A Local’s Guide to Visiting Buenos Aires
For those of us who are fortunate enough to live here in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, this city is like a poem that has come to life. That may sound like an exaggeration, and I know it’s definitely a bit cheesy, but I genuinely feel that way.
Buenos Aires was built on art and passion, sports and science, music and poetry, and its the combination of all these elements together that reflects the energy of this great metropolis. That’s why Buenos Aires is so well known for its rich cultural life, remarkable architecture, café culture, extraordinary restaurants, parks and green spaces, funky shops, superb wineries, and never-ending nights that can easily stretch until dawn.
Suffice to say, you will never be bored on a visit here and it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll wish you’d stayed for longer.
I was born here, and despite having lived in other great cities around the world, Buenos Aires, to me, is still unquestionably the only place that I want to call home. This is an incredibly culturally vibrant place where the arts are highly valued, and where museums, galleries, events, talks, and performances can be found everywhere and at any time.
I love just walking around the city meandering through its many distinct neighborhoods, and find that I am constantly delighted by the warm, lovely people out and about and enjoying the cafés on almost every corner.
Buenos Aires is also a truly multicultural city, and its global, cosmopolitan atmosphere coexists perfectly with the charm of us locals, the porteños. While the residents of most big cities are often known for being brusque and perhaps a bit discourteous, we porteños are warm, kind and helpful to visitors, and always ready to share some mate (our national drink) with them!
With that being said, I must also admit that we are not always the most modest people, as we are intensely proud of our city and perhaps also ourselves, even if only for being from here. This last bit may not be our best quality, but we love Buenos Aires and aren’t afraid to admit it!
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Table of Contents
Why visit?
Where is Buenos Aires?
How to get here
Best time to visit
How long to spend
Where to stay
What to see & do in Buenos Aires
Restaurants and dining
Plan your itinerary with local help
If you could use some help figuring out a great plan for your trip, schedule an Argentina travel consultation with Maria, our Buenos Aires-based Local Expert!
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Why visit?
Buenos Aires is worth visiting at any time of year, no matter how long you have to spend in Argentina, and even if you don’t especially like cities. You simply cannot come to Argentina and not spend at least a few days in our capital.
A city of distinct neighborhoods, strolling almost aimlessly around any of them is a perfect way to discover and explore this wonderful place. Life in Buenos Aires takes place on the street, and each part of the city has its own personality which can be felt, seen, heard, and even smelled!
La Boca is timeless and noisy, with the best football team of all time (Boca Juniors, of course!). San Telmo has beautiful colonial houses, old churches beside modern museums, great food, antique markets, and live music any day of the week. Palermo is trendy and chic, with modern renovated houses as well as funky shops, global cuisines, and great steakhouses.
Recoleta, lined with stately old mansions, many of them containing embassies, is classy and very posh. Meanwhile, I live in a busy and kind of crazy neighborhood called Belgrano, just a bit outside of the city center.
The traffic here is always a mess but I enjoy its hectic atmosphere and the many hidden colonial museums, cinemas, great restaurants, cocktail bars, really good cafes, bookshops, flower shops, Chinatown market, and more. I love the vibe of this area!
Its lovely neighborhoods aside, Buenos Aires also has tons to offer in the way of art, culture, and history. There are countless museums and galleries here, ranging from premier institutions to quirky spots that are entirely independently run.
MALBA (the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano) is one of my favorite museums anywhere in the world, and it boasts incredible modern architecture, a huge collection of Latin American Art, and a great cafe that faces one of the best green spaces in town. The Museo de Arte Decorative is another gem, and there are countless others.
Need more reasons? Well, how about a fantastic cuisine, famous for steaks, but with a huge global influence and restaurants from all over the world. Or what about Tango, a beautiful, sensual dance that can be seen (and practiced!) in milongas (a type of dance studio) throughout the city?!
We’ve also got one of the world’s great opera houses - the Teatro Colon -, and you’ll find talks, performances, shows, and concerts happening every day of the week.
There’s never a dull moment in BA!
Things to know before visiting Buenos Aires
Opening hours
It's essential to check the opening hours and availability of attractions, museums, and restaurants in advance, as they often change. And don’t rely on Google Maps - call ahead and confirm.
Public transportation
For the most part, public transportation in Buenos Aires is excellent and affordable, and you have buses and subways everywhere you’ll want to go. Getting a Sube transport card is imperative.
Taxis & Uber
Additionally, taxis or ride-sharing services like Uber or cabify are abundant and can be used to move between different locations when public transport isn’t convenient or desirable.
Petty taxi scams, while not as common as many would have you think, do occur so you should read up on them and be vigilant.
Credit cards
While credit card acceptance is becoming more widespread, cash is still king in Argentina, so always have enough cash on you to pay for your activities and meals. Dollars are accepted some places, but you need to have Argentina pesos.
Credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard will typically convert ARS to USD at close to the dolar blue rate, though you will usually get a slightly better rate by exchanging dollars and paying cash.
ATMs
Using ATMs is extremely expensive - fees can be as high as 10% of your total withdrawal - and each withdrawal is limited to the equivalent of between 100 and 200 USD. The costs add up quickly.
To avoid the hassle and expenses, bring USD cash with you and change it at local money exchanges. 100 dollar bills are always preferred at exchanges, and you’ll get the best rate when using them.
Dólar blue & exchanging dollars
The “dólar blue” is technically the unofficial exchange rate in Argentina, but it is the one that you will usually encounter, even in official exchange houses. The blue rate can be almost double the official rate, so be sure to check in advance.
Where is Buenos Aires?
Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is located in the center-east of the country, on the western shore of the Rio de la Plata estuary, which empties into the nearby Atlantic ocean.
To the east of the city is the Atlantic ocean, while the border with Uruguay lies just to the north across the Rio de la Plata.
