Are you planning your following holidays? Would you like to learn Spanish while visiting a new country? This article will review Buenos Aires as a destination for having great fun and improving your Spanish skills while you are on holiday.
Basic information
Known as “the Paris of Latin America”, Buenos Aires is the capital city of Argentina and a multicultural metropolis. In fact, with a population of 3 million inhabitants, Buenos Aires is considered one of the most diverse cities in the Americas.
Even though Buenos Aires’ population is from immigration from different parts of the world, Spanish and Italian immigration was more influential. Spanish is the official language in the city and all over the country.
Buenos Aires is divided into neighborhoods (known as “barrios”) with different atmospheres and attractions. There are 48 official neighborhoods, among which some are very popular with tourists, such as Palermo, San Telmo, La Boca, Puerto Madero, and San Nicolás.
Many travelers choose to learn Spanish in Buenos Aires since it is quite an affordable destination with many tourist attractions. There are many schools available to learn Spanish in Buenos Aires. Most of them offer a wide range of intensive Spanish courses for ex-pats.
Buenos Aires has excellent all-year-round weather. Its climate is humid subtropical with four very different seasons but relatively mild temperatures. It is scarce to have extreme temperatures in Buenos Aires. Although due to climate change, short, duration heat waves can occur during summer.
Transportation is quite effective. There are buses, trains, and subways cover almost every destination within the city at an affordable price. During rush hour, transport can be crowded, so avoiding those hours is critical to have a good experience with traveling.
Touristic Attractions
Buenos Aires is one of the top destinations in Latin America for holidays. According to the Statista website, 31.1 million international tourists will arrive in the city in 2025.
There are many attractions within the city. There are many art and culture, food and drinks, history, nature, sports or nightlife things to do in town.
If you are an art and culture lover, you can visit the excellent Teatro Colon, take tours to the most iconic buildings, go to museums, get access to high-quality music shows or theatre plays, go to cinemas to watch the local film production or visit the great libraries in town. If you are more into food and drinks, you can visit diverse restaurants to grasp the authentic Porteños cuisine, such as asado, empanadas, and pizza, while tasting red wine, the national drink. In addition, you can combine eating with listening to tango.
Buenos Aires is known as “the city that never sleeps” because it has 24/7 things to do. For nightlife lovers, there are also many options available. You can go to a tango show or to a milonga if you love dancing, or you can visit bars at Palermo or nightclubs at Costanera Norte.
Sports are also crucial in Porteños culture, especially football (soccer). You can visit the main football stadiums in town, such as La Bombonera and El Monumental, or attend a football game and experience the vibrant atmosphere of the stadium and its fans.
Lastly, Buenos Aires has two airports from which you can easily travel to Las Cataratas de Iguazú, Ushuaia, the Perito Moreno’s Glacier, or any of the fantastic natural attractions in the country.
Studying Spanish in Buenos Aires
Taking a Spanish course while in Buenos Aires on your holiday is a great way to make the most of your trip. Most Spanish schools for ex-pats offer a wide range of courses tailored to each student’s needs.
Since Argentine currency is currently cheap, and if you come from a country that uses euros or dollars, studying in Buenos Aires is relatively inexpensive. Taking a Spanish course in Buenos Aires is a great way to improve your language skills. It is also suitable for interacting with other travelers from around the world and bonding with locals.
Many Spanish schools in Buenos Aires offer their students tours around the city or cultural activities that are a great way to learn Spanish while having fun. If you are traveling alone and looking to meet people, signing in to a Spanish school is a good idea since you will meet other students and share your experience abroad.
Safety in Buenos Aires
One of the main concerns of travelers is safety in their destination. This is a critical factor in deciding where to travel since no one wants to have a bad experience while being abroad. Every destination has its downsides. The perfect city does not exist, so it is essential to focus on knowing the risks and being careful about them.
Buenos Aires has safety issues that are mainly related to poverty. Many people are not able to buy unique things. Inequality creates a complex social atmosphere that, in some cases, is related to crime. The most common crimes in Buenos Aires are pickpocketing, robbing, and assaults. Even though statistically, Buenos Aires is one of the safest metropolises in Latin America, those problems happen.
As usually happens, some neighborhoods or areas are safer than others. It is highly recommended to inform yourself about which places are safe to visit. In addition, tourists should always be alert of fraud artists, muggers, pickpockets, and purse-snatchers.
Some tips are always to carry your bag where it is visible, keep valuable items with you, and avoid using ATMs at night or in unsafe areas of the city.
Summary
To conclude, Buenos Aires is a fantastic destination with many attractions that are worse known. Many Spanish schools for ex-pats in Buenos Aires offer intensive Spanish courses tailored for travelers who want to have fun while learning.
