Want to experience the best of Buenos Aires whilst not blowing your meagre backpacker's budget? The city is full of hidden wonders and cultural excursions which can be enjoyed without spending a penny.

1) During your first few days in Buenos Aires, you can get to know the city via a Free Walking Tour. These are a nice relaxed way to find out more about the histories and interesting stories behind important buildings which may have gone unnoticed in your solo explorations. The tours can be in English or Spanish, with the morning one leaving at 10.30am from the North-Western corner of El Teatro Colon and covering the city as far out as Recoleta. The afternoon tour leaves at 3.30pm from outside Congresso and focuses on the central road Avenida de Mayo. (Feel free to tip the guide at the end of the tour, they do an amazing job!)

2) Casa Rosada is one of Buenos Aires' most iconic buildings, where Evita famously gave her speech from one of the balconies. On weekends the house is open to the public with free half-hour tours. This is a great opportunity to delve into the history and changing times of the city.

3) Recoleta Cemetery is another important place to visit not only for it´s magnificence and grandeur but also for the fascinating stories behind some of the designs of the graves. Tours in English run every Tuesday at 11am, but this is only for a short time longer! At the end of the year they plan to charge $100 pesos for entrance into the cemetery so be sure to make the most of this opportunity

4) The Madres de la Plaza de Mayo walk around the plaza on Thursdays in protest against the government´s handling of affairs during the Dirty War and in memory of their ´disappeared´ children or grandchildren. This is an important sight to see, but be sure to do extra research on the tragic events of the past.

5) Buenos Aires has lots of museums and art galleries which are free to the public. Grey and rainy days can be improved by wandering through the rooms of Museo de las Bellas Artes in Recoleta (av. Libertador) or getting lost in the history of the city at Museo del Bicenetnnario. It´s even nice to escape the sunshine and visit Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (free to students on Wednesdays!)

6) The nightlife in Buenos Aires can get expensive, but you can enjoy most good clubs for free if you arrive before a certain time (usually 1 or 2am). It´s worth being one of the first people in an empty club before it fills up around 3 or 4am as this can be a great way to save money and allows you to party at some incredible, up-market venues with Buenos Aires' elite without spending anything! (Until you buy drinks of course)

7) Buenos Aires' districts provide entertainment enough just to wander their streets and watch the portenos go about their daily lives. Palermo offers green parks and good shopping (or window shopping!), whilst Recoleta has wonderful bakeries and beautiful buildings. La Boca offers a very European feel with Tango shows in the street and Caminito to walk along.

8) The San Telmo Markets held on Sundays can keep you occupied for hours walking the cobbled streets. They offer everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to handmade journals to cheap trinkets and second hand tableware. A great way to keep busy whilst soaking up the culture!

9) Buenos Aires is a politically turbulent city with a complex past. Throughout your stay, you will no doubt witness a few Protests and Marches along the main streets. These can be great to watch and follow, usually ending up at Plaza de Mayo. Along the way the groups will perform, play music, and explain their political message.

10) Finally, the city has many Churches and religious buildings which are usually free to enter and look around and can be awe inspiring to take in.

Marie, from Norway, arrived in Buenos Aires to assist in one of Voluntario Global's kindergarten projects to volunteer with kids, meet new people, and to learn more about Argentinian culture. As she is pursuing a degree in Social Anthropology, the kindergarten seemed to be a good fit for her and the goals she wishes to achieve.  

On her first day, Marie knew only the basics of the kindergarten.  Otherwise, she had no idea what to expect of the structure of the kindergarten, what the schedule would be like, or how many students there would be. So as the train pulled into the last stop of the line Suarez, it was time to find out!

The Voluntario Global team walked into the kindergarten to find two dozen children laughing and chatting in their little chairs. The kindergarten was a humble, rectangular hallway that comprised of an open concept of two “classrooms” which loosely separated a handful of three year olds from around fifteen four-to-five year olds. Marie was welcomed warmly by the teachers, and then quickly put to real work: it was play time!

