As a couple from Buenos Aires and Dublin, we have combined our list of tourists’ favourite spots and places where only locals know about. We want to tell you everything about this fantastic city so you can have the best experience here whether you want to visit for a few days or to spend some time working remotely in Buenos Aires.
Our 50 essential things to do in Buenos Aires will have you loving the Argentinian lifestyle and having a variety of experiences. If you want to learn more about the nightlife then check out what to do in Buenos Aires at night or if you have a family then check out our Buenos Aires for families guide.
1 See a Live Tango show
There are many theaters where you can watch an intimate show and our pick is the Teatro Astor Piazzolla.
2 Visit a ranch to experience Gaucho traditions
Nowadays you can visit an Estancia which is similar to a ranch and see how these people lived in the 19th Century.
3 Try some of Argentina’s famous wines
Argentina is famous for its wines and trying them is a must when visiting Buenos Aires.
1 Go see a Tango show
The world-famous Tango dance originated in the 1880s in Buenos Aires (and Montevideo) so where else to see a show of this elegant dance? There are many theaters where you can watch an intimate show and our pick is the Teatro Astor Piazzolla. The theater is intimate and the show gives a nice overview of the history and passion of Tango in Argentina
The prices of Tango shows in Buenos Aires usually cost around 75-100 USD for just the show and around $100 for a show with dinner.
2 Visit an Estancia(ranch) and see how the Gauchos(Cowboys) live
The Gauchos were a wandering group of people who were skilled horsemen and looked after cattle. They are a folkloric symbol of Argentina and are somewhat similar to cowboys in the United States.
Nowadays you can visit an Estancia which is similar to a ranch and see how these people lived in the 19th Century. You can also watch a folklore show and eat the traditional Argentine “Asado”(Barbeque).
3 Try some of Argentina’s famous wines
I have traveled all around the world and in my opinion, the wine in Argentina is the best (followed by Bulgaria and Georgia!). I think the difference between Argentina and other places is that even very cheap wine is delicious.
If you know about Argentine wine, then you have heard about Malbec. If you want to know more about wine and taste some wine and yummy cheese, then I recommend this tasting experience.
4 Take a stroll down El Caminito with a visit to La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood in the South East of the city that was settled by people from Genova in Italy. There is a pretty street with colorful buildings that you can walk down called “Caminito”. You can enjoy street-side Tango shows from the cafés and you can also purchase souvenirs like pictures with Tango dancers.
If you choose to go by yourself you can get the bus 33 or 152, or if you don’t want the hassle you can choose to go on a private tour.
5 Take in the view at Palacio Barolo
This is for fans of Dante’s “Divine Comedy” and architecture, Palacio Barolo is a must. This office building is great to take a tour and see the amazing view from the top.
The building was designed by Mario Palanti and has 22 floors, each floor with a unique design. There is also a similar building in Uruguay called Palacio Salvo.
It is a good idea to pre-book your tickets around an hour before sunset so you can see the evening light over the city.
6 See the natural wildlife of South America in Temaikén
The Temaikén Biopark is a zoo that is situated north of Buenos Aires and covers 178 acres. You can find exotic native Argentine animals here including the condor, pumas, capybaras, and Tapirs.
This is something interesting to do in Buenos Aires if you have more time and are interested in wildlife. The park is certified by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and attempts to help species from extinction.
You can book your tickets for the park here
7 Sample an Argentine Barbeque at Fogón Asado
Barbeque is an extremely common cultural event here in Argentina and it may be one of the first experiences you meet when you arrive in Argentina as there are people cooking meat everywhere in Buenos Aires.
Argentinians are very very proud of their meat and if you want to taste some of the best cuts, you can check out this 8-course tasting menu at Fogón Asado. If you are looking for a Barbeque restaurant, you should look for the word “parrilla”
8 Watch a soccer match in La Bombonera, the home of Boca Juniors
Soccer(or Football!) is the national obsession in Argentina. The 5 biggest teams all reside in Buenos Aires and the two biggest teams are River Plate and Boca Juniors.
Tickets to the games are very difficult to get as you need to be a “socio”(partner) to buy one but we have found one place online where you can buy them. If you are a soccer fanatic then you can take a tour of the stadiums and learn about the history of Boca and River Plate.
9 The most beautiful cemetery in the world in Recoleta?
The Recoleta cemetery is definitely worth visiting if you are in Buenos Aires. It is the oldest cemetery in Buenos Aires and has more than 6,400 tombs and crypts. The cemetery is open every day from 8 am until 6 pm.
You can walk around the cemetery by yourself or book a tour and learn about the various stories about the cemetery.
