Wikipedia defines ‘people watching’ as: The act of observing people and their interactions, usually without their knowledge. It involves picking up on idiosyncrasies to try and guess at another person’s story. This includes speech in action, relationship interactions, body language, expressions, clothing and activities.
Why should you people watch? People watching is a great way to understand the subconscious energy of a city and the people that inhabit it. You’re able to observe different classes of people moving from one point to another. All you need for a good session of people watching is free time and a comfortable seat.
One of the interesting facets of people watching is eavesdropping. This has become an increasingly popular trend online and there is a very popular website in Buenos Aires called ‘La gente anda diciendo’ (which loosely translates to ‘people go about saying’). The blog features interesting and often humorous quotes and conversations heard by ordinary people in passing in Argentina.
Before reading the following list of the best places to visit in Buenos Aires, keep in mind that the order is based on safety; i.e. Puerto Madero being the safest and Plaza de la Constitución being the most unsafe for tourists.
Another important point is that if you’ve lived in Argentina for some time and had the chance to ‘hacerse cancha’ then you should be able to handle yourself without problems. People watching is also a great way to practice learning a foreign language. So if you’re here to learn Spanish, it might not be a bad idea to bring a notepad with you in order to write down expressions and new words that you hear.
Top Places to People Watch in Buenos Aires
- Puerto Madero
- Los bosques de Palermo (Plaza Holanda)
- Plaza Francia
- Plaza Defensa in San Telmo
- Plaza San Martin
- Plaza Serrano
- Parque Rivadavia
- Parque Centenario
- Parque Lezama
- Plaza de la Constitución
For more interesting facts about places to visit in Buenos Aires and tidbits about Argentine culture, check out our blog. Or contact Say Hueque today to start planning your trip to Argentina to see these things for yourself!
Written by Brian Athey
