partner.

20221111_130236Inside El Ateneo

My airport transfer guide had also recommended El Sanjuanino, an empanada shop for me to try, so following El Ateneo, I went over there to get a few to-go. The restaurant was busy, and I was confused on where to place my order and to pick it up. There was a slight language barrier, too (in which I didn’t know much Spanish, and the workers didn’t know much English– it’d be a theme throughout my trip in Argentina, as I found a lot of Argentines don’t know English), but I got my empanadas and returned to my hotel just five minutes away. The empanadas I got– beef and spinach-cheese– were yummy, if a bit too salty: their crusts were tender and hearty, though, and I enjoyed them with a nice cup of tea.

20221111_140521Beef and spinach-cheese empanadas

Although it was only 14h00, I was still exhausted from my long flight over the night before. I also had a tango tour in the evening to attend, so I tried to get some rest before I was to get picked up to head to the venue. I headed down to the lobby to wait for my ride, but after waiting 45 minutes, it never came! I frantically messaged my travel agency via Whatsapp and communicated with the hotel lobby about finding a way to get to the venue, and I ended up getting a taxi (thanks to the hotel) to get to the tango show, arriving about an hour late.

Turned out, my ride had waited for me at the entrance, but interestingly, there are two entrances to the hotel on two streets, and I was at the other entrance. So the driver had left without me. Thankfully, the tango venue reimbursed me for the taxi ride, and I actually hadn’t missed the tango show, since there was a dinner prior to it starting. I still had time to enjoy the included three-course meal (with steak and Malbec) before the lights dimmed. The tango show was a whirlwind of talented dancers and singers showcasing the distinctive Argentinian art, and even though it was a bit touristy, it was a lot of fun. The show lasted about 90 minutes and it ended at 23h30. This time, I was able to find my ride back to the hotel, returning just past midnight. After (finally!) showering, it was already past 1h00, so I crashed after another exhausting day.

20221111_221448Tango show

20221111_214427Steak and Malbec– how it’s done!

I left Buenos Aires the next day to continue with the next leg of my travel in Argentina. However, I returned to the capital a week-and-a-half later and had an additional two nights in town. Upon returning, I had a lovely dinner at a parrilla near my hotel: it was an upscale affair, with checker-tiled floors, high-vaulted ceilings with chandeliers, and a well-crafted menu that served the best cuts of meat. I opted for a sample of grilled chicken, kidney, and sweetbread– the chicken was tender and juicy, and probably one of the best I’ve ever had. The kidney absolutely melted in my mouth, but to be honest, the sweetbread was an acquired taste: it was my first time trying it, and I found the taste and texture to be a combination of fatty and chewy, sort of similar to intestines (which I don’t really like). Not my favorite of the trio, but otherwise paired with plenty of delicious sauces (including chimichurri) and a generous pour of Malbec, I had a wonderful last dinner in town (and interestingly enough, on Thanksgiving Day)!

20221123_201307Swanky restaurant

20221123_201752Chicken, kidney, and sweetbread

I had the morning the next day to explore BA one more time before I caught my flight home. After checking out of the hotel, I headed out to check out Calle Florida, a long pedestrian street that’s bustling with street vendors and performers (including tango dancers) as a tourist hotspot. I went around 10h00, so the street wasn’t busy just yet (although I came across many annoying “cambio” solicitors). I bought a few souvenirs before I strolled Arroyo Street, a quiet but lovely and winding street in the Retiro neighborhood that’s filled with cafés and bars to enjoy. I found a speakeasy café (not bar!) that’s Japanese-inspired, where I had a light lunch. I enjoyed a beautifully-crafted mocha, as well as a matcha-chocolate cookie and what was known as a “Kyoto sandwich:” rye bread, ham, and honey…and of course, I had to get one last gelato for the road afterwards!

20221124_105854Calle Florida

20221124_115549Mocha, Kyoto sandwich, and matcha cookie

That concluded my time in Buenos Aires, as I returned to the hotel to wait for my ride to the airport, where I would spend the next 17 hours in transit back to Los Angeles (with another layover in Lima). Despite technically having four nights in Buenos Aires, I found that I didn’t see as much as I could’ve otherwise if I hadn’t spent the rest of the time traveling all over the rest of the country. No regrets, though, as I’m glad I still got a taste of the Argentine capital. That means I’ll need to do a return trip some day in order to see what else BA has in store, so we’ll have to see!

20221124_122715Springtime in BA (temperatures averaged 86°F/30°C in November!)

More of my Argentina adventures to come soon. Until then! 🙂

— Rebecca

Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

53 thoughts on “Destination: Buenos Aires, Argentina (Tango Tour, Bookstores, and Empanadas– PART 2)”

  2. For some wild, raw tango listen to “Orquesta Tipica Fernández Fierro” You can find them in You Tube. Here is link to one of their songs. Pure 100% raging emotion!

    Not sure if links work here, but hope it does!

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    1. Repurposing is the way to go! A great way to use the space while retaining its historic charm. Despite the slight hiccup with the transport to the tango show, it ended up being a lot of fun!

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  15. The tango show sounds and looks lovely! Also, that steak looks so good. Like you, I’m not a fan of organ meats. We eat a lot of liver and kidney and intestines in Jamaica (“tripe and beans”) but I avoid these dishes, ha. Looking forward to more of your 🇦🇷 posts

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    2. I’m not a huge fan of intestines, but I do like tripe! They’re certainly an acquired taste. The tango show was fun, despite the mishap of getting there…more of my Argentina adventures to come soon!

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  18. From your outdoor photos, weather-wise November seems like a good time to visit Buenos Aires. When you mentioned the steak for dinner, I immediately thought, of course they would serve you carne in Argentina!

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    1. Yes! As Argentina’s below the equator, I visited the country in November during their springtime. Warm and beautiful weather all around. Asado is the way to go in Argentina, and all very delicious!

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  19. What a unique bookstore in such a beautiful former theater! And that steak makes my mouth water. I almost forgot the seasons are different in the southern hemisphere – so nice you enjoyed springtime weather in November!

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    1. El Ateneo is a stunner! Likewise, I could spend hours in there and perhaps enjoy a coffee at its café on center-stage. Lots to eat and see in Argentina, and more posts are coming soon!

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  22. Now THAT is a bookstore. A visual delight to say the least and even at a glance you can see it has serious history to it. The show seems like a cultural must and god the food has me seriously tempted away from my mostly vegan diet these days. I have enjoyed these glimpses into Buenos Aires Rebecca, both Sladja and I feel this is a city we’d like to spend a few months living in someday. It all sounds like a wonderful experience, minus the pickup mixup.

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    1. I think BA would be a great place to set up as a digital nomad! It’s developed and with affordable prices. I had four nights in town, but it was far from being enough to see everything it has to offer. I’d love to return and spend longer in the Argentine capital! Thanks for reading, Leighton, and I hope you can make it there some day soon!

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  23. There is something magical for me in the whole theatre experience. Having a small glass of wine before the show, people watching, even being dressed up makes sense. I also recommend Theatre Carré in Amsterdam where I saw one concert this year. Such a beautiful vibe

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  24. Interesting post Rebecca. A theatre-turned-bookstore, that’s something. And wow a tango show, how interesting! Yes Argentinian steak is always nice. 🙂

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