Biking, Buenos Aires

Another way to see the city, but whilst doing a bit of excercise. These guys were great, they offer a range of routes and you spend a couple of hours cycling around the city finding out about the history etc..

The tour was wonderful and informative. Our guide Julian was extremely knowledgable and friendly. I actually added on the option to canoe through the canals as we were having so much fun!! I haven't riden a bike in years and was afraid of the intensity - but found it to be perfect! Not too slow, not too fast. We took breaks, looked around San Isidro and Tigre, and learned a lot about Argentine culture, customs, and everyday life. The canoing was an extra bonus as we were able to see the canals and homes of the locals - including our stop of the last canoe maker in Tigre! Amazing. If you want to spend a wonderful day outside and away from the city - I would highly suggest this tour!! All the locals visit Tigre and you should too! Thanks Julian!! Great times and memories! :)

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If anyhow possible we try to make a bike tour during our visits. So we did also during our second stay in Buenos Aires, having seen these bikers before. We decided for the ‘South Buenos Aires Circuit’ organised by a company called ‘La Bicicleta Naranja’ (they offer several guided tours).

'Our' guided tour started from their office in San Telmo at 2.00 pm and it was easy to make a combination with a visit to San Telmo Feria on a Sunday morning.

We were cycling in a very pleasant pace through a couple of interesting ‘barrios’ (neighbourhoods). It was not just biking, but also the interesting stories which our guide told about the history of the city. These guy Juán was very patient and was absolutely not in a hurry. (The website says the tour will last 3 or 4 hours, but we were almost 5 hours on our way through the history of Buenos Aires.) He had to tell his stories and to answer the questions of his guests always in two languages (English and Spanish), which gave us a opportunity to walk around and to shoot pictures on the stops.

With stops in San Telmo (the oldest neighbourhood of the city), Parque Lezama, La Boca - where we could walk for 20 minutes, Puerto Madero and Plaza de Mayo. We were rather unlucky because the bike paths in the Costanera Sur Natural Park were closed due to heavy rainfall the day before.

IS IT SAFE to bike around in Buenos Aires: YES, such a guided tour is completely safe. Most of the time we were biking on quiet roads, bike paths, sidewalks or through parks. And when crossing a busy road with a lot of traffic there was always a traffic light.

I think it is really a very nice way for exploring parts of Buenos Aires.
We paid 85 pesos per person; you get a good bike, if you want a helmet and a bottle of water.

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One activity to consider while in Buenos Aires would be to rent a bicycle and ride to Puerto Madero and then to the Reserve Ecologica Park which has an 8km loop walking/bike trail. You can also ride to other areas of the city such as Palermo, but the roads are busy. There are companies that offer daily bike tours. I have rented bikes from the Lan & Kramer Travel Service which has an office on Florida Ave. Their website is:

www.biketours.com.ar

They provide half day bike tours as well as individual bicycle rental. There are other companies to consider. See websites:

www.labicicletanaranja.com.ar
www.en.urbanbiking.com

When in BA, I have also taken the fast ferry boat to Colonia, Uruguay for a day trip. While there I rented a bike and road around the small town and then to an abandoned bull ring. I rented the bike from Thrifty on Gen Flores Ave 172.

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We visited the Palermo Park known as Bosques de Palermo. The botanical gardens surround two man made lakes. This is a popular weekend recreational area for the locals. You will find all kinds of families enjoying the beautifully maintained rose gardens, vistas, bridges and walkways.

Spending time in these gardens can provide you with some memories of the laid back Portenos life style. There is also the opportunity to grab some alternative transport. Try hiring a bike, rollerblades or even take as we did a carriage ride. The Japanese Garden is also located at the park.