Almagro: Places of Interest

Anyone wanting to explore ‘the real Buenos Aires’ could easily spend a pleasant few hours wandering the streets of Almagro, an underrated middle-class neighborhood in the heart of the city.

Las Violetas Cafe

Almagro’s number one tourist attraction is the grand Las Violetas, a 125-year old confitería that instantly transports visitors to a more congenial time period.

Almagro has much more to offer than just afternoon tea though.

San Carlos Church & Basilica

A picture of the Almagro neighborhood's Basilica and Cathedral — The San Carlos Cathedral

A short walk from Las Violetas is the imposing Romanesque revival style Inglesía y Basílica San Carlos Borromeo. Completed in 1878, is considered one of most beautiful churches in Buenos Aires.

While there, stroll Pasaje San Carlos, a charming 50-meter footpath alongside the cathedral.

Plaza Almagro & Sunday Book Fair

From there, head to the unimaginatively named square, Plaza Almagro the neighborhood’s only plaza. Here kids giggle on the merry-go-round, old men are engrossed in games of chess on the checkered tables and carnival troupes practice their dancing or drum beats.

On Saturday mornings in the plaza there is a food/second-hand goods market and on Sundays there’s a book fair.

A centerpiece in the plaza plays monument to the Argentine flag and a headstone represents Vicente San Lorenzo, author of the tango song named after the barrio, a favorite of crooner Carlos Gardel.

Tango in Almagro

Tango-lovers can dance the night away at the bohemian milonga La Catedral, or head to Lo de Roberto for some cramped authentic warbling. Serious tango aficionados may want to check out the Fundación Casa de Tango, founded by musician, Osvaldo Pugliese, for seminars, classes and shows.

Almagro Flower Market

Close to the main square along Acuña de Figeroa is the Almagro flower market, purported to be the largest in Latin America. Argentina is the third biggest consumer of flowers in the world and Almagro’s market moves 400,000 baskets of flowers per year.

The shops are open 24 hours just in case you really need a bunch of roses at four in the morning to apologize for some tango-related disaster. Rumors persist about the availability of illegal substances at the market, which helps to explain how it could be economically feasible to keep a flower stand open all night.

Murgas and Miscellaneous

Seasonal party-goers should take note that Almagro has one of the biggest corsos (parades) in the city during February’s carnival season. Head to Corrientes and Medrano to see murga groups dancing, singing and chanting and soak up the party atmosphere.

Though not really a tourist destination Almagro is also home to Latin America’s first library for the blind. Today the library offers an abundance of activities for the seeing-impaired and participates in the Buenos Aires’ largest yearly event, the Feria del Libro.

Another source of neighborhood pride is the famous and the very old school, Almagro Boxing Club. This is the seat of the Argentine Boxing Federation and is where world champion Pedro Decima trained.

Much of Almagro’s pride is wrapped up in the home team, the San Lorenzo soccer club, considered one of the city’s top five teams. The club is currently in a legal battle to try to reclaim their stadium in the area. They say they were forced to sell the stadium during the military dictatorship and are now demanding it back. The problem is there is now a large supermarket on their beloved ground. Club members can be seen protesting about this issue in the center of town.

Getting to Almagro

Subte: Take the B line till Medrano, or the A line until Castro Barros.

Buses: 2, 5, 7, 8, 19, 24, 26, 36, 56, 65, 71, 75, 84, 85, 86, 88, 92, 96, 99, 103, 104, 105, 109, 115, 124, 127 128, 132, 141, 151, 160, 165, 168, 180, 181

San Carlos Church & Basilica
Quintino Bocayuva 144

Plaza Almagro
Sarmiento & Juan Domingo Perón

La Catedral
Sarmiento 4006

Bar de Roberto
Bulnes 331

Fundación Casa de Tango
Guardia Vieja 4049
Tel: 4863-0463

Almagro Flower Market
Acuña de Figeroa y Sarmiento

Almagro Boxing Club
Diaz Vélez 4422

Almagro: A Slice of Middle Class Porteño Life

Almagro, an area which borders no less than eight other neighborhoods, is often overlooked by tourists. It therefore remains an unspoiled, authentic and appealing slice of middle-class porteño life. It is safer than San Telmo, less pretentious than Palermo, and centrally located.