Marie wiggled her way among the children, playing with plastecine, getting them acquainted with the new "Rubia".  With only a two-week Spanish course under her belt, she hopes to learn more of the language with the students at the kindergarten, where she will be volunteering for the next seven weeks.

During lunch time, Marie helped serve the kids ravioli, juice, and encouraged them to finish up and clean their plates.

Marie’s first impression of the kindergarten was a positive one, highlighting the friendly and humble environment with a good group of students. She is excited to get started with her new meaningful volunteer adventure with Voluntario Global.

Have fun, Marie!

There is an endless list of things to do and see in Buenos Aires. If you are here for a short period of time, here is my recommended itinerary to experience as much of Buenos Aires as you possibly can in just a week!

Monday

Palacio Barolo

You get a bird’s eye view of the city, 22 stories high and a 360-degree viewpoint from the renowned lighthouse. You even get a tour of the magnificent building inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. I recommend the day tour where you get to see nothing but clear blue skies and the ocean bordering the city! The tour lasts for approximately an hour and a half with plenty of time to capture your memories on camera.

Address: Avenida de Mayo 1370

La Bomba de Tiempo

If there is any musical performance to watch, La Bomba is definitely it. An incredible percussion ensemble that is sure to leave you jumping along with the rest of the audience and dancing to the infectious beat. Head there a half hour before the show starts to get yourself food and drinks or simply to soak in the atmosphere. Just when you think the performance ends, they bring the performance out to the streets! They parade around the streets of Buenos Aires along with a trail of people dancing to this phenomenon. You are bound to sweat buckets so be sure to wear something light and airy! La Bomba only happens on Monday nights so if you are in Buenos Aires on a Monday, do yourselves a favor and join in the infectious rhythm that is La Bomba!

Address: Sarmiento 3131

Tuesday

Japanese Garden

Amidst the Latin American culture, you will find an exquisite Japanese garden that will make you feel as though you’ve stepped into Japan itself. The Japanese garden offers so much and you can easily spend an hour or two there. From Japanese flowers to koi fishes, the garden has something for everyone. You can’t help but feel peaceful and serene sitting amidst the beautifully manicured garden. You could even pop into the Japanese restaurant within the garden for a quick bite of some of Japan’s famous delicacies.  Do remember to bring along 70 pesos for the entrance fee as well as your camera for great pictures by the mini red bridges and fountains!

Address: Av. Casares 2966

Bosques de Palermo

Walking from the Japanese Garden to Bosques de Palermo takes approximately 10 minutes. I would dedicate an entire day to visit the urban park that ranges 400 hectares in the neighborhood of Palermo. It still amazes me how Buenos Aires dedicates a large part of the city to green spaces for people to enjoy a great day outdoors! It is truly a breath of fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Head on down to the rose gardens or even to the beautiful lake in the midafternoon. You could even rent yourselves a paddle or rowing boat, an activity I would certainly recommend if you wish to take a tour around the lake at your own pace.  So put on your walking shoes and take the grand tour of one of the largest city parks in Latin America!

Address: Crossroads of Avenida Sarmiento and Avenida del Libertador

Wednesday

La Boca

The neighborhood offers two must-sees. Caminito as well as La Bombonera for soccer enthusiasts. The streets are lined with box-like houses of all colours. Treat yourselves to a delicious meal of bife de chorizo and a glass of wine as you watch two beautiful dancers take the stage with a round of tango. For the soccer enthusiasts, La Bombonera, rated as the number one stadium to watch a soccer match, is a sight to behold. Splashes of yellow and blue, the colours of soccer team Boca, engulf you as you take a tour around the stadium. Take a step further and do the stadium tour while you’re there!

