Visit Buenos Aires: what are the best things to do and see in the capital of Argentina?
It is said to be the most “European” city in Latin America and there is a lot of real in it. Sexy and alive, Buenos Aires also has a melancholic touch, which makes it unforgettable. ♪ Porteños (inhabitant of BA) are passionate, obstinated people but are also very friendly. It is difficult to describe this huge metropolis overall but one can make an idea thanks to its history: the inhabitants of Buenos Aires are mostly descendants of settlers from southern Europe, from Italy or Spain in the early 20th century. This heritage is reflected in some areas of the city: the architecture of the Recoleta reminds of Paris, the wide avenues of the centre recall those of Madrid and La Boca has the unfamiliar features of Naples. The city is both unique, original, animated, and sometimes very special. The kind of city whose travellers fall in love, dream of it, then decide to come and settle there. If you travel to Argentina, the capital is not to omit. It takes more than 3-4 days to enjoy it a minimum. So we listed them for you best things to do in Buenos Aires :
1. The Palermo district
Flickr – Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
The chic and tentacular area of Palermo, north of Buenos Aires, is divided into three parts: Alto Palermo, Palermo Chico and Palermo Viejo (the same is Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood). Alto Palermo is known for its museums and urban parks, such as the Botanical Garden Carlos Thays. Palermo Chico , which houses extravagant dwellings nestled behind the Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires (MALBA), is a hidden place often overlooked by tourists. And Palermo Viejo is where you will meet the most colors and local touch. Palermo Soho is home to a wealth of high-end shops, cafés and bustling bars, and paved streets. Its neighbour Palermo Hollywood, located just north of Soho district, is full of lively tapas bars, movie studios, and festive outdoor markets. Palermo is an ideal place to stay when you go to Buenos Aires.
2. San Telmo neighbourhood
Wikimedia – Roberto Fiadone
You have been able to read or hear that San Telmo is dirty, loose and dangerous (especially at night). But don’t let yourself stop by this because it hasn’t been for years. Discover the main artery of San Telmo, the Calle Defensa . Here you can find antiques in small shops located at every corner of the street. To go back in time, visit the pretty Pasaje de la Defensa (photo), a colonial house of 1880 renovated and overflowing with shops in the bric-to-brac areas. Do not forget to go to Zanjón de Granados a beautifully restored residence, which encapsulates three centuries of urban life.
In addition, if you visit Buenos Aires to dance, it makes a good stroll in San Telmo which is the cradle of tango . In the evening, many establishments live together with tango shows. If you visit the neighborhood on a Sunday, go to Plaza Dorrego where the Sunday market takes place.
3. Explore the Recoleta Cemetery
Wikimedia - Martini
This cemetery is probably the number one attraction in Buenos Aires, and you’ll do well to visit it. You can walk for hours in this amazing city of the dead, where countless streets are lined with impressive statues and marble sarcophagi. Enter into the crypts and discover the dusty coffins, most of which contain the bodies of the most elitist members of the society of Buenos Aires, and try to decipher the history of its inhabitants. Former presidents, military heroes, influential politicians and just rich and famous characters are here. You thus find yourself in the "Father-Lachaise porteño". Take a look at the tomb of Evita: to find it, look for the crowd. Admission is free from 7 am to 6 pm every day. Guided tours in English (free of charge) are possible every Tuesday and Thursday in the morning.
4. La Boca district
Wikimedia - Luis Argerich
This trendy neighbourhood in the south of Buenos Aires is full of trendy boutiques and art galleries. Once the place of a shipyard led by European immigrants, this dynamic port now houses local artists, soccer fans, and middle-class workers all over. The name of the district, which translates to "La Bouche", is derived from its distinct location near the Río de la Plata (the estuary formed by the meeting of the Uruguay and Paraná rivers).
Rendez-vous on the triangular square Vuelta de Rocha from which you can walk on Caminito, a popular pedestrian street flanked by houses with colorful and shimmering murals. It is also in this historic district of Buenos Aires that you will find La Bombonera, the football stadium of the legendary Boca Juniors team. If La Boca is very touristic, the area is no less important. You can easily visit it on foot. Don't miss the Quinquela Martín Museum, La Boca Museum of Fine Arts.
It should be noted that attending a game in the stadium of La Bombonera (Estadio Alberto J Armando) is a unique and dizzying experience: the podiums keep vibrating throughout the matches. If you want to ensure tranquility, go to the rostrum flata baja .
5. El Teatro Colón (Colón Theatre)
Flickr – Beatrice Murch
This sumptuous opera is as pleasant to admire as listening to the performances played there. In this grandiose place, you can contemplate the European style setting ranging from Italian marble staircases and Venetian mosaics to French stained-glass windows and a large sparkling chandelier. And if the spectacular architecture and the design of the theatre do not impress you, you should know that the establishment has hosted a large number of world-class artists, including Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky and Luciano Pavarotti. Visit it between April and December to attend one of the spectacular ballet or opera shows.
