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Top 10 Buenos Aires

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Left Tourists at the popular Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur Right A currency exchange office<br />

Planning Your Trip<br />

! When to Go<br />

The best time to visit<br />

<strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong> is during<br />

the southern hemisphere’s<br />

spring or fall,<br />

when temperatures are a<br />

pleasant 64–73°F (18–<br />

23°C). In summer it can<br />

get hot and humid. In<br />

January and February,<br />

when temperatures reach<br />

95°F (35°C), porteños<br />

leave the city en masse<br />

for Atlantic beach resorts.<br />

What to Pack @ In summer, pack light<br />

clothes, especially cotton<br />

and linen, since humidity<br />

reaches high levels. Also<br />

pack sunglasses, highfactor<br />

sunscreen, and a<br />

light raincoat. Heavy rain<br />

is common in January<br />

and February. In spring<br />

and fall, a light jacket and<br />

sweater will be needed,<br />

and in winter, a warm<br />

coat. Do pack some<br />

smart, stylish clothes too<br />

– porteños love to dress<br />

up when going out.<br />

£ How Long to Stay<br />

Allow at least a week<br />

for <strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong>. Seven<br />

days will give you enough<br />

time to explore the city’s<br />

most important neighborhoods<br />

and sights, take in<br />

a tango show, and maybe<br />

squeeze in a day trip to<br />

Colonia in Uruguay too.<br />

Ten days to two weeks is<br />

ideal and will allow you<br />

to really get to know this<br />

amazing city – its stores,<br />

restaurants, parks, and<br />

other out-of-town attractions<br />

such as Tigre and<br />

San Antonio de Areco.<br />

$ Passport and<br />

Visas<br />

Citizens of the EU, the<br />

USA, and Canada do not<br />

require visas for<br />

Argentina. A 90-day entry<br />

permit is granted at<br />

immigration, which can<br />

be extended by a further<br />

90 days on exiting the<br />

country (usually via a<br />

day-trip to Uruguay) or by<br />

paying a US$<strong>10</strong>0 charge<br />

at the Dirección Nacional<br />

de Migraciones. d Avda.<br />

Antártida Argentina 1355<br />

Retiro • 4317-0234<br />

• Open 8am–1:30pm<br />

Mon–Fri • www.<br />

migraciones.gov.ar<br />

% Currency<br />

Information<br />

The local currency is the<br />

Argentinian peso (AR$),<br />

divided into <strong>10</strong>0 centavos<br />

or cents. Bills are issued<br />

in 2-, 5-, <strong>10</strong>-, 20-, 50-, and<br />

<strong>10</strong>0-peso denominations.<br />

Coins come in 1- and 2peso<br />

and 5-, <strong>10</strong>-, 25-, and<br />

50-centavo denominations.<br />

The exchange rate<br />

hovers around AR$3<br />

to US$1.<br />

^ Health<br />

Preparations<br />

No compulsory<br />

vaccinations are required<br />

for <strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong> and the<br />

city’s tap water is safe to<br />

drink, though many<br />

visitors prefer bottled<br />

water. Visitors should<br />

take out their own<br />

medical insurance since<br />

Argentina does not have<br />

reciprocal health<br />

agreements with any<br />

other country.<br />

& Customs<br />

Short-term visitors<br />

can bring the following<br />

items into Argentina<br />

without paying import<br />

duties: 11 lb (5 kg) of<br />

foodstuffs, 64 fl. oz.<br />

(2 l) of alcoholic drinks,<br />

400 cigarettes, and 3.4 fl.<br />

oz. (<strong>10</strong>0 ml) of perfume.<br />

Photographic equipment,<br />

medicine, and personal<br />

computers may also be<br />

imported duty-free.<br />

* Driver’s Licenses<br />

You can drive if you<br />

have an International<br />

Driving Permit. Carry<br />

your permit whenever<br />

you drive, along with one<br />

other form of identification<br />

such as passport<br />

or national ID card.<br />

( Time Zone<br />

<strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong> is 3<br />

hours behind Greenwich<br />

Mean Time (GMT) during<br />

the summer and 4 hours<br />

behind GMT in the<br />

winter. It is 2 hours<br />

ahead of United States<br />

Eastern Standard time.<br />

Daylight Saving Time is<br />

not observed.<br />

) Electricity<br />

Argentina uses a<br />

220-volt, 50-cycle<br />

electrical system.<br />

Electrical sockets accept<br />

two- or three-pronged<br />

plugs. To use American<br />

appliances you will<br />

require a transformer<br />

and an adaptor, while<br />

British appliances need<br />

an adaptor only. Both<br />

can be bought at local<br />

hardware stores.<br />

Southern hemisphere’s seasons are: Spring: Aug–Oct, Summer:<br />

Nov–Jan, Fall: Feb–Mar, Winter: May–Jul<br />

Streetsmart <strong>10</strong>3

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