Buenos Aires is a mix, with melancholic overtones, between Paris and Madrid. Here we have some places not to miss.
The political, economic and social capital of Argentina, this immense city is made up of dozens of neighborhoods, suburbs and districts, so different from each other that it seems as if we were passing through different cities in the same one.
Buenos Aires, which seems older than its predecessor cities in Europe. Tired and wise of what corresponds to its age, being the faithful reflection of the unequal Argentine society, trying to mitigate with tango, soccer and black humor its eternal nonconformity.
You would need months to understand what Buenos Aires is all about, but if your trip does not allow for such a long delay in its streets, we leave you with this small ranking of the neighborhoods you should not miss.
1. MICROCENTRO
The Obelisk: The main character of downtown / Photo: Canva Pro
Buses, cabs, and people rumble along the narrow streets and sidewalks of the frenetic «microcentro». The peak time is usually during business hours. Located east of Avenida 9 de Julio – the widest avenue in the world – Microcentro is lined with businesses, banking headquarters, multinational corporate offices and government institutions. On Fridays, businessmen take off their ties, while having a few pints of beer in the Irish pubs and bars located in the area. This is one of places not to miss.
Main points of interest:
Florida Street.
As an elegant pedestrian street, Florida begins at Avenida de Mayo and continues for almost a kilometer to the beautiful Plaza de San Martin in Retiro. Surrounded by shopping malls such as Galerias Pacifico, with brand name stores, leather and souvenir stores, Florida Street is an interesting place to observe the vibrant activity in Buenos Aires and enjoy a bit of shopping.
Location: Florida Street between Plaza San Martin and Avenida de Mayo.
- Avenida de Mayo
This important avenue connects Plaza de Mayo and Plaza Congreso along a ten-block stretch of European neoclassical and art nouveau structures that reflect the European influence in the city. Named after the May Revolution of 1810, the street is home to historical treasures such as the famous Café Tortoni, known as the cultural center of Buenos Aires.
Location: Avenida de Mayo, from 500 to 1400.
- 9 de Julio Avenue and the Obelisk
You can’t miss the incredible view of Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest avenue in the world. The Obelisk is carefully located at the intersection of 9 de Julio and Corrientes Avenue. From there you can enjoy a stroll during the day or at night and see many of Buenos Aires’ tourist sites, such as the Colon Theater, the French Embassy and a row of sculptures and monuments on its central sidewalks.
2– SAN TELMO
Visit San Telmo on Sunday to get to know a world of antiques / Photo: Canva Pro
Another place touched by the melancholic and passionate wand of tango is San Telmo. In the houses that overlook its cobblestone streets you can still see the old grandeur and wealth of the families that inhabited one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. Those days are long gone and, today, the residential houses of Palermo are home to much more humble people. Along with them live boutique hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars, a true reflection of the current tourist character of San Telmo.
You will find tango on the street, architectural sites, museums, beautiful antique stores and old Buenos Aires churches that today serve as a backdrop for business, cultural events and day-to-day activities.
The best day without a doubt to visit is Sunday where you will find a beautiful craft fair combined with tango dancers, do some sightseeing, eat and go for a coffee at one of the impressive notable cafes.
Main points of interest:
- Dorrego Square
In the heart of San Telmo’s historic center, Plaza Dorrego offers one of the most authentic experiences for tourists and porteños looking for original colonial designs and structures. Throughout the weekend, San Telmo’s central plaza is filled with the impressive crafts and antiques market. On Sunday afternoon, the cobblestone plaza transforms into an open-air milonga, where experts and amateur couples go to dance tango.
Location: Between Defensa and Humberto Primero streets.
Location: Avenida 9 de Julio 1300 to 500.
- San Telmo Market
You should take a walk through the San Telmo Market, created in 1897 and where you will find, in addition to the objects that are sold in street markets, fruits, vegetables, decorative objects and an atmosphere of another century. If you want to avoid the crowds, it is best to visit between Tuesday and Saturday. It is closed on Mondays.
3- PALERMO
Enjoy Palermo full of bars, restaurants and cafes / Photo: Canva Pro
The charismatic and cosmopolitan Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo with its famous Plaza Serrano, where conversations, laughter and beers during all afternoons and evenings seem to have no end. This place is becoming the trendy destination for lovers of design, bars and street culture.
