It’s Saturday evening, nobody is answering their telephones and a busy week at work meant that no plans have been made for an enjoyable weekend. A bar, a tango hall, an art gallery and a place for music events makes La Catedral in Palermo the answer to all nightlife problems in Buenos Aires.
Where to Find La Catedral, Palermo, For a Night of Tango, Music, Art and Good Wine
Tucked away in the intersection of Medrano and Sarmiento in Palermo, it’s possible to pass one of Buenos Aires’ hidden gems without even realising it. There’s no large sign, no queues bleeding out onto the street and no music blaring out from the darkness within. Indeed one of the charms about La Catedral is that it desperately tries not to advertise itself. It’s a place that wants to remain unknown and even now the guilt about sharing its whereabouts is haunting.
The huge building was once a living, breathing flour mill in the heart of the city and has been preserved with all the grandeur and strength of its youth. The entrance is at the bottom of a broad and gloomy staircase that leads up into the heart of the venue where, in true tango form, a huge, red heart hangs from the rafters, broken and silent. Coloured bulbs are suspended from the ceiling with wire and old chandelier frames and the floor is the same wood that it was the day it was built, filling the visitor to the brim with its rustic charm.
What Kind of Bar is La Catedral and What Kind of Events do They Hold There?
To categorise La Catedral would be a sin of the highest degree and perhaps a task impossible to achieve. But, well into the early hours of the morning, Argentines of all ages grace the floor with sexy tango feet. The live music is of high quality and delivered with pride. The all vegetarian menu is another welcomed surprise; something different on offer amidst a land of beef and mountains of the traditional asado.
Sitting alone in a corner on one of the large and very old, blanket covered sofas is not uncommon. Sharing a large bottle of rich, red wine with a group of friends around one of the antique, heavy tables is a pleasure. Dancing the night away with partner after partner across the huge wooden floor is nothing but sexy and intimate. La Catedral is a place for everyone. There are no cliques, no styles, no accepted forms of behaviour or dress. Turn up when there’s nowhere else to go or arrive as a special event; this place lends itself to the needs of the masses and the few at the same time.
Why is La Catedral The Place To Be in Buenos Aires?
At 5 o clock in the morning, the venue begins to slow. The bodies empty from the dance floor, pour out of the adjoining art gallery and descend the grandiose staircase out into the cold night air. Everyone is happy; everyone is satisfied. If there’s ever a place in Buenos Aires that puts it in the running as the best city in the world, it is La Catedral...... a truly magical place and the only one of its kind.
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