The city is an autonomous district of Buenos Aires province, and also forms part of the plains of the Pampeana region, which is characterized by enormous “campos”, where huge amounts of the region’s agricultural activity takes place.
With a population of 3 million residents, this is by far the largest city in Argentina, and one of the biggest in all of Latin America.
How to get here
By plane
For travelers arriving from overseas, Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport (officially named Ministro Pistarini Airport) is the main entry point to Buenos Aires, and Argentina more broadly. The airport is connected with direct flights from a host of US and European cities as well as metropolitan areas throughout Latin America.
If you’ll be arriving in Buenos Aires from elsewhere in South America, you may also find flights to the city’s other airport, Jorge Newbery.
By bus from elsewhere in Argentina
Buenos Aires is also well connected by long-distance buses with other major Argentine cities, so if you’ll already be traveling in Argentina before coming to Buenos Aires, you will find many daily buses heading to the capital from all over the country.
Getting into downtown Buenos Aires from Ezeiza airport
Ezeiza airport is about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours (depending on traffic) outside of central Buenos Aires, and is well connected with the city via public buses, shuttle services, and taxis that will take you into central Buenos Aires.
For buses, during the week, line 8 runs every thirty minutes, from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and stops at the Plaza del Congreso and Plaza de Mayo. Service is every hour on Saturdays, and the bus doesn’t run on Sundays.
There are also semi-private shuttles, run by the very reliable company Tienda Leon, whose kiosk is just outside the arrivals hall. From 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM they offer hourly connections to downtown.
You’ll also find many taxis, available at any time of the day or night. Just be sure to use one of the official ones, which will be lined up at the designated taxi stands just outside the airport.
Best time to visit
Jacaranda trees in bloom in the spring. Photo: Mauricio V. Genta, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original.
Spring: from mid-September to mid-December
Spring is the best time of the year for visiting BA. The cold winter days are gone and the sun shines steadily from 8 AM until 7 PM. Temperatures typically vary from 12 to 22 Celsius degrees and you may be lucky enough to have a string of days with temperatures as high as 28-30 degrees.
There’s some rain, but typically not for the whole day, and rain becomes less frequent as the season progresses.
During the spring, porteños return to the streets, running in the parks, sitting at cafe terraces, and strolling the avenues. The city’s tree-lined streets explode in beautiful flowers of all kinds, and the neighborhoods explode into color. Almost anywhere you go, you’ll be greeted by the scents of blooming jasmines, linden trees, and orange blossoms.
And while Buenos Aires certainly sees a fair deal of tourist arrivals in the spring, this is still the shoulder season, so visitor numbers are relatively low and prices for hotels are more affordable than during the summer.
Summer (mid-December to mid-March)
As summer arrives, the hot (often very hot) hot weather is here to stay, with temperatures ranging from around 24- 36 degrees Celsius. The days become even longer, with daylight hours from 6:30 AM to 8:00 PM.
Despite the heat, this is a rather wet time of year, with frequent rain and thunderstorms. So bring light fresh clothes, comfy shoes, a rain jacket, and always have some water with you.
In January, many people escape from the city for the holidays, heading to the beach areas along the coast or to the countryside, so if you visit during this time you’ll likely notice that the city feels a bit emptier, with the atmosphere slightly diminished (or less busy at least). Even so, there are still summer music festivals and locals filling the squares and parks, so there will still be plenty going on.
Being the high season for tourism, accommodation costs increase a bit during the summer. And although this is the period when by far the most tourists arrive into the city, you’ll never find it overrun by tourists and the atmosphere is always distinctly local.
Autumn (mid-March to mid-June)
The fall is a rainy time of year, and BA can see significant rainfall during this season, so be sure to bring your raincoat with you. Daylight hours are from around 7:30 Am to 6:00 PM, temperatures hover between 12 and 18 degrees celsius.
Most of the trees lose their leaves as the season progresses and the city slowly becomes just a bit more melancholic during the evenings. On a grey or rainy day, it can be very cozy to grab a seat in a café with a nice book and while away a few hours.
If you are a cinephile, keep in mind that the best independent film festival in Argentina, BAFICI, takes place in April, so there are tons of events, screenings, etc. It’s very interesting and can be a lot of fun if you’re interested in cinema.
Fall is shoulder season here, so accommodation is generally more affordable and you don’t need to book things as far in advance.
Winter (mid-June to mid-September)
Winter in Buenos Aires is not especially pleasant, and it’s certainly not the best time to come here. Days are cold, temperatures range from 5 to 12 degrees Celsius on average, and you have the least daylight of any time of year, from around 8 AM to 6 PM.
Temperatures can be pretty moderate during the day, but they drop off fairly significantly at night. July is the coldest month and you will certainly need a winter coat/warm jacket, a scarf, and gloves.
This is squarely the off-season, so you won’t find too many other tourists visiting, but I would try to avoid the local winter holidays, as accommodation prices increase a lot between mid-July and the end of the month. During these two weeks, some places such as museums, cultural centers, theaters, and even cafes can be definitely feel a bit overcrowded with families and children.
How long to spend
Buenos Aires is a legitimate metropolis and you could easily spend your entire trip here, whether that’s 3 days or 2 weeks. So while there’s no fixed time that’s the “right” length for visiting this city, I think 5 days gives you enough time to comfortably see the main sights and neighborhoods, visit some museums and cultural centers, and experience the cafe culture, cuisine, and nightlife.
With 5 days, I’d suggest spending 4 of them in the city and dedicating another for a day trip, either out to the nearby estancias or the Tigre River Delta. Buenos Aires can also be used as a convenient base from which to visit other nearby areas, so if you’re interested in the city’s surroundings, you could easily spend even longer here.
