In Palermo, there is something for everyone. Here some of Buenos Aires' most expensive restaurants intermix with the bars of the Plaza Serrano.
On weekends, the Bosques de Palermo and Rose Garden are ideal spots for walking, playing soccer, and for boat rides.
The city largest and greenest neighborhood, it subdivides into several smaller but distinct units. Palermo Chico, Palermo Viejo, which further subdivides into Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood, and Las Cañitas.
With nearly 350 acres of parks, wooded areas, and lakes, designed by French landscape architect Charles Thays in 1874, Palermo provides a peaceful escape form the rush of downtown. Families flock here on weekends to picnic, suntan, bicycle, in-line skate, and jog.
The Polo field, where the most important polo matches in the world are held, and racetrack make this area the city's nerve center for equestrian activities.
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Palermo Chico Circuit
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1. TV Channel 7
Intersection of Avenida Figueroa Alcorta and Tagle
This is the site of TV Channel 7 which was inaugurated by the military dictatorship some time before the Worldwide Football Championship of 1978 which took place in Argentina. It was a high-priced and unpractical work. However, it was the final step to put an end to the permanent transfer of TV studios of the State TV. The first program transmitted by Channel 7 was the celebration of the Day of the Loyalty, on October 17, 1951. The building structure resembles Le Corbusier. The style combines simple and cubic volumes with the repetition of pre-manufactured elements contrasting with the external ventilation tubes and the electric wiring, which added a decorative value.
In front of Channel 7, on Tagle avenue, the Chilean Embassy is located. The building was made by the architects Bouchard and Etchenique. It was inaugurated in 1969. The complete functionality of the building can be observed by the facade covered by Mar del Plata stone.
2. Palermo Chico. Barrio-Parque
Perimeter: Tagle, Av. Libertador, Salguero and Juez Tedín
The architect Carlos Thays set the limits of Palermo Chico area in 1912. His intention was to organize a ‘neighborhood-park’ with curved and irregular streets plenty of green spaces in full contraposition with the regular Spanish square grill of the rest of the city streets drawing. Within his plans of urbanization, Thays promotes the use of local vegetation, as well as to plant Tipas, Jacarandas, Palos Borracho, Lapachos and Ceibos. Then, palaces of a high classic style started to be built. Today, many of them are foreign embassies: Sweden, Poland, Saudi Arabian Kingdom, Switzerland, Iran, Haiti, Uruguay and Belgium, among others.
3. "El Arquero de San Sebastián" Monument
Intersection of Avenida del Libertador and Mariscal R. Castilla
It was built by the Argentine sculptor Alberto Lagos. It represents a regretful archer trying to break his arch after participating in the San Sebastian surplice. San Sebastian has been a predicator of the Catholicism, at the time of Diocesano empire.
4. Sanmartiniano Institute Grand Bourg Square.
Intersection of Mariscal Castilla and Aguado streets
The institute, devoted to preserve the memory of San Martin, was founded in 1933 by José Pacífico Otero. The work was made by the architect Julio Salas. It was inaugurated in 1946. This is a replica at scale of his house in Grand Bourg. Several busts surrounds the building: San Martín’s, his daughter Mercedes’ and his wife Remedios’.
A few meters away, you can see the monument "El Abuelo Inmortal" (the immortal grandfather) made in 1951 by the Argentine sculptor Ángel Ibarra García. At the inauguration, a piece of ground from Chile and Peru was placed on the fundamental stone. The sculpture represents San Martín when he was old and accompanied by his granddaughters. This is the only monument which represents him in civil status and old. Bas-reliefs of the base are named: "Cultivando sus dalias"; "En la ribera del Sena"; "Limpiando sus armas".
5. Victoria Ocampo House and Embassy of Belgium
Rufino Elizalde 2831
Victoria Ocampo’s house was built in 1929 by the architect Alejandro Bustillo. The rationalist style is typical of that age. During the 30’s, the modernist style started to be spread and all along Avenida del Libertador big buildings were built, buildings which can be seen still today. The house, praised by Le Corbusier, today is a property of the National Fund of Arts.
