Useful information about Buenos Aires CLADEA 2014 Buenos Aires 1. Tips for money exchange Due to economy policies we have had these few last years, foreign exchange has two markets: the official one and the so-called “blue” (not legal but which most people use). As tourists you can access the official market in banks and foreign exchange offices. We strongly recommend that you stick to it and not try buying in the blue market. While walking along downtown streets you will be offered money exchange by people standing in the corners. These are what we call “arbolitos” (small trees). Their rate is usually very good but making a transaction with them is quite risky. Where to get reliable Exchange information • www.bna.com.ar – página oficial. • www.afip.gob.ar – página oficial. • www.ambito.com -- página no oficial. • www.lanacion.com.ar/dolar-hoy – página no oficial. Some other useful tips on money • Tax Free Shopping – Foreign tourists can get the IVA tax (VAT) refunded when buying domestic goods as from $70. To get this percentage discounted, you should ask to be given a “B” ticket at stores and the “Refunding Check” stating the amount to be refunded. Any imported good you may buy should be in a different ticket. Before departure you should show the acquired goods, the ticket and check to be stamped at customs. The amount to be refunded is the 21% of the full price, which corresponds to the IVA. • Please note: Some restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, may prefer to receive dollars so they can give you a better exchange rate. Always ask before paying, if you are interested in paying cash. 2. Moving along CLADEA 2014 – Buenos Aires Useful information about Buenos Aires At night, when there’s not so much traffic, a taxi may be a good idea. If you decide to take a taxi be sure to have some money change or else tell the driver beforehand. Taxi fares are fixed, you should pay what the clock in front of the vehicle shows. Bear in mind that there’s an extra charge at night and if you ask for the taxi by phone. It’s better to take a “radio-taxi” (company owned cars). These companies are good: Radio taxi Premium www. taxi premium.com/ phone 5238-0000 / 4374-6666. Radio Taxi Pídalo http://www.radiotaxipidalo.com.ar/ Phone 4956-1200 / 4932-2222 Del Plata Radio taxi http://www.delplataradiotaxi.com/ Phone 4505-1111 / 4504-7776 During daytime it may be better to take the subway, especially during rush hours. In October the weather is fine so walking is another good option. When travelling by bus, subway or train most people pay with a magnetic card called SUBE. You can also pay with coins but be sure to have at least $6 in coins for buses. You can buy tickets at any train or subway station. This interactive map may help you find the best way to get anywhere in Buenos Aires: http://www.turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/es/article/mapa-interactivo-%C2%BFc%C3%B3mo-viajo- desde-y-hasta . You can also download it to your phone: http://www.turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/es/article/aplicaciones-para-m%C3%B3viles 3. Tips There are some places where tipping maybe be considered offensive, well that’s not what happens in Buenos Aires! In bars and restaurants a 10% or 15% tip is OK. It is never included (you may confuse it with the “servicio” or “cubierto” but it’s not the same). As with taxis, be sure to have some change for tips, you can’t pay it with credit cards, only cash. 4. Shopping We don’t have those big sales offering 50 o70% off, but here are lots of promotional prices with some credit cards, and if you pay cash you may get a 10% discount (always ask before paying). Bargaining is only done at handicrafts stalls or street markets and is not as common as in other countries. Please note that sizes in here are an issue, they are never the same in two different stores. So please try everything on before buying! Shopping centers/ malls: CLADEA 2014 – Buenos Aires Useful information about Buenos Aires - Galerías Pacífico (Downtown). Florida y Córdoba - Patio Bullrich (Downtown). Posadas y Libertad (These two are very near the hotel. In Patio Bullrich there is a Money Exchange Office located in the basement) - Alto Palermo (Palermo). - Paseo Alcorta (Palermo). - Abasto Shopping Center (Balvanera). Outlets: The are two areas in the city where you can find new items and also items from previous collections, which have sale prices! It’s not downtown but it’s worth going to do some shopping. - Córdoba Av., from Lavalleja Street. to Godoy Cruz Street. (Palermo) - Aguirre Street. and Gurruchaga Street. http://outlets-de-marcas-en-calle- aguirre.blogspot.com.ar/ Leather goods: If you are looking for leather goods you should go to Murillo Street (between Scalabrini Ortiz Street.and Gurruchaga Street, i.e. Murillo 600) and some other streets nearby: Acevedo and Malabia).