Buenos Aires to Rio Day 1: Arrival in Buenos Aires

Where and when: Buenos Aires, Argentina, 24 February 2024

1140: Landed in Buenos Aires, after a 16 hour flight from London Heathrow. The flight had a stop over in Rio de Janeiro for a couple of hours, but we didn’t need to leave the plane. It was the longest single flight I have taken, but also was the most comfortable, mainly due to flying Business Class.

The plane had the latest BA “Club Suites” which were fantastic and a huge improvement on the previous  Club World seats (where you had to step over the legs of the passenger next to you to reach the aisle).

The Club Suites are much more ensconced and you have your own little “cabin” of  about 3′ x 4′, with a comfortable seat that turns into a fully flat bed. Although it had plenty of room for my 5’1 small frame, I think it might be a bit snug if you are over 6 feet. There are many compartments to hold your electronics and other knick-knacks and there is even a door to the aisle that you can close for privacy.  The food and service was excellent too.

On arrival at Buenos Aires, immigration is quick and straight forward, especially if you are booked on a fully escorted tour. 

Intrepid Travel had arranged the arrival transfer to the 725 Continental Hotel in the centre of Buenos Aires, to which I was soon on my way. 

1245: Arrival at the hotel and check in. I asked what the USD dollar conversion rate was and was surpised to hear that it was 950 Argentine Pesos to 1 USD, when the official rate was around 850 Pesos to the dollar. The 950 pesos to the dollar is the blue rate or the “street” rate.

1800: At Intrepid welcome meeting to meet the tour leader and my fellow travellers for the next 7 days. 

1900: Walk around the city on our way to dinner. The 725 Continental hotel is within a few minutes walk from Plaza de Mayo, the main square of Buenos Aires. The square is home to the Casa Rosada (President’s Palace), Buenos Aires Cathedral, former goverment house (now a museum).

Dinner at Cafe Juan. My first chance to see the famous Argentinian steak in its home and it doesn’t dissapoint. 

After dinner, we walk back to the hotel. My first impressions of Buenos Aires are good. The city architecture feels more French than Spanish. It seems that following independence from Spain, many Spanish colonial buildings were torn down and rebuilt in the French style. According to our guide, Argentina’s building heyday was in the 1930s when much of the work was done and anything from Paris was in vogue. 

The roads are large and wide and there is good driving discipline (for the most part). There is some litter and quite a bit of graffiti, bit no more than any other big city in the world.

Only fly in the ointment? At the time of my visit, Buenos Aires was swamped by mosquites. It was unlike anything I have seen – big, fat mosquites that will attack you anytime of the day – it was especially worse in the parks and anywhere there were trees and water. Apparently the recent heavy rains and lack of drainage had led to mosquitoes breeding in a huge scale. The epidemic was so bad, that pharmacies were limiting the amount of insect spray one can buy at a time. And we had to be covered in bug spray from morning till night, and top up several times a day, especially if we stopped at a park.

First day in Buenos Aires over, and the trip starts in earnest tomorrow. Tune in next week for a post about our first (and last) full day in Buenos Aires.

Have you been to Buenos Aires? Would you like to go? Leave a comment below and let me know!