Buenos Aires EZE: When the Layover Is the Trip
Buenos Aires has more bookshops per capita than any city in the world, a steak culture built over 150 years, and neighborhoods worth spending a week in. Most US travelers connecting through Ezeiza see none of it. The airport is 45 minutes from Palermo. For a 12-hour layover, that's nothing.
Getting in
The Manuel Tienda Leon bus runs from Ezeiza to the Retiro terminal in downtown Buenos Aires for about $12-15. Taxis cost $30-45. Uber is not available at Ezeiza (a quirk of Argentine regulation) — use the official taxi desk inside arrivals. The ride to Palermo takes 45-60 minutes depending on traffic.
Visa
US passport holders enter Argentina visa-free for up to 90 days. No fee, no form. US citizens used to pay a reciprocity fee — that ended in 2016. Walk straight through.
Palermo
Palermo Soho is the neighborhood. Tree-lined streets, boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. Empanadas at El Federal ($2-3 each) are the correct first stop. The Botanical Garden and Parque Tres de Febrero are free and take 45 minutes to walk properly. For steak, La Carniceria (Thames 2317) does a table d'hote menu that's some of the best beef in the city.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid
El Ateneo Grand Splendid (Avenida Santa Fe 1860) is a former theater converted into a bookshop. You don't have to buy anything. Go. It takes 30 minutes and costs nothing.
Time math
Ezeiza to Palermo: 50 min. City time: whatever remains. Return: 60 min (add traffic buffer). Airport check-in: 120 min for international (EZE is slow). You need a minimum 12-hour layover to do this comfortably. 16 hours is better.