Rufino Elizalde 2830
In front of the house, you can see the Embassy of Belgium. The architect Alejandro Bustillo had designed this building to be the residence of the Tornquist family, who had lived there only two years. Then, the residence was purchased by the Belgium government. The building was constructed in 1930. The academic façade was inspired on the French Baroque, that is why it is totally symmetric. The central body, where the entrance is placed, is crowned by a frontis supported by four fluted columns and Corinthian capitals. The lateral wings of the residence are composed by a small curved body and a straight one that follows the land shape.
6. Chile Square and its sculptures
Avenida del Libertador and Castilla
At the square, you can see important art works:
Gabriela Mistral’s Bust
This an art work made by the sculptor Luis Perlotti in homage to the Chilean writer. Nobel Award 1945. Among her works, the most important ones are: "Desolación" (1922); "Ternura" (1924); "Tala" (1939); "Lagar" (1954). In 1910, she was a teacher of Pablo Neruda at the lyceum.
Pablo Neruda’s Bust
Homage to the Chilean writer who was born in Parral in 1904. His true name is Ricardo Elisier Neftali Reyes. He has been the author of "100 cartas de amor"; "20 poemas de amor y una canción desesperada"; "Los versos del capitán"; and "Residencia en la tierra", among many others.
General O\' Higgins’ Monument
Made by the sculptor Gino Córdova in homage to the hero of the Chilean independence. Its two reliefs represent the battles of Maipu and Chacabuco. A female image represents the Freedom; made in bronze on a base of polished red granite.
Monument to the collaborators of the General San Martín campaign
This work represents the closest San Martín collaborators, who have been, among others: the Marshal Ramón Castilla —made by the sculptor Tono Sino, in 1953—, Alejandro Aguado —made by Roselli—, General Martín de Pueyrredón —made by the sculptor Wilfredo Villadrich—, General Las Heras —made by Arias, 1970—, General Álvarez de Arenales —by H.A.Ruiz, 1971—, and General Juan Martín de Güemes —by Mario Huigulti—. The monument is completed by an image of Nuestra Señora Del Carmen de Cuyo, —made by the sculptor Quintino Piana, 1950—.
7. National Museum of Decorative Art
Av. del Libertador 1902 (at the intersection of Pereyra Lucena)
This museum is located at the ancient French-neoclassic-style residence of Errázuriz Alvear. The Chilean diplomatist Matías Errázuriz ordered the construction of this residence based on the plans of the French architect René Sergent, in 1911. Its decoration is a true testimony of a life style of a sector of the Argentine society of the beginnings of century 20º.
The permanent collection of the museum encompasses furniture, sculptures, porcelains, glasses, paintings and European and Eastern tapestry of the beginning of centuries 14º to 20º.
8. Museum of Argentine Articles ‘José Hernández’
Av. del Libertador 2373 (at the intersection of Bulnes)
At the museum, above 8,000 objects are exhibited. Most of them are: regional handcrafts made with materials and techniques which remind our rural past and the origins of our nation: River Plate silverware of centuries 18º to 20º, regional handcrafts, pottery, fabrics, musical instruments, weapons, ponchos from diverse regions, and the reconstruction of a general store of that age. The museum building was made by the Italian constructor Pierino Piccaluga, by the end of century 19º. It is a petite hotel of two bodies, with an internal garden, of an eclectic style with Italian and French styles. The façade suffered some changes when the Alvear avenue was widened, currently Libertador avenue.