Day 1 - La Boca, San Telmo, Plaza de Mayo and downtown (southern Buenos Aires)
For your first day of sightseeing, I recommend that you head to the south of the city, to see some of our old and most famous neighborhoods.
From the city center, getting to La Boca, your first stop this morning, is quite easy, with plenty of public transit options and cheap uber/taxi rides.
Once in the neighborhood, have a walk along the traditional Caminito street to see the colorfully painted houses. Continue along to La Bombonera, the football stadium where Boca Juniors plays, and enjoy the street art and graffiti depicting Diego Maradona on almost every wall and open space. When you get hungry, grab an empanada at any bar that strikes your fancy.
Also right in the neighborhood, the Proa Museum always has a good exhibition on site and its cafe’s terrace, located on the top floor, offers up great views.
When you’re ready to move on from La Boca, make your way to San Telmo, a really gorgeous, historic neighborhood of pretty colonial-era streets and buildings. Be sure to go for a wander along Balcarce street, which is always lined with vendors selling antiques along with odds and ends. The San Telmo market is a great place to try out some very good quality local food at excellent prices, so don’t miss it.
I just adore this neighborhood - you can easily spend a few hours wandering around here.
After lunch, take a pleasant walk over to the Plaza the Mayo, Buenos Aires’ main historical square. There are many lovely buildings here, and they are of both architectural and historical significance: you’ll see the Cathedral, the Cabildo (a former prison and also town council building), the “Casa Rosada” (Pink House) - which is the office of the president, and just over on Bolivar Street is San Ignacio colonial church, one of the oldest churches in town.
From San Ignacio church, continue along Bolivar street until you reach one of my favorite cafes: La Poesía. Its old wooden doors, marble floors, and small tables are perfect for relaxing over a lager, some crunchy bread, olives, and a bit of ham (hanging from the ceilings, like in Spain).
For the evening, I suggest heading over to Thelonius bar, which is a great spot to catch good live music and get a nice bite to eat.
Day 2 - Puerto Madero and Palermo
Having discovered some of our older neighborhoods yesterday, today I suggest you visit a more modern part of town. So, you’re off to Puerto Madero, an upscale neighborhood built over/around the old port, which was the main economic drivers for the entire country during the first few decades of the 20th century.
Here, you’ll be presented with a very clear contrast between the old and new Buenos Aires: old colonial architecture often sits side by side with modern skyscrapers and luxury apartment buildings. The neighborhood is a little island right beside the Rio de La Plata, and it’s a very pleasant area to stroll around as it’s filled with parks and also has a number of nice monuments and landmarks to check out.
When you’ve had your fill of Puerto Madero, it’s time to head over to Palermo, a large and very trendy district in the north of the city that has an entirely different style and pace. It’s a couple of miles away, so you can either catch a cab or take the metro (from Plaza de Mayo) to get there.
As a true alfajores lover (this is a traditional sweet), I’d suggest beginning your visit here with a stop at Havanna cafe on Armenia street. You’re on vacation, so indulge yourself with one of the most sickeningly sweet (in a good way) things in the world: an alfajor de dulce de leche!
Fueled up on treats, wander about Palermo. Check out the neat buildings, renovated houses, and the crazy number of restaurants, bars, and cafes. This is probably the trendiest area in the city and it’s an absolute mecca for shopping and dining.
If you’re hungry for a meal, Sudestada is one restaurant that I really like here. Try the nems!
When you’re ready for a bit of green tranquility, stroll up to the Botanical Garden and spend a while relaxing and enjoying the lovely gardens and displays.
For the evening, I suggest heading back into downtown Buenos Aires to catch a show at the magnificent Teatro Colón.
Afterwards, the restaurant Edelweiss is the classic spot to grab a post-theater meal.
Explore hidden gems of the city center, gritty and colorful La Boca, bohemian San Telmo, and chic Palermo on a private tour with Buenos Aires' best guide!
Day 3 - Day trip to Tigre
After two days of intense urban exploration, I think today is the ideal time to take a break from the city by heading off to the Tigre Delta, one of the largest river deltas in the world. This biosphere nature reserve lies at the confluence of multiple rivers, and it has almost 500 little islands in it, many of them dotted with traditional stilt-houses. The writer Jorge Luis Borges is said to have called the Delta del Tigre the Venice of Buenos Aires.
This is a classic day trip from BA, and is easily reached by a 1-hour train ride from the city. The general idea is to head to the historic town of Tigre, from where you can board any of the many collective boats that offer sightseeing tours along the rivers and the delta.
These quick tours are very pleasant and will give you a nice feel for the Delta, but I think an even better option is to arrange a journey that will take you sailing up to the Paraná river, which can take about an hour or hour and a half.
Another nice thing to do here is enjoy what we call “recreos”, which are recreational facilities alongside the river where you can take a break and hang out. They all have different types of facilities (grills, pools, camping areas, etc.) and there are a good bunch of lovely recreos where you can spend some of your day, enjoy a good meal, and hang out in nature before you sail back to the port of Tigre.
While you can visit on your own, most foreign travelers do this trip with a guide, who can organize some of these additional activities for you. If you’re interested in touring with a guide, check out this fabulous full-day tour with local guide Maria.
Whenever you get back to Buenos Aires, I’d suggest an evening tango lesson at a milonga, the traditional halls where this dance is practiced. La Viruta, at the Armenian cultural center, offers energetic lessons with skilled local dancers and it is a very authentic place.
Day 4 - MALBA, more Palermo neighborhoods, and the Costanera
It’s time to get a bit of culture, so start your day with a visit to the MALBA museum, which houses some of the greatest works of art from all over Latin America. Expect to spend the better part of the morning here.
The museum is at the border of the Palermo and Recoleta neighborhoods, so after your visit you can have a stroll through the area known as “Palermo Woods”, a collection of parks and green spaces that stretch all along Libertador and Figueroa Alcorta avenues (where MALBA is).
