BUENOS AIRES FACTS & TIPS



Documents and formalities

Valid passport with or without visa depending on your nationality. Inquire at the closest Embassy or Consulate. Visitors coming from countries not bordering Argentina are exempt from all taxes on travelling articles and new articles up to US$ 300 and an additional US$ 300, if purchased at duty free shops within the national territory. No vaccination certificate is required to enter the country.

Costumes

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.
The characteristic infusion is the mate. It is prepared by pouring warm water into a gourd, also called mate that contains yerba mate.
Some people add sugar, but most prefer "un amargo" (a mate without sugar).

Language & Slang language
Spanish is the official language. Most of the people working in areas related to tourism speak english fluently.

The argentine spanish slang is spoken in Buenos Aires by the "porteños" ( the inhabitants of Buenos Aires ). but is not spoken when a formal conversation. Its also used in tango lyrics, called lunfardo slang, created as deformation of the origin language by immigrants .

See the ARGENTINE SPANISH SLANG DICTIONARY / SLANG to ENGLISH > click here

Climate

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.
Rains are more frequent in autumn and spring (from March to June and from September to December, respectively). They are mild or last a short time, thus activities are not hampered and people usually go out with an umbrella or a raincoat.
In the sunny days of autumn and spring, mornings are slightly cold; the temperature rises at midday and drops again at night.

The Argentinean Currency

The Argentinean currency is the PESO.
There are bills of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 PESOS, all having the same size similar to the US Dollar.
There are coins of 1 PESO, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 CENTAVO(s) [cent(s)]. All have different sizes and the 50, 25 and 5 cents may have silver or gold look.
The 1 cent coint is not used in real life .

You are free to buy and sell foreign currency (mostly USD and EUROS) at Banks and Money Exchange stores (Casas de Cambio). Personal Identificacion may be required.

USD and also EURO are frequently accepted at stores as payment. Sometimes, as sale promotion, at a most convenient rate.

Phones

Also here, hotels may overcharge your phone calls. As elsewhere, you may buy Prepaid phone cards, available at newstands and many stores.
Warning: The access numbers (0-800-... ) might be locked at your hotel.
There are many public telephones ( 8000 in BA ) and also 'locutorios' (talk rooms) offering phone services at official rates.

Public Phones operate with prepaid cards and/or coins, giving no change. They only give back the unused coins.

Phone numbers

Argentinean national phone numbers are 10 digits long ( city code + local number).
Examples for Buenos Aires city.
8 digit Local number. Example: 4123 4567
2 digit BA city code: 11

To call this number from within the Buenos Aires area, dial 4123 4567

To call this number from elsewhere in the country, dial
0 + city code + local number => 00 11 4123 4567

00 : COUNTRY CODE
11 : CITY CODE
4123 4567 : LOCAL NUMBER

To call this number from outside Argentina, add our Country Code (54) and your International Direct Dial Prefix to the Argentinean national number.
Dial: (prefix) 54 11 4123 4567

To call to an Argentinean Cellular phone from outside Argentina, add 9 after the Country Code
Dial: (prefix) 54 9 11 xxxx xxxx

To call to an Argentinean Cellular phone from inside Argentina, add 15 before the cellular local number (Calling Party Pays prefix)
Local call to a cellular, dial 15 xxxx xxxx
Long distance call to a cellular in Buenos Aires, dial 011 15 xxxx xxxx

Internet

Major hotels or hostels offers wideband Internet access (cablemodem or ADSL). Check for extra charges for the service. Check technical requirements against your computer equipment.

If you carry no computer, there are many 'Cybercafes' and also the phone service 'Locutorios' (talk rooms) where you may have a computer with an Internet fast connection for about 70 cents of USD p. hour.

If you have a computer and modem and a phone line available, you may access Internet through several 'Internet Free' service providers. There are no need to subscribe and no extra charges in addition to the regular phone call cost.

To offer the service, these ISPs share the money charged during the phone call with the Telephone Service Operators.

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.

TOURIST OMBUDSMAN
If during your visit, suffer some kind of abuse or discrimination, communicate whit the Tourist Ombudsman, phone number: 4302 7816. To contact personally, can go to Ave. Pedro de Mendoza 1835 ("Benito Quinquela Martin" Museum) in the neighborhood of La Boca. From Monday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 6 PM.

For your safety just follow the usual rules in every big city in the world. Do not show expensive belongings (cameras, recorders, jewelry...), hold on your bag or attache to avoid snatchs, have at hand a few bills and documents and the remaining ones safe in inner pockets or at your Hotel, do not disclose personal information (like bank cards PINs/passwords).

Safety in the airport
FOR YOUR OWN SECURITY, PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT TO HIRE THE SERVICES OFFERED OUTLOUD.

Please contact the authorized stands located inside the airport.

Holidays
Argentine national holidays:
January 1St New Year
March/April
Easter - Good Friday
Floating Holiday.

April 2
Veterans’ Day and tribute to the fallen in the Malvinas War.

If the date falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday, the holiday will be effective on the preceding Monday; if it falls on Thursday or Friday, the holiday will be effective the following Monday.

May 1St - Labor Day

May 25 - Anniversary of the First Independent Argentine Government

June 20 - National Flag Day
Holiday effective the third Monday of the month.

July 9 - National Independence Day

August 17
Anniversary of the death of General José de San Martín
Holiday effective the third Monday of the month.

October 12 - Columbus Day

If the date falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday, the holiday will be effective on the preceding Monday; if it falls on Thursday or Friday, the holiday will be effective the following Monday.

December 8 - Immaculate Conception Day

December 25 - Christmas Day