What to Do During the Week & the Weekend in Buenos Aires

A hotel that doubles as an art gallery: at VILON Recoleta Hotel, you can immerse yourself in Viaje Espiritual, an exhibition by Pilar Gleboff, specially conceived for the space and curated by Fabiana Barreda. It's open Monday to Friday, from 2pm to 8pm.

Paintings, textiles, writing, poetry and objects come together in a map-like exhibition connecting Chile, Argentina and Japan, with the Andes mountain range as a central motif and a palette of earthy tones and natural pigments. This is the second site-specific exhibition created for the hotel by the Chilean artist, who has lived in Buenos Aires for a decade.

Good to know: Admission is free.

Where: Arenales 1210, Recoleta.

This week, you can explore two recently opened exhibitions at Centro Cultural Recoleta. First up, galleries 7, 8 and 9 are taken over by the world of Mauro Guzmán (Rosario, 1977) with TrashGuzmania 2001-2030, a retrospective curated by Carla Barbero that looks back at more than two decades of work born from discarded materials, gradually evolving towards explorations of the body and ritual.

Expect objects, video, photography, film and theatre with a trash, queer and camp aesthetic, organised into four sections: his earliest pieces made from discarded materials; his cinematic exploration through the project Linda Bler. Artista poseída; La Guzmania, a universe of installations, humour and excess; and an archive of his recent performance work.

Meanwhile, Slip Touch is Marco Giordano's (Italy, 1988) first solo exhibition in South America. It features monumental video installations that repurpose industrial gas pipelines as cinematic devices, alongside drawings on rice paper. Everything revolves around flows of energy and communication, and what happens when they overflow, break down or fail. The soundscape is by Emilia Álvarez, with curatorship by Michele D'Aurizio and Javier Villa.

Good to know: Admission is free for Argentine citizens and residents.

Where: Junín 1930, Recoleta.

Some of the week's best treats come between two slices of bread. November 3 marks International Sandwich Day, and we've picked three places to celebrate in style.

At Osaka Buenos Aires, the Niku Bao is a fried steamed bun filled with slow-braised beef short ribs, cucumber, pickled red onion, coriander and smoked yellow chilli: Nikkei technique meets local flavours. Osaka's Leandro Bouzada also shares his personal favourite: freshly baked French bread, clarified butter on one side, garlic mayonnaise on the other, natural cooked ham and Tybo cheese.

At Confitería Las Violetas, one of Buenos Aires' historic cafés, crustless tea sandwiches have been an institution for more than a century. They're freshly prepared with handmade crustless bread, generous fillings and ingredients made that day. Order the triple-decker Roquefort and ham sandwich or the artichoke version, an exclusive house recipe, surrounded by stained-glass windows, marble and wood panelling.

Alejo Waisman's pastrami at Allenby starts with brisket from heavy steers, cured in brine for 14 to 16 days, slow-cooked for 12 to 15 hours and smoked during the final two. It's served on homemade caraway-seed bread with Dijon mustard, caramelised onions, pickles and a blend of Fontina and Dambo cheeses. Inspired by New York delis, the recipe was developed over months of testing to achieve its own distinctive character. The entire process takes between 16 and 17 days.

Good to know: The sandwich takes its name from the Earl of Sandwich, who, in 1762, reportedly requested meat between two slices of bread so he could eat without putting down his cards during a 24-hour gambling session.

Where: Soler 5608, Palermo (Osaka Buenos Aires); Av. Rivadavia 3899, Almagro (Las Violetas); Vicente López 2050, Recoleta (Allenby).

This Wednesday, November 4, there's a plan to shake up your midweek routine. From 9pm, CôChinChina hosts another edition of Miércoles Salvaje, the travelling cocktail club founded in 2019 by bartenders Diego Zelaya and Luis Ferrer. Zelaya has more than 15 years of experience in mixology and now advises hospitality projects on bars, menus and training, while Lucho Ferrer is a creative bartender with an established career in the industry.

Expect great cocktails, music and good company around the bar, in an evening that captures the relaxed, festive and nomadic spirit that defines the event.

Good to know: Reservations can be made through Meitre.

Where: Armenia 1540, Palermo.

From November 5 to 16, Teatro Colón presents Manon, the three-act ballet choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan with music by Jules Massenet. The production features the Ballet Estable, under the artistic direction of Julio Bocca, and the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ermanno Florio. The choreography is restaged by Robert Tewsley, with sets by Cinzia LoFazio, costumes by Natasha Stewart and lighting design by Jacopo Pantani.

There are also two very special guest performers: Paris Opera Ballet étoiles Dorothée Gilbert and Hugo Marchand will dance in the November 5 and 7 performances.

Good to know: Tickets are available online through EntradasBA or in person at the Teatro Colón box office, Tucumán 1171.

Where: Cerrito 628, San Nicolás.

A festival for film lovers eager to discover the impossible to find is coming to Buenos Aires. From November 5 to 27, MALBA Cine once again hosts BAZOFI, the festival of cinematic rarities organised by Filmoteca Buenos Aires and directed by Fernando Martín Peña. Dedicated to unearthing extraordinary films in every sense, the festival offers an alternative to BAFICI. Additional screenings will take place at Hasta Trilce on November 10, 17 and 24.

