6 Unique and Awesome Things to Do in Buenos Aires

There are plenty of top-quality steakhouses serving up unbelievably succulent beef all throughout Buenos Aires, but did you know the best food in the city is actually behind ‘closed doors’? Puerta cerrada is a type of secret restaurant held in a private home, offering five-star degustation menus by some of the city’s best chefs in an intimate setting. Extremely popular with foodies, puerta cerradais a great way to meet new people while wining and dining the evening away. Ask for recommendations, or check out Casa Felix.

Why not venture into the wild Argentinian pampas to truly experience ‘gaucho’ (cowboy) life on a traditional ‘estancia’ (ranch). You can do full-day tours from Buenos Aires, including a horseback ride or ‘sulky’ (horse cart) tour, visit the country town of San Antonio de Areco. Take in local history with a folklore show and tuck into a barbecue meal cowboy style, while the gauchos entertain you with rope tricks and tales of estancia life.

On the other end of the spectrum, this rather strange and kitschy religious theme park just outside of Buenos Aires is a recreation of Jerusalem that narrates the life of Jesus through animatronics. There’s a carousel ride of manger animals, a Nativity light show, a reenactment of the Last Supper and plenty of dioramas and displays. The main attraction is a 60-foot (18-meter) fiberglass Jesus statue that resurrects every hour on the hour. Amen.

Check out some of the best parts of Buenos Aires on a city tour. It’s a great way to take in the culture and history of the area. Covering areas such as Puerto Madero, San Telmo, Plaza de Mayo and more, a local guided tour gives you a great flavour of the area and its many attractions.

Housed in a magnificent 19th-century palace is the quirky Museo del Agua y de la Historia Sanitaria (Water and Sanitation History Museum), which displays a fascinating collection of toilets, faucets, bidets and other sanitary-related artefacts. The palace itself was built as a water pumping station and still plays an important role in providing water to the people of Buenos Aires so that they can cook, clean and bathe.

It’s not technically speed dating, though it could be if the conversation runs smoothly enough. Spanglish Exchange is a regular event that pairs native Spanish and English speakers together in a Palermo bar to practice their language skills. Each language is spoken for five minutes before switching to the other for five minutes, allowing both parties equal time to hone their skills. After the 10 minutes is up, participants rotate onto a new partner. It’s a great way to practice a language and meet new people at the same time.