Cordoba (city, Argentina)
Cordoba (province, Argentina) : Cordoba (city, Argentina)
Córdoba is the second largest city in Argentina, with about 1.4 million inhabitants, and is the capital of the Cordoba province. It is in the heart of the Argentine territory on the Pampas. The city is surrounded by valleys, formed up by three main mountain groups. It is known for the colonial buildings in the center as well as for the beautiful hills in the surroundings. Understand[edit]The city is known by many as La Docta because of its many universities and scientific institutes. Around 200,000 people study here, which makes the city's population one of the youngest and liveliest in South America. There is cultural and night life, primarily in the Güemes and Alta Córdoba areas and in the red light district know as the Ex Abasto because until 1990 it was a huge market area (Mercado de Abasto, now in the city outskirts). The colonial architecture of the city center now coexists with many modern buildings. Although the oldest buildings are found in the surroundings of the Plaza San Martín (microcentro), the most pleasant areas are now the Nueva Córdoba district south of the center and the area around the Cañada, a small colonial canal that crosses the city. These areas show a mix of well-designed modern buildings and old houses, often built in neo-colonial style. The Barrio Güemes, which is protected by municipal laws, is particularly pleasant, with an 19th century atmosphere rather similar to Buenos Aires' "San Telmo" district, but with more movement. The city district itself covers 529 square km (204 sq mi) and has 1.3 million inhabitants, but there are many satellite towns outside this area. Those west of the city lie in the hills of the Sierras de Córdoba and are residential areas with some tourist attractions like Río Ceballos, La Calera, and the famous holiday center Villa Carlos Paz near the San Roque dam, which provides the city with potable water and electricity. North and east of the city, in the plains, lie poor suburbs with a slum-like appearance similar to Juárez Celman and Malvinas Argentinas. The climate in the city and surrounding areas is pleasant year round. Even in winter there are frequent warm, sunny days, although you must be prepared for cold nights and some chilly, cloudy periods, which never last more than a week or so. During the summer the rainy season (November to March) it is hot and humid. The rain causes some spot flooding due to an unsatisfactory drainage system. The best time to visit Córdoba is March to May and August to November, when it's not too hot nor too cool and there is very little rain. History[edit]Córdoba was founded in 1573 and for a long time it was the largest and most important town in the region that today is Argentina. In 1776 Buenos Aires was declared capital of the Virreinato del Río de la Plata. Córdoba's university was founded as early as 1613 by the Jesuits. The Catholic Church had much influence on social life until 1900, and Córdoba sometimes was called "Argentina’s Rome". In 1918 a student revolution, the Reforma Universitaria, led to a modernization of the university, which until this time had been very conservative and was full of corruption. This revolution spread to all cities of Argentina and most of Latin America. In the 1950s the city was industrialized by the Perón and Frondizi governments. Today, Córdoba is Argentina's second technology hub behind Buenos Aires and leads above-all in motor industry and in high-tech sectors like software and electronics. Get in[edit]It is very easy to reach Córdoba from other parts of Argentina because of its position in the country's geographical center. By plane[edit]The International Airport Ingeniero Taravella, also called Pajas Blancas is 10 km (6 mi) north of the city center. After a period of reduced flights in the early 2010, there are flights to several cities in Argentina: around a dozen daily to Buenos Aires, twice daily to Mendoza and flights to cities like Bariloche, Salta, Tucuman, Jujuy, Comodoro Rivadavia, Puerto Iguazu, Mar del Plata and Ushuaia. There are international services to Lima, Santiago de Chile, Rio de Janeiro, Panama City, São Paulo, and even Madrid with Air Europa. If you come from overseas and fly through Buenos Aires you will likely need to transfer from Ezeiza airport to Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (shuttle bus service relatively expensive, more than half the price of a taxi!). From the Córdoba airport there is a normal bus to city center, a minibus service and taxis. As of October 2018, Taxis from Córdoba Airport to the city center were around ARS$270 and the AEROBUS service is ARS$50 