| Something I love to do, especially when I'm traveling solo in a city, is to put all the things I want to see on a Google map and plot a walk. I'm never concerned about how long I'm out, and I don't care much where I end up. I can always take a ride-share or taxi wherever I need to go when I'm tired. The whole point is just to wander and see what I see. I did that in Buenos Aires. Walking from my hotel in Palermo and ending up in San Telmo, followed by the most wonderful (but embarrassingly early by BA standards) dinner at Lonely Planet-recommended Mengano. The walk took me through a gorgeous blooming garden, past storied monuments where mothers still protested the disappearance of their children and into the Cementerio de la Recoleta, where I got ever so lost searching for Evita's famed tomb. Finally, I ended my walk browsing the market in San Telmo. Buenos Aires flowed from posh to gritty and back again like a crisp blazer paired with your dad's old band t-shirt. It met me with vibrant humor and dynamic energy. Spend a perfect day on foot in Buenos Aires with our guide to the city's top experiences. | | | Raised in Silverthorne, Colorado, I live in Nashville with my partner, two kids, a dog named Wyatt and a cat named Friday. I love far-flung adventures, my favorite place is always the last place I went and awe is my favorite feeling. | | |  | Feria de San Telmo, Buenos Aires | | | | A few shuttle companies operate in the Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini's arrivals hall. You'll also find the city's official taxi stand; look for a blue sign that says "Taxi Ezeiza". | | | A long skirt for nights out that swings just right when you dance the tango. Or breezy slacks and a linen button-down for nights on the town. | | | Mine Hotel is a sleek boutique property with a perfect Palermo location. | | | Arrive on a Thursday or Friday as the city truly comes alive on the weekends. The Feria de San Telmo is only hosted on Sundays. | | | | Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays, Buenos Aires | | A perfect Buenos Aires wander | Morning
With my LP Buenos Aires guide tucked in my cross-body and coffee from LAB firmly in hand, I ducked into Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays because I am deeply of the opinion that antique greenhouses are the most perfect buildings. Once I'd breathed my share of early morning flowers, I continued on through the neighborhood searching for the best boutiques like Libros del Pasaj, where I eyed the art books and bought a book by Argentine short-story writer Jorge Luis Borges before grabbing lunch at Norte.
| Afternoon
I continued on through Plaza de Mayo to honor the madres who have stood in protest since 1977 after their children were disappeared by the military dictatorship that held power from 1976 to 1983 (they are currently only there on Thursdays), and then I hightailed it to Cementerio de la Recoleta. I could wander among these tombs for days. There is something about the maze of monuments to those long past that makes me feel as if time no longer exists. Afterward, I strolled through the wrought iron Mercado de San Telmo and flipped through tango records before sipping a coffee at a cafe while I browsed my new book.
| | | Evening
I went straight to Mengano, where I ate at the bar at the earliest seating (8pm) while the restaurant filled up. I savored my empanaditas and malbec to the sound of friends relaxing into their evenings.
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