9. Renault Museum
Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3301
The Alcorta Palace was made by Mario Palanti, who had also made the project of the Barolo Palace. The building, the today Renault Museum, has been the venue of different organizations. Originally, the so called Chrysler Palace was used as an agency of Fevre and Basset automobiles. On the terrace, there was a race track used to test cars and motorcycles. Later on, the military force took it over to be the venue of the National Registry of Weapons (Renard). During the 90’s, it was acquired by the IRSA Company (Inversiones y Representaciones SA). It was first recycled to set the exposition of design and architecture "Casa FOA"; then, the apartments were sold as residences and offices. The ground floor was bought by Manuel Antelo, a business man, who installed the Renault Museum, a complex that comprises a bar and restaurant, event rooms, and a space used to exhibit cars.
10. Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires (Malba)
Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415
The building was designed by the Argentine architects Gustavo Atelman, Martín Fourcade and Alfredo Tapia. This is an architectonic geometric piece, of straight pure lines, broad spaces and large windows. The museum patrimony includes more than two hundred art pieces of paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings, collages, pictures, and personal belongings of artists from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela. Among the artists, we can mention: Frida Kahlo, Wifredo Lam, Roberto Matta, Diego Rivera, Joaquín Torres-García, Antonio Berni, Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, Jorge de la Vega, Tarsila do Amaral, Pedro Figari, Lygia Clark, Helio Oiticica, Liliana Porter, Guillermo Kuitca and José Bedia Valdés, among others.
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Palermo Viejo, Soho and Holliwood Circuit
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1. Palermo Viejo. Italia Square.
Avenida Santa Fe 4000 (at the intersection of Avenida Sarmiento)
Italia Square is located at the center of Palermo Viejo neighborhood and it is considered the entrance to the biggest green space of our city. At the center of the square, you can see the Garibaldi’s Monument. Around the square, you can observe the Botanic Garden, the Zoo Garden and the expositions space of the Argentine Rural Society. Should you desire to visit all these places, you will need a complete day out. A good option to visit the zone, but spending less time, is to hire a “Mateo”, a small horse-pulled carriage that you can see at the entrance of the zoo. They are ideal to visit Palermo forests and the lake.
Italia Square was elderly known as the Square of the Large Doors since two big iron doors were closed at night to impede the access to the forests. Italia Square received this new name when the monument to the Italian revolutionist, Giuseppe Garibaldi, was placed there. From the old big doors, today only one placed at the entrance of the Zoo remains there.
2. Buenos Aires Zoo
Intersection of Avenida Las Heras and Avenida Sarmiento
It was created more than one hundred years ago, in 1874. It is an ideal place to spend the whole day and enjoy the great variety of animal species as well as the beautiful fittings. The entrance portico, at the intersection of Avenida Las Heras and Avenida Sarmiento, is a reproduction of the Triumph Arch of Tito in Rome. A few steps away from the entrance, you can see the Lake Darwin, which includes an island where the Byzantine Portico has been built, comprising seven fluted columns, that, according to some sayings, have been brought from an authentic palace of Trieste. To the right, you can reach the Elephants Palace, a replica of the Goddess Nimaschi Chapel in Bombay. Further on, you can see the Vesta Chapel, which is a circular building that includes 16 Corinthian columns, a copy of the original chapel located in Roma. The Zoo also offers a wide variety of art works, like the ‘Girl with Flowers’, a replica of the original work made by the Italian Canova, and the ‘Fallen Monkey’ , made by Passani. Additionally, a female shape sculptured by Lola Mora and the Monument to Onelli, second director of the zoo, can be enjoyed.
3. Botanic Garden
Avenida Santa Fe 3951 (at the intersection of Avenida Las Heras)
It was inaugurated in 1898. The original iron fences have been conserved to date so as to preserve a landscape which contrasts with the high quantity of traffic that converges in Italia Square. This is the main work of the French landscaper and architect Carlos Thays. Currently, it occupies a surface of 69,772 square meters. It has been calculated that 5,000 to 6,000 plants, either herbaceous, bushes and arboreal species have been planted. The Argentine flora prevails, including characteristic species from each province. The rest of the areas comprise vegetable samples of each continent.
The Botanic Garden also offers beautiful sculptures to the eyes of the visitors, either originals or reproductions. Bronzes and marbles placed on the fountains and the vegetal green space make it one of the most aesthetic places of the city.
