The City of Buenos Aires is the capital of the Argentine Republic and is located in the southern hemisphere, latitude 34º 36’ and longitude 58º 26’. The city extends on a plain and has 202 square kilometers (78.3 sq miles). Approximately 3 million people live in this city. Including the metropolitan area, the total population of Buenos Aires is above ten millions, making it one of the 10 most populated urban centers in the world. Buenos Aires was founded twice:
The first foundation was in 1536. Don Pedro de Mendoza, a Spanish colonizer, established the first settlement. He named it Ciudad del Espíritu Santo y Puerto Santa María del Buen Ayre. The second, and final, foundation was in 1580. Juan de Garay called the site Ciudad de Trinidad.
In the 19th. century, the port was the arrival point for the great migratory wave promoted by the Argentine State to populate the nation. Spanish, Italian, Syrian-Lebanese, Polish and Russian immigrants provided Buenos Aires with the cultural eclecticism that is so characteristic of the city.
During the 20th. century, successive immigrations - from the provinces, other Latin American countries and Eastern countries – completed the picture of Buenos Aires as a cosmopolitan city in which people with different cultures and religions live together.
Buenos Aires has always been an open-door city. Its inhabitants are called porteños, which makes reference to the fact that the city is a port. The inhabitant of the province of Buenos Aires is called bonaerense.
Porteños are warm and hospitable: they usually invite tourists for lunch or dinner at their homes and prepare typical food. Languaje
The official language is Spanish. Something to note is the use of vos (you) instead of the Spanish tú for informal treatment, and the use of che to address a person.
The porteños easily understand persons who speak Italian and Portuguese. Most people involved in tourist activities speak English. Weather
The climate of Buenos Aires is mild all year round. The mean annual temperature is 18º C (64.4º F), making extremely hot and cold days very infrequent. Thus, visitors can enjoy walking around the city in any season.
July is the coldest month. Although frosts are rare, a woollen coat, a jacket or an overcoat and a scarf will be required when going out. In winter, cold is moderate during the day, but temperature considerably drops at night.
In summer, the weather is hot and humid. Mornings are warm and during midday and the first hours of the afternoon, the temperature rises. At night, temperature goes down slightly, so people may wear light clothes; coats are not needed. Currency
The Argentine currency is the peso ($). There are $ 100, $ 50, $ 20, $ 10, $ 5 and $ 2 notes, and 1, 0.50, 0.25, 0.10 and 0.05 cent coins.
The U.S. dollar is the most common foreign currency. Banks and casas de cambio (currency exchange offices), where you must present your passport, exchange foreign currency. Shops accept credit cards and dollars.
Transportation
In BA there is a subway call “subte” and buses call “colectivo”; tickets call “boleto” cost 0.80 pesos and must be payed with coins. Taxi cabs are black and yellow in their roof. Airports
Aeropuerto Internacional de Ezeiza: “Ministro Pistarini” Tel: 5480-6111, for internacional flights and Aeropuerto Metropolitano “Jorge Newbery” Tel: 4576- 5110/ 5111 for domestic flights. More info: http://www.bue.gov.ar/home/ Electric power
Electric power in Argentina is 220 volt, 50-cycle alternating current.
Power outlets have 2 cylindrical holes or 2 flat holes with ground connection. It is convenient to bring an adaptor for these outlets to use your electric devices without problems. Telephones
Buenos Aires has many public telephone booths.
Public phones operate with:
5, 10, 25, 50-cent and 1-peso coins.
Phone cards that may be bought at any quiosco (sweet and tobacco stalls).
These phones support urban, national and international calls.
In addition to public phones, there are many communications centers (locutorios and telecentros) offering telephone, fax and internet services.
For international calls, dial: 00 + country code + area code + local number. Hours
The time zone corresponds to GMT-3 and currently no change is made in the summer months.
Activity in Buenos Aires starts in the first hours of the day and extends until late at night. This city has lost the habit of siesta – a nap after midday -, which is still the custom in the interior of the country.
SHOPS
Shops are open Monday through Fridays, from 9 am to 8 pm, and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm; however, shops located in important avenues are open on Saturday afternoon. In shopping centers, hours usually extend until 10 pm, including Saturdays and Sundays. Banks
Banks open at 10 am and close at 3 pm (some banks extend their closing time to 4 pm). Cash extractions and other transactions may be made in ATMs, 24 hours a day. Meals
The hours in which porteños have their four meals are variable, since this is accommodated according to their activities.
Breakfast is served between 7 and 10 in the morning. In coffee houses and confiterías (patisseries), it is possible to find special offers for the typical coffee and milk with medialunas (croissants), both for breakfast and merienda (tea) time. Dinner is usually from 9 pm till late in the evenings. Safety
Buenos Aires is a safe city, but as in any other big city in the world, the tourist should take some precautions. For example, avoid leaving your purse or bag hanging from chairs in public places, as well as walking at night along poorly lit areas. Sanitary information
Vaccination is neither obligatory nor necessary to visit Buenos Aires since the city is safe from the sanitary viewpoint.
The public water supply is reliable.
Public hospitals - available for tourists – offer a 24-hour emergency service, without charge.
Argentine physicians are considered excellent professionals worldwide.
The ambulance emergency service (SAME) is also for free.
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