What to do in Buenos Aires: the craft travel guide
A rich history and unique material culture give this bold South American capital its flavour. Find out where craft lovers should visit, shop, eat and stay
Lifestyle writer Vanessa Bell talks us through the highlights in her hometown – BA, the bustling Argentinian capital – with a focus on craft, creativity and architecture. Also giving their tips are artist Cristian Mohaded, who draws on the ancestral craftsmanship of his native Catamarca province, and contemporary knitwear designer Maydi, who works with premium Argentine vicuña, guanaco, and llama wool.
Visit
Once the home of Argentine writer, diplomat and collector Enrique Larreta, who lived here until his death in 1961, this museum boasts his lavish collection of religious art and decorative pieces, collected during his time in Spain. The Andalusian Garden offers a contemplative retreat, complete with bubbling fountains and perfectly manicured box hedging. It’s one of my favourite spots to while away an hour or two with a good book.
Av. Juramento 2291, C1428DNK
This museum was founded in 1986 to raise awareness and preserve the works of Alejandro Xul Solar, an Argentine painter, sculptor, writer, and inventor of imaginary languages, board games and instruments. The fantastic brutalist remodel incorporates Xul's original dwelling, a project carried out by local architect Pablo Tomas Beitia. The permanent collection offers a comprehensive introduction to the artist's eclectic work.
Laprida 1212, C1425EKF
This grand ornamental building takes up a whole city block and was designed originally as a water pumping station. It dates from 1887 and is a reflection of Argentina's important standing and extraordinary wealth at the time. Royal Doulton was commissioned to produce 300,000 ceramic pieces and glazed bricks for this extraordinary building. These were shipped over from England, lending the building its marked Arts and Crafts style.
Riobamba 750, C1025ABP
The shop is a good place to find inexpensive gifts to take home to family Taller Galería Dawa displays work by potters from across Buenos Aires
Shop
This collective displays and sells the works of an eclectic mix of ceramic studios and potters from across Buenos Aires from their studio space in the Bohemian neighborhood of San Telmo. From crockery and beautifully glazed Japanese teapots to decorative sushi trays and vases, the diverse array of styles and palettes shows how versatile the medium is. The pieces are inexpensive and ideal gifts to take home for friends and family.
Estados Unidos 381, C1101
Fernanda Gil and her husband Gustavo Ganci consistently hand pick the best of Argentina's up and coming designers for their shop, with a focus on those using artisanal practices and natural materials sourced within the country. Hand tufted rugs, marble and travertine vases, furniture, ceramics, and carved wooden sculptures are some of the items on display, as well as their own capsule collection of timeless furniture.
Cap. Gral. Ramón Freire 1517, C1426
Carbone is a menswear label drawing on Argentina's rich tailoring legacy as well as its ancestral textile traditions, working with artisans to produce small-scale capsule collections. Mixing timeless sharp-cut suits with embroidered embellishments, this folk-inspired label has faithful followers of both sexes. Carbone showcases his collections at Paris Fashion Week and has buyers from Korea and Japan snapping up his creations.
Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear 2042, C1122AAF
The rooms are decked out with Argentine accents Hub Porteño is a calm hotel in the Recoleta district
Stay
This small boutique hotel is located in the Recoleta district just off the main tourist drag, making it a calm and restful environment. The rooms are decked out with Argentine accents, from throws made of llama wool, to leather upholstery and cowhide rugs, and marble-finished bathrooms. The downstairs bar, replete with local Argentine art, is ideal for a pre-dinner cocktail.
Rodríguez Peña 1967, C1021ABO
This boutique hotel has set the benchmark for hotel design in BA for over 20 years and manages to combine a style conscious aesthetic with cosiness. The mid-century furniture and vintage wallpaper are signature elements of the hotel's look, sourced from owners Patricia and Tom's private collection. The rooms range from standard to the poolside suite and capacious loft, which offer privacy and a peaceful ambience.
Honduras 5860, C1414
This boutique hotel is owned by Francis Ford Coppola and bears all of the film director’s visual hallmarks as he was actively involved in its interior design process. Each of the seven bedrooms is named after one of his children. There’s also a studio where he spends time writing when he visits, a living room and the secluded garden, a verdant oasis. There is also a solar heated pool.
Gorriti 4746, C1414 BJL
A dish at Fico, a foodie paradise in an industrial neighbourhood The dona is a dreamy fluffy doughnut with sweet potato and dulce de leche ice cream
Eat
This new bistro is the new home of two highly respected chefs Estefania Maioriano and Martin Sclippa. Located in the industrial area of Villa Crespo between car mechanic workshops, this restaurant is a discerning foodie's paradise. Stand out dishes are the unctuous beef with a jus reduction, sweet potato mille-feuille and crunchy green beans, and crispy chicken served with mushrooms and noisette potatoes. Don't miss ordering the dona, a dreamy fluffy doughnut with sweet potato and dulce de leche ice cream.
Muñecas 775, C1414
Cristian Mohaded regularly frequents this unpretentious bistro because of its no-nonsense approach and relaxed atmosphere. ‘I like that it’s off the beaten track, you wouldn't stumble upon it by accident,’ he says. ‘I also like that their food is basic yet with a touch of sophistication. The old school metal chairs and formica table, the 1980s-style enamel dishes which they use to serve the potato tortilla sandwich or the croquettes. It's a wonderful place to take friends or celebrate a birthday.’
Dr. Luis Beláustegui 396, C1414
This downtown failsafe preserves the Porteño spirit of yesteryear. The old school waiters have been on the job for decades, and the businessmen and hardcore regulars religiously prop up the bar any given day for an express lunch: the menu of classic Argentine dishes that never fails to deliver. I often satisfy my hankering for a great steak, crispy fries and green salad when I visit. Round off with a 'flan mixto', creme caramel with dulce de leche and whipped cream, because it would be rude not to.
Paraguay 489, Paraguay 499, 1057
Contemporary knitwear designer Maydi, who works with hand-knitted and loomed pieces using premium Argentine wool, regularly frequents Restó. Having lived over ten years in Paris before moving back to BA to set up her label, she loves its unpretentious bistro essence and intimate setting. 'The dishes are always a delight, designed with ingredients of exceptional quality.'
Montevideo 938, C1019
