Great Alternative Activities for Rainy Days in Buenos Aires
We have been getting a lot more rainy days in Buenos Aires than usual, as a tourist visiting the city, rainy days aren’t the best times to navigate around; however, your time doesn’t have to be wasted either. Here are some suggestions on places to check out on bad weather days:
Galería Pacífico – Located on the north end of the famous pedestrian Florida street in Microcentro. Other than being a mall inside a gorgeous building with many brand-name stores, it has a cultural centre, Centro Cultural Borges, situated on its top floor. It often has free art exhibitions going on at one of its various salas. There is also a tango school, Escuela Argentina de Tango, inside it too and has classes all day long.
Abasto Shopping – It’s currently the biggest shopping mall in Capital Federal. It has more than 250 shops, appeal to all ages, and a huge movie theatre. This site and building actually have an interesting history. This area was first established as el Mercado Central, a central wholesale market for fruits and vegetables, back in 1893. Over the years, as demand and population grew, the original building was torn down and was rebuilt in 1930’s, adopting the popular art deco style from that time. It remained as el Mercado Central until 1984 as it outgrew itself again and the market was moved to a much bigger space outside the city. It was not until 1999, that the city has restored this building, and has revived it and the neighborhood into the entertainment hub that it is today.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes – Another pinkish building in the city. Located in Recoleta, this museum houses an amazing collection of classics by European masters from pre-Renaissance till present as well as many celebrated works from the 19th and 20th century by Argentine artists. You can easily get lost in time and spent hours in this huge place, admiring all the art and history room after room. Not to mention, it’s free entry! Keep in mind though it closes on Mondays.
El Ateneo on Santa Fe 1860, Recoleta – This particular location of El Ateneo bookstore company is probably one of the most well-known bookstores in Buenos Aires. What makes it famous is that this bookstore was converted from a 1920’s theatre named Teatro Gran Splendid. Its interior decor structure has been restored and preserved including the fresco painting on the ceiling by Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi. The balconies are now filled with shelves of books and seating area where you can read in privacy. Even if you are not much of a book person, the stage area is now a café that serves lunch, where you can sip your coffee looking out admiring the grandeur of this architecture.