Along the walk, you’ll pass by the impressive Plaza Alemania, the lovely Japenese Gardens, the Monumento de los Españoles, with its grand white marble monument, and the magnificent and fun Parque Tres de Febrero, which also contains the gorgeous rose gardens, with over 18,000 flowering roses!
After wandering through the parks you should head over to the “Costanera Norte” (the coastal riverside area), which you’ll be able to reach either by returning toward the MALBA museum and walking up Salguero street until it ends (at the river), or you can also take a quick cab ride up there. Once at the coast, grab a couple of choripanes sandwiches and enjoy the widest possible river views.
In the evening, if it’s soccer season, try to get tickets to catch a fútbol match. No matter who’s playing, the atmosphere at the stadiums here is always electric.
Day 5 - Recoleta (northern Buenos Aires)
On your last day here, discover the Recoleta neighborhood, which is an elegant, posh, and architecturally beautiful area to the north of the city, very near to the river.
To tourists, it’s best known for being the home of the gorgeous Recoleta Cemetery, where many famous Argentines are buried, including Eva Perón. If you want to visit her tomb, be sure to have a map and a plan for finding it - this is no easy feat!
But apart from the cemetery, this is simply a beautiful area to walk around. There are a number of great museums and galleries here (like Museo de Arte Decorativo - housed in a lovely old mansion, and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes), leafy and green parks, elegant restaurants, grand old palaces that are now embassies, and a collection of luxurious 5-star hotels. One of the world’s most beautiful bookstores, the Ateneo Grand Splendid, is also here and is well worth visiting.
A distinctly wealthy area, it’s just an overall elegant place. The buildings are beautiful, the streets are tree-lined, the squares and parks are serene oases, and the people watching is excellent. You’ll have no trouble filling up your day between some cultural visits and neighborhood wandering.
For the evening, book a table at Frank’s, my favorite hidden bar in town. Fernet with coke is a simple, typical local drink, and it’s the perfect beverage to sip while saying goodbye to Buenos Aires.
Where to stay in Buenos Aires
Neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. Photo: Ypsilon from Finland, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Buenos Aires is a very big city with 48 official neighborhoods, so where you stay can have a pretty big impact on how you experience the city and the convenience of getting around during your trip.
With that in mind, I’ve chosen three central areas that while all distinct, are each equally nice. Palermo is a huge area to the central north of the city and that is subdivided in a few different sub-sections. Recoleta, which lies just beside Palermo, is a classical, posh, and elegant neighborhood. To the south, right next to downtown and San Telmo, Puerto Madero is an expensive area with a lot of new development and high rises standing where the old port once was.
All 3 are quite nice and each has its own appeal, but if I had to pick one, I’d suggest Palermo. Puerto Madero would be my second choice, followed by Recoleta.
These neighborhoods are very safe, vibrant during both day and night but not excessively loud or crowded, and extremely pleasant to walk around in. You can’t go wrong with any of them.
Palermo
Palermo is a very big central area of Buenos Aires city, sub-divided into Old Palermo, Palermo Chico, Palermo Hollywood, and Palermo Soho. It’s very safe and each sub-district offers a slightly different “vibe”.
Palermo Soho and Hollywood are the hippest of the bunch, and they’re filled with trendy places primarily frequented by a younger crowd. Even so, they’re still perfect places for visitors of all ages as anyone will enjoy strolling about here, sitting at the lovely cafes, eating at a broad variety of excellent restaurants, and having a fun night out at the busy bars. Soho and Hollywood are also very trendy for shopping and they’re filled with boutiques showing off the latest fashions.
While these are very “modern” neighborhoods now, they are part of what old Palermo used to be, and the architecture and layout are still quite stately and elegant in parts. Soho is definitely the hipper area to live, eat and shop, and it was names Soho after the neighborhoods of the same name in London and New York. And Palermo Hollywood is where radio, TV, and film production companies settled in the 1990’s.
The neighborhoods are technically divided by some specific avenues but they mostly blend together and there’s no clear distinction between them. It’s very easy to walk from one another.
My suggested accommodation in Palermo:
Ayres Apartments: small flats with mini kitchens on a nice Palermo building made hotel. Room rates: 50-60 usd. Really good deal, good quality at a very reasonable price.
Home Hotel: on Honduras street, a 4 star small and cozy, calm and quiet boutique hotel. The backyard garden has a lovely small pool and is adorable for breakfast on a sunny day or a cocktail at any moment. Has a good bar and lounge. Rooms rate: 170-200 Usd.
Meridiano Hostel Boutique: it is an amazing refurbished old house with lovely patios and very clean and comfy rooms. About 40 usd a night. A really good option if you’re traveling on your own. Nice design, and beautiful common areas to relax.
Puerto Madero
In the southern part of the city and right beside the river, Puerto Madero is a bit of an island to itself. Built over and around the old port area, this is a very upscale area that has been completely redesigned and redeveloped in recent years. One of the most modern parts of the city, you’ll find skyscrapers and high-rise apartment buildings here, as well as luxury shops and lots of fine dining.
That’s not to say that the area is culturally bereft though - far from it. There is a nice collection of museums, parks, galleries, one of the best cultural centers worldwide (the Centro Cultural Kirchner), many good cafes, great parrillas (steakhouses), and lots of international restaurants - my favorite one is Osaka: a Japanese-Peruvian fusion place.
This is a very big area and it’s a bit less densely populated than some other parts of the city, so it involves more walking to get from one place to the next. The walks are always pleasant though, as it’s a gorgeous, green area.
For more sightseeing, it’s also right next to downtown, and you can easily walk to the Plaza de Mayo, other city-center spots, and even the San Telmo neighborhood.
