A First Timer’s Guide to Buenos Aires Argentina

With its wide, tree-lined avenues, art nouveau architecture, cobblestone streets and sidewalk cafes, Buenos Aires has a sultry charm that mixes European style with Latin American flair.

Often regarded as the Paris of South America, Buenos Aires is a tourist favorite. It entices visitors from around the world with its fascinating neighborhoods, vibrant atmosphere and party-till-you drop nightlife.

 

Buenos Aires: The Paris of South America

The Argentine capital has the sophistication and charm of Paris, while maintaining a rough and sometimes grungy exterior that is commonplace in many South American capitals. It became immediately apparent that Buenos Aires is a city of two faces; a city that is both brash and elegant, rough and refined.

Like Sao Paulo, I initially found Buenos Aires to be a bit hard on the exterior. On my first visit, I had a difficult time looking past the city’s dirty streets and rundown buildings. On my second visit, I realized that I’d just spent far too long in the wrong places. My first trip to the city was a 24 hr whirlwind of speed-walking from one attraction to another in suffocating heat. Poor planning led me to spend a substantial part of my day on foot between La Boca, Plaza de Mayo, and the Recoleta Cemetery.

As a result, I didn’t really see anything beyond those three popular attractions and what lies in between.

It was only on my second visit to the city en-route to Antarctica and South Georgia, that I that I realized just why Buenos Aires often tops the list of peoples’ favorite cities. Buenos Aires is not only Argentina’s capital, but it is also the axis around which everything in the country revolves. There is simply no better place to learn about Argentina’s culture and history.

 

Things to Do in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a massive city with tons to see and do. It is home to architectural marvels, cultural traditions, culinary gems, and natural retreats.

There are enough things to do in Buenos Aires to keep you entertained for weeks.

But I know that we don’t all have the luxury of unlimited time at our disposal, so this guide highlights some of the city’s top attractions and experiences. You can fit them all into a three or four day itinerary.

 

Visit Plaza de Mayo

There’s no better place to start your tour of Buenos Aires than the city’s central square. Plaza de Mayo has been a gathering point for many momentous events, from political protests to World Cup victory celebrations. It’s overlooked by the Casa Rosada, the distinctive pink palace that houses the office of Argentina’s president.

We happened to visit Plaza de Mayo during a PRIDE celebration. The vibe was electric and people were absolutely everywhere.

 

The Obelisk

One of the most iconic monuments in Buenos Aires, the Obelisco, soars above Plaza de la República on the Avenida 9 de Julio. The statue was erected in 1936, on the 400th anniversary of the city’s founding.

The obelisk is ground zero for celebrations after major soccer victories, when boisterous fans gather at the Obelisco to sing, cheer, and honk their horns.

During our visit, throngs of people gathered at the monument to cheer on Boca Juniors as they faced Fluminense in the Copa Libertadores.

 

Tour the Teatro Colón

The Teatro Colón dates back to 1908 and is South America’s most revered performance venue. Considered one of the greatest opera houses in the world, people often compare it to La Scala in Milan or the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.

The impressive seven-story theater is a prominent Buenos Aires landmark. The Colón can house 3,000 spectators..

While seeing a performance in person is the best way to experience the Colón Theater, you can also  join a 50-minute backstage tour of the venue.

The tour allowed us to view the stunning interior of the Opera House, the costume department, and the dressing rooms.

 

Visit the San Telmo Neighborhood

San Telmo is Buenos Aires’ oldest neighborhood. Historically, this working-class area of the city was home to dockworkers and brick-makers.

San Telmo attracts visitors for its Parisian-style architecture, Bohemian vibe, prolific antique shops and deeply-rooted tanguero culture. Open-air art galleries and street vendors fill the cobblestone streets of San Telmo.

The tree-lined streets, colonial architecture and busy plazas make this neighborhood feel both alive and rooted in history.

 

• The Mercado San Telmo

One of the focal points for this now-vibrant San Telmo neighborhood is the San Telmo Market. This indoor market occupies an entire city block, and was founded in 1897

 

• The Sunday Market

Hundreds of stalls set up shop every Sunday along Calle Defensa and Plaza Dorrego. An estimated 10,000 people pour through the streets, looking for bargains on costume jewelry, handmade lace or copper pots.

 

• Mafalda Statues

Mafalda is the heroine in an Argentine comic strip that was written and drawn by cartoonist Quino. The strip features a six-year-old girl named Mafalda, who had a deep concern for humanity. It was first published in 1964 and was wildly popular in Argentina and beyond.

A statue of Mafalda sits on a bench in San Telmo with her two friends. You’ll find other comic book characters scattered around the San Telmo neighborhood.

 

Visit the Neighborhood of La Boca

Just South of San Telmo, lies La Boca—the most colorful neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Home to the world renowned Boca Juniors and practically synonymous with tango, this relatively poor area of the city has been rejuvenated into one of Buenos Aires’ premier attractions.

 

• El Caminito

On the surface, La Boca might seem like a gimmicky, Disney-style tourist trap full of kitschy souvenir shops and street performers. But peeling back the colorful façade of its freshly painted houses, reveals one of Buenos Aires’ most authentic neighborhoods.

