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Buenos Aires is the most European-feeling city in South America and simultaneously nothing like Europe. It has Parisian boulevards, Italian food, a Spanish language spoken in an accent all its own, and an economy that has taught its residents to be extremely good at improvising.
Four days, organised by barrio, covers it comfortably.
Money: read this first
Argentina has a long history of currency volatility, multiple exchange rates and rapidly changing rules about how foreign cards are treated. What was true last year is frequently not true now.
Rather than following any fixed advice, including this, check the current situation shortly before you travel, from a recent and reputable source. Have a backup payment method, keep some cash, and expect prices quoted in pesos to have moved since whatever you read.
Day 1: The centre and Recoleta
Start at the Plaza de Mayo with the pink Casa Rosada, the cathedral where Pope Francis was archbishop, and the weight of a great deal of Argentine history in one square.
Walk up Avenida de Mayo to the Palacio Barolo, then to the Teatro Colón, one of the world’s great opera houses, which runs guided tours through the day and is worth the ticket even if you see no performance.
In the afternoon, Recoleta Cemetery: a city of marble mausoleums with Eva Perón among the residents. Afterwards, the Floralis Genérica sculpture and the National Fine Arts Museum are both a short walk away.
Day 2: San Telmo and La Boca
San Telmo is the oldest barrio: cobbles, antique shops and a large Sunday street market along Defensa that is the single best thing to time your trip around if you can.
La Boca’s Caminito is the famous street of brightly painted corrugated houses. It is genuinely photogenic and thoroughly touristic, and the honest advice is to visit in daylight, stay in the small designated visitor area, and not wander into the surrounding streets.
In the evening, see tango. The large dinner shows are polished and aimed squarely at visitors; a milonga, where locals actually dance, is the more interesting experience and many welcome beginners with a class beforehand.
Where to stay
Palermo for restaurants and nightlife, Recoleta for grandeur and calm, San Telmo for character:
Day 3: Palermo
Palermo is enormous and subdivided: Palermo Soho for boutiques, street art and restaurants, Palermo Hollywood for bars, and the Bosques de Palermo parks with their rose garden and Japanese garden.
MALBA, the Latin American art museum, is the cultural anchor here and one of the best museums in the city. The Evita Museum nearby is small and worth an hour.
This is the day to eat properly. A parrilla for steak, ideally ordered jugoso if you want it pink, and note that dinner in Buenos Aires starts genuinely late. A restaurant at eight in the evening will be empty; at ten it will be full.
Day 4: Puerto Madero, or a day trip
Puerto Madero is the redeveloped docklands, all glass towers and the white Puente de la Mujer. Behind it, the Costanera Sur ecological reserve is a surprising expanse of wetland and birdlife right beside the financial district, and a good final morning.
Alternatively, take a day trip. Tigre, an hour north by train, is a delta town of wooden houses and boat taxis threading between islands. Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay is a ferry ride across the river, a UNESCO-listed colonial town and a different country for the day; take your passport.
Practical notes
- Get a SUBE card for the subte and buses. It is the only practical way to pay for public transport.
- Everything happens late. Lunch at two, dinner at ten, nightlife after midnight. Adjust or you will eat alone.
- Sunday is market day and also when many shops close. Plan around San Telmo.
- Tipping in restaurants is customary and often cash-only even when you pay the bill by card.
- Walking is the pleasure here. The barrios are flat, leafy and best explored slowly.
Frequently asked questions
Is Buenos Aires safe?
Broadly yes in the central barrios, with normal precautions against pickpocketing and phone snatching. La Boca outside the tourist strip and parts of the centre at night warrant more care.
When should I visit?
Spring, October and November, and autumn, March to May, are the most comfortable. Summer is hot and humid and many locals leave; winter is mild but grey.
Do I need to book tango in advance?
For the big dinner shows, yes. Milongas are generally walk-in, though check the schedule as each venue runs on particular nights.
Can I combine it with Patagonia?
Yes, and most people do. Buenos Aires is the usual gateway, with domestic flights south taking around three hours or more depending on the destination.
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