Women sitting on benches in Plaza Almagro — Enjoying the sun in Plaza Almagro

Almagro is a high-density sector where everyone knows their neighbors. It’s chock-a-block with everyday specialist shops, grocers, butchers, hardware stores, toyshops and launderettes as well as a multitude of cafes and ice-cream parlors. While drab in spots, a huge flower markets on Acuña de Figeroa street gives the neighborhood a splash of color.

Here, gossiping neighbors catch up on corners, old ladies cluster round vegetable stalls to complain about the price of tomatoes and folks of all ages share the national drink mate in the main plaza, Plaza Almagro.

Nearby universities mean that Almagro is the barrio (area) of choice for many students. Catering to the student crowd are trendy bars and cafes, many of them clustered around the happening corner Guardia Vieja and Bulnes.

In recent years, new establishments have moved into Almagro, cemented the area’s reputation as one of Buenos Aires’ most liveable and up-and-coming barrios.

History of Almagro – Early Years

Almagro was once merely an extension of the San José de Flores neighborhood and was fertile, green and full of orchards and farm animals. Spaniard, Juan Maria Almagro y de la Torre bought 18 hectares of land in 1839, which was enough to get the area named after him. His family’s quinta, or country house was on the corner of Medrano y Rivadavía, where the historic cafe Las Violetas stands today.

He also donated the money to build Almagro’s first train station in 1857, which ran along the first railway line in Buenos Aires, inaugurated that very same year. This was crucial for the growth of the barrio and the train line ran for 30 years before it was closed. Later, a tramway run by horses on what is now the corner of Medrano and Corrientes, further increased connections with the rest of the capital.

The continuation of Medrano is the main street of Castro Barros, which was once one of the most important thoroughfares in Buenos Aires. The street was then referred to as ‘camino a los huseos’ (road of the bones) because carts that passed by coming from the slaughterhouses often left a trail of animal bones behind them. These days, this avenue is populated by buses and high-rise buildings and thankfully, any signs of animal remains are long gone.

Immigrant Arrivals and the Birth of Almagro’s Tango Scene

In 1870, Almagro’s land began to be sold off by the firm Rodríguez, Larrosa y Cía. As a yellow fever epidemic hit the center of Buenos Aires many of the upper class moved into their country houses in Almagro in an attempt to escape the fever. It worked, and many of these families are still in the neighborhood, generations later.

Another large wave of mostly Basque and Italian immigrants arrived in the area between 1895 and 1914. These groups lived in large conventillos (immigrant hotels), which soon became notorious for noisy late night scraps between residents before the neighborhood ceded to the middle class.

Along with the second wave of immigration to the neighborhood came tango. Buenos Aires favorite tango singer Carlos Gardel, who lived in neighboring Abasto, first sang to an audience in an Almagro bar — a fact many in the barrio will recount proudly. He also recorded a 1930 tango named after the neighborhood.

Although the tango legend was killed in a plane crash in 1935 his spirit lives on in Almagro. There are various milongas (tango halls) in the area and the Fundación Casa de Tango, a tango house on Guardia Vieja street was founded in 1967. The foundation promotes the role of tango in porteño life, and offers shows, classes and seminars.

The Arts in Almagro

Graffiti of a heart that says 'Esto es Almagro' — Neighborhood pride: This is Almagro! —photos: Rosie Hilder

Almagro has long been bursting with creative types, aristocratic literari and political activists. The historic cafe Las Violetas is famed for the notable figures who used to gather here. Although more touristy today, the coffeehouse still holds a certain air of prestige, and its entirely possible that the next breakout novelist may be seen scribbling in the corner.

Almagro also has an abundance of small, independent theaters referred to as ‘teatro under’ or alternative theater. The small community playhouses here contrast starkly to the bright lights and big crowds of Corrientes, Buenos Aires’ mainstream theater district.

These theaters, music venues, cultural centers and bars means that wandering around the barrio it is easy to stumble upon crowds of people gathered in small spaces for live music, acting, poetry, photography or even stand-up comedy.

