Carlos Gardel circuit

Although I’m highly allergic to maps and guided tours, there are a couple of itineraries which I wouldn’t miss for anything in this world.

One of those is the Carlos Gardel circuit in Buenos Aires. 

It’s intriguing to walk around his beloved city, continuously finding traces of his legacy, being astonished by how the Zorzal Criollo influenced the life of the Argentinean capital.

Gardel, exactly as Jorge Luis Borge, is a legend in Buenos Aires, and sometimes, while having a drink in Café Tortoni (Avenida de Mayo 825); you might have the impression that he is present not only in spirit but also physically. Café Tortoni is the oldest bar in Buenos Aires, and during the Roaring Twenties, this was the meeting place for the bohemians, intellectuals and artists; a place much adored by Gardel himself.

The next stop of the tour was Palais de Glace (Posadas 1725), where again my mind was transported back in the twenties. Imagining a dashing Gardel, surrounded by sensual Flappers, or dancing the night away with some glamorous divine female. 

From there we went on to the Hipodromo Argentino (Avenida del Libertador 4101). Gardel’s love for the horses was not a secret during his lifetime, so this beautiful Belle Epoque building has to be a stop on your route.

Bring to an end your time trip with a visit to Carlos Gardel House-Museum (Jean Jaures 735) where the bon vivant has lived. There you can admire photographs and documents which belonged or feature the great Gardel.