from Airport to the City and ARS$61 back to the Airport. Please note that you need to buy a Card in in order to use it. Its in a Kiosk at the second floor of the Airport. Card is ARS$45, one card works for many people. If you get into Argentina through Taravella Airport, be advised that it does not have any currency exchange offices - either bring enough ARS to pay for transportation to the city centre where you can exchange money, or buy something at the airport in USD and get your change in ARS (there is a daily fixed exchange rate that all shops abide by at the airport). By train[edit]Until the 1980's Córdoba was an important railway center with many connections. Today, the only line left is to Buenos Aires, via Villa María and Rosario, two times a week. The train is very cheap (A$50 for tourist class) in comparison to buses, but the journey is about 5 hours longer because of the deteriorated rails. There is also a daily local train to Villa María ($4). The train station (there were many, but most of them are out of use now) is near the omnibus terminal, 426-3565 Boulevard Perón, another in the suburb of Barrio Ferreyra (south-east of the city). For some reason google maps can't find it unless you put "Bv. Juan Domingo Perón, Córdoba, Cordoba" in the search bar, but it will point right at the bus station/ train station. Be sure to get your train ticket a day early, because they may be sold out if you try to buy your ticket right before the train arrives. Even worse, if you want to buy one of the few "camarote" tickets, they will probably be gone 6 to 8 weeks ahead of the day you want to travel. The "camarote" tickets are for compartments, with an upper and lower berth, small sink and privacy. As of February, 2014, that class of ticket also included breakfast. There is a dining car on each train. The web site for this train (and for the ones that goes from Buenos Aires to Tucuman) is http://www.ferrocentralsa.com.ar. But be aware, although most of the web site works, the button which ostensibly allows you to buy tickets does not work. You also cannot "register" on the site. And when you try to call customer service in Buenos Aires, there is only an answering machine and no one ever calls you back. Such a sad situation. By car[edit]The city is connected with most greater towns by good asphalted routes. A motorway links Cordoba to Rosario and from there, with the Buenos Aires - Santa Fe highway. Another motorway links Córdoba with Carlos Paz. There is a plan to build other motorways to Santa Fe, Tucumán, and Río Cuarto. By bus[edit]Buses are now the most popular public transport. The omnibus terminal is at the crossing of Boulevard Illía with Boulevard Perón near the Río Suquía. There are direct connections to all greater cities and tourist centers of Argentina, with the exception of Ushuaia (you will have to change in Río Gallegos). Very frequent buses to Buenos Aires (8.5-11 hours, depending on company), Salta (12 hours, ARS 1200/1300 Semi-cama/Cama - May 2017 update) and Rosario (5-6.5 hours, depending on company). Reservations can be made here Also, the local buses to the suburbs stop here, another stop is at Mercado Sur near Plaza San Martín. Get around[edit]Since the abolition of the tramway in the 1960s, public transport is limited to buses. They now are divided in "corridors", each of them is associated with a color and a letter: Red (R), Orange (N), Blue (A), Green (V), Yellow (C) and celeste (E). There are trolleybuses, too (A, B, and C), and a "Transversal" line (T). Most buses will charge 2,00 $, you should pay with bus coins (cospeles) or a special bus card, but as an exception you may ask the driver to accept pesos and s/he will usually oblige. The buses of the lines 500-501, 600-601, and 700-701, which go around in the outskirts rounding the city, will charge a little bit more. There are also interurbanos which serve the suburbs of the city. They charge accordingly to the distance to the terminal, prices vary from about $2 to La Calera up to $6 to the peripheral suburbs of Villa Carlos Paz, Jesús María and Cosquín. Yellow taxis and green remises are a comfortable way of getting around, with prices starting from around $6 for a 15-block ride. Under the rules, yellow taxis may be hailed for pick up on the street but green remises are dedicated to pickup up from a particular location after receiving a telephone request. But these rules are loose and you may often successfully hail a green remis on the street. Taxi drivers are very sensitive about their cars. When exiting please close the door slowly, and remember to try and keep your feet planted to the ground. Also, there are no seat belts in most taxis. During the last year, traffic in the downtown area has been getting increasingly messy, and the quickest way to move around this area (if you are healthy enough for it) is definitely by bike. See[edit][add listing]There are many colonial buildings in the city center, most of them built by the Jesuits in 17th and 18th centuries. The Manzana de los Jesuitas, declared Humanity's patrimony by the UNESCO, is a whole block of such buildings, between 27 de Abril, Obispo Trejo, Caseros and Av. Vélez Sársfield. Churches[edit]