6. La Casa Rosada
Flickr – David
Taking all the east side of the Plaza de Mayo, the inimitable pink facade of the Casa Rosada (House Rose) houses the presidential palace which was painted of this color during the presidency of Domingo Sarmiento. Built in 1594, it now occupies the site where the fort of Buenos Aires once stood. This is where the offices of “La Presidenta” Cristina Kirchner are located, but the presidential residence is located in the quiet suburb of Oliviers, north of the city.
The side of the palace facing the Plaza de Mayo is actually the back of the building. The salmon pink colour of Casa Rosada, which illuminates at sunset, could be due to the desire of President Sarmiento to establish peace during his mandate from 1868 to 1874 (mixing the red of the federalists with the white of the unitary). Another more likely theory is that the colour of the palace comes from a combination of lime paint with beef blood. This practice was very common in Argentina during the 19th century.
7. Plaza de Mayo
Wikimedia – Pia Waugh
Tourists flock to this historic square since Argentina declared its independence from the Spanish colonial rule on May 25, 1810. Enclaved between Casa Rosada, Cabildo and the main cathedral of the city, the very green Plaza de Mayo is the main gathering place of the most vehement protests of Buenos Aires. In the center of the square is the Pirámide de Mayo a white obelisk, built to mark the first anniversary of Buenos Aires’ independence from Spain. Overlooking on the north side of the square, we find the impressive building of the Banco de la Nación (1939), fruit of the work of the famous architect Alejandro Bustillo.
8. The nightlife of Buenos Aires
Flickr – kara brugman
No other city in the world lives at night as Buenos Aires does. Most clubs don’t even open until 2 a.m. and pass from the sound until the children leave school in the morning. What makes nightlife truly unique here is the diversity of places to go out and the styles of music that pass through it. To know the best addresses where to drink a drink and where to go out, as well as the best neighborhoods where to go night in Buenos Aires, nothing better than reading our article Where to go to Buenos Aires?
9. The district of Puerto Madero
Flickr – Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
When locals or tourists are looking to walk by the water, it’s at Puerto Madero they go. The bright lights of this district illuminate the port which once served as a major destination for European trade. In the day, it’s a very quiet business district, but in the evening it’s the trendy district where people find themselves to eat and drink a drink.
Why not enjoy being here to eat a good Argentine steak? Argentina is a renowned country for the quality of its beef and parillas Scramble around the city of Buenos Aires. 3 solid reputation addresses include Don Julio (to Palermo Soho), Cabaña Las Lilas (to Puerto Madero), and Gran Parrilla del Plata (to San Telmo).
10. La Fería de Mataderos
Flickr – Carlos Adampol Galindo
It’s in the popular district Mataderos that this excellent folk market is located. Merchants offer crafts and regional specialties such as locro (a stew of corn and meat) and humita (a mixture of corn and salt cheese wrapped in leaves). There are singers, dancers and dancers gauchos , and it is therefore a wonderful opportunity to meet locals in their traditional clothes. There's even one Gaucho museum nearby (on the Avenida de los Corrales ). From the city centre, take bus 155 (also indicated 180) or 126. The Fería de Mataderos is an hour's drive, but it's worth it. You can also take a taxi to and from Mataderos if you are caught by time.
11. Other ideas for visits to Buenos Aires and its surroundings
You may spend more than 4 or 5 days in the capital and you would like to have more ideas of activities and visits here in Buenos Aires. Here are some:
- L’Avenida Corrientes and its "Broadway" atmosphere with its tango theatre and dancers
- The Parque 3 de Febrero (or "Palermo Bosques") in the Palermo district
- Bookshop El Ateneo, located in a former theater, and is one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world
- Fundación Proa (Musée d’art contemporain)
- As explained above, soccer fans are interested in attending a Boca match
- The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA) in Recoleta
- Visit a Argentine ranch with gauchos from Buenos Aires
- Take it Tren de la Costa to the Tiger Delta
- The historic village San Antonio de Areco
- Take a trip Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, facing Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires: How to get there? Where to sleep?
Buenos Aires is an important destination in South America like Rio or São Paulo in Brazil. The diversity of flights is therefore not missing from Paris, Madrid or other European cities. According to the season, prices can be high, so to always find the cheapest flight to Buenos Aires, use the flight comparison Ulysses .
As mentioned above, Palermo is a perfect place to make its anchor in Buenos Aires. This is one of the best areas to stay in the city . Feel free to book your hotel in this charming and lively area. You will find a hostel or a hotel easily on this Compare hotels which allows you to search for a hotel with a map or price.
Have you visited Buenos Aires?
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