10 Shop at the San Telmo Market
The San Telmo Sunday Market is an institution in Buenos Aires. It takes place every Sunday and can get extremely crowded. You can find all sorts of street artists performing for tourists and locals alike.
The market is open from around 11 am to 5 pm when the vendors start dismantling their stalls. You can find all kinds of products for sale at the market including clothes, kitchen equipment, food, antiques, and old photographs.
If you like chocolate as much as I do, then you have to stop in the Havanna store and buy some alfajores, So…delicious….. I can’t stop eating them!
11 Take a small group tour and river cruise
This group tour is great for you if you don’t have a lot of time in Buenos Aires and want to see all the main sites together.
This tour includes visits to the Floralis Generica, Colon Theatre, Plaza de Mayo, La Boca and you can also include a river cruise if you would like.
12 Check out the books at El Ateneo Bookstore
El Ateneo Grand Splendid is one of the most beautiful bookstores I have ever been to. Buenos Aires is full of quirky independent bookstores but “El Ateneo” is a bit different as it used to be a theater in a former life.
The books are mostly on shelves on the ground floor but you can also walk around the upper floors where the balconies used to be and take a nice photo. There is also a café where the stage used to be.
13 Oh the Beautiful Colón Theatre
Colón Theatre is one of the most beautiful opera theaters I have seen. You can look at the beautiful exterior or you can visit inside too. Tickets can be bought here or you can go on this walking tour with a ticket included.
14 Eat a Choripan at La Costanera
“Choripan” is one of the iconic foods in Argentina. It is basically a sausage in a piece of bread with chimichurri sauce. What I like most about it is that it is a real sausage in fresh crusty bread. You can eat it at a football game or on the “Costanera” which is by the riverside of the río del Plata from a food truck.
15 Learn how to make Argentine empanadas
Another famous food in Argentina is the “Empanada”. Along with pizza, empanadas are one of the most popular foods in Argentina. “Empanadas” are savory pastries stuffed with a filling of your choice.
Why not get involved in a cooking class and learn how to make empanadas and alfajores!
16 Eat sushi at the Japanese Gardens
One of my favorite things I did on our last trip to Buenos Aires was to visit the Japanese Gardens. I know it is not a very Argentinian thing to do but the gardens are so beautiful and it is lovely to stroll around on a sunny day.
You can also see some exhibitions and eat delicious sushi in the restaurant.
17 Have coffee and an “alfajor” at Havanna cafe
Did I mention that I love alfajores! An alfajor is similar to a cookie covered with chocolate and “dulce de leche” in the middle. My favorite brand of alfajor is “Cachafaz” but the “Havanna” ones are great too.
Havanna cafés are located all around Buenos Aires and are a great place to have a coffee and get your alfajor fill for the day
18 Take a picture at the Obelisk
The Obelisk (“El Obelisco”) is a meeting point and an iconic monument in Buenos Aires. The Obelisk has been a landmark on the central Avenida “9 de julio” since 1936.
In front of the obelisk, there is a place to take a photograph in Buenos Aires where the letters B and A are cut out of a plant so you can let the world know that you have arrived in Buenos Aires.
19 Torre Monumental
“Torre Monumental” is a beautiful clock tower that was built by the British community in Buenos Aires. The tower is situated in front of the Retiro train station.
I recommend that you visit the top of the balcony at sunset when you can get some beautiful views of the city.
20 Go to a themed or hidden bar
Themed bars are an interesting idea, choose something from popular culture and make a bar with that theme! Some of the themed bars include a prison, vintage, the Simpsons, 80’s, Hawaiian, pop culture collectibles, New York subway, and world traveler.
Be warned, some bars may appear not as they seem and may need a password to enter
21 Visit the Pink House
The “Casa Rosada” or “Pink House” is the presidential palace of Argentina. You can find some gorgeous rooms inside the building and even the famous building where Eva Duarte Perón made her speeches
Unfortunately, you can’t visit the Pink House at this moment so we hope they allow for visits shortly.
22 Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve
This Ecological reserve is a great place to go after the market and feel part of nature. There are three different walks you can do which last between 1 and 4 hours.
The walks are relatively flat and bikes are also allowed. There is also a lovely place to have a picnic on the far side of the reserve.
📍 Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur
23 Get the Boat to Montevideo, Uruguay
Uruguay is very close to Buenos Aires. You can get a nice ferry from Buenos Aires over to Montevideo and explore a new city. Culturally, Uruguay is similar to Argentina but there are differences.
If you are visiting Buenos Aires between January to March, then you might want to visit Uruguay to check out some of the nice beaches or celebrate the longest Carnaval in the world.