My suggested accommodations in Puerto Madero:
Hilton Puerto Madero: rooms are 120-180 Usd. A big, great and modern Hilton. Can assure has comfy beds even if the interiors of the rooms are quite standard. I adore the rooftop swimming pool, has a really good breakfast and is well located. 4-5 stars.
Faena Hotel: top-notch, kitsch, luxurious hotel. Room rates: 550-600. 5 stars and plus. Not my piece of cake but could be very fun.
Recoleta
Extremely classy and elegant, Recoleta is like a slice of “old world” life in Buenos Aires. A historic neighborhood just north of downtown (and bordering Palermo), it has a distinctly local atmosphere, and it’s full of energy. Yes, it can be a bit noisy at times, but it’s also filled with pretty squares and some of the best green spaces in town.
The architecture here is lovely and you’ll certainly enjoy strolling along the embassy district, which is filled with magnificent old palaces and mansions. You’ll also find a wealth of cafes, restaurants, cinemas, great museums and galleries, and busy and vibrant streets.
The neighborhood also houses the famous Recoleta Cemetery, one of the most important cemeteries in the world and one of the main sights on every traveler’s “to-do list” when in Buenos Aires.
Suggested accommodation in Recoleta:
Casa Bevant: Small and cozy hotel. The studios are spacious, modern, cute, well designed and clean. Well located and with a very good quality-price ratio. They say receptionists are super friendly and willing to help. 70-80 usd. Have not stayed there but it has really good reviews and looks great.
Palacio Duhau (Park Hyatt): Chic and extraordinary, my favorite 5 star hotel in town. It used to be an old French style enormous family house made into a modern Hyatt chain hotel, with 3 great restaurants, a beautiful tea house and bar, all around gorgeous gardens.
A room with a view onto the magnificent gardens is worth the price. The swimming pool and spa area are extremely good. 400-500 Usd per night.
And if you’re on a budget, here are a few hostels that I really like:
Franca city hostel: in Montserrat neighborhood. Very central and well located. Rooms are to share and about 33 usd. Nice design, comfortable and good quality.
Meridiano Hostel Boutique: it is an amazing old house with lovely patios and very clean and comfy rooms. Also about 40 usd. A really good option if you’re traveling on your own.
What to see and do in BA
For a city as large and diverse as Buenos Aires, it’s simply impossible to try to cover everything or even a fraction of what there is to see and do here. Inevitably, any list like this one will omit countless extremely worthwhile sights, neighborhoods, institutions, and attractions.
You could spend a lifetime exploring BA (that’s what I’ve been doing!) and still couldn’t see everything, so please don’t think the below items are by any means exhaustive or all inclusive.
With that said, I think I’ve covered many of the typical highlights along with a nice selection of lesser known places that I think are emblematic of Buenos Aires and important to see in order to familiarize yourself with the city.
And if you find that you’re still looking for more ideas after reading my overview below, take a look at our What to see and do in Buenos Aires article.
1. Wander around La Boca
The southern neighborhood of La Boca (The Mouth) is built around the old port of Buenos Aires and is one of the most iconic and oldest districts in the city, where the first waves of immigrants, mainly Italians, settled during the early 20th century.
While it is far from a glamorous place, and many visitors find it to be rather rundown, to me, it’s nothing but charming. Lots of artists live there and the atmosphere is distinctly creative and inspiring.
Before I get into telling you about all the places that I love in the neighborhood, I do need to warn you: just watch out for your personal belongings when here, as it is definitely not the safest place in town. You probably won’t have any problems, especially if you stick to the main areas, but pickpockets definitely hang around here and crime isn’t uncommon.
The pedestrian street of Caminito, named after a tango, has lovely colorful houses and is cheerful, unique, and perhaps even a bit weird (maybe funky would be a better way to describe it!). It is believed to be one of the cradles of tango songs and music.
During all my childhood I would eat lunch here, sitting in front of a huge melancholic painting of a big boat arriving at a port, by Benito Quinquela Martín. The colors of the painting were exactly the same as those of La Boca's most iconic houses: blue, red, yellow, and green. This same artist has a museum on Avenida Pedro de Mendoza, just opposite Caminito, where his famous artworks can be seen.
Also here is La Bombonera Stadium, the home of the great fútbol club of Boca Juniors, where the genius and symbol of Argentina, Diego Maradona, used to play. The football fans called it the bon-bon box (bombonera) .
I also suggest a stop at the PROA museum, located in a modern building just by Caminito street. Even on days when I don’t feel like spending hours looking at art, I’ll come here to have a quick look at the exhibitions and then run upstairs for a coffee at the lovely rooftop cafe where you can enjoy the nicest view of the old port.
Most of the big houses that you’ll see in the area were initially built as “conventillos”: a kind of big communal house that two or three families - mainly immigrant ones - could share at the time. Some of them still have a similar use nowadays, while others are rented out by artists.
2. Explore colonial San Telmo
Falling in love with San Telmo is just way too easy. This is a charming neighborhood with a wealth of well-preserved old colonial houses, antique shops everywhere, cobblestone streets, patios with old school Spanish cisterns, great cafes, and music and musicians everywhere. Just north of La Boca, it’s also in the southern part of Buenos Aires and is a part of the historic center, just south of downtown and quite near to the port area.
Its name is derived from the saint San Pedro Telmo, whose church is found here on Humberto Primo street. Speaking of churches, my favorite colonial church in town is also here: San Ignacio, built in 1686, right on Bolívar street.
Ever since I can remember, on the Antique and Flea Market has taken place every Sunday all along Defensa street. An open-air market, the street explodes with vendors of mainly antiquities, extravagant objects, and random odds and ends. The energy on market days is incredible, as the street becomes packed with people and street artists, musicians, and tango dancers come out to ply their trades. It’s a beautiful thing and the atmosphere is fantastic.