One of the top and most important tourist destinations in Buenos Aires is Palermo, the largest and most modern neighborhood for sightseeing in the city, and one of the best neighborhoods to look for accommodation in Buenos Aires for the movement it has but you should keep in mind that it is far from the rest of the resources to visit.
Daytime and Nighttime Activities
With a lot of life, many activities either during the day or at night. Everything can be found within a few streets: some of the best restaurants in Buenos Aires, fashion designer stores, pubs, bars and nightclubs.
Palermo has several subdivisions such as Palermo Soho (named after New York’s Soho) and Palermo Hollywood (due to the fact that some TV, radio and movie studios are located there).
Main points of interest:
- Plaza Serrano
Restaurants, bars, artisans and urban designers market their products here on weekends.
Location: At the intersection of Borges at 1600 – Honduras at 4700 – Serrano at 1500.
- Botanical Garden
This National Monument, almost 170 years old, has been carefully designed with more than 5,000 species of plants, beautiful sculptures and greenhouses.
Location: Plaza Italia and Santa Fe at 3900.
- Palermo Woods
The park and its surroundings are one of the best places to visit in Buenos Aires. Decorated with rose gardens, forests and lakes, it is the perfect place to enjoy as part of a Buenos Aires city tour. From the northeast side of the park you can reach the park and its beautiful boardwalk, Costanera Norte.
Location: Sarmiento Avenue, Libertador Avenue from 3500 to 5000, Costanera Rafael Obligado Avenue.
4- RECOLETA
Recoleta cemetery surprises with its huge tombs and numerous corridors / Photo: Canva Pro
The richest neighborhood of Buenos Aires presents, curiously, a cemetery as the most recognizable element. The tomb of «Evita» Perón is one of the most visited places in Buenos Aires. However, she is not the only everlasting guest of high lineage, as the Recoleta cemetery is full of impressive mausoleums and ornate tombs. Despite its popularity, this cemetery is not the largest in Argentina, with the Chacarita cemetery holding that honor.
Some tourists feel that Recoleta is like being on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, with its luxurious hotels and impressive houses.
A Must-Visit Spot in Buenos Aires!
Like the nearby neighborhood of Palermo, Recoleta has become that trendy place where everyone from Buenos Aires takes a drink to see and be seen. If you want to be one of them and are looking for a restaurant in Recoleta, keep in mind that in Buenos Aires no one dines before 10 pm!
An upscale residential and commercial neighborhood, replete with French-style buildings and art nouveau constructions, Recoleta is one of the most expensive and elegant neighborhoods in Buenos Aires and one of the most popular for tourists.
Its central square, Plaza Francia, is surrounded by cafes, restaurants and other very important tourist attractions in Buenos Aires such as the Pilar Church, the National Palace of Arts (Palais de Glace) or the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (Facultad de D
Main points of interest:
- Recoleta Cemetery.
More than a cemetery, this famous monument is one of the most important tourist attractions in Buenos Aires. The Recoleta Cemetery is an art museum dating back to 1800. It houses the remains of the most influential and important personalities of Argentine history, such as the populist Eva Perón. Its marble mausoleums are dedicated to entire families and descendants, and are adorned with sculptures and other extravagant monuments that reflect the opulence of Argentina’s high society. You cannot visit Buenos Aires, nor pass through the Recoleta neighborhood without visiting this important place of interest.
Location: 1700 Junín St.
Recoleta Cultural Center
The building was donated to the city by the Franciscans in 1716. Since its renovation in 1980 it has operated as a cultural center and one of the most popular places in the city.
Location: 1930 Junin Street.
TO BE DEVELOPED: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, FLORAIS GENÉRICA, PLAZA GENERAL SAN MARTIN AND RETIRO.
5- PUERTO MADERO
Puerto Madero is known for its modern skyscrapers / Photo: Canva Pro
This waterfront neighborhood of Buenos Aires is the trendiest part of the city. With towering glass skyscrapers, elegant restaurants and trendy nightclubs, Puerto Madero is enjoyed by the rich and famous.
It is a young neighborhood that emerged from the old docks that had been part of the port, giving way to a new development in the city, in a safe and ideal area for leisure and luxury living. Puerto Madero is nowadays considered as the most important business center and also one of the tourist attractions not to be missed when sightseeing in Buenos Aires.
Today, Puerto Madero looks like a modern neighborhood of a European capital or a large American city. During the day, it is a good place to take a bike ride or walk along the waters of the La Plata River. In the evening, it invites you to grab a bite to eat and have your first drinks before heading to Palermo for the next level of playful-festive.