Other buildings[edit]
Museums[edit]There are many museums housing all kinds of things. Arts:
Science:
Technology:
Historic Museums:
Varied exhibitions:
Parks and squares[edit]
Other[edit]
Do[edit][add listing]Córdoba has a lot of cultural life, except in summer when the scene moves to Carlos Paz and other hillside resorts. But it's too a good center for sports. Cultural life[edit]There are over 50 theaters, and many culture centers and "arte bars", where you can see theater, art exhibitions and different music acts. Every 2 years there is the Festival de Teatro del Mercosur, Argentina's most important theater festival, with many groups of South America. Most important theaters include:
Modern theater is also shown in Cineclub Municipal Hugo del Carril (s.u.), where there are parodies of popular movies, each Monday. Mainstream cinemas are in the shopping centers of Patio Olmos, Nuevo Centro and Córdoba Shopping, but there are some traditional cinemas in the city center. There are also more many art-cinemas, with some of them being very active cultural centers.
Many "arte bars" show movies, too. In the many cultural centers there are not only a wide variety of shows and exhibitions, but you can also assist at many courses:
There are also cultural activities at the CPCs (municipal district centers). Sports[edit]In the Parque Sarmiento and Ciudad Universitaria you can do a wide variety of sports, including soccer, basketball, mountain-bike, and hockey. The Universidad Nacional de Córdoba [10] offers courses in a variety of sports, including climbing and sailing. Secretaría de Educación Física, Av. Valparaíso S/N. The best-known soccer teams of Córdoba are Belgrano and Talleres, although they actually don't play in the First Division. The first division team, Instituto is less known. In Third Division there are Racing de Nueva Italia and General Paz Juniors. Córdoba has a very good basketball team, Atenas, which holds the record of championships in Argentina and is known as one of the best outside the USA. Stadiums:
Swimming[edit]Although some locals do so, it is not recommended to swim in the polluted Río Suquía, except for the extreme north-west of the city. Houses in the south, or northwest of the city are guaranteed to have swimming pools, all the way to Unquillo. You can swim at the following spots:
There are many buses (every 20 min) to all mentioned spots. If you are in a hurry you can swim, too, in the many piscinas (swimming pools) in the outskirts of the city itself, and even in the city center, but most of them are rather poor, and you will have to pass a medical examination. Events[edit]Events like congresses, big concerts, and exhibitions are hold at the following centers:
Some events also take place in the soccer stadiums mentioned above. Learn[edit]There are many public and private universities, which are open to foreigners for studies and research. The greatest is the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba [11], with 120.000 students, particularly good in technology, medicine and architecture. Many organizations will give you a Spanish course, the cheapest are the ones of the local university, but they are at least for a year. Intensive courses from private institutions can be very expensive, up to US$ 1000 for three weeks, though lower cost options do exist. There are three “affordable” language schools in Córdoba: Set Idiomas [12] which is located in the nightlife district “Guemes” near by the famous arts and crafts market “Paseo de los Artes”. It offers not only Spanish courses but also other foreign language courses (English, German, Italian, Portuguese, French and Mandarin). This is perfect if you want to get connected with Argentines who want to learn and practice your language (language exchange). Able Spanish [13] is one of the biggest Spanish schools in Córdoba and also recommended by Lonely Planet. If you want to combine cities or countries, you can do so at Able, as they have also a Spanish School in Santiago de Chile. NICE [14] is 5 min walk from the microcenter of Córdoba. This school focuses on rapid learning progress by including outdoor-training to the course schedule. During