4. Palermo Viejo. Jorge Luis Borges Street
Jorge Luis Borges street, from 2400 to 1600.
Jorge Luis Borges house. J.L. Borges 2135
This street begins at the Italia square. It is a typical street of the neighborhood, although with more traffic. Three block from there, at the number 2135 of the street, you can see the Solar which used to be the house where Borges lived his childhood. Jorge Luis Borges was born on August 24, 1899. At the age of two, he moved to this street which was then named Serrano street. Borges lived in this place until he was fifteen, in 1914. From that two-floors house, today, you can only have the memory. If you go on walking along the street until you reach number 1600 block, you arrive at Cortázar Square (Attraction 16).
5. Palermo Soho. Julio Cortázar Square
Cortázar Square. Jorge Luis Borges street at number 1600 (at the intersection of Honduras)
Shops: an area bordered by the streets Costa Rica, Godoy Cruz, Malabia and Gorriti.
The Cortázar Square is the heart of Palermo Soho. This part of Palermo neighborhood is today called “Soho” because it is the place preferred by artists and craftsmen; the atmosphere -a mixture of bohemia and modernity, in a way tries to be like New York Soho. The square has a small space for kids games. Every Saturday and Sunday, it becomes a setting for a group of 40 plastic artists who exhibit and sell their art works. You can find clothes designers and handicraft sellers. The “small square”, as it is known within the zone, is located at the center of a innumerable shops, fairs, ateliers, galleries, bars, restaurants that comprises the wide variety of activities offered by this neighborhood.
6. Palermo Soho.
Pasaje Russel: at the intersection of Serrano at 1600.
Pasaje Santa Rosa: at the intersection of Serrano at 1700.
Pasaje Soria: at the intersection of Serrano at 1800.
Streets and alleys Palermo Soho streets offer innumerable shops of clothes, accessories, furniture, and book shops. The variety of products is wide and almost all of them reflect vanguard tendencies. The typical feature of the zone are the thematic bars.
The alleys offer the possibility to visit the history and the art in Palermo. Alleys Russel, Sta. Rosa and Soria are vestiges of a failed urbanization, a workers neighborhood that was never completed. The lack of vehicular transit, the pavement, the old facades present that Palermo neighborhood of the beginning of century, that one remembered by the poesy of Jorge Luis Borges and the tales written by Julio Cortazar.
7. Palermo Hollywood
Zone perimeter: Fitz Roy, Cabrera, Dorrego and Costa Rica streets
The railway is one of the borders of Palermo Soho. Beyond there, Palermo Hollywood is located. This zone is today called ‘Hollywood’, because several TV channels set place there as well as several motion pictures studios. This area can only be visited on foot; eight blocks away from the last attraction: you should cross the railway passage (Honduras street) to reach Bonpland street (from 5000 to 5800). The zone still shows some of his recent factory environment. This area is more quiet since it has not still acquired Palermo Soho rhythm. But the ‘exclusivity’ is the mark of this area. Palermo Hollywood can be distinguished by the great quality of the restaurants: international cuisine, ethnic cuisine, nouvelle cuisine and some meal made by hand by the cook (cocina de autor). Thematic bars are other exclusivities of the area, as well as, bars-restaurants that may offer delicious tapas along with non-industrial beer and special wines. Recently, some clothes shops and design objects shops have been installed. This peaceful neighborhood becomes another thing when the night arrives: bars start to be crowed —happy hour, 2x1; then the restaurants and finally the discos.
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Palermo Park
Crossroads of Libertador and Sarmiento avenues
Bus Lines: 10, 12, 15, 29, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 55, 57, 59, 60, 64, 67, 68, 93, 65, 108, 111, 118, 128, 141, 152, 160, 161, 188, 194
This park is located in Palermo neighborhood, bordering Libertador avenue. It has more than 80 hectares full of aged forests.
