Christmas is upon us — together with a good old December-in-Buenos-Aires heat wave. If you’re looking for ways to escape the heat — or the routine — we have everything from a high-tech journey inside the Great Pyramid of Giza to air-conditioned film classics at MALBA.
And just in case you didn’t know that Argentines celebrate Christmas Eve even more than Christmas Day, we got you covered with a couple of Christmas Eve dining options, including a traditional all-night bar notable.
A walk inside the Great Pyramid of Giza
December 17 to February 1
Pabellón Frers, La Rural (Av. Sarmiento 2704)
A 4,500-year-old journey gets a high-tech reboot. El Horizonte de Keops is an immersive tour inside the Great Pyramid of Giza and ancient Egypt.
Visitors are able to explore hidden passageways, peer into ancestral chambers, and experience one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World up close. Fit for adults and kids alike, the route begins with a sweeping flyover of the Giza plateau, followed by an ascent to the pyramid’s summit, offering 360-degree views.
From there, visitors move through corridors and chambers — including the queen’s quarters — before witnessing a temple mummification ritual. The journey ends with a serene voyage along the Nile to a final tribute to Pharaoh Khufu.
Cool films at MALBA: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and AC
December 27
MALBA – Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415
Notorius The Day It’s going to be a very hot weekend, so unless you have some very good friends with a swimming pool (that’s always plan A), the second-best plan is going to a movie theater and getting a 2×1: a couple of classic movies and a nice cool time inside a beautiful AC-conditioned cinema.
On Saturday, MALBA’s Film and Journalism series presents Richard Brooks’ The Day, starring Humphrey Bogart as the director of a newspaper that is about to be sold to a shady competitor while tackling a corruption network operating in the city.
If you stay for the next show, the Nocturna Film Club, which programs midnight movies every Saturday, will screen Notorious. The all-time espionage classic by master Alfred Hitchcock about an undercover American spy who persuades the daughter of a traitor to infiltrate a Nazi gang in South America. The film stars (please rise) Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains.
Christmas Eve Dinner options
December 24
Palermo, Downtown, and Belgrano
Argentines start celebrating Christmas on the 24th, usually with a big (and late night) dinner and a loooong sobremesa that goes all the way until midnight, when it’s time to open the presents. If you’re wondering how we navigate the whole Santa delivering the presents issue, well, each family has its own tricks and narratives, from complex distraction techniques to, well, just magic!
Beza La Academia José el Carnicero Because of this, don’t be surprised then if you see the restaurant options in Buenos Aires narrow down to almost zero that night. But don’t panic; here are a few options:
An array of parrilla options at La Carnicería & José el Carnicero
La Carnicería & José el Carnicero
Thames 2316/2317, Palermo – CABA
Reservations for December 24 and 31 can be made here
On its tenth year, La Carnicería (Spanish for “butchershop,” veggies beware) will be open on December 24 (and 31) — same for its sibling restaurant across the street, José el Carnicero (yes, “José the Butcher”). The menu is an array of beef options that include choripán on brioche with grilled sausage and chimichurri as well as vitel toné, roast beef, steak, and roast suckling pig with potato, tomato, and pineapple. And for dessert, the good old dulce de leche flan. Each dish will be paired with some of Catena Zapata’s landmark wines: Angélica Chardonnay, Malbec Argentino, and Nicolás Catena, as well as a sparkling wine choice.
An all-nighter at La Academia
Montevideo 341
A long-standing classic of Buenos Aires’ downtown since 1930, La Academia will stay open around the clock on the 24th. No reservations, no special menu, no pricey drinks or elaborate meals.
Diners can play some pool, foosball, and board games while ordering anything from a classic picada to the bar’s signature grilled sandwich. Traditional touches such as house-made pan dulce, cider, and sparkling wine will also be available for those looking to toast the occasion.
A homey English-style place with a classic menu in Beza
Av. Olazábal 3301
Reservations: 11 2486-7741 or via Instagram at @beza.casa
In Belgrano R, Beza is opening its doors on Christmas Eve for a cozy, out-of-house celebration. Set inside a restored English-style house, the restaurant leans into its warm, lived-in charm with candlelight and cheerful music. For ARS 60,000, the night includes a generous spread: a cold buffet, grilled mains, dessert, a full sweet table, drinks, and a midnight toast. And yes, there’s even a surprise gift waiting under the tree for every guest.