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South America is a popular hotspot for digital nomads. From culture, nightlife, and natural wonders to incredible and diverse cuisine, it’s no wonder more Americans are heading south to work remotely.
For me, no other South American city comes as close to the perfect digital nomad hotspot as Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Argentina is getting a lot of global attention, from its 2022 World Cup victory to its unfortunate economic perils. However, its culture, world-class wine, safety, friendly people, and high quality of life draw millions of people every year.
The center of this huge country is its capital of Buenos Aires. The city has over 15 million people, with 48 distinct neighborhoods, all with their own vibes and highlights.
For Digital Nomads, it’s almost perfect, aside from the bureaucracy around getting the Argentine 180-day Digital Nomad VISA.
Although it exists, many people choose to visit the amazing countries surrounding Argentina to renew their tourist visas instead of going through the long and frustrating Digital Nomad application process.
Argentina has a very relaxed policy on coming in and out of the country, and as long as you don’t overstay and spend at least over two weeks in a neighboring country before returning, you’ll be fine.
Regardless of the bureaucracy, Argentina is still one of the most welcoming countries for foreigners and Digital Nomads. People are helpful, and for a big city, they’re incredibly kind—as long as you’re not a fan of the opposing soccer team.
Here’s Why Buenos Aires Is My Favorite Digital Nomad Hotspot
Cultural Gem
For centuries, Buenos Aires has been a melting pot of cultures. From Armenian to Korean, Venezuelan to Italian, people from all over the world made the city what it is today.
This merger of cultures throughout the centuries created a unique culture with its own art, music, and cuisine. You’ll find the city’s own versions of pizza, Wiener schnitzel, and croissants, plus a strong coffee culture and the regional tea Yerba Mate.
This is the home of Tango and the painting style of Fileteado. Today, you can see Tango performances or even attend classes in studios throughout the city.
Throughout the year, there’s always something going on. In February, during the peak of summer, you can follow troupes of carnival dancers known as Murgas as they dance through the streets in colorful costumes and drums.
If you love music, nothing beats Buenos Aires. You’ll see live music in bars, nightclubs, parks, and even on subways and buses where everyone from classical pianists and rappers to break dancers make space to perform to busy passengers.
Music festivals such as Primavera Sound and Lallapalooza bring everyone from foreign chart-toppers to local Rock Nacional icons.
And of course, there’s soccer. If you can get tickets to a live game to see teams like Boca Juniors or River Plate, you’ll have the experience of a lifetime.
Easy To Find A Community
Even though there are 48 neighborhoods in the city, many foreigners choose to stay in less than a handful. The most popular neighborhood for Digital Nomads is Palermo, with its walkability, proximity to award-winning bars and restaurants, and museums. It’s hard to beat.
However, more people are choosing to ditch the Palermo bubble and try out other neighborhoods. Each location has its draw, and it’s easy to make friends if you speak a bit of Spanish.
Neighborhoods such as Recoleta, with its sprawling cemetery and incredible parks, or Almagro, with its quiet, neighborly vibe, can easily feel like home. Downtown neighborhoods such as San Telmo and Puerto Madero are full of charm and exciting nightlife.
Regardless of where you settle in, you’ll find that each block functions like a little neighborhood. You’ll have produce stands, flower shops, bookstores, cafes, bars, and barber shops all within your block.
Be prepared to be social. Porteños, as locals are called, love to meet and chat, especially when running errands or buying groceries. If you’re friendly, your neighborhood will feel like home very quickly, and you will probably be invited over for a BBQ (parrilla) or some drinks until 2 AM—Porteños stay up late, and you will too.
It’s Beautiful
Buenos Aires gets called the “Paris of South America” a lot, but it’s so much more. The same European architects who built the Art Nouveau and Beaux-arts masterpieces in Paris and Madrid built many of the city’s 19th-century buildings.
On top of its architecture are its parks. Sprawling green spaces like the Bosques de Palermo and Parque Centenario feature everything from lagoons where you can rent boats to animal exhibits in parks such as Ecoparque.
If lounging in open green spaces next to parakeets isn’t your thing, you’ll love the city’s museums. Art museums such as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes or the Museum of Natural Science not only feature world-class exhibits but are free.
What makes many people love the city even more is its weather. Buenos Aires has a sub-tropical climate that rarely drops below freezing.
Summers are hot and humid, spring and fall are full of color and life, and winter is mild and windy. The city has only experienced snow a few times in the last century, so if you’re lucky enough to see flakes, head to the parks and watch the city come alive with people trying to savor the rare winter weather event.
All The Comforts Of Home
As a digital nomad, you’ll have access to fast Wi-Fi and a range of great places to stay. The city is safe too, as long as you’re not flashing your new iPhone or wearing expensive jewelry.
Digital nomads also love that there’s a cafe around every block, workspaces, and even bookstores with their own cafes where you can order a beer or vermouth after your day at the office.
However, there is an elephant in the room: the economy. While many foreigners come to take advantage of the dollar to peso exchange rate and hyperinflation, it comes as no surprise that locals don’t appreciate it.
The reality is that many people here live in poverty. As a foreigner in Buenos Aires, it’s important to be considerate and not flaunt your privilege.
That said, you’ll find all the comforts of back home, like gyms, dance studios, martial arts studios, and everything in between. There’s even good surf just an hour’s flight away in Mar del Plata or Uruguay.
Great Infrastructure And Connections To The World
Buenos Aires has an excellent and cheap public transportation system. All you need is to buy a SUBE card at a local kiosk, charge it up at the station, and scan away.
The subway links most of the city’s neighborhoods. If there’s no subway, you can ride on the extensive, 24-hour bus system. Google Maps works well to map out your route, and buses come every 10 to 30 minutes.
Taxis are also a great way to get around; just be prepared for a long conversation and lesson on Argentine politics.
If you want to travel outside the city to rural destinations like the Tigre Delta, the same SUBE card works for the trains. You’ll pay less than a dollar to ride into the countryside.
Buenos Aires is connected to the rest of the world by its international airports, Ezeiza and Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery. If you want to get to Uruguay, there are two excellent ferries that take you to Colonia del Sacramento or Montevideo.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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