It was developed in 1874, promoted by the President of the Nation at that time Domingo F. Sarmiento. The design was in charge of the architect and landscaper Carlos Thays, who finally inaugurated the park in November of 1875.
Commonly known as Bosques de Palermo, it is one of the big green spaces in the city. Two artificial lakes border the vegetation. You can go through aquatic birds and plants by boat or water bike.
Additionally, you can enjoy many subspaces, like the “Poets Garden” provided with sculptures by different plastic artists, the “Andalusian Yard” covered with trees foliage and the “Roses Garden” commonly known as El Rosedal with 15,000 rose bushes and plants of 1,189 different species.
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Botanical Garden
Santa Fe 3951, Buenos Aires City - Tel: 4831 4527
Subway, Line D, Plaza Italia station. Bus lines: 59, 60, 93, 118, 151, 15, 39, 41, 64, 68, 152.
It has been designed by the famous French landscaper, Carlos Thays, and inaugurated on September 7, 1898. Nowadays, the Garden occupies a surface of 69,772 square meters and comprises about 5,500 shrub species, arboreal species and herbaceous species spread around the whole space and sorted by place of origin, family and use; gardens of style; and five greenhouses.
The Garden comprises also five hothouses. Hothouse number 1 has been taken from France in 1900, after being awarded at the famous Fair of Paris where the Eiffel Tower was exhibited for the very first time. It has a length of 35 meters and a width of eight meters. Additionally, it has 2,500 tropical plants.
The Garden comprises sectors where you can find species grouped by family: gymnosperms, medicinal, toxic, tintoreous, alimentary, perfumeries, industrial plants. Other plants are grouped by the place of origin: Europe and Canary Islands, Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Central America, South America, Argentina.
The English-style central building was built in 1881. This is the place where Thays had lived with his family during his last years as Director of Parks of Buenos Aires City (1892-1898).
The Government of Buenos Aires City has officially declared the Botanic Garden “Carlos Thays” of Cultural Interest, as it has been considered part of the Cultural Creation of the City. At the entrance of the park, you can see an important collection of art pieces.
Hours: In summer, the Garden is opened to the public every day from 8 am to 8 pm. In winter, from 9 am to 6 pm.
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Japanese Garden
Av. Casares and Av. A. Berro. - Hours: Every day from 10 am to 6 pm. - Admission: $ 2 - Telephone/Fax: 4804-4922 / 9141
Subway: Line D, Scalabrini Ortíz station. Bus lines: 67, 37 (Ciudad Universitaria line), 130, 102, 188, 128 and 10.
This is one of the biggest Japanese Gardens in the world. It is located within Tres de Febrero Park. The Gardens were created in 1967 by the Japanese community residing in this country as a token of gratitude. Ten years later, the landscape artist Yasuo Inomata redesigned the Garden inspired on the Zen gardens that are generally located at the main entrance of temples.
The garden surface occupies nearly two hectares (5 acres). There is a man-made lake that takes up 70 per cent of the whole garden, as well as several bridges and isles. The main isle is The Gods Island, where you can reach through a curved bridge or the Good Venture Bridge.
The flora comprises 150 species, most of them brought from Japan. The main attractions of the place are the Monument to the Japanese Immigrant - as a homage to the founding community - and the Peace Bell used every year to celebrate the world peace day. You can also enjoy the services of an oriental food restaurant and a cultural place called Tea House that offers exhibitions, shows and conferences related to the Japanese culture.
This park is open everyday, all the year round.
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Planetarium
Sarmiento avenue and Belisario Roldán street - Tel: 4772-9265 / 4775-1862 / 4771-6629 / 4771-9393
The Galileo Galilei planetarium, built in 1966, offers shows, conferences and exhibitions related to the investigation of the space. It is located in Parque 3 de Febrero, its capacity is for 340 people. Planets and constellations are projected. In the front of the building, you can see a metallic meteorite of 1,530 kg that was found in the Province of El Chaco.
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