Read more about the cost of the ferry from Buenos Aires to Montevideo here.
24 Eat at Don Julio’s Restaurant
Don Julio’s is a must for foodies who visit Buenos Aires. The restaurant was crowned the best restaurant in Latin America in 2020 and is always busy. Expect great steaks and a long wine list and great customer service.
We recommend booking at least a month in advance.
25 Live Music in Buenos Aires Jazz Clubs
There are plenty of live music venues in Buenos Aires and jazz fans are especially in for a treat.
Most of the clubs are in Palermo and we went to the Bebop club where they did the Jazz standards. Also, check out the Thelonius club and The Backroom Bar which has 2 shows per evening at the weekend.
26 Palermo Forest/Rose Garden
“Bosques de Palermo” is a beautiful park situated to the north of Palermo. It is a great place for locals and tourists alike to go for a walk/run/rollerblade and you can even rent a paddleboat on a sunny day.
You can also find more than 15,000 roses in the rose garden “Rosedal” which are in full bloom in December and January.
27 Go on a boat trip in Tigre
Tigre is a small town to the north of Buenos Aires(40kms). It serves as the gateway to a delta of scenic islands and waterways. Tigre is great for a day trip to visit the town and the artisan market or stay overnight and explore further with a boat trip.
The boat trip lasts around one hour and you travel along 5 of the delta rivers. You get a coffee and some cake and get a guide to explain some of the local history.
You can also book a longer 5-hour boat trip here.
28 Rent a cabin in Tigre!
If you enjoyed the boat trip above, then why not rent a cabana(cabin) for the night? There are plenty of cabins to rent and it just depends on how much you want to explore. A cabin is a great idea to rent especially in the summer when it is super hot in the city.
Here is our recommended cabin that really makes you feel part of nature. There is a swimming pool and a nice breakfast included too.
29 Try “yerba mate”, the unofficial drink of Argentina!
You may see Argentinians walking around drinking a strange drink and carrying a flask. This drink is called “mate” and is not pronounced like an Australian friend but rather with 2 syllables and the second one stressed (“maté”).
People usually drink mate at home or in parks and the mate museum in Tigre is a good place to taste it for yourself.
30 Ecoparque and Botanical Gardens
People in Buenos Aires love going to the park and having a picnic with friends. The Botanical gardens are beautiful and a very peaceful place to go for a walk or read a book.
The Ecoparque is a little run-down but you can still see some interesting animals like peacocks, maras, and flamingos. The parks are next to each other so it makes sense to visit them together.
31 Do a Bike Tour around the city
Taking a bike trip is a great way to see the city and keep fit at the same time. There are plenty of cycle lanes in Buenos Aires and the city is cyclist friendly(at least compared to other cities in South America!).
You can take a full-day tour that includes lunch and includes all of the most famous neighborhoods or you can do a half-day bike tour if you decide to only visit the South(San Telmo, La Boca) of the city or the North side(Palermo).
32 Take the hop-on hop-off tour
If you don’t like cycling then you can always take the hop-on hop-off tour. There are two companies to choose from (Gray Line Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires Bus).
We recommend Buenos Aires Bus but you can also book the Gray Line tour here. The tour begins at the historic city center, and you will have 22 stops all over the city.
You can read more about the hop-on hop-off tour here.
33 Centro Cultural Kirchner
This is the new cultural venue in Buenos Aires. We visited recently during the winter holidays and there were a lot of activities for children. For the rest of the year expect art, music, cinema, book fairs and all sorts of cultural exhibitions.
The building was the old post office and it is worth it to visit the building alone. You can find out about the upcoming events here.
34 MALBA Museum
Staying on the art theme the MALBA Museum is also worth a visit. The MALBA Museum (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires) showcases contemporary artists from all over Latin America including Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. It will take you about two hours to walk around the museum.
35 People watch in Puerto Madero
Puerto Madero is a revamped neighborhood that mainly consists of an island that borders the city center. Puerto Madero is one of the richest and safest areas of Buenos Aires after continued investment since the 1990s.
There are plenty of riverside bars and restaurants where you can watch the world go by and you can read more about Puerto Madero here.
36 Drink coffee in the old or new cafés
Coffee is a big thing in Buenos Aires and you have the old classic café bars that resemble a French café mixed with a new scene of specialty coffee places.
For old school cafés you have the very crowded Café Tortoni, or less crowded with similar charm café “Las Violetas” in Almagro and “Bar El Federal” in San Telmo.
Most of the specialty coffee places are in Palermo and there are multiple “Cigaló” and my favorite “Fruto” café.
