1st Visit - Recoleta or Palermo?

[Bizzie]

Hey fellows,

I don't know if this is correct thread but...

Where would you recommend a first timer to stay, Recoleta or Palermo?

Safe? Mongering activity? Nicer neigborhood? Etc.

Appreciate your insights.

Be.

[Miami Bob]

Recoleta is more centeral and has a higher % of people who are geared towards tourists. Eg english menues in restaurants; less hip and more traditional; less open green space.

Palermo is many different neighborhood. Go to BARTs website and look at the videos posted to get a feel for what the different neighborhoods look like. If you are under 35 and hip--look at Palermo Soho and Hollywood. If you can speak some spainish and want a good feel for life in the city a more quiet residential neighborhood in Palermo which be your preference.

If you are a typical first time traveler with one week or less and limited spanish, Recoleta may be better for you. When you know your way around better, a different neighborhood might be better.

Good luck. Sid's discussion is about a very experienced traveler who spends months at a time and knows his way around. It is unlikely that you will be able to sucessfully do what sid does on your first trip without complications. The easiest thing for a first time traveler is to call Jackson's USA telephone number and rent a delux apartment from a North American guy who has upper end apartments and is very organized w / first class customer service. Bad and barts are good solid reliable agencies--they have a history of 98% happy customers. Las Canitas is not centerally located, but a wonderful neighborhood.

[Damman]

Have visited twice, # 1 trip Recoleta, # 2 Las Canitas. Each barrio has its strengths and weaknesses. Agree with what has been said about the neighborhoods. My suggestion for a first time trip would be to go with a North American landlord if possible: Jackson. There is definitely cultural differences with expectations and it has caused problems for me. There is a real comfort zone to be had when working with someone from the same cultural background. That can be priceless when visiting a foreign country for the first time. Landlord / tenant all on the same page. My two cents worth.

[Big Bob 7]

I stayed in Recoleta my first trip and loved it. It was quiet and there was a visible police presence on my block even at 4 AM. Also where I was staying was still relatively close to the Microcentro which was a big deal to me when I first got to BA. After a while Recoleta got to be a pain in the ass because I started meeting chicas and wanting to hang out with them and party all night and the older neighbors in my building starting calling the same cops that were protecting us to harass me. Towards the end of my trip I much prefereed Palermo. There is grafitti and most of the cops disappear at 10PM and you will probably live next to an apartment that is 10 deep with three generations of the same family and LOUD but nobody will hassle you and everyone minds their own business. Also there are more clubs that cater to young people and more varied restaurant choices.

[Kevins]

First time Recoleta.

I Have lived in at least 12 different places (apartments and houses) in Bue and suburbs and for a tourist on your first trip in bue and wanting to live and feel the city there is no place better.

[BadMan]

Depends,

But I do think age is a factor.

If you are interested in a young hip affluent environment, you might want to stick with Palermo or Las Canitas.

If you are looking for a slightly more mature environment, Recoleta might be your best bet.

Whichever neighborhood you do choose, I am sure you will have a good time.

Regards,

BM.

[MCSE]

I would reccomend the better Recoleta for a first timer, I have apartments available in Palermo, you can have fun anywhere, but if you can do everything walking, so why not? However, Buenos Aires is big, if you only want to experience the working chica clubs recoleta it's perfect, but why missing the day, the restaurants, the city itself, although Buenos Aires it's not a touristy city, there are a couple of things you better do in this town: First thing is a Bife de chorizo: Casa Cruz, Uriarte street, Palermo soho, - Pick a girl from Black (ayacucho and alvear) recoleta and have a drink on the Alvear Hotel - Go to Museum Wed night Peru 535, San Telmo - See the race tracks and bid 5 pesos Libertador and Dorrego, Las canitas, buy an excelent wine at Club del Vino Gorostiaga and Soldado de la Independencia, La Imprenta, Golf at the golf course and see the Argentine Polo, then also get to an estancia outside of the city, check out Tigre, Puerto Madero's floating casino, get a ride by Defensa street a Sunday, San Telmo, and see the Tango on the streets of La Boca. Have a coffee at the Tortoni, Avenida de Mayo, congreso, and by the day check out some private apartments in downtown. You can see the Evita's balcony in Monserrat and her tomb in the recoleta's cementery, that woman was raped after death, then brought back to Argentina to the graveyard, interesting story, certanly true. Pizza at Los Inmortales, Corrientes ave, downtown, and a local rock band at Humberto Primo 400 "Mitos Argentinos", San Telmo. You'll probably find something interesting to buy as a souvenir just a block away from there at Cualquier Verdura and crosiing the street there is a guy who refurbishes old classic cars and he exports. That's very close from the winery of Gualterio Bolivar, and the Mercado de San Telmo. You can also have fun with some girls at night on the clubs if you want to Live the Dream, we are going to Pacha and Crobar, Palermo. If you find that special girl you can take her to Maat in Belgrano, if you don't and it's 5 PM you can get to the Orleans cafe and see some cheap hookers in there, just one block away from the former Harrods store, the first Harrods outside England. That's fairly close from "la city portena" http://www.barts.com.ar/barts/citypics.php?location=lacity and that is close to colmegna http://www.colmegna.com.ar to have a massage, but don;t let they give you their happy ending, head to a real puta's apartment like http://www.bonnefemme.com.ar/ on Santa Fe av or cielo private on larrea.

