Buenos Aires and tango have danced hand-in-hand for more than 100 years. Today, tourists and locals keep Argentina’s most prized cultural artifact pulsing through the city’s milongas (tango salons) well into the wee hours.
Undoubtedly the best way to experience tango in this Argentinian city is to don your finest attire and head to a milonga to strut your stuff. But if your dancing shoes are busy collecting cobwebs, Buenos Aires is also home to a vast collection of shows – some small and traditional, others huge and glitzy, and all with dinner included. We’ve put together three of the best places to dance the tango and three of the best places to watch it. Take your pick.
WATCH
Señor Tango is one of the glitziest, most outrageous tango venues in Buenos Aires, and has attracted a star-studded audience including the likes of Bill Clinton, Ivana Trump and Sting. With dozens of performers in Señor Tango’s wonderfully OTT production and more than 1,500 seats spread over two tiers of balconies, this venue provides one of the city’s top shows.
Boasting 30 performers and a live band, La Ventana’s tango shows are not to be missed. The atmosphere at this long-running venue is electric, especially when blended with La Ventana’s classic décor, which will transport you back to 1930s Argentina. Expect slick hair, polished shoes and beautiful dresses.
Bar Sur is an intimate and traditional venue, which has been hosting tango shows for 45 years. High prices aside, the dinner shows here, with only 12 tables for spectators, are a refreshing alternative to the big hall performances. And be warned — they often involve participation.
DANCE
Some of the finest dancers in Buenos Aires grace Salon Canning’s dance floor, as well as less accomplished locals and tourists. Be prepared to be thrown in at the deep end here – wallflowers need not apply.
Generally recognized as more of a bohemian style milonga, La Catedral is Buenos Aires’ grandmother. Housed in a building that dates back to 1880, La Catedral is decorated with candle-lit tables and recycled furnishings. Free milongas are held after classes, which are tailored to all levels.
La Virtura may not be the most aesthetically authentic tango venue in the city, but it’s a popular choice for dancers of all levels. Their tagline, “you’ll enter walking and you’ll leave dancing,” stays true to its word, as locals instill confidence in all tango novices. La Virtura is open until 5:30 a.m., so there’s plenty of time to perfect your moves.
(Main image: © Prayitnophotography)
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to… whose London guide covers all the best hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, sights, shops and spas