The full programme will be announced soon, but here's a taste of what to expect: Déjala morir adentro (Julie Darling, its original title), a 1982 Canadian-German film that packed Argentine cinemas for two years thanks to a Spanish title invented by Claudio María Domínguez and an entirely black poster with no promotional imagery. BAZOFI had been trying to track down a copy since its founding, without success. This year, however, Peña finally managed to get hold of it.

Good to know: The festival was founded in 2012 and has also held editions in Santa Fe, Ushuaia, Montevideo and Valdivia, Chile.

Where: Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415, Palermo (MALBA); Maza 177, Almagro (Hasta Trilce).

On November 7, Buenos Aires celebrates its 35th Pride Parade, filling the city with colour, music and pride. There will be 450 authorised stalls for businesses and community projects, following more than 700 pre-registrations, while María Becerra will headline the closing musical celebrations. The line-up also features K4OS, Tita Print (paying tribute to Gilda on the 30th anniversary of her death), La Joaqui, Martín Cirio, Aimel Sali, Ambik, Missy Copper, Santi Magliocco, La Turca Rahim and Blujaus, alongside DJs Alan Faboulus, Juana Ruda DJ and Fabián Jara. Artists selected through Tocá en la Marcha, an open call for independent bands and performers, will also take part.

Due to the visit of Pope Leo XIV, the exact starting and finishing points, the parade route and, consequently, the layout of the remaining stalls have yet to be confirmed. Some of the stalls will be located around the National Congress building, while the rest will depend on the final arrangements. Keep an eye on the official Instagram account, @marchadelorgulloar, for updates.

Good to know: Argentina's first LGBT+ Pride Parade took place on July 2, 1992, in Buenos Aires.

Where: Downtown Buenos Aires, with the starting and finishing points still to be confirmed.

On November 7 and 8, BA Ferial becomes an international meeting point for contemporary art, tattooing and urban culture. Over two days, tattoo artists, sculptors, painters and creatives from different disciplines will come together alongside more than 100 exhibitors.

Expect tattoo, sculpture and painting competitions, art workshops, gaming, exhibitions, brands and interactive experiences, all part of a celebration of art in every form, bringing communities and disciplines together to share, create and experiment.

Good to know: Tickets are available through Mundo Ticket. The Gold Ticket includes a US$50 discount on a tattoo by Amazilia, Marcos Emiliano or Nucete, subject to availability and advance booking. It also includes an event lanyard, official art prints and an exclusive Kranion Deco keyring.

Where: Av. Costanera Rafael Obligado 1221, Palermo.

On November 8 at 8pm, BaianaSystem makes its Argentine debut at C Art Media. Led by Russo Passapusso and Roberto Barreto, the Brazilian collective has developed its own musical language around the guitarra baiana, blending Jamaican sound system culture, samba-reggae, dub, Afrobeat, rap and electronic music.

Live, music, performance and carnival culture merge into a single experience: a chance to witness how the spirit of their iconic Navio Pirata has travelled from the streets of Salvador to international stages.

Good to know: Tickets are available through Passline, with a three-for-two offer priced at ARS 130,000.

Where: Av. Corrientes 6271, Chacarita.

A great way to break up the week with a sharing platter. Every Wednesday from 7pm, afterTEGUI, Germán Martitegui's street food series at Tegui Barra, presents its spring menu to welcome the warmer months. Choose between a traditional sharing platter featuring ham croquettes, crisps, bread, spreads and octopus, or a vegetarian version with falafel, pickled vegetables, mushroom shawarma, crisps, bread and spreads.

Good music and the perfect excuse to enjoy delicious food at one of Recoleta's coolest bars.

Good to know: Walk-ins and reservations are both welcome.

Where: Rodríguez Peña 1973, Recoleta.

CENTRO, the restaurant located in the geographical heart of Buenos Aires, on one of Caballito's prettiest street corners, has launched a new menu with two distinct offerings: a relaxed, brunch-inspired all-day selection and a separate evening menu. Citrus fruits and mushrooms feature prominently in both, with trout taking centre stage.

During the day, expect speciality coffee, eggs and open-faced toast, including Turkish eggs (herbed yoghurt, poached egg, paprika oil and caramelised sesame seeds). At lunchtime, the menu features cured trout sandwiches, chipá sandwiches and oyster mushroom sandwiches with hummus and tonkatsu sauce as a vegan option.

In the evening, highlights include trout ceviche with citrus tiger's milk, burrata with orange, flambéed mushrooms, a stuffed chipá bomba with mushrooms and blue cheese, creamy rice with oyster mushrooms, and a rosemary and lemon crème brûlée finished with candied grapefruit and lemon. The Basque cheesecake comes with kumquats in syrup, while one dish has remained untouched since opening day: roasted carrot, ricotta and blue cheese agnolotti with citrus butter, sage and toasted hazelnuts.

The kitchen is led by Lucía Ferigo, the restaurant's chef, and executive chef Alejandro Rodríguez, who brings a Latin American perspective shaped by his experience in La Paz and Colombia.

Good to know: Reservations can be made via WhatsApp on +54 9 11 3174-7678.

Where: Aranguren 928, Caballito.