Cultural centers and schools in the neighborhood also offer courses in skills as diverse as clowning, Arabic dance or sculpture. —Rosie Hilder

→ Read more: Places of Interest in Almagro

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Belgrano: A Taste of Britain in Buenos Aires

If the giant leafy neighborhood of Palermo are the lungs of Buenos Aires, then its next-door neighbor Belgrano comprises the rest of the pulmonary system.

This substantial barrio contains a nice mix of bustling commercial streets and quiet tree-lined residential avenues. Named for Argentine forefather and creator of the Argentine flag, Manuel Belgrano, this neighborhood has a refreshing mix of city life within a family-oriented urban community.

Belgrano’s Green Areas

Belgrano’s cobbled sidewalks, shaded by enormous trees, are a pleasure to stroll, especially with the plethora of cafés, confiterías (pastry shops), and restaurants found along well-established streets such as Juramento and Luis Maria Campos.

It is nearly impossible to walk more than five Belgrano blocks without running into a beautiful plaza or a stretch of green alongside a busy road. Many fancier but not quite ostentatious locales are tucked away on less-traveled streets, between apartments, schools and an abundance of supermarkets.

Main plazas and parks include Manuel Belgrano Plaza on Juramento, Parque San Benito and Las Barrancas de Belgrano, where three plazas meet along a terraced green area. The well–traveled Avenida del Libertador is also a lovely pathway that includes a bike trail.

Orientation

Belgrano is located north of Palermo alongside the River Plate. It encompasses the major streets of Juramento, Cramer, Libertador, Luis Maria Campos, and Cabildo, and is bordered by Avenida Congresso and Avenida de los Incas.

Three subte (subway) stops are located within Belgrano all along Avenido Cabildo: José Hernandez, Juramento, and Congresso De Túcuman. Bus access is good throughout the neighborhood, and several bike paths exist with the promise of more to come.

Neighborhoods of Belgrano

Belgrano is divided into four sub-sections.’Belgrano C’ is the commercial district.’Belgrano R’ is a wealthy residential area with lovely ivy-strewn mansions. ‘Bajo Belgrano’ or ‘Belgrano Chico’ contains Ciudad Universitaria, part of the university of Buenos Aires, and Chinatown. The 37-block area of ‘Barrio River’ is so-called because it contains the stadium for the River Plate soccer team.

Since the 19th century Belgrano, along with neighboring Coghlan, was home to upper-middle class British immigrants. The influence is seen in Victorian-era homes and schools such as the Belgrano Day School and the Buenos Aires English High School. The once-strong Irish presence is revered with Irish pubs and the Fahy Club, known for its Irish step-dancing troupe, Celtic Argentina.

A lingering German presence in Belgrano is noted with a yearly Oktoberfest celebration and the barrio’s own dying dialect known as ‘Belgrano-Deutsch,’ a WWII-era mix of German and Spanish.

Belgrano Attractions

WA-belgrano-Saramiento Museum — photos: Hernan Jourdan

Along with the many supermarkets, vegetable and fruit stands in Belgrano, health food stores are commonplace. Belgrano’s most popular attraction is its ultimate alternative food destination, Barrio Chino.

For athletic attire and mid-range to pricier clothing, Avenida Cabildo is a one-stop shopping destination, particularly between Jose Hernandez and Juramento subway stations. Independent artisans display their wares daily along the sidewalks around Juramento and Cabildo.

Several private universities are in Belgrano, along with multiple private language learning centers.

Belgrano’s cultural offerings include the Museo de Arte Español Enrique Larreta, a Spanish art museum located in the writer and art collector’s former home.

Museo Casa de Yrutia is found in the turn of the 19th century home of sculpture Rogelio Yrurtia and displays a number of his works.

The historic Saramiento Museum in the former Belgrano townhall contains a collection of objects dating to the presidency of Domingo Saramiento.

-Alana Fichman

The Real La Boca: Barrio of Solidarity

La Boca is a major sightseeing hot spot in Buenos Aires, but visitors rarely stay here at night. The ‘hit-and-run’ style tourism in the southern neighborhood causes some to write it off as a gimmicky tourist trap.

