TIME OUT

 Twilight finds BA’s culture vultures and night owls preparing to hit the town.

Though a metropolis farther north has claimed the title of ‘the city that never sleeps’, Buenos Aires is gaining ground with its share of nocturnal offerings. A series of cultural events designed to tap into the city’s late-night pulse range from art and museum visits to wildlife tours of the ecological reserve and the zoo; and bike rides after sundown are your chance to miss the daytime traffic madness and freewheel through BA’s semi-deserted streets.

Urban Biking’s ‘Porteño nightlife’ tour (4568 4321, www.urbanbiking.com, AR$170) is a relaxed circuit highlighting many of BA’s loveliest neighbourhoods and tourist destinations. Pedalling from south to north and back again, you’ll coast past old churches and historic plazas in all their
night-time glory. Though the idea of a three-and-a-half to four-hour bike ride might make you think twice, the ride is easy, with regular stops and few uphill bits. If the glimpses of rustling greenery and the glint of the river at the nature reserve intrigue you as you pedal past, a monthly free moonlit walking tour of the Reserva Ecológica (4893 1588, www.porlareserva.
org.ar), one of BA’s most untouched tracts of land, will have you walking close to the same river. There are no flashlights here – just the full moon to guide wanderers through a jungle, not of concrete, but of greenery. Far from the congested city streets only a couple of blocks away, you’ll hear croaking frogs and chirping crickets, and you might spot turtles, ducks and coipos (indigenous rodents). Reservations can be made the Monday before the Friday tour, but space is very limited, with just 12 people heading out each month.
 

The moon appears as if by magic, illuminating the
water and sky.
 

More accessible monthly, full-moon activities include Puro Remo’s (15 5808 2237, www.puroremo.com.ar) Río de la Plata kayak and rowing trips. Departing from Martínez, Puro Remo sets you paddling towards San Isidro, the sun low in the sky just before a huge moon
appears, as if by magic, illuminating the entire sky and water. The night is crowned to perfection with a moonlit asado at a romantic beach bar. Less flora and more fauna, Buenos Aires Zoo (see p85) hosts Zoo de Noche from 8pm to 10pm from Wednesdays to Fridays. An insider’s guided tour, the night includes a boat ride, live animal feedings and interesting titbits of information on the zoo’s residents – like how staff had to it how to have sex.
 

For Gallery Nights (see p6), which runs from April to November, art galleries, museums and cultural centres across BA open late on the last Friday of each month. Though activities centre on the barrios of Recoleta, Retiro and Barrio Norte, mid-week events are also held in Palermo. A set of gallery routes starts at Plaza San Martín and extends outwards, with free transport to fixed stops. Live music and shows help keep art enthusiasts buzzing, as do the complimentary glasses of Chandon. A similar event takes place in November, when museums and art institutions stay open into the wee hours for the Noche de los Museos, or Museums Night
(www.lanochedelosmuseos.com.ar). More than 100 museums citywide feature special
exhibitions and events till well past midnight. The night ends with a bang at a free outdoor concert in Puerto Madero. Downtown, Avenida Corrientes has its share of fun with December’s annual Noche de las Librerías (4126 2998, infoopcionlibros@buenosaires.gov.ar). A homage to BA writers and Avenida Corrientes bookstores, the event unites writers for book readings, lectures and discussion in some of the avenue’s historic institutions whose doors have remained open despite the passing of the years. So whether it’s a reason to dress up for a night on the town or just a relief to hit the streets without melting in the dead heat of summer, BA’s after-dark offerings are not to be missed.—Amanda Guerrero
 

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  The South
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  The North
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  Porteño Nightlife
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  Tigre full day (bike+kayak)
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  Rentals