There's more to Buenos Aires than tango classes and milongas. Here is my list of recommendations to learn about the culture.
1. Drink mate This is the custom that defines Argentines. Herba is produced in the northern province of Missiones. Everyone has their own set of rituals. Ask someone to teach you how they prepare it and share it with them. When you are invited to drink mate, you are like family. 2. Investigate Carlos Gardel He's considered one of the most important icons of tango. His house has been made into a museum run by the city government. Take a guided tour for 3 pesos and learn how much he is revered by portenos who love tango. His recordings aren't played in the milongas for dancing, so listen to the radio at 92.7FM. 3. Attend a pena de tango y folclore The porteno version of open-mic sessions for amateur singers with live accompaniment. La Casa del Tango has penas de tango every Wednesday and Saturday at 21hs. Entrada 5 pesos. Check the listings in B.A. Tango magazine. 4. Go to a tango concert La Orquesta de Tango de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires gives free concerts at Teatro Alvear on Corrientes on Thursdays at 1pm. This is where portenos who don't dance go to enjoy tango. The city also sponsors concerts at the Bares Notables. 5. Eat an Asado You have to taste Argentine beef, even if you are vegetarian. Portenos don't eat fast--they live to eat. They dine for hours. Enjoy an asado with Argentines to get the full flavor of the experience. Cost depends on the restaurant and neighborhood. Ask a porteno friend for their recommendation. 6. Go to a neighborhood festival Enjoy a Sunday afternoon where the artisans sell their handmade articles (at local rather than tourist prices), gauchos ride horses, folclore groups entertain on stage while everyone dances Chacarera and Zamba. The feria de Mataderos is free, outdoors, and far from the path of tourists. 7. Try the wine You don't have to travel to the vineyards of Mendoza in western Argentina. Go to a grocery store or wine shop and select a bottle of Malbec, the most famous of Argentine wines. No asado is complete without red wine. 8. Walk the streets The city offers free walking tours of the neighborhoods with English-speaking guides--an introduction into the way portenos live. 9. Use the language This is the best way to get into the culture. Take classes before you travel. www.buenosaires.gov.ar for maps and more information on things you can do to immerse yourself in the local culture.