If you peak behind the colorful façades though, La Boca is one of Buenos Aires’ most authentic barrios and it has been for a long time.

Due to the area’s early influx of immigrants and isolation from the rest of the city, La Boca has a rich cultural history and a long track record of community solidarity, social anarchist politics and a lively arts scene.

At the end of the 19th century, La Boca was to Buenos Aires what Montmartre was to Paris — a sometimes seedy mecca for emerging immigrant artists, in their own little world apart from the city.

As early as 1877 the Cosmopolitan, Philharmonic Friendly Society of La Boca formed to promote the arts and subsequently theaters popped up all over the district. There were also a number of neighborhood publications in Spanish and Italian, including El Ancla, El Riachuelo, El Progreso de La Boca and El Naciónal, a publication that lasted until the 1940’s.

The Independent Republic of La Boca

In the 1880’s the zone seceded from Argentina and was briefly declared, ‘The Independent Republic of La Boca.’

AlfredoPalacios — Alfredo Palacios in 1961

A few versions circulate about how the revolt happened. The most popular narrative is that in 1882 young La Boca residents, tired of receiving low wages, liberated themselves and raised the Genoese flag of their homeland. Although the history books make it seem as if it was a rag-tag effort, then-President Julio A. Roca gathered his army and visited the site to lower the flag himself.

The lively politics didn’t stop the neighborhood’s growth, and millions of mostly European immigrants, many political exiles, would come through La Boca in the following years.

In 1904 La Boca elected Alfredo Palacios to the Argentine congress. He was the first socialist representative in all of Latin America. Palacios had a long and fruitful career lasting until 1965. He was behind the creation of many Argentine labor laws, especially concerning women and children.

La Boca Today

Today La Boca is still a neighborhood with many immigrants, mostly Bolivians, Paraguayans, Peruvians and some Arabs, Africans and artists from other parts of Latin America.

Some of La Boca’s homes are still conventillos (community style housing). As in nearby San Telmo, some of those are casas tomadas, or squats occupied by residents marginalized by their nationality, poverty and/or lack of education.

The brightly painted homes (themselves the result of a 1950’s effort to revive the district), the overpriced restaurants and sidewalk tango dancers in the neighborhood’s epicenter are just a photo-worthy part of the bigger picture.

The volunteer fire brigade of La Boca, founded in 1884, was the first to form in the country. Today the firefighters are still volunteers and are viewed as national heroes and the city’s quickest responders. La Boca is also home to one of the country’s first community radio stations, La Boca 90.1 FM, founded in 1986.

La Boca also enjoys some of the city’s best candombe groups and murgas (music and dance troops) highlighting the mark early Afro-Argentines left on the neighborhood.

Community gardens, with participation levels that wax and wane from season to season, are dotted on abandoned plots throughout the neighborhood.

“The real La Boca begins when the tourists go home, at around six p.m. or so,” says Laura Barroso, a lifelong resident of the neighborhood. “It’s full of tenements so everyone is always on the street — it’s like the patio of the neighborhood. People hang out in the street, eat in the street and everyone pretty much knows each other.”

If you’d like to check out La Boca on a safe and fun tour, see our walking and bike tours or get in touch via our contact form.

→ Check out the La Boca tours on our curated tour list

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La Boca & El Caminito

La Boca, the Buenos Aires’ neighborhood famed for its colorful houses, its tango and its soccer team, is the one spot that makes every visitor’s agenda.

The centerpiece is the cobblestone strip, El Caminito, or little walkway. The one-time railway route is lined with the bright facades that make La Boca postcard perfect.

Named for a 1926 tango song, the pedestrian lane features an outdoor fair where artists sell their wares and tango dancers prance along the sidewalk in between photo ops with tourists.

But there’s much more to La Boca than what meets the casual tourist’s eye. Like New York City’s Lower East Side and London’s East End, La Boca was the neighborhood where new immigrants first established themselves when they arrived in Buenos Aires.