Do not miss the triangle's hook or ness in Downtown around 2:00 AM especially on fridays, to have fun, why not getting one of those girls to Anchorena swinger club and fuck other girls on their premisses, barrio norte, or check out later than 4:00 AM Cocodrilo, just a few blocks away.

As you can see, it really don't matter where are you staying when doing different things in the city as long as you find a nice place, Puerto Madero, Downtown, San Telmo, Barrio Norte, Palermo are those with more offer on short term rentals. Downtown may feel like dark ugly and unsafe especially during the winter, but it's not. Do not let they tell you that cordoba ave and pueyrredon is recoleta because it's not, although on the maps officialy is. However if you will keep yourself pulling girls from Recoleta to your place, it would be better to stay close and in a walking distance to save on cabs and hassle. Good luck.

[Bizzie]

This is great info.

More than I expected!

[Ilcervo]

Hi guys,

Nice thread and very helpful already. I arrive in BA early March, after 5 days in Rio. Looking to follow up on Rio with more of the same. Seems like Recoleta gets the vote. Would anybody stretch to advising a specific apt.

Many thanks.

[Wild Walleye]

A lot of this depends upon that for which you are searching, your Spanish language ability (coming from a complete mutant at Spanish) and comfort level in finding your way around a new city.

I must also say that I have always stayed at places in Recoleta and on the Recoleta side of Centro in my visits so I cannot opine (at least not based on first hand experience on staying in other neighborhoods) I have been all around the city, but prefer to stay in that area.

From my own personal experiences over many visits to Bs As is that Recoleta is a 'quiet' city neighborhood that provides convenience and choices. While it is a touristy area, there are plenty of places just off the beaten path that enable you to partake in non-tourist Bs As. If you desire getting further off the path, get a cab to one of the more hip neighborhoods in Palermo. It is also a short cab ride to Micro Centro where many of my meetings take place.

My preference is to stay near the cemetery (one of Jax's rentals is diagonally across the street from the cemetery in an ideal (in my opinion) location. That way, I am very close to Newport, Madahos, Black, and 1631 Junin (and a short walk to 1707 Ste Fe) which nicely complement the small but growing list of amigas that I 'see' on a recurring basis. You can almost always find cabs in this neighborhood (if you have any trouble finding one just go to the cab stand at the corner of Junin & Vincente Lopez or the one next to La Biela (cafe at Junin & Quintana) There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, bars and chicas to be enjoyed in this neighborhood.

As for safety, I am a believer that no matter where you go in the world, you need to pay attention to your surroundings. Late at night, my preference is for busier streets over deserted wastelands (where I stand out as the only possible target with a wallet in my pocket) Around the cemetery, there is plenty of foot traffic up until 4am. I have wandered back up Callao from Ste. Fe in the 1am-4am time period on many occasions and have felt a little 'exposed' but have done so without incident. As for police presence, I believe that there is a station on Las Heras between Junin & Ayachucho. There are usually uniformed police near the entrance to the cinema (until closing, which is earlier than the bars close) in the mall on Vincente Lopez across from the cemetery and at the entrances / exits to the mall parking garage on Junin and Uriburu.