So what else to do? Well, I’d suggest going for a ramble through the neighborhood to enjoy its elegant old architecture. It’s like going back in time, and is one of the best things you can do in BA.
When you get hungry, head to the San Telmo Market, where you can have excellent quality cheap eats and check out everything from fresh produce to antiques. Afterwards, grab a beer at the marvelous La Poesía cafe, also on Bolívar street.
A cobblestone street in San Telmo. Photo: Nicolas Solop, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Plaza de Mayo - our central square
Plaza de Mayo, right in downtown, is where the revolution of 1810 against the Spanish began, and it’s been the city’s most historic and important square ever since. Still today, it’s the place where big political demonstrations and protests take place.
The square is located between the Montserrat neighborhood to the south/east and the financial district to the west, and it’s a 10-minute walk from Puerto Madero, to the north.
Many historical buildings from different architectural styles surround the square: The Cabildo, which was the Buenos Aires prison from 1608 to 1877; the Metropolitan Cathedral, which although it looks like a Greek temple because of its columns, is actually the biggest catholic church in town; the Casa Rosada (the Pink House), which is the president’s main office and also a museum; and the big headquarters of the National Central Bank.
If you look at the square on a map, you’ll see all of the big elegant buildings rounding it, and the large diagonal avenues that intersect at it, demonstrating how the square was once the central point of the city, connecting the other neighborhoods.
Eduardo N. Fortes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
4. Discover Puerto Madero, a modern neighborhood built around the old port
Puerto Madero is a massive neighborhood that was heavily developed by a massive urban renovation project during the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Built where the old port used to be, which was once the most important economic driver for Buenos Aires and all of Argentina, the area had become largely abandoned over time as the port’s importance diminished and it went into disuse.
During the period of redevelopment, the old grain silos here were refurbished into modern lofts, many high-rise buildings - both residential and commercial -were constructed, and big green parks, new avenues, and bridges were built all over the area (most of these new streets were named after important Latin American women who primarily contributed to the educational development of the city/country).
Nowadays, Puerto Madero is a very modern neighborhood and it’s one of the most expensive areas in Latin America. But despite the development, there are still plenty of traces of the area’s past, and the old docks from the port are perhaps the best example of this.
A visit here will take up a good chunk of a morning or afternoon, so below is a short itinerary that you can alter however you’d like:
Assuming you’re coming from downtown, you should enter the neighborhood by walking over the Puente de la Mujer. Then, take a left turn and head towards the Museo Fortabat, which has a huge private art collection. It also has a really nice cafe that’s right by the river and on the main pedestrian street.
From there, make your way over to the lovely Parque de la Mujer. Close by you’ll find the Centro Cultural Kirchner, a huge cultural center with a great main hall called the Blue Whale. They sometimes hold concerts here, and if there’s one taking place during your visit, you should absolutely go.
From the cultural center, there are many other interesting places to check out such as Museo Fragata Sarmiento, the Immigration Museum, and the Faena Arts Center. There’s also the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, which is the largest nature preserve in the city (more on this below).
5. Walk across Puente de la Mujer
This pedestrian bridge connects the Puerto Madero neighborhood with downtown and it was designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava during the reconstruction of the Madero area. Named the “Women’s Bridge”, it’s meant to represent a couple dancing a tango.
You’ll have beautiful views from the bridge at any time of day, but for me, it’s most special right when the sun starts to set and the lights of the city begin to turn on. You can get here easily and quickly on foot from the Plaza de Mayo.
Buenos Aires' endless urban cityscape provides urban artists with some of the largest canvasses in Latin America. Come discover it!
6. Get out into nature at the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur
Right in Puerto Madero along the riverfront, this huge nature reserve (850.000 acres) is a great place for bird watching and to see all kinds of other animals.
The biggest preserve in the city, it’s filled with waling path and affords great views of the Río de la Plata. People often come here with their bikes and cycle around, but there are also organized hiking activities that you can join and plenty of paths that you can wander along on your own.
Just don’t come here expecting to find a typical manicured city park, as this is much moreso a wild area that offers a taste of true nature in Buenos Aires.
Highrises in Puerto Madero seen from the Reserve. Photo: Roberto Fiadone, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
7. Falena Hidden Bookshop
Buenos Aires is famous for its bookshops and you’ll find many of them in just about any neighborhood. Avenida Corrientes is where you have many of the most traditional ones, and a walk along this street is a chance to pop in and out of great little bookshops at your leisure.
I love them all and think this is a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours, especially if you fins some rara avis (literally “rare birds”, but by which I mean rare books) among them.
If you only have time to visit one, I’d chose Falena, a hidden bookstore that doubles as a teahouse. I adore this place for its calm atmosphere, the little garden, its tasty teas, and the great amount of original good books. Be sure to call in advance though.
Falena is found in the neighborhood of Chacarita, which also has many good restaurants and bars. When you’ve finished browsing the books at Falena, head to La Fuerza, a great bar when you can try a vermu (vermouth) with ice, lemon, ginger and sparkling water.
8. Take a self-guided tour of “Old Palermo”
In northern Buenos Aires, “Old Palermo” is a sub-district of Palermo, the city’s biggest neighborhood. It can actually be divided up even further, into its sub-sub-districts of Palermo Soho and Hollywood. Soho stretches from Scalabrini Ortiz street to Juan B. Justo, and is where you’ll find the trendiest fashion, nice renovated houses, and great restaurants.
Palermo Hollywood, meanwhile, extends from J.B Justo street up to Dorrego street, and is where TV, radio, and film production companies settled decades ago. These distinctions aren’t super important though, as Soho and Hollywood kind of blend together into one big area.