Address: Brandsen 805

Thursday

Plaza de Mayo

The Argentinian flag flies high and proud in the center of Plaza de Mayo. Thursdays at Plaza de Mayo are especially unique and some might even say exciting. It is the city’s ground zero location for protests. My personal favorite was being a spectator to ‘Madres de la Plaza de Mayo’.  Every Thursday at 3.30pm, mothers march around the plaza in search of their disappeared and lost children. It is a march for social justice that started in 1977 and still continues today. With the backdrop of Casa Rosada, also known as the Pink House, these women take a stand and march despite the sweltering heat. Truly admirable and definitely a must see.

Address: Balcarce 50

Friday

Puerto Madero

Its name has probably given it away. Once a port to passing cargo ships, it is now a busy landmark of Buenos Aires with some of the best restaurants and bars. Puerto Madero is best visited in the later part of the evening when the sun is just about to make its descend. Red, orange and yellow flank the skies and it creates the perfect picturesque shot with the bridge, Puente de la Mujer as its main attraction. Do pop into the floating ship museums along the dock and end your evening with dinner in just about any restaurant where the food is always delicious! 

Address: Puente de la Mujer

Saturday

Recoleta Cemetery

The city winds down over the weekend and it is a perfect day to stroll along the streets in one of the most well-kept and beautiful neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, also known as Recoleta. Your week would not be complete without taking a tour amongst the dead in the world renowned Cementario de la Recoleta. You could take a guided tour in either English or Spanish and find yourselves enthralled in the city of the dead. You can wander for hours listening to the interesting stories of the many people buried in the cemetery. You most certainly would want to bring along your cameras for this tour!

Address: Junin 1760

Feria de Recoleta

The flea market in Recoleta is one you should not miss. Take a little coffee break after your visit to Cementario de la Recoleta and prepare yourselves for another round of walking as you bask in the ambience that is the flea market. The Recoleta flea market is home to some of the most unique items for sale. You will certainly find yourselves buying something particularly unique which include hand-made leather bags to intricately designed mate sets and even ships in a bottle with your favourite Argentinian soccer team flag on the miniature ship docks.

Address: Junin 1930

Sunday

San Telmo + Plaza Dorrego

As they say, Sunday funday! Close the week with a delightful stroll along San Telmo’s flea market that spans as far as the eye can see. From mate sets, second hand books and even hand crafted jewelry, there is indeed something for everyone! It could get a little overwhelming with the numerous stalls lined up so my advice would be to head there just after lunch. Or you could stop for a quick Quilmes stop! End the day in Plaza Dorrego where a makeshift dancefloor is set up just as the sun makes its descend. Dancers, ranging from amateurs to experts gather in the plaza to dance the tango. It is a sight to behold and a perfect end to the perfect week!

Address: Crossroads of Defensa and Hipolito Yrigoyen

Imagine growing up in a neighborhood that doesn’t exist – neither on a map, nor acknowledged by your country.  The houses are built solely by the community of construction workers, and without government funding, they are limited to the materials and resources at their disposal – from donations, from volunteers, and quite possible from the giant landfill that sits square in their backyard. 

This is the reality of Buenos Aires shanty town “Los Eucaliptos”, and like the genus of flowering trees, the growing families inhabiting the neighborhood need water to survive, more than ever during the scorching hot summers in Argentina.  Yet, there is no water supply in Los Eucaliptos; instead, family members must carry tanks six blocks away or further to retrieve water from surrounding neighborhoods.

As more families sought refuge in the neighborhood, there was an urgent need for a kindergarten, as a safe haven for children to play, eat, and develop skills while their parents worked.  Lorena, a mother of the neighborhood, took charge, and with the help of Voluntario Global volunteers, donations, and community resources, built the kindergarten.

Viviana, one of the teachers, welcomed us with a glass of cold water, and showed us around the modest kindergarten. The way she spoke about the place suggested that it was more than just a kindergarten but a place of refuge, where the children would be surrounded by caring individuals while learning solidarity and mutual respect.

The palpable excitement radiated from Viviana when she displayed the new bathroom facility and the freshly-painted walls, all made possible from donations and volunteers, and showed how dedicated these community members are to creating a safe and friendly setting for children to grow intellectually and emotionally, while getting the proper care in an otherwise unstable environment.

