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10 Places to visit in Buenos Aires in the Spring

In Buenos Aires, starting at the end of August, the days become more pleasant. Mornings are still cool, but the temperature begins to rise around midday and cools off again at night. This is the best time of year to engage in diverse activities since it is not cold like in winter nor too hot like in summer (which is humid with temperatures up to 35 or 40 centigrade). Buenos Aires is a city with a lot to offer, both during the day and at night. In this article, we will recommend ten activities to be done in springtime Buenos Aires.

1- Enjoy the green parks Without doubt, one of the lungs of Buenos Aires is the Palermo Woods (as the Tres de Febrero Park is known) with its different varieties of trees, rose gardens and three lakes. Here you can sit on the grass and soak up some sun, eat something (pack a classic picnic), walk around the lakes, run, ride a bike, exercise, or take a boat ride on the lake. + Address: Ave. Libertador and Ave. Sarmiento - Palermo.

www.ba-h.com.ar 2- Visit the Japanese Garden (Jardn Japons) The Japanese Garden is part of the Tres de Febrero Park. The entrance fee is not expensive. It is a great garden with different oriental plants and trees, a greenhouse where you can buy the famous bonsais, a cultural center, a library, and, in the center, a large lake. The harmony and attention to detail in every corner will relax you. You can walk, feed the beautiful carp in the lake, take an origami class, sit down to an oriental tea or buy some crafts. It is a place full of symbolisms: the stones, the water, the bridges and the fish (they represent strength and courage) + Address: Figueroa Alcorta Ave. and Casares Ave. Palermo. + Every day from 10 to 18 hours.

3- A cup of coffee in the sunshine When the days are beautiful, an afternoon in a Buenos Aires bar is highly recommended. Seated at a table on the sidewalk in the spring sunshine, you can have a cup of coffee with a delicious piece of cake or a fruit drink and toast (if you are watching your waistline) while you watch the people go by-or you can enjoy a sidewalk show or just read a book.

www.ba-h.com.ar When choosing a place, you should consider Plaza Serrano in Palermo (J.L. Borges and Honduras), Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo (Defensa and Humberto 1) or Puerto Madero.

4- Open Air Markets for All Tastes If you want to visit markets, you have lots of options in Buenos Aires: - Artisan Markets offer artistic creativity in original works of art. You will find interesting objects in Plaza Francia in Recoleta (Ave. Pueyrredn and Ave. Del Libertador, weekends and holidays from 11 AM to 8 PM), Paseo Humberto 1 in San Telmo (Humberto 1 and Defensa, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays), Parque Centenario in Caballito (Ave. Daz Vlez 4800, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 AM to 10 PM). - Antique Markets, are the ideal places to marvel at objects from the past or find a childhood toy, a magazine you thought you had lost in time, the impossible-to-find coin or the bijou that will give you a retro look. No doubt that the best of the antique markets is the San Telmo Market with more than 250 stands in the street as well as commercial shops. You can find it at Humberto 1 and Defensa on Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM.

www.ba-h.com.ar - Book Markets offer new and used books at reasonable prices. You can also exchange books and magazines. The shop owners are experts and specialize in finding for their clients books that are unique or difficult to locate. You could also visit the markets in Plaza Italia in Palermo (Ave. Santa Fe and Uriarte, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, 10 AM to 10 PM) and Parque Rivadavia (Rivadavia and Beauchef, from Tuesdays to Sundays.

5- Zoos of Buenos Aires Visiting the Buenos Aires Zoo is a good option when the climate is right. Its a good time to come into contact with nature, breathe pure air and enjoy the children enjoying the animals. You can find the Buenos Aires Zoo in Palermo and the Temaiken Zoo in Escobar. You could also go to La Plata to visit that citys zoo.

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6- Do you know about the Ecological Reserve? On Buenos Aires south coastline you will find the Ecological Reserve, another of the citys lungs, with a great variety of trees, herbs, plants and shrubs typical of the delta and the shoreline of the Ro de la Plata. Its lagoons are inhabited by birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. + Address: 1150 Tristn Achval Rodrguez Ave. + April to October 8:00 to 18:00 hours and November to March 8:00 to 19:00 hours.

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7- Outlets: Find a Bargain Who doesnt like to buy designer goods without spending a lot of money? We suggest you go to the outlets on Crdoba Avenue as well as the ones on Aguirre Street, where you will find well-known brands of clothes and shoes at great prices; you will also find sale articles and discontinued items at large discounts. Soak up some sun, walk, save money and forget about being shut up in a shopping mall. + Address: Crdoba Ave. from 4400 to 4800, Palermo. Aguirre St. from 600 to 900, Palermo. From Monday to Sunday, 10 AM to 8 PM. 8- Tigre and Delta de Paran Excursions A green oasis is only an hours distance from the big city. Its an occasion to take a boat trip, perhaps visit the Tigre Art Museum, buy something at the Fruit Port (it offers plants, clothing, furniture, decorative objects and artisan and craft objects as well as fruit and vegetables). + If you are interested in taking this tour click here.

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9- Buenos Aires on a Bike? Are you brave enough to travel around the city on a bike? Buenos Aires has bike paths and ciclovas or bike lanes from Monday to Friday, from 7 AM to 9 PM, the left lanes of the avenues Belgrano, Corrientes, Rivadavia, Independencia and Juan Bautista Alberdi). Even though the people of Buenos Aires are not used to sharing the streets with cyclists, these lanes have signs and are protected so that car and bus drivers will respect them (in an attempt to make Buenos Aires a more ecologically friendly city).

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10- Caminito, in La Boca Caminito is considered to be the first pedestrian open air museum in the world. This one hundred meter street is full of different street entertainers: tango singers and dancers, artisans and Fileteadores . You can visit the conventillos (immigrant housing), now open to the public as museums that show what life was like for the first immigrants to the Boca. + Address between Magallanes and Lamadrid, La Boca

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Recommendations: Take your camera with fully charged batteries and replacements. Dont forget your mp3 or Ipod. Music can be great company when you are walking. Wear comfortable shoes. Bring sunglasses. Use sunscreen, especially if youll be out and about for several hours. Take good care of your valuables (purse, camera, laptop, Ipad). Watch where you walk. Unfortunately, in Buenos Aires not all dog owners are considerate about disposing of what their pets leave behind. Take insect repellant if you go to the Ecological Reserve. To save money, ask about specials in the bars and restaurants you visit.

Source: Buenos Aires Hostels + www.ba-h.com.ar the principal reference for Hostels in Buenos Aires. The website was created in 1999 and offers an ample selection of hostels, apartments, bed and breakfasts, and university residences in the principal Buenos Aires neighborhoods: Palermo, Recoleta, Barrio Norte, Belgrano, San Telmo, La Boca, etc.