Argentine Polo Open 2025
/The Cathedral Awakens
On November 1st, Buenos Aires air will thunder with the hooves as the 132nd Argentine Open Polo Championship begins at Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo. This isn't any other tournament. It's the final jewel in the Triple Crown, following the Hurlingham and Tortugas Opens, and the most prestigious polo competition on earth.
"The Cathedral of Polo" has hosted this championship since 1928, its two pristine fields accommodating 30,000 spectators who gather beneath Buenos Aires' skyline to watch something extraordinary. Eight elite teams compete with 40-goal handicaps, a rarity that exists almost nowhere else in the sport. The level of play here quickly separates champions from pretenders.
Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo Credit: Gustavo Enrique Cortez, IStock / Getty Images Plus.
Early rounds offer free entry, filling the stands with hardcore enthusiasts who know every player's strengths and every pony's bloodline. Later stages require tickets that are gone within hours of becoming available. The atmosphere builds through November, peaking in early December when the final match crowns Argentina's champion.
Legends Take the Field
The players competing in Palermo represent polo's absolute pinnacle. La Dolfina fields a roster that reads like a greatest-hits list: Adolfo Cambiaso at 10-goal handicap, his son Poroto Cambiaso also at 10 goals, plus Camilo and Bartolomé Castagnola, each rated 10 goals. A team with four 10-goal players is nearly unheard of outside Argentina.
Ellerstina counters with Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres, Antonio Heguy, and Cruz Heguy. The Pieres brothers alone command respect across every polo field globally. El Overo Z7 UAE brings Polito Pieres, Juan Martín Nero, and a supporting cast designed to challenge the established powers.
Horses and Polo Player, Cordoba, Argentina. Photo Credit: EyeEm Mobile GmbH, iStock / Getty Images Plus
These players represent the polo aristocracy, many from families who've dominated the sport for generations. The Cambiasos, Piereses, and Heguys carry names that mean something in Argentina, where polo sits closer to religion than recreation. Watching them play in Palermo offers insights into why Argentina produces 90% of the world's elite polo players and nearly all its finest ponies in 2024.
Argentine polo ponies have defined lineages of careful breeding, combining thoroughbred speed with criollo toughness and quarter horse agility. Teams rotate fresh mounts between and during chukkers, meaning each player might ride six to eight different horses during a single match. The bond between rider and horse becomes visible in split-second plays where both react as one unit.
Palermo's Pulse
Campo Argentino de Polo sits in Palermo, a neighborhood that embodies Buenos Aires' contradictions. Tree-lined streets hide exclusive residential blocks. Trendy restaurants occupy century-old buildings. The Bosques de Palermo parks provide green space that feels stolen from the urban density surrounding them.
Bosques de Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo Credit: anyaivanova, iStock / Getty Images Plus
The polo grounds integrate seamlessly into this landscape. Between matches, BOCHA brings together some of Buenos Aires' best chefs in an open-air gastronomic experience. Local fare meets contemporary techniques while polo ponies cool down meters away. The setup acknowledges that spectators want excellent food alongside excellent sport.
The crowd itself is a story as old-money Argentine families occupy the same box seats their grandparents held. International visitors arrive from places where polo means different things or nothing at all. Fashion-forward Porteños treat opening day like a runway. Everyone shares the experience of watching horses thunder past at speeds that seem impossible, mallets connecting with the ball in ways that defy physics.
Sundays in Palermo during polo season develop their own rhythm. Matches typically start mid-afternoon, allowing for leisurely brunches beforehand. The golden hour light that photographers worship arrives just as the competition intensifies. Post-match celebrations spill into nearby Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood, where the city's best bars and restaurants keep the energy alive long after the final chukker ends.
Recoleta Refinement
Buenos Aires luxury hospitality centers on Recoleta, the neighborhood Argentines call their "Paris of the South." Belle époque architecture lines streets where European immigrants once built fortunes. Today, those same buildings house some of South America's finest hotels.
Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo Credit: DC_Colombia, IStock / Getty Images Plus
Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt occupies a restored 1930s palace connected via underground gardens to a modern tower. The setup works perfectly. Guests wanting traditional elegance choose the palace rooms with their high ceilings and period details. Those who prefer contemporary luxury choose the tower for its sleek lines and city views. The Duhau Restaurante & Vinoteca earned its reputation by treating Argentine ingredients with respect while applying techniques that would satisfy any Michelin inspector.
Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires blends a 20th-century French mansion with a modern high-rise. The heated outdoor pool remains Recoleta's only one, a detail that matters during Buenos Aires' spring warmth. Elena restaurant earned its place among Latin America's 50 Best, serving steaks that justify Argentina's beef reputation alongside creative dishes that prove the kitchen does more than grill meat.
Casa Lucia Melia Collection opened late 2024 in the historic Mihanovich Tower, which had been empty for years before extensive renovation. The property brings modern luxury while respecting its 1929 architecture. An indoor lap pool and comprehensive spa provide recovery space after long days at the polo grounds. The clubby cocktail bar with its fireplace creates the perfect setting for discussing the day's matches over Argentine Malbec.