these tutored outdoor-classes you can practice your Spanish in every day conversation with “real” Argentines. And last but not least: If you already know some Spanish you can meet locals who are interested in practicing English at Espanol y Cerveza [15]. The parties are free of charge. Work[edit]With English and Spanish knowledge you can work in many sectors, like gastronomy, tourism, or telemarketing (best chance for a part-time job). The city actually has a fast-growing software industry and there is a lack of qualified personnel (the local university cannot satisfy the demand anymore). So if you are a software engineer you have good chances of finding a relatively well paid job in Córdoba. If you want to work, you should get your work permit in your home country, although it's also possible to get it in the local Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (migration office), at Caseros / Ayacucho. Buy[edit][add listing]Córdoba is a good shopping city, where you can buy near all kind of things now at very cheap prices. The most active zone is the peatonal area and the nearby Mercado Norte, with cheaper prices. There are modern shopping malls, too: Patio Olmos and Garden Shopping (center), Dinosaurio Mall and Córdoba Shopping (northwest), and the Nuevo Centro Shopping (west) where there is also the Sheraton Hotel. In the Nueva Córdoba area, but also in some central galleries, there are many modern-style shops and boutiques for young people, with often self-designed clothing. Note that electronic items like televisions, cameras and computers usually have higher prices than in Europe and the US; particularly cellular phones even tend to be more expensive and are using old standards like GSM and CDMA. Local arts and crafts are sold at the Paseo de las Artes (Saturday and Sunday recommended), where you also can buy some local food like salamis, honey, and alfajores[16] (a local sweet with dulce de leche) in the very pleasant Güemes district (see above). There is also a arts and crafts market at Parque las Heras, on weekends, and some others at the main city squares and at the pedestrian mall at night after 8PM. In summer most craftsmen move to the Sierras, where there is an attractive market at the dam Dique San Roque 10 km (6 mi) north of Carlos Paz, 15 km (9 mi) west of La Calera and 25 km (15 mi) from Córdoba itself, via route E-55. Eat[edit][add listing]Most restaurants are in the Cerro de las Rosas area, the Avenida Colón and in Nueva Córdoba, but nearly in all parts of the city you will find some good places to eat. Budget[edit]
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Drink[edit][add listing]Cordoba has a very vibrant nightlife although it dies somewhat during the university holidays over Christmas and doesn't get going again until March-ish. There are places to cater for all tastes from dingy bars to live shows to the latest and greatest music. The main events can be seen at the Site "Córdoba.Net" [19] and in the La Voz del Interior newspaper. If you like electronic music, the web portal Cosmobeat [20] will guide you to the main events in city and surroundings. Only the gothic scene is under-represented, there are only irregular parties. Also don't expect too much night life between Sunday and Tuesday, when only a few clubs are open (particularly Monday). In the following three districts there is the most active night life:
There are also some expensive clubs in the Cerro de las Rosas district. In Alta Córdoba and nearby General Bustos districts there are many arte bars with live music. In the suburbs of Villa Allende, Saldán and La Calera there are some popular clubs too. In summer there is a very active night life in Villa Carlos Paz, minibuses will take you to the biggest clubs from Plaza Vélez Sarsfield at 1AM if you pay the entrance fare in advance. The authentic urban music of Córdoba is the lively, fast Cuarteto, invented in the 1940s but has changed greatly in the 1980s and 1990s, including more Central American (merengue) and pop influences. Bands of this genre play live several times a week, in the so called bailes, at sport centers, halls and great discotheques. Most of the visitors of these bailes are working-class youths or slum kids. If you want to visit a baile, particularly that of the most popular singer La Mona Jiménez, take a local with you, because there is frequent fighting and other alcohol excesses, but men generally only get in trouble if they speak to someone's girlfriend. For women there are no special dangers, because Argentine men are generally very polite to them, but don't feel disturbed if many boys want to speak to you... The order of the following list is from cheap to expensive:
5000 Córdoba, the only authentic Irish bar in Cordoba, Irish owened with a wide selection of Draught and imported beers! a must see for tourists
Sleep[edit][add listing]Most hotels are in the centre, with many cheap ones near the bus terminal. If you want to stay in a little bit more quiet environment, you can take a local bus and sleep in one of the pleasant resorts nearby (Note that in January and February the city itself will be quieter than the resort suburbs!). Budget[edit]
Mid-range[edit]
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Contact[edit]Telephone caracteristic of Córdoba is 0351, except for the Argüello area in the North-West, of which it is 03543. Probably Córdoba is the city of Latin America with most internet cafés per capita, above all because of the many students. One hour of internet usually costs about $1 to $1,50. The official web site of Córdoba is Cordoba.gov.ar [32], a good internet portal with the best event information is Cordoba.Net [33], run by the most popular local newspaper La Voz del Interior [34]. Stay safe[edit]The city is considered safer than Buenos Aires and Rosario, but it's not free of crime. Beware of pick pocketing on the local buses, above all when they are crowded (as they normally are). The avenidas of the Centro and Nueva Córdoba areas are safe around the clock, except the area near the Río Suquía from Monday to Thursday (at weekends there is much night-life there and it's safer). There are some dangerous suburbs, but they have no tourist attractions, they lie often near the outer ring-road (Avenida Circunvalación). Villa El Libertador and the Santa Isabel area, at the road to Alta Gracia, are considered the most dangerous districts. There are no special health risks, apart from homeless dogs in the suburbs which can transmit rabies if they bite, but this is rare. In some areas, particularly in the South-East and in the eastern Río Suquía area water and air are polluted, which is a great danger for the people who live there, but this districts are normally outside of tourist's itineraries. There are many hospitals. Two of the best of the private ones are the Hospital Privado and the Sanatorio Allende in Nueva Córdoba. If you don't have medical security, you will be attended at the public hospitals, above all the Hospital de Urgencias in city centre, at no cost, but if you can we recommend you to donate some money for there is sometimes lack of medicines, and other things. Cope[edit]Tourist information at airport, bus terminal, and in the Cabildo building. Some other provinces, like Tierra del Fuego, Salta and La Rioja have tourist information offices in the city, they are called "casas de provincia". Local newspapers are La Voz del Interior [35], the best, cheaper ones are La Mañana de Córdoba [36], Día a Día and Reporte 15. Information about the economy can be found in Comercio y Justicia. Local magazines include Orillas (politics), Aquí (general information), Ocio Urbano (culture and events), Las Rosas (scene/boulevard magazine of the Cerro de las Rosas, expensive and poor), and Punto a Punto (economy). Get out[edit]You can continue to the Sierras de Córdoba, the hill district west of the city, which is the second most popular tourist destination of Argentina beyond the Atlantic Coast. The nearest resorts are only 20 km (12 mi) of the Circunvalación, but they tend to be crowded, so if you expect more peace and tranquility better go to the Traslasierra Valley (120 km {74 mi} west of the city), the huge plains and deep gorges of the Quebrada del Condorito national park between Carlos Paz and Mina Clavero (few services, but very pleasant scenery, superb views of nearly the whole Province of Córdoba and condor watching) or the more southerly resorts like La Cruz, Achiras or Río de los Sauces (particularly pleasant, with good trekking). In January and February, however, the entire region is full of tourists. Salta is 13 hours north by bus. See get in section for more info. About 250 km (155 mi) NE is the huge Mar Chiquita lake, with an extension of about 6000 sq. km ((2,300 sq mi) the second of South America. The only beach resort at its shoreline, Miramar, is far less crowded than most of the Sierras towns, and there is an interesting bird-life. Miramar, one of Argentina's most popular resorts in the 1950s and 1960s, still suffers an inundation from 1975 in which the lake destroyed half of the town and the coastal boulevard, but now has been re-modeled and is getting more popular again. Córdoba is a good stopping point if you go from Buenos Aires to the Andean Northwest with its beautiful tourist attractions.
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