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Due to safety issues, La Boca is the one neighborhood in Buenos Aires for which we strongly recommend a tour, either a full-day or half-day tour that includes La Boca and other famous spots such as Plaza de Mayo with our Irish friend, or if you’re adventurous, a full-day bike tour that include La Boca and Caminto.

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The neighborhood may derive its name from its location at ‘La Boca’ (the mouth) of the Riochuelo, as the Mantanza River is usually called.

The port-side barrio is an obvious point for boats to come ashore and historians say the Spanish first landed in La Boca as early as 1536.

During their early colonial expansion the colonizers housed African slaves in this area. After Argentina gained independence many of the freed stayed. With the arrival of the industrial revolution La Boca grew into a gritty shipyard area with meat curing plants and tanneries.

Xeneizes, Tango and Lunfardo

Mass settlement in La Boca began in 1830, with an influx of immigrants from Genoa, Italy. Coming from a port city, it was natural for the Genoese to settle along the Buenos Aires waterfront. There were so many Genoese in La Boca at that time that some say the name is a spin-off of the name Boccadasse, a neighborhood in Genoa.

The new arrivals constructed tenements made of scrap metal and painted the shacks with bright leftover marine paint to liven up the one-time wasteland.

Soon the Italians were joined by immigrants from Spain, France, England, Ireland, Eastern Europe and Greece and among others. The cross-cultural mix gave birth to tango, although the term wouldn’t be coined until the end of the 1890’s. Factory and port workers would gather to dance in the central halls of the tenements and vie to grab the attention of the few women available at the time.

La Boca also played a fundamental part in the creation of the Argentine slang, lunfardo. The vocabulary grew out of cocoliche, a mix of Italian dialects that immigrants used to communicate with each other. Even the barrio’s famous soccer team, La Boca Juniors are also called Los Xeneizes, derived from the word for ‘Genoese’ in the Italian dialect.

By the turn of the 19th century the area was the second most populated zone in Buenos Aires but the construction of a new port in Puerto Madero meant the shipping industry would move northward. As Argentina entered its golden era, residents moved further inland and La Boca began to decline.

La Boca’s Revival

A revival of El Caminito and La Boca in the 1950’s was led by artist, Quinquela Martín. The famed La Boca orphan was abandoned at birth, adopted and spent a good portion of his childhood in La Boca. After studying drawing at a La Boca night school, he ended up becoming one of Argentina’s most famous painters and a major neighborhood philanthropist.

After the General Roca railway train line, which ran through here shut down in 1954, Martín set to work to save the barrio. He gathered neighbors to paint the houses bright colors, emulating the early immigrants. The artists began to host outdoor theater here utilizing the colorful houses as part of the backdrop.

At the urging of Martín, in 1959 the city government officially declared the street El Caminito an open-air museum. It’s named in honor of Martín’s friend, Juan de Dios Filibrito, a former La Boca resident who co-authored the tango tune of the same name.

Safety in La Boca

As in most places where a popular tourist attraction sits in the middle of an economically disadvantaged neighborhood, La Boca can be dangerous for visitors who stray off the tourist path.

Most just see El Caminito, its the few surrounding streets and La Bombonera the stadium where Diego Maradona became ‘God’ for his fans.

For brave low-profile travelers who want to explore more of the neighborhood, there are many interesting sites here, just don’t carry anything you can’t afford to lose.

A nice way to explore a La Boca with relative anonymity is by bicycle or go for strength in numbers and take a tour.

If you are headed to La Boca at night to eat in one of its many cantinas such as the El Obrero steakhouse or to dance tango, the usual advice is to take a taxi or uber to and from your destination.

La Boca Safety Tips:

• Don’t carry anything you can’t afford to lose

• Be careful straying off the tourist path, which includes El Caminito and the few surrounding blocks.

• Don’t ever wear a River Plate shirt to La Boca — that’s the soccer team’s biggest rival and you’d be asking for trouble!

→ Do you need Travel Insurance for Argentina?

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Getting to La Boca:

–Subway: There is no subway to La Boca

–Bus lines:

20, 25, 29, 33, 46, 53, 64, 86, 129, 152, 159, 168, 195

Tours & Bike Rental:

→ Check the La Boca tours on our curated tour list