There are tons of fun clubs and bars that stay open until quite late and young people love to spend their weekends here. While I am no longer a “young” person (alas - time passes for all of us!), I still really like this area because there’s always a new theater opening, the flea Market on Dorrego street is a unique trip back to the past, and there are many cute boutiques with the latest styles on the streets of Armenia, Honduras, El Salvador, and Malabia.
The shops in Old Palermo are definitely more expensive than in other commercial areas, but you’ll find much more unique designs here. There are also really good leather shops that have all types of shoes, bags, belts, jackets, and so on.
The area is also simply beautiful, so even if you aren’t interested in walking and shopping ‘til you drop, just grabbing a seat at any cafe to do some people watching and enjoying the tees, the lights, and the cheerful vibe can be great fun.
BA on a livable scale along Calle Borges in Palermo Soho. Photo: Gervacio Rosales, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
9. Teatro Colón, a cultural institution in BA
For sure one of the best opera houses in the world, the Teatro Colón is said to have the best acoustics for opera of anywhere on Earth, and the second best for concerts. Built in 1857 and renovated many times throughout its history, this is a gorgeous building both inside and out. The principal entrance is on Libertad street in the Microcentro downtown area.
You can book a guided tour and visit at just about any time, but for me, the best way to experience the Teatro Colón is by coming on a gala night to attend one of the many seasonal performances.
The acoustics are perfect and the warm, rousing applause that concert-goers here give is always surprising for visitors coming from abroad.
All tickets need to be booked in advance through the theater website and any concert is a great experience, so you should come no matter what the show is.
The theater’s grand concert hall. Photo: HalloweenHJB, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
10. Wander around ever-elegant Recoleta
Back at the end of the 19th century, the richest and most powerful families, who up until then had lived in the south of the city, moved in to Recoleta (in the north) to escape the yellow fever epidemic.
When they moved, they built big elegant houses and small palaces, and this has been one of the most elegant parts of the city ever since. As times changed, many families moved out of the palaces, and some of them now house embassies, museums, and luxury hotels.
This barrio is part of what it is named Barrio Norte, but it is actually pretty central, albeit a bit to the northeast. It’s close enough to the river that many apartments on higher floors have great river views, which can be really nice.
Recoleta has a great many museums, galleries, restaurants and bars, cinemas, cafes, bookshops, markets, and some of the biggest green areas in town.
Apart from the legendary Recoleta Cemetery, I will suggest some other places: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA), on Libertador Avenue, is the local fine arts museum, with a varied collection where national art can be found among some Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and other masterpieces. One of my favorite Argentinian painters is Cándido López and you can see his great works at MNBA.
MALBA is another excellent museum, with the best Latin American collection in South America. The Museo de Arte Decorativo, an old palace which became a museum, is also worth checking out. They have an absolutely adorable restaurant & cafe with a lovely garden terrace right at the entrance (you can go to the cafe even if you don’t want to visit the museum).
The traditional bookshop Norte, on Las Heras avenue has some of the best books in town. The Biblioteca Nacional, designed by architect Clorindo Testa, is also here and it’s a very big weird building that was built to preserve the patrimonial literature.
All along Libertador Avenue from Pueyrredón to Belgrano, there’s the “Bosques de Palermo” section, which in English means the Palermo Woods. It’s a line of big green parks that extend from Recoleta to Belgrano (a neighborhood a bit further out of the city center - which is also where I live!).
On Saturdays and Sundays there’s a great craft market here, right in Plaza Francia.
The Palacio Duhaul in Recoleta, with its emblematic grand old architecture. Photo: Aleposta, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
11. Recoleta Cemetery
At the heart of the Recoleta neighborhood is the Cementerio de la Recoleta, a beautiful “city inside a city”. The cemetery was built around the end of the 19th century and the political elites and wealthy residents of that era bought up many of the plots here and built extravagant tombs for themselves.
You’ll see great neoclassical architecture at the main entrance, and within the cemetery, you’ll find a mix of French designs from the past couple of centuries, as architects from France designed most of the main tombs and pantheons. Due to the excellent architecture, this is considered one of the 4 most important cemeteries in the world.
Eva Perón and the former president Raúl Alfonsín, among many other local famous people, were buried here, and you’ll find useful maps at the entrance to help you find the most noteworthy tombs.
Photo: HalloweenHJB, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
12. Catch a Tango show - and try it out yourself, if you’re brave enough!
Buenos Aires is the cradle of Tango, a very emblematic and particular dance and rhythm. Tango is everywhere here and you’ll find countless tours and advertisements for evening tango shows including dinner, drinks, and performances. Some of these can be quite nice, but others are overpriced sort of soulless tourist traps where I and other Porteños would never go. They can actually still be rather fun, particularly if this is your first time seeing tango, but they’re definitely not local.
I prefer the truly local spots, which although potentially less glamorous, are much more authentic. At these halls, the dancers don’t arrive until 9:00 PM at the earliest, and they stay well into the early morning, sometimes until 6:00 AM! La Viruta and Grisel are two good tanguerías where you can choose to watch or even try a lesson yourself. It can be very fun!
My favorite is La Viruta, in the Armenian Center. It’s popular with locals, so is best to schedule a class in advance. Or, if you just plan to watch, there’s no need to book ahead and arriving around 9:30 PM is about right. The bar is open all night!
Sunday afternoon Tango in Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo. Photo: Helge Høifødt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
13. Venture out to the Tigre River Delta
Tigre is a historic town and district on the northern outskirts of Buenos Aires, about an hour from the city center. It’s a crucial ecological area, which is formed by the confluence of the Paraná and other smaller rivers, which all converge here.
The delta has many little waterways and islands (around 500 of them), which are dotted with interesting houses raised up on stilts. It’s a favorite summertime escape for Porteños and the writer Jorge Luis Borges once called it the Venice of Buenos Aires.