- Most of the stores are manufacturers and prices are up to 50% off. Going around safely As in any big city, you should be careful with your personal belongings when walking along the streets or sitting at a bar table in the street: be sure to have your backpack/bag in sight, put your cameras away when you are not using them, and try not to buy anything from people in the street. 5. Going out at night A good thing to know about going out is that in Buenos Aires everything starts late at night. If you go out to have dinner it won’t be before 8 pm, and if a local person invites you it will probably be around 9-9.30 pm. After dinner, there is a tradition (called “sobremesa”)by which we stay having a coffee and chatting from half an hour to endlessly…So any dinner may finish after midnight. If you would like to go dancing, you will still have to wait a couple of hours! 6. What to visit Downtown : Historical sites: Mayo Square, the Cabildo (old Spanish government building), the Metropolitan Cathedral (where Pope Francis celebrated Mass for over 20 years), the Government House (also known as Pink House, seat of the National Government), the Government Palace of the City, banks y ministries. The May Pyramid stands in the middle of the square, it was built in 1910 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Revolution. CLADEA 2014 – Buenos Aires Useful information about Buenos Aires May Avenue., which resembles Spanish architecture, is one of the oldest avenues. It links the Pink House with de House of Parliament. There are many beautiful buildings along it and there’s one place where you should stop and have a coffee: Café Tortoni http://www.cafetortoni.com.ar/en/ . There are some beautiful churches nearby: La Merced (Peron St and Reocnquista st); San Francisco (Alsina st. y Defensa st. ); San Ignacio (Alsina st.y Bolivar st.). It’s also very nice to walk along Florida and Reconquista streets. They are both pedestrian areas. Florida has lots of stores and shopping malls (visit Galerías Pacífico, it’s a beautiful building) and Reconquista is full of bars and restaurants. El Bajo. La Boca is famously the place to find two attractions which most, if not all, visitors to Buenos Aires will want to see: the football stadium ‘La Bombonera,’ and Caminito, the colorful artists’ street by the water. Going north you will find San Telmo, the oldest neighbourhood in the city, with is cobblestone streets. Nearby is Puerto Madero, the youngest neighbourhood in town. Tall buildings, great restaurants, an incredible view of the river, the Puente la Mujer (Woman’s Bridge, see our logo!). And a few steps away, the Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve. Palermo: Littered with cafés, restaurants and boutiques in low-rise buildings, Palermo is trendy, creative, chic, young, cool. What to visit near the hotel (8 blocks rounds) Santa fe Avenue, 9 de Julio Avenue, Recoleta y Del Pilar church, Corrientes Avenue (it’s the avenue of the theatres), San Martín Square, Colón Theatre, Cervantes Theatre, Florida street, Thays Park, Biblioteca del Maestro (Teacher’s Library), Palacio de Tribunales (Court House), Fernández Blanco Museum you should visit at least the house where it is located, called Noel Palace!). –See map at the end- Art Museums: - Museo de Arte Latinoamericano MALBA (Museum of Latinamerican Art)– Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415 – Web www.malba.org.ar - Museo Fernández Blanco: museo de Arte Hispanoamericano (Museum of Hispanic- American Art) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Museo-de-Arte-Hispanoamericano- Isaac-Fernandez-Blanco/109750765713863 - Museo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Sívori (Museum of Plastic Arts)– Infanta Isabel 555 – Web museosivori.org - Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Buenos Aires –(Museum of Contemporary Art) Av. San Juan 328 – Web http://www.macba.com.ar/ - Museo de Bellas Artes – (Museum of Arts) Av. Del Libertador 1473- Web http://www.mnba.gob.ar/ CLADEA 2014 – Buenos Aires Useful information about Buenos Aires Some other places to visit: The Planetarium, The Japanese Garden. Quite close you can visit Palermo Soho and Parlermo Hollywood, a mix of chic and old neighbourhoods. La Recoleta Cementery and Nuestra Señora del Pilar church. La Costanera (coast of the river) Boca football team stadium(aka la Bombonera ) o River football team stadium (el Monumental ). Places with plenty good restaurants : -Palermo -Las cañitas -Recoleta -San Telmo -Puerto Madero Restaurant guides: - Guia Óleo: www.guiaoleo.com.ar - Vía Restó: http://viaresto.com - Guía Joy: http://guia.planetajoy.com/ - Guía La Nación: http://guia.lanacion.com.ar/restaurantes - Restorando: http://buenos-aires.restorando.com.ar 7.