La Boca has a rich cultural history. Like London’s East End and New York City’s Lower East Side, La Boca was the neighborhood in which many of the city’s immigrants (primarily Italians from Genoa), first established roots in Buenos Aires. These immigrants constructed tenements made from scrap metal and used leftover paint from the shipyard to liven up their ramshackle homes.

By the end of the 1800s, La Boca was to Buenos Aires what Montmartre was to Paris–a vibrant enclave of immigrant artists, that maintained its own identity within a large and sophisticated city.

 

• Catch a Soccer Game at La Bombonera

 

Explore the Recoleta Neighborhood

Recoleta is an upscale neighborhood in Buenos Aires that is famous for its European-style edifices, outdoor cafes and elaborate 14 acre cemetery.

• The Recoleta Cemetery

Strolling through the Recoleta cemetery is like walking through a neighborhood of the dead. Passageways lead through a collection of over 6,000 ornate marble mausoleums that tower above the narrow streets like intricately carved buildings.

Regarded as one of the most impressive cemeteries in the world, the Recoleta Cemetery contains the graves of military generals, Nobel Prize Laureates, writers and presidents. It also houses the mausoleum of Eva Perón, Argentia’s beloved and controversial first lady.

Eva Perón was the second wife of the mid-20th century Argentine president, Juan Perón. In the wake of a coup that deposed of her husband, Eva Perón’s embalmed body disappeared. Various accounts suggest that her body was passed around from hiding place to hiding place before being smuggled out of Argentina and buried in Milan.

It took over twenty years before Peron’s body was returned to Argentina and buried in the Recoleta Cemetery, where it remains today.

• Admire the Floralis Generica

Take a Stroll around Palermo

The city’s largest neighborhood is generally broken up into several sub-neighborhoods like Palermo Soho or Palermo Hollywood. With romantic, tree-shaded cobblestone streets and dozens of trendy cafes and boutiques, it’s also one of the most fashionable and fun to explore.

• Parque Tres de Febrero

• Ecoparque Buenos Aires

A fun area to visit in Buenos Aires with kids.

• Jardin Japones

 

Cruise through the Tigre Delta

Tigre lies at the northern end of the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. Though technically a separate town, its proximity to and ease of access from downtown makes it a top 3+ day itinerary destination.

At 5,405 square miles, the Tigre Delta is among the world’s largest. It is also one of the only major deltas in the world that does not empty into a sea or ocean (the Okavango Delta is another that comes to mind). Instead, the Parana River flows into the Río de la Plata, which separates Argentina and Uruguay.

Tinted by sediment that flows down the Parana River, the latte colored waters of the Tigre Delta spread outward, like branches of a tree. Among the waterways, lie inhabited islands only reachable by boat.

Entire communities live out on these islands, with schools and shops and restaurants. The forest and grass covered islands are popular retreats among tourists and burnt-out Porteños. You’ll find hotels and guesthouses tucked into the trees.

To best explore the delta, you can join an organized boat tour or rely on public ferry boats. We chose to take an hour-long excursion through some of the area’s channels. Taking a boat tour through the area feels a bit like exploring the Xochimilco Canals in Mexico City. It really doesn’t seem like a huge modern metropolis lies only a stone’s throw away.

 

Eat at an Argentine Steakhouses

Argentina is a carnivore’s dream.

Dan and I ate a satisfying steak dinner at Parrilla Peña –a no-frills steakhouse with fabulous reviews and excellent food. For about $20 apiece, we shared two steak tenderloins, empanada’s, fresh bread and a bottle of red wine. After eating meal upon meal of dehydrated food in Patagonia, it is difficult to describe the satisfaction of digging into a plate of impeccably-cooked, medium-rare steak.

 

Stroll along Puerto Madero

This once-neglected port features gleaming skyscrapers, luxury hotels, and even an adjacent ecological reserve. Puerto Madero looks best at night when the city’s lights and bridges illuminate the area.

 

Visit the Ateneo Grand Splendid Bookstore

Currency Exchange in Buenos Aires

The blue dollar is the informal name given to the U.S. dollar bills you can find on the blue market. It circulates at a rate of exchange much higher than that of the official Argentinian currency, the Argentinian peso.

 

Where to Stay in Buenos Aires

We stayed at the Syrah Suites in Palermo.

 

When to Visit Buenos Aires

The best time to visit Buenos Aires is in the spring (from September-November) and Fall (from March-June). These seasons have moderate temperatures, fewer crowds, and reasonable hotel prices. 

I first visited Buenos Aires in January, on the tail end of a trip to Torres del Paine in Chile and El Chalten in Argentina. During our stay, the weather was so hot and humid that it hindered our ability to enjoy the city to its fullest potential.

My second trip was in November. The difference was huge. We cloudless skies and moderate sunny temperatures. November also coincided jacaranda blooms that painted the city’s green spaces with splashes of purple.

 

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My initial impression of Buenos Aires as grungy and grey had largely vanished by the end of my first visit, leaving me with impressions of a city that is both elegant and electrifying.

Buenos Aires is a city with European delicacy and Latin American zeal. A city with wide 20-lane boulevards and quaint, cobblestone alleys. A city with hole-in-the wall panaderias and some of the world’s best steakhouses. From the working-class neighborhoods of San Telmo and La Boca, to the upscale districts of Recoleta and Palermo, the Paris of South America is a melange of culturally distinct communities that converge in one vibrant, energetic and passionate city.