Welcome to Buenos Aires: Argentina’s Vibrant Capital!
There are a million things to do in Buenos Aires. I think you could spend a few months here as a full-time tourist and not get bored.
We put this guide together for those visiting Buenos Aires on their first time, who want to make the most of their time in this beautiful city without being overwhelmed. From tango shows to the thousands of Parrillas (barbeque restaurants) to the many exciting historical buildings and museums, the list of things to do in Buenos Aires is never-ending.
This list has the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the absolute must-do’s while in Buenos Aires. We cover everything you need to make your Buenos Aires vacation one to remember. First-time travelers start planning their return before they even leave – and for good reason. Trust me, the hype is real. Now, let’s get into the best things to do in Buenos Aires on your first visit!
Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase.
The Best 13 Things to Do your First Time in Buenos Aires
1. Go to a Tango Show
Tango is Argentina’s biggest tradition, and watching professionals at the highest level is a must-do while in Buenos Aires. The Tango shows have professional bands/orchestras, themed dances, optional dinner and drinks, and optional transportation.
Whether you’re ballin’ on a budget or ready to throw your wallet for an amazing experience, there are options for everyone! We went with El Querandi, and the show walked through the history of Tango, featured a live band, two singers, and was extremely well choreographed. These are a few popular options:
- Budget: Free, public Tango Show at Plaza Dorrego on Sundays during the San Telmo Street Fair
- Popular: $13 show every night at Café Tortoni, the most famous bar/café in Buenos Aires. The lines are long and they sell out fast!
- El Querandi: The local favorite, with extremely professional dancers, directors, musicians, and restaurant staff. Book a Tango Show at El Querandi here!
- Best Venue: Astor Piazzallo Theatre is a fancy venue with optional dinner, making the perfect ambiance for a tango show, which you can book here!
2. Visit the Plaza de Mayo
The Plaza de Mayo is full of huge historical significance, whether it be political or religious. The plaza itself is beautiful, but the surrounding buildings are what are truly impressive. The Casa Rosada (“Pink House”) is the magnificent presidential palace where historic speeches were made to thousands of Argentineans. Book your free, guided tour of the presidential palace on weekends and holidays from 10 am – 6 pm here!
The Museo del Cabildo de Buenos Aires y de la Revolución de Mayo, (or Museo del Cabildo for short) is another free attraction in the Plaza de Mayo. This building is where the revolution of 1810 started and is emblematic of Argentina’s quest for freedom from Spain!
The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral is yet another free, magnificent attraction in the Plaza de Mayo. Quickly pop in if you’re in a rush or take your time – the choice is yours!
3. Check Out La Boca Neighborhood
La Boca is the coolest neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Filled with vibrant, colorful buildings, delicious restaurants, photo opps and Boca Juniors Soccer gift shops, you can never be bored just wandering the streets.
La Caminito is the most popular of these streets, but it does get very crowded, and the surrounding blocks are just as nice. Unfortunately it does get dangerous at night and rowdy when there’s a soccer game, so plan accordingly!
4. Taste the Parrilla
A Parrilla (which directly translates to “grill”) is a restaurant offering tons of grilled meats, vegetables, and fish. Argentina is known for their grilled red meat, so a trip to Buenos Aires would be incomplete without visiting one of these Parrillas!
Las Cabrás in the Palermo neighborhood is a great budget option for those seeking the parrilla experience without breaking the bank. La Bistecca in Puerto Madero is a great, all-you-can-eat option with amazing grilled meat, sushi, pasta, cheese, sides, and a chocolate fountain for around $21/person. La Gran Paraíso is a vibrant Parrilla with live music, laughter, dancing, and drinks in the middle of the Boca neighborhood. Pick your poison!
5. Recoleta Cemetery
The Recoleta Cemetery is one of the most interesting cemeteries in the world. The detailed sculptures, spooky crypts, fancy mausoleums, and obelisks house the graves of wealthy families of Argentina, former presidents, and more.
When you’re there, we recommend doing a guided tour to learn more about the people buried here and about the cemetery itself. Tours are super cheap and you can book one here.
If you decide against a guided tour, we recommend booking your tickets online here as there is quite a line if you don’t. The cemetery is huge, so make sure to you arrive at the correct entrance on Junin street!
The Recoleta Cemetery is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Expect to spend around 5 USD per ticket.