Alvear Palace Hotel represents old-world glamour creating French-inspired public spaces that feel transported from another time. The 192 rooms and suites maintain this aesthetic while incorporating all the modern conveniences. The luxurious spa features a vitality pool, sauna, and treatments that combine European techniques with Argentine sensibilities. Location puts guests five minutes from Palermo's polo grounds and walking distance from Recoleta Cemetery, itself worth visiting for its elaborate mausoleums housing Argentina's most famous families.
Tables Worth the Journey
Buenos Aires earned international recognition for its dining recently when the Michelin Guide arrived. The 2025 edition confirms what locals already knew: the city competes globally in culinary excellence.
Aramburu holds Argentina's only two Michelin stars. Chef Gonzalo Aramburu trained in European kitchens before returning to Buenos Aires with techniques and ambitions that transformed local fine dining. The 18-course tasting menu moves quickly despite its length, each dish demonstrating technical precision and stunning presentation. With an open kitchen, diners can watch the kitchen work with choreographed efficiency. Located in Recoleta's Pasaje del Correo, it's positioned perfectly for post-polo dinners.
Don Julio earned its Michelin star by perfecting what Argentina does best: grilling beef. This Palermo parilla serves cuts most restaurants never see, appropriately aged and cooked over a wood fire, with timing honed over decades of practice. The wine list focuses on Argentine producers, with Malbecs from Mendoza receiving proper attention. Reservations are booked weeks ahead, but the effort pays off when a perfectly charred ribeye arrives at your table.
Trescha is an intimate space that seats just 10 diners per service, hidden in Villa Crespo. A 14-course tasting menu employs molecular gastronomy techniques, featuring crystallized, spherified, and fermented elements served on handcrafted ceramics. The test kitchen upstairs looks more like a science lab than a traditional kitchen, equipped with rotovaporizers and centrifuges. Chef Tomás Treschanski studied under Ferran Adrià, and it shows in every precisely composed plate.
Crizia earned its Michelin star in 2025, joining an exclusive club. Chef Gabriel Oggero's more than 20 years of experience show in dishes that balance tradition with innovation. The restaurant is located outside tourist areas and attracts serious food enthusiasts willing to venture beyond the obvious neighborhoods for exceptional meals.
Beyond starred establishments, Buenos Aires offers dining experiences that reflect the city's character. Traditional bodegones serve massive portions of pasta and grilled meats in settings unchanged for generations. Modern bistros in Palermo Soho reinterpret classic recipes with contemporary techniques. Wine bars showcase Mendoza's best producers alongside natural wines from smaller Argentine vintners. Parrillas across the city prove that great beef doesn't require Michelin recognition when you start with exceptional ingredients and know how to handle fire.
Beyond the Divots
Polo provides the excuse to arrive, but don’t tarry near the track or hotel. Recoleta Cemetery contains elaborate mausoleums for Argentina's most prominent families, including Eva Perón's relatively modest tomb that still attracts daily visitors. The National Museum of Fine Arts houses impressive European collections alongside Argentine masters. Sunday's Recoleta Fair brings artisans selling leather goods, jewelry, and paintings in Plaza Francia.
Teatro ColoN, Buenos Aires, ArgentinA. Photo Credit: diegograndi, IStock / Getty Images Plus
Teatro Colón ranks among the world's finest opera houses, its acoustics and architecture drawing comparisons to La Scala and the Met. Tours reveal backstage areas and explain why this 1908 building still hosts premier performances. The schedule during polo season typically includes opera, ballet, and classical concerts.
Palermo's various sub-neighborhoods each offer distinct experiences. Palermo Soho's cobblestone streets hide boutiques, galleries, and restaurants in converted houses. Palermo Hollywood concentrates on nightlife and media production. The Bosques de Palermo parks provide running paths, lakes, and the Rosedal rose garden.
San Telmo's Sunday antiques market transforms Defensa street into a crowded celebration of old Buenos Aires. Tango dancers perform for tips. Vendors sell everything from vintage records to ornate silverwork. The neighborhood's architecture and atmosphere capture the city before modernization changed everything.
Puerto Madero Skyline at Night. Photo Credit: Alexis Gonzalez, iStock / Getty images Plus
Puerto Madero represents Buenos Aires looking forward. This converted port district features contemporary architecture, waterfront dining, and the Puente de la Mujer pedestrian bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava. The contrast with historic neighborhoods demonstrates the city's ability to honor tradition while embracing change.
Adiós, Buenos Aires
When the championship is over, the season ends, and the trophy gets presented in early December; you’ll have more than polo memories. You’ve experienced Buenos Aires during its spring glory, when jacaranda trees bloom purple and outdoor cafés fill with locals savoring perfect weather. You’ve watched horses and riders perform feats that seem impossible until you see them live. You’ve eaten beef prepared by people who understand that simple things, when done well, create magic.
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