Main points of interest:
- Puente de la Mujer (Women’s Bridge).
This pedestrian bridge is a landmark in the architectural history of Buenos Aires and is impossible to miss. It was designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. A white wing shoots out from the sidewalk of the bridge. For some locals the Puente de la Mujer resembles a woman dancing tango.
Location: Dock 3 of Puerto Madero.
- Ecological Reserve
Behind this wonderful piece of modern architecture in Puerto Madero, on the bustling Costanera Sur, is the Ecological Reserve. An incredible and tranquil hideaway, definitely the place to escape from all the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires, should you need a few hours of peace and quiet in the fresh air. Filled with stunning flora and fauna, it is an ideal tourist spot for hiking or biking along the trails leading to the Rio de la Plata.
Location: 1500 Tristán Achaval Rodríguez Avenue
6– LA BOCA
The neighborhood of La Boca enchants with its colorful houses / Photo: Canva Pro
A colorful and charming neighborhood right next to the old port of Buenos Aires. La Boca is synonymous with tango and soccer.With its multicolored houses and taverns, the neighborhood holds on to its tradition of tango, passion for soccer and Italian roots.Today it is one of the most important cultural centers and tourist attractions in Buenos Aires, thanks to the variety of walking tours, soccer matches at the famous Boca stadium and tango shows.
Colorful Scenes, Handicrafts, and Tango in Full Swing!
From a balcony in La Boca, statues of Diego Armando Maradona, Eva Perón and Carlos Gardel greet passers-by with two totally different faces. On the one hand, there are its tourist streets, led by the mythical Caminito. And on the other, the area of ramshackle houses that have been home, for decades, to humble working class families.
Tourists are in the majority here, full of picture and handicraft sellers, innkeepers, tango dancers and, why not say it, pickpockets. Gardel’s songs play on restaurant terraces for groups of tourists from all over the world to eat while admiring tango dancing couples.
Attention ! Safety in Caminito
Although during the day La Boca is one of the most memorable neighborhoods of the city, at nightfall it becomes one of the most dangerous, so it is advisable to visit in the morning.
It is also not a good idea to stray too far from the more touristy streets.
INCLUDE TOUR AND HOP ON HOP OFF
Main points of interest:
- Places not to miss: Caminito
Named after a famous tango song composed by famed singer Carlos Gardel, Caminito is an open-air tango museum and art market. Its cobblestone streets, brightly colored houses and original artwork all around the neighborhood are a rare sight, something you won’t see anywhere else in the world. Traditional restaurants feature live tango shows, as well as dancers and musicians showcasing their talent. A visit to Caminito cannot be left out on your vacation in Buenos Aires.
Location: Avenida Pedro de Mendoza at 1800.
- Additionally, Boca Juniors Stadium
The colorful blue and yellow stadium is one of the most famous landmarks in Buenos Aires and attracts thousands of Argentines and foreigners alike. If you like football, some places not to miss are the argentinian football stadiums!.
At a soccer match in this Buenos Aires stadium, you can feel the pure passion and incredible devotion Boca fans have for their team. If you are a soccer fanatic, you can’t miss the opportunity to experience Argentine soccer live and direct – experience the Argentine passion up close! Book a soccer tour and get your tickets easily here.
Interesting fact: The stadium is called La Bombonera because its shape resembles a box of chocolates.
Location: 800 Brandsen Street.
7- TIGRE
It is not in the downtown of Buenos Aires but from Tango 10 we think we have others places not to miss and you must visit, Tigre really makes the destination different from Buenos Aires, just an hour’s drive from Buenos Aires, the Tigre River delta offers both locals and tourists an ideal place to perform a variety of activities in a unique natural setting.
Craft market, the charming provincial town of Tigre offers a pleasant change of pace from nearby Buenos Aires. Located in the Tigre delta at the meeting point of the Parana River and the Rio de la Plata estuary, it is a popular choice for a day trip from the capital.
The Tigre River, with hundreds of tiny islands, is located about 20 miles northwest of Buenos Aires and can be reached from the city by train, followed by a boat ride directly from the train station.
Naval Museum, Dining, and Family Fun!
Although the main attraction here is the Delta itself (formed from the meeting of five rivers), you can also find others places not to miss like the Naval Museum, restaurants and recreational areas for children. Several tour operators offer day trips to the Tigre River delta, but visitors also have the opportunity to book stays at local bed and breakfasts and adventure lodges.