6. Stroll Through Palermo’s Parks
The neighborhood of Palermo has some absolutely amazing parks, all of which are worth visiting. These are all fairly close by so you can spend a few hours walking around these impressive parks!
The Rosedel is a very beautiful rose garden that is prime for photo opps. There are paddle boats you can rent to float around the adjacent pond, street vendors, and people biking (you can rent bikes here) around the surrounding pathways.
The Buenos Aires Botanical Garden is another impressive, free park with plants from all over the world that is also worth visiting.
The Ecopark is a zoo full of animals that were captured from traffickers, that, you guessed it – is also free! There’s everything from monkeys to parrots to pumas to elephants, as well as a few interactive exhibits. This is one of the best things to do in Buenos Aires with kids!
The Japanese Garden costs less than 2 USD to enter and has koi ponds, traditional Japanese bridges, shrubs, bonsai trees, and more! This is a super popular attraction so we recommend going in the morning to avoid crowds!
The Hipodromo de Palermo is a race track where you can watch horse races — for free! There’s food and drink options and you can also place bets at one of the few stands!
7. Tour the Magnificent Palacio Barolo
Palacio Barolo is an architectural marvel filled with beautiful art and complemented by amazing views of Buenos Aires. The building is actually inspired by Dante Alighieri’s the Divine Comedy and was the tallest building in South America at one point. Its twin building is the Palacio Salvo in Montevideo, Uruguay, which is also magnificent. You can book your tickets here! If you’d like a nighttime visit to the palace complemented by wine, book this tour!
Tours take 90 minutes and are available every day except Tuesdays!
8. Go Speakeasy-Hopping
Buenos Aires has some AMAZING speakeasies that go all out on the theme, the drinks, and the overall experience. This is one of the most underrated things about Buenos Aires and something that every visitor should check out. They’re primarily located in the Palermo neighborhood, but there are a few others scattered around the city.
Our favorite speakeasies are the Hole (an Alcatraz-themed speakeasy), Boticario (located in an old pharmacy), and Frank’s, but make sure to also check out Uptown, which is located in an old subway station!
Check out our post about our favorite Buenos Aires speakeasies!
9. Boca or Riverplate Game/Bar/Museum
Riverplate and Boca Juniors are Buenos Aires’ two rival soccer teams, and their games (and rivalry) are absolutely intense. Getting tickets can be hard, but absolutely worth it. If you can’t get tickets to a game, most bars in Buenos Aires will be showing the games, where you can enjoy the passionate atmosphere without dealing with the hassle of getting tickets. The River Plate Museum is one of the largest sports museums in the world, where you can learn about the club’s history, its rivalry with Boca Juniors, and buy some gear!
10. Visit the ESMA Museum
This sobering museum gives a glimpse into Argentina’s dark past, which involves the ESMA branch of the military and their under-the-radar kidnapping, torture and murder of thousands left-wing activists, journalists, and political opponents during the late 70s and early 80s.
The museum is set in a giant complex that used to be a military base – now the entire complex is dedicated to the victims of the brutal regime. There’s also a museum on site about the Falkland Islands (or Islas Malvinas).
The whole complex is free and a great way to learn about this tragic period in Argentina’s history. The ESMA museum has English translations but many of the other exhibits do not.
The ESMA museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday-Sunday and closed on Mondays.
11. San Telmo Street Fair and Market
San Telmo is a great neighborhood with lots of pedestrian-only streets that make you think you’re in Europe! On Sundays, these streets are lined with vendors selling everything from handmade artisanal crafts to crappy made-in-China clothes!
In Plaza Dorrego, there’s a free tango show that is also worth checking out. The San Telmo Market is open every day, and full of tons of delicious food stalls serving up empanadas, parrilla, and more!
12. Go Back in Time at the Notable Bars
Buenos Aires has officially recognized “Notable Bars/Cafés” which are basically cafés that are deemed historic because they have been around for awhile. The most popular of these is Café Tortoni, which almost always has a line outside of it. However, there are tons of other amazing Notable Cafés worth visiting. Whenever you find yourself wanting a quick beverage, snack or meal, check out the official page to see if there are any Notable Bars near you!
13. Day Trip to Tigre
Tigre is the perfect, quick day trip from downtown Buenos Aires. The Tigre Delta boasts an environment similar to the Amazon despite only being a few miles away from the bustling city. There is a must-visit art museum, delicious ice cream, artisanal markets, beautiful pathways along the river, and more!
