Buenos Aires Travel Guide: Where to Stay, Eat, and Explore in Argentina’s Most Exciting City
- Amy Joseph
- Apr 23
- 7 min read
If you’re travelling through South America, Buenos Aires is one city you can’t miss. As an Aussie, it’s often the stopover point for your South American or Antarctic adventure, but it’s really more than just a stopover! Boasting incredible architecture, sweeping boulevards and café culture that rivals Paris, it’s the southern hemisphere’s answer to a European city, with all the vibrance of Latin culture.
There’s truly something for everyone! If you’re a foodie, there are amazing restaurants, it’s the birthplace of the tango so those who enjoy arts and culture will be spoiled for choice, and the rich political and cultural history make for some incredible sightseeing.
Here’s our ultimate guide to Buenos Aires travel so you can start planning your trip today.
Best things to do in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is where the passionate Latin dance, the tango, first began and it’s something Porteño (people from Buenos Aires) are rightly proud of. What started as an art form of the lower classes in the late 19th century quickly evolved into a popular part of the local culture and is still celebrated today. Going to see a tango show in Buenos Aires isn’t a touristy gimmick – it’s a must-do. If you’re really keen on immersing yourself further, why not try your hand at a tango class so you can take some moves home with you?
Another popular activity in Buenos Aires is a bike tour. Buenos Aires is a relatively flat city, so even if you’re not an experienced cyclist you should find it an enjoyable way to get around and see the different neighbourhoods in a less touristy way than a hop-on, hop-off bus tour.
Speaking of sightseeing, there are plenty of interesting historical monuments and famous places to visit. The Plaza de Mayo, which is also known as the political heart of the city, is where you will find the Casa Rosada presidential palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral. The famous balcony where Eva Perón famously addressed the public in the 1940s is located on the Casa Rosada (you may also know it from the film Evita as the spot where Madonna sang Don't Cry for Me Argentina).
It might sound strange to visit a cemetery, but the Recoleta Cemetery is one of the most ornate you may ever see and is importantly the final resting place of Eva Perón.
The Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio is arguably the city’s most famous landmark, located on one of the widest avenues in the world and is a 67.5-meter-tall monument built in 1936 to mark the city's 400th anniversary.
If you like shopping, Buenos Aires is home to some fantastic markets for food, artworks and unique souvenirs – one of the most popular is the large San Telmo Market and is definitely worth a visit. It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday, but is closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly! We recommend going on a Sunday if you can, so you can enjoy the nearby outdoor antique street fair too.
For football fans, the season generally runs from late January to early August. Tickets can be purchased through authorised sellers and your FBI Travel Advisor can assist. You can also visit the Boca Juniors Football Club’s stadium and museum, La Bombonera and River Plate's stadium El Monumental, and museum. These are open all year round but might have restricted hours or be closed on match days.
And finally, the Teatro Colón. An opera house to rival Sydney; you can take a tour or catch a performance if you’re interested.
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Best Neighbourhoods to Explore in Buenos Aires
There are so many unique and eclectic neighbourhoods to explore in Buenos Aires – where to start really all depends on what interests you! Here are some of our recommendations:
Palermo
Great for first-time visitors to Buenos Aires, Palermo is one of the larger neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires that can almost be broken into smaller neighbourhoods itself! Palermo Soho is a fantastic place to start if you like café culture, street art and boutique shopping, Palermo Hollywood comes alive at night with trendy cocktail bars and fantastic restaurants and Palermo Chico is more quiet and upscale, but still a beautiful place to explore.
Recoleta
If you fancy yourself a history-buff, then Recoleta is definitely worth a visit. It’s Parisian-style architecture and museums and galleries is perfect for those wanted to immerse themselves in the culture of the city, at a slightly more refined pace. You won’t find as much nightlife here, so it tends to be a quieter place to base yourself.
San Telmo
When you picture ‘classic’ Buenos Aires, your mind’s eye is most likely picturing San Telmo. The cobblestone streets and plazas with artists and tango dancers performing at all times of the day and night beautifully showcase the passion and history of the city. It’s also the home of the famous San Telmo market and many other antique shops. While the atmosphere during the day is electric, it is a little quieter at night outside of the main strips, so staying here gives you the best of both worlds.
