After living in that amazing city of Buenos Aires for five years, I find myself missing it, its architecture, and, most of all, the people and the coffee.
Living in Barcelona is awesome, but very different from BsAs.
Yes, both are Spanish-speaking cities. The spoken Spanish is different in both cities, but you can understand it and be understood by others.
Unless you’re in Barcelona where people speak Catalan, this is the language of northerneastern region of Spain. This old language is a mixture of Latin and French. During the reign of dictator Franco, this language was banned, driven underground and survived as clandestine tongue.
Today, in Catalonia, it is mandatory that all official signage be in Spanish and Catalan, as are most restaurant menus. I have learned a few words from reading the signs but mostly listening to the voices in the elevator. When the doors are closing, the elevator says, “Tan Cat Puerto.” Then in English,t doors are closing. And in Spanish is Las puertas se están cerrando.
Living in Catalonia
The public transportation systems in both cities are good, but I think that Barcelona, being a more compact city, is easier to navigate.
Buenos Aires punches above its weight for a South American city and is impressive in its own right, especially for sheer bus coverage and affordability. But years of underinvestment and the economic constraints Argentina faces have taken a toll on maintenance and modernization.
Barcelona, in particular, comes out ahead for overall passenger experience. The infrastructure is newer, more accessible, better integrated, and more technologically current. It’s a very easy city to navigate with many options.
At the national level
At the national level, Spain’s AVE high-speed rail network is the longest in Europe at 3,966 km and the second longest in the world after China’s — a remarkable achievement.
We have traveled extensively in Spain using Renfe and tarjeta dorada (senior discount card).
Argentina’s last attempt at railway privatization failed in the early 1990s as companies abandoned unprofitable lines — and there are fears the same pattern will repeat itself. Which is too bad as the land mass of Argentina is made for train travel.
The irony, as you’d appreciate, is that even in its diminished state, the Trenes Argentinos employs more people than Amtrak in the US or Spain’s entire Renfe high-speed network.
Şu anda
Currently, suburban commuter trains around Buenos Aires still run and carry enormous numbers of people, but nationally, the system is dysfunctional.
When living in BsAs, we take the bus to the milongas, as we do here in Barcelona.
After 9 PM or 11 PM hours, the buses in Barcelona are condensed on their routes, becoming N buses, which usually take twice as long to get home because they cover at least 2 different routes. The Metro trains only operate until midnight Monday through Thursday, until 2 AM on Friday, Saturday, and public holidays, and until midnight on Sundays.
If out later
If out later, options include taxi apps Cabify or Free Now or hailing a cab on the street, while in Buenos Aires, Uber is preferred or a street taxi.
What I miss the most are the milongas themselves, as in all places and spaces, it is the organizer who sets the tone of the club. In Buenos Aires, there are many organizers. I have come to know that each milonga is different, but all share a vitality that is tango.
There is Julia Doynel at Sueño Porteño, Zoraida and Diego at el Abrazo Club, Tango Camargo at El Beso, Paula Cross at Perfume milonga, Lucy Alberto at Club Gricel, Marcela Pazo at Nuevo Chique, Marcelo y Valeria of Tangotica. These are the milongas and organizers I have come to know and respect over the years, as they create a space that invites you to dance tango, socialize with friends new and old, and enjoy yourself with a beverage of your choice.
My list of milongas
My list of milongas in Buenos Aires is short compared to all the milongas listed on Hoy-Milonga
https://hoy-milonga.com/buenos-aires/es/milongas
In Barcelona, a single nightly milonga is scheduled
https://tangoenbarcelona.es/milongas-en-barcelona/
Yet each nightly milonga has a different flavor and feel, again, the various city organizers creating a difference.
Having danced at all the listed milongas, I would suggest they are good spaces filled with many dancers who will cabeceo you, as most milongas here are friendly because the community is small.
In my observation
In my observation, in most milongas, the space and the DJ choices are all decisions made by the event organizer; therefore, the quality of the event depends on this person or couple. Most organizers intend to create a happy and healthy dance space, and most succeed.
Now, as to clothes shopping in Buenos Aires, there are* many spaces listed on this blog. In BsAs, an appointment is usually preferred, which is kinder to the store because they know they need to have staff on hand to assist clients.
In Barcelona
In Barcelona, I haven’t been able to locate any stores specializing in tango clothes. The only places I have seen clothing or shoes are at Festivals or Marathons.
Barcelona Tango Marathon (April 18-21, 2025 – 2026 dates expected soon): A premier event often held at venues like La Nau del Clot, focusing on popular DJs and continuous dancing.
TANGO AMIGO International Tango Festival (XXXI Edition, 2026): Held at Hotel Don Ángel in Santa Susanna, offering workshops, milongas, and a seaside, resort-style experience.
Brilloso Tango Festival (June 12-14, 2026): A three-day festival promising top maestro couples, live music from the BANDONÉGRO Quartet, and a “Tango Battle” competition.
Lolita Summer Encuentro Milonguero: Held at Casino L’Aliança del Poble Nou, this event focuses on traditional milonguero-style dancing in a high-quality, air-conditioned ballroom near the beach.
Tan Queer Barcelona: Dedicated to queer tango, this event brings together a diverse community for workshops, milongas, and beach parties. barcelonatangoamigo.com
barcelonatangoamigo.com
These are found on the links
https://tangoenbarcelona.es/tag/festivales/
Or
https://agendadeltango.com/milongas-barcelona14/
For a small city
For a small city in Spain, Barcelona is active in the world of tango.
The city’s openness to tango creates an exciting environment for dancing with locals and foreign visitors.
Visit.
For the Tango
For the Architecture
For the Food
For the Culture
Stay for a bit. Try the city on. It just might be a good fit!
Chao
Abrazo
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