It’s all sun and fun until May rolls around, right? There are less and less of those long sunny “hot-child-in-the-city” days and the girls trade in their miniskirts for tapered jeans. The locals get back to work and the tourists run for warmer pastures. Well, don’t run so fast dear travelers! Buenos Aires has much to offer during those chilly winter months.
Facturas : pastries
Vaca : cow
Merienda : afternoon snack
Olla : bowl
“Buen Provecho!” : Bon Apetit
So maybe winter is not the best season for a first-time, short visit to Buenos Aires, but for ex-pats, backpackers and those on “sabbatical” it can be quite charming. Warm snacks meet off-season prices to create a delicious equation for anyone with enough courage to stay or insufficient funds to travel elsewhere.
Here is a list of local treats that are invariably better when it’s cold out:
1. Coffee!
Having coffee in Buenos Aires is a long-standing tradition that is popular among all generations. While some travelers are more beer-oriented, sitting down in one of BA’s million coffee houses is a much better way to experience the local lifestyle. Order a café con leche y dos medialunas, read a book (preferably one by Borges or Cortázar) and people-watch the day away.
Slip into “La Puerto Rico” café at Adolfo Alsina 416 (downtown) on a cold winter day and take a seat in their warm dining room. This historical area in Monserrat is where the original revolutionaries met to discuss the country’s future during colonial times. The café is located by the infamous Colégio Nacional de Buenos Aires and was frequented by passionate students studying and debating politics.
TIP: Keep an eye out for people walking down the street with push-carts full of stainless steel thermoses. These saints are selling coffee (and usually facturas ) for about $2 pesos. You can ask for your coffee exactly how you like it- and in my opinion, it’s the best cup around.
2. Shopping!
Who comes to buy leather in the summer? If you’re like me, you don’t think getting stuck in a pair of sweaty leather pants on a hot summer day sounds like fun. Winter is the ideal season to buy leather in Buenos Aires: the prices go down due to the presence of fewer tourists (less demand) and nothing keeps your warm like a jacket made from a delicious Argentine vaca.
There are multiple trustworthy leather stores in Palermo (Villa Crespo) on Calle Murillo by the Malabia subte station. Las Pepas is a high-end girly leather shop that also has excellent quality in clothes and accessories. For a less trendy spot, visit the Feria de Mataderos where local and provincial artisans sell leather goods and other regional arts and crafts.
