Florida Street

You’re now walking up Florida Street, which is buzzing with life, no doubt! It’s always been that way! In fact, it’s one of the oldest streets in the city – you can even see it on the very first maps of Buenos Aires, dating back to 1580. Fast forward to the 1870s, and a yellow fever epidemic prompted the wealthy residents of San Telmo to relocate to the more sanitary and prestigious districts of Retiro and Recoleta further north. Calle Florida connected this new affluent district to the city center. It quickly became the most popular street in town, with all the best shops and cutting-edge goods imported from Europe. Then came 1912 and Avenida de Mayo, the May Avenue, modeled after the Champs-Élysées and lined with ultra-chic hotels and elegant cafes. And yet, it was still overshadowed by Florida Street – you see, it held a special place in the locals’ hearts and remained the most luxurious shopping street. The early 1900s saw the opening of the first luxury hotel here, and the city’s bourgeoisie would meet up in these cafés, known here as “confiterias”. You get the idea. Things went downhill in the 90s with Argentina’s big economic crisis, hitting rock bottom in 2001. Businesses on Florida Street couldn’t stay afloat, stores started shutting down, and crime went up. By 2003, the crisis eased up and they began remodeling Florida Street; that’s when the Chilean department store “Falabella” opened up. Chances are you’ve heard of it – it’s very famous in South America. Then there was this surge in tourism from Brazil, whose emerging middle class, born of the “so-called” Lula effect, flocked to shop in Buenos Aires, since it was super cheap after the crisis. And just like that, Calle Florida had a whole new lease on life. So you see, through thick and thin, Florida Street has always been and always will be a lively hub. It’s the beating heart of the whole city, come rain or shine.