This eye-opening visit to the kindergarten made me check my privilege and the things I take for granted (like easy access to fresh water) which is a daily chore for those living in Los Eucaliptos. It also made me pleased to know that I am volunteering for an organization that’s been continuously supporting an education centre for children within the neglected community.

Learn more about the project and how you can volunteer at the kindergarten here. 

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with a thousand other incredibly passionate Boca fans at La Bombonera? The stadium is rated number one to experience a soccer match and it sure does live up to its name! It isn’t just the thrill of watching Boca Juniors play, it’s the experience of being one with the fans and the team that makes it a fulfilling experience. What made it even more exciting was heading to La Bombonera with several other volunteers from Voluntario Global who themselves had never experienced an Argentinian soccer match. We wanted the complete experience and we sure did with these 5 steps!

1. Tickets

Getting a ticket was perhaps the only challenging process. Boca Juniors played their first home game of the season and naturally, hunting for tickets was no easy process. After days of searching online but to no avail, we managed to get tickets from a hostel nearby. They were a little pricey but it was most certainly worth every cent! My advice, splurge on the tickets because this is truly a once in a lifetime experience. Do be sure to check that you get your tickets from a reliable source. You wouldn’t want to head down to La Bombonera and find yourself with an invalid ticket. 

2. Attire

The experience wouldn’t be complete if you didn’t look the part! You can most certainly get your Boca jerseys or T-shirts at the stadium itself, though it would be best to get them a day or two before game day. Or you could get the official jerseys from the Nike store! I would recommend heading down to cross streets of Juramento and Cabildo where the streets are lined with all the sports outlets so you can take your pick. Take the subte (subway) to Juramento and the outlets are at the foot of the subte exit. Rest assure you would fit right in with the rest of the fans in a Boca shirt. If you haven’t the time to get a shirt, be sure you’re in Boca colours. You can never go wrong with blue and yellow.

3. Pregame

We certainly did our pregame the Argentinian way! Beers, fernet and of course Boca songs and cheers blasting through the speakers. There really is no better way to get into the spirit of a game. I learnt a cheer or two before heading to the game and it really got me hyped up and into the fighting spirit! 

4. Cheering, Swearing and Everything in-Between

We finally get to the stadium and there were at least 3 security checks before actually entering the stadium. It seemed rather solemn walking to the stadium after getting off the bus, almost as though we were going to war. Clearing the security checks took all of 5 minutes and just like that we were off into the stadium. The second you take the stairs to get to the stands, you can hear the hustle and bustle of fans finding their seats or simply getting a spot to get a great view of the pitch. 

Anticipation and excitement built as we watched the large digital clock above the field countdown the minutes to the game. When the Boca Juniors stepped onto the pitch, in an instant, every Boca fan in sight rose to their feet. Almost instantaneously the drums started playing and every single fan broke out into a Boca song. It was almost magical how united the Boca fans were. What surprised me even more was how loyal these fans were. With each bad pass or missed goal, they cheered even louder and jumped even higher in support of their team. Every few minutes, the fans, in unison, would start a new cheer or song complete with hand gestures. You can’t help but join in and be a part of what it means to be a fan.

5. Post Match

Get yourself a good ol steak right after the match! Or if you can’t wait to sit yourself down at a restaurant, grab a choripan on your way out of La Bombonera. The night is only complete with an Argentinian feast! The added bonus is that you wouldn’t have to worry about restaurants closing early. Dinner at 11pm might sound a little crazy but restaurants in the city serve dinner till the wee hours of the morning. So grab yourselves a table and you’d find yourself talking about the best and perhaps the worst moments in the match.

Well as the saying goes, the Argentinian experience is never complete without watching a soccer game. I guess that’s just one more thing off my bucket list now! If you’re in the city and you’re thinking about watching a game, the answer is always si, hacelo!