Cerrito 570: how to get there, what to wear

Where Cerrito 570 is

Tango Porteño is at Cerrito 570 in central Buenos Aires, a few metres from the Obelisco, in the building that used to be the Cine Metro cinema. The building fronts Avenida 9 de Julio. The avenue is 110 metres wide, with up to seven lanes in each direction, and it is the widest in the world. The Obelisco stands where it crosses Avenida Corrientes, so it is your landmark. Teatro Colón, the city's opera house, is on the same street. The venue's own site gives the address as Cerrito 570, CABA, so that is what to type into a map or give a driver.

By taxi

Licensed taxis are black and yellow, run on meters and can be flagged down in the street. Stand on the right-hand side of the street and look for a lit libre sign in the windscreen, which means a taxi is free. Fares are paid in Argentine pesos. Private-hire cars called remises can be booked in advance through agencies, and the city's BA Taxi app books regular taxis. Tell the driver the address, Cerrito 570, and mention the Obelisco. After an evening show, a licensed taxi is the straightforward way back to your hotel.

Read next: Tango Porteño tickets: which option to book

By subte and bus

To ride the subte or a bus you need a rechargeable SUBE card, sold at subte stations, tourist assistance centres and many corner kiosks. The subte has six lines, and lines A to E meet in the centre of the city. Buses, called colectivos, run 24 hours a day. The Buenos Aires subte opened in 1913 and was the first underground railway in Latin America. A Metrobus corridor runs down the middle of Avenida 9 de Julio. The city's BA Cómo llego? map and app plan a route by public transport, car or foot. Subte stations have free WiFi, and some Metrobus stops do too. This guide names no line or stop, so check your route on the day.

Getting back after the show

The subte doesn't run all night, and its last service is earlier on Sundays and public holidays, so check the hours before you plan to ride home. Buses run all night. In busy areas, the city's tourism site says you are unlikely to wait more than a couple of minutes for a taxi. If your booking includes a hotel transfer, the option will say so, and the three standard options don't. Decide your route home before you go in, not after the final number, and keep your phone charged for a taxi app or a map.

Timing and season

Published start times for this show don't agree, and they differ by option, so this guide gives none. The booking calendar and your confirmation show the time for your date. Dinner guests start earlier than the others. Buenos Aires is in the Southern Hemisphere, so December to February is summer there. The show is indoors, so the season mostly decides what you wear on the way. Every August the city hosts a tango festival and world cup, with free shows, classes and milongas, which you may want to plan around. Dinner guests should aim for their dinner time, not the show time.

What to wear

Wear smart casual at least. The venue's price page lists the dress code as business casual, and the booking says smart casual. Sandals, flip-flops and beach shoes are not allowed, so leave them at the hotel. Neither source asks for formal evening wear. A collared shirt or a smart top with trousers, a skirt or a dress will do. You sit for the show, so comfortable shoes are fine. If you're coming straight from sightseeing, pack a change of shoes.

What you see and hear

The show has a live orchestra, singers and a large cast of dancers, with staged scenery. The venue says it moves through tango's history, from its origins on the Río de la Plata to its most contemporary forms, and also describes it as recreating the golden decade. Tango's golden age is generally dated from about 1935 to 1952. Stage tango differs from the social dance: the embrace is often open, and the footwork adds lifts, kicks and drops. Expect bigger choreography than at a milonga, and a programme built around orchestra, voices and staging rather than audience dancing.

Read next: The Production: Orchestra, Singers, Couples

Language

You don't need Spanish to follow the dancing and the music. Sung tango, called tango canción, took off in the 1920s with Carlos Gardel, and the songs are traditionally sung in Spanish, so expect lyrics you may not follow. Nothing published describes spoken narration or subtitles. The venue's own site is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin. If you need anything translated on the night, ask the venue before you book rather than at the door.

Length, children and families

The show runs about 75 to 90 minutes, depending on the source, and dinner guests start earlier, so plan for a long evening: dinner first if you chose it, then the show, then the trip back. The venue's price page lists children aged 0 to 3 as free and children aged 4 to 12 at half price on its direct products, except the promotional show-only ticket. Check how children are handled in the booking you choose before you pay. No minimum age is published. It is an evening show where drinks are served, so ask the venue if your children are young.

Access and dietary needs

The venue's site lists an elevator, wheelchair access, a magnetic ring and assistance-dog access, and the booking is marked wheelchair-accessible. The site also says vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free menus are available, and that menus come in braille and large print. If you have a mobility need or a dietary requirement, contact the venue before you book and keep its reply. Its phone number and email address are on its contact page.

Who this isn't for

If you can't be out in the evening, this isn't the best fit. If you hope to dance, book a class or a milonga instead. If you want a small room, remember that the venue also hosts conferences and corporate events. If you rely on the subte to get home, check its last service first. And if you want a spoken commentary or subtitles, nothing published says either is offered.