Buenos Aires Recoleta

When a massive yellow fever epidemic struck San Telmo in the 1870s, its wealthy denizens chose Recoleta as their new home, probably because it was as far removed from San Telmo as possible. Since then, the barrio has remained one of Buenos Aires’ most elite residential areas, its streets lined with upscale apartment buildings. Recoleta is perhaps best known for its eponymous cemetery, one of the city’s most fascinating (and least expensive) sights. It isn’t the barrio’ s only draw; Recoleta also hosts several of the city’s most impressive arts centers and museums, as well as a beautiful system of parks.

La Recoleta Cemetery. Ironically, one of Buenos Aires’ liveliest and most exciting sights is a place where dead people hang out. Through a set of gates, flanked by large white Neoclassical Greek columns, lies this cemetery in the heart of Recoleta. Established in the mid-19th century in the former gardens of a group of Franciscan monks known as the Recoletos (the root of the barrio’ s name), the cemetery has been the final resting place for the city’s rich and well-connected ever since. Walking the stone pathways is almost like looking at a map of Buenos Aires: all the Alems, Mitres, Pellegrinis, and Sarmientos of Argentine history are here and buried in style amidst the city-like network of streets. The massive, lavish, and often intricately carved tombs represent nearly every architectural period imaginable; miniature Gothic cathedrals and Neoclassical temples stand next to modernist blocks of black marble and Art Deco shrines. One of the simplest, however, belongs to the cemetery’s most famous resident, Eva Perón. Partly due to a classism that still reigns over who makes it into the cemetery, the black tomb is only marked “Duarte,” Evita’s maiden name, and isn’t signposted. To get here, simply follow the tourist hordes, or, if they happen to be absent, follow the signs to the left of the entrance toward President Sarmiento’s grave and continue along that avenue for four or five “blocks”; the tomb is on the left. For a more detailed tour of the plot, consider Robert Wright’s color map, with highlights of tombs and mausoleums that merit special attention (AR$20). See www.urbex.com.ar for more information. (Junín 1790. S Callao. ☎4804 7040. Open daily 7am-6pm. Guided Spanish-language tours Tu-Su 11am and 3pm. Guided English-language tours Tu and Th 11am. Free.)

Basílica Nuestra Señora Del Pilar. Immediately north of the cemetery stands this elegant, bright white church, one of the few colonial buildings left in the city (the other being Cabildo). Built by monks in the early 18th century, the simple exterior hides a beautiful interior lined with colorful side chapels of carved wood. Head up the stairs to the left of the sanctuary to reach the church’s small museum, located in the monastery’s original cloisters. Though the collection is quite small, it includes a wide variety of high-quality religious paintings, images, icons, embroidery, wooden carvings, and silverwork. Be sure to look out the windows for great views of the cemetery. (Junín 1904. S Callao. ☎4803 2209. Open M-Sa 10:30am-6:15pm, Su 2:30-6:15pm. Captions in Spanish and English. Call ahead for guided tours. Church free. Museum AR$3.)

Plaza San Martín De Tours And Surroundings. In front of the cemetery and church, a system of parks stretches north toward Avenida Libertador and includes Plaza San Martín de Tours, a small grassy area dominated by huge, beautifully contorted gum trees with a spectacular network of exposed roots perfect for tourist Kodak moments. Despite the flashing bulbs, porteños still frequent the spot. Nearby, Plaza Francia hosts the Feria Artesanal (Craft Fair) every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, when the city’s artisans set up booths along the pathways and sell a variety of arts and crafts. Though it’s unlikely that you will find a masterpiece here, it’s still a great place to pick up interesting souvenirs, including scores of carved mate gourds, leather goods, jewelry, photography, paintings, and clothing. (S Callao.)

Avenida Alvear. Running from Plaza San Martín de Tours to Plaza Carlos Pellegrini in Retiro, Avenida Alvear is one of the city’s ritziest streets. Lined with upscale hotels, apartment buildings, art galleries, and stores such as Louis Vuitton and Cartier, it’s a great place to shop—for the select few who can afford it. For everyone else, it’s still a fine place to wander and watch said wealthy people as you stroll past early 20th-century palaces and Plaza Carlos Pellegrini. On the corner with Ayacucho, keep an eye out for the Alvear Palace, an Art Deco building that is now an exclusive hotel. Farther along, on the corner with Rodríguez Peña stands the Palacio Hume, a monstrous Art Nouveau creation built for engineer Alexander Hume. Located just next door, the French-inspired Palacio Duhau was built for the wealthy Duhau family and is now another hotel. (S Callao.)

Biblioteca Nacional. With a collection of nearly five million books, including a 15th-century Gutenberg Bible and a first edition of Don Quixote, Argentina’s Biblioteca Nacional is one of the largest libraries in Latin America. Though only opened in 1992 after 21 years of construction, the building, which resembles a geometric, concrete mushroom-cloud, is already showing some signs of wear, including cracks and stains. Unsurprisingly, the monstrosity was actually designed in the 60s, a decade after the building that once occupied its spot—the palace where Eva and Juan Perón lived (and where Evita died)—was razed by the government, who feared the building would become a shrine to Evita. Today, the library, which is open to the public, hosts dry exhibits showcasing the library’s collections, as well as lectures by major authors. Head up to the top floor for excellent views over BA or to the cafe on the second floor for a snack. The inside, happily, is one of the few places around where you can’t see the exterior of the building. The surrounding grounds and parks, officially named Plaza del Lector and Plaza Evita, feature gardens, a terrace, and statues of Eva Perón and Pope John Paul II—an odd pairing. (Agüero 2502. S Facultad de Medicina. ☎4808 6000; www.bn.gov.ar. Open M-F 9am-9pm, Sa-Su noon-7pm. Free.)

Floralis Genérica. If you happen to be near the Plaza de las Naciones Unidos, located at the northern end of Recoleta, it’s hard to miss this gigantic “generic” metal flower sculpture, designed by Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano to represent all flowers. Blooming daily at 8am, its petals close at sunset, though they remain open four nights a year: May 25 (anniversary of the 1810 May Revolution), September 21 (the first day of spring), and December 24 and 31. The park around the sculpture is a pleasant enough place for a stroll any day, but the flower is at its most impressive at night, when it’s bathed in bright red light. It’s as beautiful as a gigantic, metallic red flower can possibly be. (S Callao.)