Check out our post on the full guide to doing a day trip to Tigre here!
Bonus: Day Trip to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
Colonia del Sacramento is the oldest and most charming city in Uruguay. Its relaxing cobblestone streets and colorful architecture makes this the perfect day trip from Buenos Aires. There aren’t tons of things to do in Colonia del Sacramento, but that’s the beauty. You can visit the museums, wine and dine, hang out on the beach or just wander the historic center. If you’d like to learn about Colonia del Sacramento from a local guide, and have transportation taken care of, we recommend this day tour. If you’re planning on visiting Montevideo before or after Buenos Aires, this is the perfect spot to visit in the middle – you can catch the bus to Montevideo from Colonia!
Read about the best things to do in Colonia!
Best Time to Visit Buenos Aires
The best time to visit Buenos Aires is during the fall from March to May or the spring from September to November. This ensures that you’ll avoid the hot summer that can make sightseeing unpleasant as well as the colder temperatures of the winter months. That being said, Buenos Aires can really be visited year round, as there are always things to do in a big city during any time of year!
Where to Eat in Buenos Aires
Like any big city, there are tons of dining options in Buenos Aires. We recommend asking your hosts for recommendations, consulting reviews on Google Maps, or just walking around and discovering the best eats for yourself! If you have a kitchen, take advantage of the cheap red meat prices – steaks can go for $3-4 USD, which you could never find in the U.S.! Here are some of our recommendations:
- Las Cabras: Budget Parrilla that also has Mate
- La Bistecca: All-you-can-eat buffet in Puerto Madero
- La Turqueria: For Empanadas and other savory pastries (get the spinach balls!)
- Salvaje: Amazing breakfast food and sweets
Where to Stay in Buenos Aires
For your first time in Buenos Aires (or even subsequent visits!) we highly recommend staying in the Palermo neighborhood. This neighborhood is safe, there are tons of restaurants and bars, and many of the city’s big tourist attractions are in or near Palermo.
Buenos Aires Accommodations
How to Get to Buenos Aires
How to Get to Buenos Aires by Plane
Buenos Aires has two main airports, Jorge Newbery (AEP) and Ezeiza (EZE). EZE is where you’ll likely be flying into from international destinations and AEP is popular for domestic flights all over Argentina. However, domestic flights certainly fly into EZE as well. If you are planning a layover in Buenos Aires, make sure your connecting flight leaves from the same airport!
How to Get from the Buenos Aires Airports to Downtown Buenos Aires
Private Transfer
This transfer service will take you to or from EZE (or both!). It costs $40 for up to 3 people.
From AEP, this transfer service will pick you up and drop you off at your accommodations. It costs $19 per group up to 3 people.
Public Bus
To take public transportation from EZE, you will need to buy and load your SUBE card at the airport if you don’t already have one. You will likely be taking a combination of bus 8E and another bus/train, but Google Maps will tell you the best route for you to take!
To get from AEP to downtown Buenos Aires using public transportation, you will first need to buy and load your SUBE card if you haven’t already done so. Then, you will likely need to take a 33 or 45 bus, then transfer to another bus to get to your final destination. Google Maps and Moovit will provide the best route for you to take!
How to Get to Buenos Aires by Bus
Buses in Argentina are a great way to get from city to city. There are various overnight sleeper buses as well as regular buses available. We recommend first checking bus prices on Platforma 10, and then checking 12Go.
How to Get to Buenos Aires from Montevideo
You can get to Buenos Aires from Montevideo by plane, ferry, by bus and ferry with a stop in Colonia del Sacramento, or just a very long bus. We recommend going by bus and ferry with a stop in Colonia del Sacramento, but to each their own!
Read our post on getting from Montevideo to Buenos Aires!
How to Get around Buenos Aires
Once you’re in Buenos Aires, getting around is easy! Between the buses, trains, and city bikes, there are endless ways to explore. To read more about how to get around and how to get a SUBE card so you can use public transportation, check out our post below!
Read all about how to get around Buenos Aires
Keep Exploring Buenos Aires…
- Our Favorite Speakeasies in Buenos Aires
- How to Get Around Buenos Aires: Public Transportation, Taxis, Walking & More!
- Tigre: The Ultimate Day Trip from Buenos Aires, Argentina
- How to Get from Montevideo to Buenos Aires
- How to Exchange Money in Argentina: Your Complete Guide to the Argentina Exchange Rate
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