37 Take the historic Tram
The historic tram is an old tram that you can take through Buenos Aires. The trip is free and takes about 30 minutes to complete, It seems to run only at the weekends now and you need to get yourself to the corner of Emilio Mitre and José Bonifacio
38 The Water Palace (Palacio de Aguas)
An interesting and different experience in Buenos Aires is visiting the water palace. The huge pink building is beautiful on the outside and consists of 170,000 glazed tiles and 130,000 enameled bricks, all shipped from England and Belgium. The museum shows you things like old pipes and toilets if that is what floats your boat!
39 Go to A Milonga
Okay so you have heard so much about Tango and already been to a show, well why not get involved yourself? There are a few Milongas in San Telmo where you can get involved(or just watch!).
The Milonga Placita del Pañuelo Blanco has folklore classes and live music and singing on Sundays on Plaza Dorrego.
If you can’t make Sunday, then try Maldita Milonga which takes place on Wednesdays from 9 pm and you can find more information here
40 Take a night city tour
If you want to see the city in a different light, then you can also take a tour at night. This tour starts in the center at Plaza de Mayo and includes some of the main sights (Floralis Genérica, The Planetarium, Pink House, Puerto Madero) lit up at night.
You can book your tour with GetYourGuide here
41 Eat Pizza at Guerrin
Pizza seems to be more important here than anywhere outside of Napoli! The oven at “Guerrin” has been on the go for 90 years (literally!) and the pizza there is fantastic. It’s located on the famous Corrientes avenue.
You may have to queue as it is extremely popular but it is huge and has a new patio out back so you won’t have to wait long. Highly Recommended!
42 Floralis Genérica
Floralis Genérica is a beautiful structure that represents flowers and a love of nature. The 6 steel petals open during the day and close at night. It is a great place to have a picnic and spend a few hours.
43 Go to the beach!
Ok, so we know there are no beaches in Buenos Aires but you can always go to Mar Del Plata for the weekend if the weather looks nice.
We wrote all about the best beaches in this article so don’t forget your swimwear if you are traveling to Buenos Aires in summer!
44 Treat yourself and go to a spa
If the beach seems like too much then why not treat yourself to a day(or half day) in one of the many spas located around Buenos Aires? Home Hotel offers great half-day spa days that include a massage, a facial, and breakfast/afternoon tea.
Check out all the best spas in Buenos Aires here
45 The Cathedral and Cabildo
If you are on Plaza de Mayo, then you can visit these two sites that are right across from each other. The Cathedral hosts many old objects such as a colonial time altar and an organ from Germany. There is also a museum dedicated to Pope Francis.
The Cabildo is a colonial-era town hall dating back to 1580 and was an important building during Argentian independence.
📍 Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires
📍 Cabildo
46 Walking Tour of Buenos Aires
There are plenty of walking tours of Buenos Aires and it can be a great way to learn about the city and get some exercise at the same time.
Buenos Aires is quite a big city and some of the areas of interest are quite interesting so I think it is best just to go on a tour in one specific area like “La Boca”.
47 Learn Argentinian Spanish
We are both language nerds here at Carry on Remotely and we both teach languages online. Argentinian Spanish is a little different from Spanish from other parts of the world and it is definitely worth practicing a little before you get here with an online platform like Italki.
Taking classes in Buenos Aires is also a great thing to do if you plan on staying a little bit longer.
48 Bring the whole family to “Parque de los niños”
This “Children’s park” is one of the best family-friendly things to do in Buenos Aires. It is a park with a small “beach” that looks out onto the river. The kids can play for free here and you can also play basketball, table tennis or volleyball. There are also playgrounds and you can also take your bicycle or go rollerblading.
Read more about family-friendly things to do in Buenos Aires here.
49 Planetarium Galileo Galilei
The Galileo Galilei Planetarium is a space for learning about science and astronomy. It’s located in the Tres de Febrero Park in the City of Buenos Aires.
📍 The Galileo Galilei Planetarium
Among the activities for children in Buenos Aires, this is one of the most interesting, since it has an amazing internal dome, 4D mobile seats, star projection shows, and a technological full dome video system.
The new technologies installed in the show hall have created a unique immersive environment that allows the spectator to live wonderful astronomical experiences that are both educational and recreational at the same time.
You can find more information here
50 Don’t cry for me Evita Museum
If you want to learn more about the life of the famous actress and First Lady of Argentina Eva Perón, then this museum is for you.
Eva married the soon-to-be President of Argentina in 1944 and after that, she became influential in Argentinian public life. You’ll find personal memorabilia from Eva Peron including dresses, shoes, books, and photos.
That is our list of 50 amazing things to do in Buenos Aires. We hope you enjoy Buenos Aires as much as we have enjoyed making this list!
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