The first thing I search for when I get to a new destination, especially a city, is “DESTINATION free walking tours”. Most cities outside of the United States have a company that provides free historical and cultural tours of the city. I can look up the most famous monuments of a city and read about the history of a location. But these free walking tours give me the understanding how all this connects to the society and a culture. And they are FREE!
Note: Yes! They are worth it! And besides tipping your tour guide, they are truly free! make sure to look at the reviews for the tour to make sure you feel that you will get value from it.
Free Walking Tours - Buenos Aires (The Company)
Buenos Aires was no exception through the company Free Walking Tour Buenos Aires. Led by professionals (who have ranged from historians to sociologists on our tours) from Buenos Aires, these tours help you connect the dots between history, architecture, and culture. And the tours are in either English or Spanish, ensuring that you can grasp all of the information that they provide.
Note: the Free Walks Buenos Aires website is rich with information about the city including example itineraries, practical information, neighborhood info, etc. It’s worth checking out even if you don’t take one of their tours.
Free Tour # 1: City Center
We did their two free walking tours and one additional tour (that I’ll get to later). The two free walking tours walked us through some of the more touristy landmarks of Buenos Aires. The tour of the city center gave us an introduction into the city and the evolution of their government over time. We went on a Thursday and it was led by Martin, who shared his passion and knowledge for the city.
Free Tour #2: Recoleta and Retiro
The tour of Recoleta and Retiro discusses the aristocracy and culture within the city. From Juan, we learned how historical events have changed and morphed the aristocratic neighborhoods of the city.
Additional Tours: La Boca
In addition to these two free tours, the company has some paid tours to some more specific parts of Buenos Aires. These tours are $10 per person, paid in cash in dollars or pesos. To contrast the aristocratic and elite walk, we toured La Boca, a truly colorful working class neighborhood. It is located at the port of the city, forever morphing Buenos Aires into the international melting pot that it is today. (In fact, 97% of the population has some European ancestry). Led by Maru on Saturday, this tour was dense with information, color, and culture.
Look on their website to see the other paid tours they provide.
Topics Discussed in Every Tour
There are a few topics that are always discussed on the tours:
- Fútbol (soccer): most people belong to a fútbol club and it is part of their identity as an Argentine. Because they have to pay dues to be part of the club to get tickets, they feel a sense of ownership for their team. Read here about Kevin’s perspective on a famous futbol player.
- The Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands): a war in 1982 between Argentina and Great Britain over the sovereignty of the islands. Great Britain won the war in the end but it left a deep scar in Argentine culture to this day.
- The Madres de Plaza Mayo and the Desaparecidos (the Mothers of Plaza Mayo and the Disappeared): During the military dictatorship of the 70s and 80s, over 30,000 people were kidnapped and “disappeared” by the government for being a threat to the government. Some of these people were pregnant and gave birth in captivity. However, those babies were adopted by sympathizers of the government. These mothers, now called the Abuelas (grandmothers) de Plaza Mayo, organized themselves to demand answers as to where their grandchildren were and protest against these illegal kidnappings. They have set up an organization that helps people find their biological families and to this day, they are still searching for all the people born in captivity.
- Exchanging Dollars and Pesos: due to the financial instability of the peso in Argentina (which has been an issue for decades) and the great inflation of the peso year over year, Argentines do not trust the government value of the peso. There are different exchange rates and ways to get pesos within the city. I found it so interesting to get the information along with the perspectives of each of the different guides.
Meeting People Through Free Walking Tours
We found the tours to be easy ways to meet other people around our age. When walking from place to place, it’s easy to strike up a conversation, learning about where people are from and what has brought them to a destination. We’ve gotten drinks, dinner, and made true connections through these tours.
Finally, don’t forget to tip the tour guides as they are working hard at giving you all the knowledge you can ask for!
