Results tagged “Buenos Aires” from Intelligent Travel Blog

Every trip should have a soundtrack, so we've asked CJ Fahey with Nat Geo Music to select artists from their catalog whose songs will inspire you to get going.


It's no surprise that one of the sexiest videos we've got at Nat Geo Music is a tango-electronic song from the French-Argentine group Gotan Project; after all, tango got its start as a dance performed in brothels in Buenos Aires in the late 19th century and today is synonymous with romance.

"Diferente" by Gotan Project shows how you might find tango danced today in a Buenos Aires milonga. This video highlights two dances: the obvious one on the dance floor, and the implicit dance of stolen glances and budding romance between the featured (gorgeous) couple.

Tango has inspired poets and artists for generations. Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges has noted the passionate, almost combative interaction between dancers: "The tango is a direct expression of something that poets have often tried to state in words: the belief that a fight may be a celebration." And tango legend Enrique Santos Discépolo touches on tango's inherent melancholy: "The Argentine tango is a sad thought that you can dance."

A trip to Buenos Aires is a trip to the heart of tango. If you go to Argentina, or for that matter Uruguay, pick up some records by contemporary tango groups like Gotan Project and Bajofondo, or legends like Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel. And don't forget your dancing shoes.

[Video, Free Buenos Aires]

Hola, city-lovers! Buenos Aires is known for its tango but Laura Milsom insists the city has much more than that. "Everyone falls in love with something here," she says. "Be it a person, the architecture, nighlife, neighborhoods, dancers, shops, wine. It is devilishly charming despite its chaos." Read on to find out why Laura loves her city.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Buenos Aires is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is down Calle Florida to Plaza de Mayo, followed by window viewing of a parrilla restaurant with a full stack of meat cooking.

When I crave mint ice cream I always go Freddo.

To escape the sound of screaming buses I head to the ecological park.

If I want to have a great cocktail I go the bar Milion.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with tango dancers and the obelisco.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from La Cabrera it has to be the butterfly steak (which feeds a family of four).

KEL is my one-stop shop for great selections of English books.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped I go Plaza San Martín (bitter tea drink they have here).

For a huge splurge I go Galerias Pacifico and buy a dress to go to the Oscars in.

While reading this article in the Washington Post yesterday, about a Buenos Aires blogger who gets all of her restaurant recommendations from taxi drivers, I couldn't help but think about the people I go to for tips when I travel. In the story, blogger Layne Mosler, author of the Taxi Gourmet, gets into a cab with no destination - she simply asks the driver to take her to a local spot. While this does seem a bit dangerous, she reports that it's enabled her to visit some of the under-the-radar local joints that she would have never found otherwise.

I know when I travel, I tend to hopscotch a bit, going from one local to another to lead me along, but I wonder, who do you seek out for advice while you're traveling? Which expert sources should we all should be looking to?

Image: La Nacion

All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Buenos Aires and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the season's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up to date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.

Pabol Castro, Concierge

Sofitel Buenos Aires 

• Families from the up-and-coming neighborhood of Barrio Norte congregate for an evening of music and to participate in a living Nativity at the San Nicolas Church on December 23.

• Many area wineries offer a limited edition sparkling wine for the holidays. Some of the best local brands include Familia Zuccardi, Luigi Bosca, and Rosell Boher.