Wander Argentina

The Teatro Colón: Argentina’s Most Resplendent Theater

One of Buenos Aires’ finest landmarks, the grand Teatro Colón occupies an entire city block and an even larger space in the hearts and minds of Argentines. The theater is rated as one of the best five opera houses in the world for acoustics and overall comes in at number three, after La Scala in […]

The World’s Most Elegant Burger King

All along Buenos Aires downtown Florida Street visitors will find beautiful historic buildings occupied by multinational corporate chains—it’s an unfortunate reality for traditionalists but these buildings, unlike the Naval Center and Argentine Rural Society, are some of the most accessible for viewing. The most notable example is found on the corner of Corrientes and Florida […]

The Obelisk: Yesterday and Today

Buenos Aires’ most famous monument, El Obelisco (The Obelisk) extends out from the city’s midriff like a giant pencil – standing proudly erect as the unofficial center, symbol and rallying point of this sprawling metropolis. Since its construction in 1936, it has suffered its fair share of figurative ups and downs, yet has remained a […]

Galerías Pacífico: Florida Street’s Shopping Mall

The 1991 debut of the 180-store Galerías Pacífico shopping mall is what saved downtown’s Florida Street from becoming a complete ghost town in the 1990’s. Its opening was also a financial blow to the already hemorrhaging Harrods Buenos Aires a block away, and in part led to that department store’s closing in 1998. The 1889 […]

The Plaza de Mayo: Argentina’s Most Famous Square

The Plaza de Mayo is as fundamental to Argentine political history as La Boca and homesick immigrants are to tango. The square is a political hub, financial and administrative center and throughout history has been a symbol of disaster, rebellion and hope. In May 1810 the revolution began in what was then called the Plaza […]

Florida Street: Galería Güemes Through the Years

Galería Güemes is another art nouveau jewel on downtown’s Florida Street, but you wouldn’t know it from glancing at it street side. After a 1971 fire caused serious damage to the exterior of the 1915 building it was modernized and rebuilt with a rather unfortunate glass façade, but the first floor retains the beautiful […]