I used to take this area for granted, as I passed many summers of my childhood out on the islands and it never felt like anything special to me. It wasn’t until I traveled to the might Amazonas river that I realized just how important this place is to the world biosphere. Now, each time I hop aboard a boat and sail across the sublime and enormously wide Paraná river, I try to recognize and appreciate just how unique and magical the Tigre Delta is.
Being a very popular day trip for visitors, there are many different ways to get to and experience Tigre. There are trains from central Buenos Aires that head straight here and take right around an hour, or you can book a private tour or group excursion.
If you choose to go on your own, you’ll take the train to Tigre and will then make your way to the waterfront, where you can buy tickets for the public boat tours (called “lanchas colectivas”). These will take you out along the waterways and give a very nice, if somewhat abridged, tour of the area.
I would personally suggest a private boat trip, where you’ll have more time and will be able to sail all along the delta rivers until you reach the immensity that is the Río Paraná. It’s about an hour’s journey and will take you pass wonderful scenery. Either on the way there or back, you’ll also be able to stop at a “recreo" (recreational facilities on the islands) to enjoy lunch and other activities.
Once you return to the port, take a stroll over to Puerto de frutos, a famous local market where you you’ll find a nice selection of handicrafts made out of wood, wicker, wool, and other natural materials.
14. Take a day trip to an estancia
An estancia is a big villa or farm surrounded by fields and located out on the plains of the Pampeana region, fairly close to Buenos Aires. This is where you can experience the traditional "gaucho” culture and take part in activities such as horseback riding, bird watching, fishing, farm life, and more.
You typically pay an entrance fee to the estancias and then have sort of “free use” of the facilities, which usually includes some guided excursions and tours/visits. At midday there’s always a nice welcome for guests, including homemade empanadas a glass of wine. Then they make an asado for you (a great local barbecue of different meats), which is served al fresco under the trees (if it’s nice out). They’ll also have a variety of different malbecs and other local wines for you to sample.
There are many different estancias and all of them will offer you fresh air, peaceful nature, and a chance to experience rural life. You can go with local guides or just book a car service/driver.
For a lovely experience, I’d recommend local guide Maria’s private “A Day in the Pampas” tour.
Restaurants and dining
Below are some of my favorite places to eat, drink, and snack in Buenos Aires. For another great resource that includes even more establishments and goes a bit more in depth, check out our guide to the best restaurants in Buenos Aires.
Restaurants
Oviedo: This is a traditional restaurant with a great selection of wines, good pasta dishes, many vegetarian options, and of course, excellent grilled meats.
Cucina paradiso: this place takes things to another level and is, for me, without a doubt the best true Italian pasta restaurant in town. As I’m gluten intolerant I always go to their gluten free establishment on Acevedo street in Palermo, but their original spot (not gluten free) is in the Núñez area. Both are great.
La Cabrera: One of the most famous steakhouses in Buenos Aires, this is one of the best spots to try the grilled meats for which Buenos Aires is famous. It’s pretty expensive, by Argentine standards anyways, so don’t expect a cheap meal.
Osaka: For something less traditional, Osaka serves up wonderful Japanese-Peruvian fusion (called Nikkei cuisine). Try the octopus dishes, which pair marvelously with a nice glass of Chardonnay. They have two restaurants now, one in Palermo, the other in Puerto Madero, and while pretty expensive, it’s definitely worth the price!
Cochinchina: A kind of tapas and cocktail bar, they serve small dishes to share, most of which are excellent. The mains aren’t as impressive, but the atmosphere is pretty nice, especially if you’re after a typical Palermo Hollywood place (the vibe here is very Hollywood).
Campo Bravo: If you want the best Entraña (skirt steak) in BA, this is the place to go. Their french fires are excellent, salads good, and the house wine very acceptable. Great quality and a great price for what you get (very affordable).
Los Inmortales: One of the classic pizza places in town. The quality and price are both excellent.
Edelweiss: This is the place to go after catching a show at the Teatro Colón. You’re likely to see the musicians, composers, and dancers make their way in afterwards too, which is a lot of fun. Good food with a big variety.
Any and every Spanish restaurant on Avenida de Mayo: This entire street is lined with really good and very local Spanish restaurants. Many of them serve dishes from northern Spain, so you’ll find excellent fish and seafood. This is traditional Buenos Aires at its best.
San Telmo food market: Great food and great atmosphere in the heart of San Telmo. It’s noisy, chaotic, totally informal, and a lot of fun. A good place for choripanes!
Bars
Frank’s: A hidden speakeasy-style bar where you used to need to give a password at the door. That’s no longer the case, but the entrance is still hidden, so make sure you continue up to the final door (don’t stop at the first one) as the bar is found all the way at the very back. I love the music, the cocktails, and the 17th century kind of Mozart atmosphere. Adorable and very unusual for being in the middle of the city.
Los Galgos: Traditional bar with a nice atmosphere and great vermú (Vermouth - a typical drink). It’s a very local place.
San Bernardo: A fun spot to get some pizza, play ping pong with friends, and drink a few too many beers. I love it.
Tres Monos Bar: Funky and chic little cocktail bar in the heart of Palermo. NIce music, nice people, and nice food too.
Presidente: Despite being in a very posh area, this a funky place with friendly people and great food. On Saturdays you can dance her until dawn.
Bakeries
I have an intolerance to gluten so am not necessarily the best person to ask about bakeries. Even so, here are my favorites, all of which are gluten free:
La Unión: A small local chain with a bunch of outposts in town.
Pain du Jour: Another little local chain with many cafes and bakeries in the Palermo, Saavedra, and Belgrano neighborhoods.
CeliGourmet: Yes, it’s another chain, but again, one local to BA, and it’s very good.
Ice-cream shops
Chungo: Best dulce de leche ice cream in the city.
Helados Daniel: Also great and all GF options.
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