[Flexible Horn]

There are usually uniformed police near the entrance to the cinema (until closing, which is earlier than the bars close) in the mall on Vincente Lopez across from the cemetery and at the entrances / exits to the mall parking garage on Junin and Uriburu.Not anymore. The entire block is closed and a construction site.

[Chezz]

Not anymore. The entire block is closed and a construction site.Yeah, I was walking to a restaurant on Junin and noticed it was all barricaded. I was a little disapointed as I enjoyed walking around that area, going to the cinema, etc.

Funny thing is, the restaurant I was walking to was where I met Flexible Horn and Exon for the first time. It was called El Parrillon de Recoleta back then, and now it's El Charcarita. I think the food is better now, but it doesn't have the bar area where you can sit and eat. Which is nice if you are dining alone.

Nice to see you still around, FH.

[TejanoLibre]

Yeah, I was walking to a restaurant on Junin and noticed it was all barricaded. I was a little disapointed as I enjoyed walking around that area, going to the cinema, etc.

Funny thing is, the restaurant I was walking to was where I met Flexible Horn and Exon for the first time. It was called El Parrillon de Recoleta back then, and now it's El Charcarita. I think the food is better now, but it doesn't have the bar area where you can sit and eat. Which is nice if you are dining alone.

Nice to see you still around, FH.The ENTIRE theater complex with all it's SHITTY, mall-type restaurants and shops are ALL under construction.

Mc Donald's too.

La Chacrita is the little sister to La Chacra, the TOURIST TRAP next to Lálliance on Cordoba 945.

The food is good enough.

The theater complex will re-open in about a year with all new surround sound, stadium seating, etc, etc.

All new women's clothing shops.

It will once again be a wonderful place to Chica Watch on weekends!

TL

[El Queso]

Until it reopens, it will continue to be a magnet to unsavory elements. With the loss of light and security guards and even cops around, the nooks and crannies in front of the barricades around that end of the block are encouraging young groups of adolescents, young "adults" and such to hang around, from the nearby villa by the railroad and the end of 9 de julio. It's not very far to walk.

There have already been a couple of fairly minor incidents with parking cars near there for one reason or another. I've parked on the street by the mall recently and had to deal with a young little prick that wanted me to pay to protect my car. I know someone else who recently had a shirts-off-it's-fight-time moment over the same thing. He shall remain nameless unless he wants to chime in with further comment:D.

The point is in normal fashion, it has gone from a friendly, cheerful area to a dark, seemingly-haunted area where you need to look over your shoulder a bit more often. Fortunately, it's just seemed to actually stick to that block and hasn't spread - yet.

The Village Recoleta website has info about it if anyone wants to read it in Spanish:

http://villagecines.com/village_recoleta/

Supposedly it will be finished in May, but I can't see it. They seem to be working steadily on it, but it's a bit more than two months to May, three if you count to the end of it. The face is off the building, the floors more or less exposed to the elements, at least in places. Doesn't look like they've come close to finishing the interior work to the point where they are just doing finishing work.

Maybe a year, like TL says.

[Wild Walleye]

Yeah, I was walking to a restaurant on Junin and noticed it was all barricaded. I was a little disapointed as I enjoyed walking around that area, going to the cinema, etc.

Funny thing is, the restaurant I was walking to was where I met Flexible Horn and Exon for the first time. It was called El Parrillon de Recoleta back then, and now it's El Charcarita. I think the food is better now, but it doesn't have the bar area where you can sit and eat. Which is nice if you are dining alone.

Nice to see you still around, FH.Been away too long.

I still like the bod on the hostess (Belen) at Charcarita (yes, Jax, the one with the hair covering one eye) She looks great in those tight black pants.

[Chezz]

Been away too long.

I still like the bod on the hostess (Belen) at Charcarita (yes, Jax, the one with the hair covering one eye) She looks great in those tight black pants.I didn't see her the other night. But I must say that the Ojo de Bife was one of the best I've had in the last 5 years. Absolutely perfect. Even the service was friendly and efficient. I've never been to the main La Charcra on Cordoba, and probably won't go based on what I've read.

I'm actually heading over to Lálliance this evening to sample their fare. TL has worn me down and I'm going over to give him my business.

Salud!