La Boca
La Boca is colourful, vibrant and a little bit gritty. It’s worth a visit but perhaps not the first pick for places to stay as it can be unsafe for tourists at nighttime. Stick to the main tourist areas like the brightly painted Caminito street – it’s an open-air street art museum and the colourful houses are not to be missed.
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Where to Stay in Buenos Aires
There are so many beautiful hotels in Buenos Aires and the team at FBI Travel will be able to arrange accommodation that suits the specific needs of your group and preference of neighbourhood.
FBI Travel Advisor, Amy Wasbutzki, stayed in the magnificent Park Hyatt in Recoleta. There are two different parts of the hotel, each with their own unique atmosphere – the Palace wing and a modern wing. She stayed in a suite in the Palace wing and highly recommends it!
What to Eat in Buenos Aires (Argentine Food Guide)
There are several dishes that Argentina is famous for and where better to try them than Buenos Aires?
Argentine Parrilla (which directly translates to grill but often refers to a steak) is the dish that you simply must-try in Buenos Aires. The country is known for its beef, having a proud farming, butchery and flame-grilled cooking culture. Go to a steakhouse and make sure you enjoy a quality piece of meat with a side of chimichurri sauce.
Empanadas are a popular street food snack or entree; a baked or fried pastry filled with a variety of meats and cheese.
Sandwiches are also a very common street food, in particular the Choripán (grilled chorizo in bread with chimichurri) and the Milanesa (crumbed steak or chicken with lettuce, tomato and mayo).
There is also a heavy Italian influence, with many Latin adaptations of pasta, gnocchi and even pizza making their way onto many menus.
And lastly, don’t skip dessert! In particular dulce de leche, a thick, creamy caramel-like spread that is used in all sorts of different cakes, desserts and even ice cream (try the dulce de leche ice cream at Valence Douce Passion, you won’t be disappointed!).
FBI Travel Advisor David Rosner recommends these restaurants in Buenos Aires for classic Argentine cuisine, all of which are known for their fantastic steaks and other flame-grilled meat.
Aires Criollos in Recoleta
El Desnivel in San Telmo
La Brigada in San Telmo
Other popular choices for authentic Argentine cuisine include:
Parrilla Don Julio in Palermo, known as one of the world’s best steakhouses.
El Mirasol de La Recova in Recoleta, known for their "Chispas" margaritas and lively atmosphere.
La Carniceria in Palermo, known for it’s smoked or grilled meat of the day, plus their ‘roasted’ milk dessert!
El Sanjuanino in Recoleta, famous for their empanadas and northern Argentinian cuisine such as locro (thick corn/meat stew) and humitas (creamy corn-filled husks).
If you’re really keen on tasting your way around Buenos Aires, our advisors can recommend and book you on a great food tour too!
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How to Get Around Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is a huge city and the popular neighbourhoods are quite spread out, so giving some thought to how you’ll travel between the areas of interest is worthwhile. Private transport (especially airport transfers) can easily be arranged by FBI Travel, otherwise taxis are everywhere and generally pretty reliable. You can hail them on the streets – but make sure they run the meter to avoid fare misunderstandings and either pay by cash or download the BA Taxi App. Uber and other common global rideshare services are also available and you may even find them easier to use.
If you want to get around like a local, the subway and bus networks are generally considered fast and reliable. You need to purchase a rechargeable SUBE card, much like Melbourne’s Myki card. In peak times the subway can be very crowded, so it’s recommended to avoid this time and be wary of pick pocketers.
Walking and cycling are other great options – BA is a flat city and has lots of bike lanes and footpaths. You can hire bikes or use the public bike share app.
Driving in BA isn’t for the faint-hearted with heavy traffic and challenging parking but hire cars can be arranged for those who prefer this option.
Best Time to Visit Buenos Aires
The best time to visit Buenos Aires all depends on your priorities. In October to November or March to April the weather is mild (in the 20s) but it’s not as busy as peak summer season yet still has a good atmosphere. In summer it can very hot, above 30°C and very humid, so unless you love travelling in this weather it can be quite draining and busy. The winter months range from 8 to 18°C and have fewer tourists. Whilst it may not be that warm, it’s not as cold as a European winter, so it’s a nice way to explore a city with a European flavour, without the freezing temperatures.
Like the sound of a trip to Buenos Aires? The experts at FBI Travel can answer all your questions and make all your travel arrangements – from getting there, to planning your trip once you arrive. Enquire today.
All images courtesy of @travelbuenosaires
