Exploring Buenos Aires
We decided that the best way to tackle the vastness of Buenos Aires was the classic tourist route: the Hop-On Hop-Off bus. It seemed the most efficient way to link up all of the neighborhoods. we settled onto the top deck, ready for a day of exploration.
The bus route is brilliant, hitting all the major spots. We started near the port and moved into the colorful, Italian-influenced La Boca neighborhood. From my vantage point on the bus, the corrugated tin houses painted in bright blues, reds, and yellows looked like a cartoon. It's incredibly atmospheric, even if it is a bit of a tourist trap.
Next up was the upscale Parisian Recoleta neighborhood to visit the famous cemetery. It sounds morbid, but it's more like a city of mausoleums. The tree-lined avenues there felt incredibly grand and European.
Back on the bus, we zoomed through the greener areas and toward the city center. This is where the markets came into play. On a Saturday like today, the area around the Plaza de Mayo and the Microcentro is buzzing. I strolled through some smaller artisan stalls.
A key stop was near the heart of the city, the Catedral Metropolitana. I hopped off and went inside this architectural gem, which is both the principal Catholic church and the final resting place of General José de San Martín, Argentina's national hero. The neo-classical facade is impressive, and the interior is stunningly ornate, with beautiful mosaics and chapels.
By late afternoon, I was back on the bus, looping through the modern area of Puerto Madero with its sleek skyscrapers and the famous Puente de la Mujer (Woman's Bridge), which contrasted sharply with the historic areas I'd seen earlier. The hop-on hop-off bus proved to be a fantastic way to grasp the geography and the diverse personality of Buenos Aires.