Buenos Aires is a city like no other. It’s where I started my trip through South America when I quit my job to travel and it will always have a special place in my heart. It’s the city where most travelers start their trip to Argentina and a great introduction to Argentine culture. There are lots of things to do in Buenos Aires and I’ve made a selection here of the 15 best things to do in Buenos Aires, in no particular order. Some of these things are specific to the city, others are typical in all of Argentina. Make the most out of your stay and fall in love with this city with the below 15 best things to do in Buenos Aires.
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Table of Contents - The 15 best things to do in Buenos Aires
- Explore the San Telmo neighborhood
- Learn about the city with a free walking tour
- Go bar hopping in Palermo
- Escape the chaos of the city in the many parks
- Explore the Paraná Delta from Tigre
- Try mate
- Eat an asado
- Find out why Buenos Aires is nicknamed “The Paris of South America” in Recoleta
- Order ice cream by the kilo
- Visit the most contrasting neighborhood of Buenos Aires: Puerto Madero
- Try Argentine pizza at El Cuartito or Pizzaría Güerrín
- Try as many flavors of empanadas as possible
- Spend a Monday night at Ciudad Cultural Konex with Bomba de Tiempo
- Drink a Fernet and Coke
- Make friends with locals
1. Explore the San Telmo neighborhood
San Telmo is the oldest and one of the most traditional neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Here you find cobblestone streets and colonial architecture. On Sundays, there is a huge market that sells all kinds of souvenirs, handicrafts, and antiques. At the main square, Plaza Dorrango, you’ll often find people dancing tango. San Telmo is a must for every Buenos Aires itinerary.
2. Learn about the city with a free walking tour
If you have read other articles on this website, it probably is no surprise that I’m a huge fan of free walking tours. They are such a good introduction to a city and give the place context. There are two free walking tours in Buenos Aires: The City Center and Recoleta. If you have the time, I recommend both, as they explain different sides and parts of the history of Buenos Aires. But if you’re only going to do one, do the City Center one. It gives you the widest information about Buenos Aires and Argentina.
3. Go bar hopping in Palermo
Palermo is the hippest neighborhood in Buenos aires and full of cute cafés and different bars offering (craft)beers. As for bars and nightlife, Plaza Serrano is at the center of the action, There are many bars in Palermo to choose from though. Just go for a walk and see which one draws your attention.
Cafes can be found all around Palermo as well. Go for one with a sunny terrace, or one with a cozy indoor setting and powerplugs to get some work done while enjoying your coffee.
4. Escape the chaos of the city in the many parks
Buenos Aires has many green areas, Palermo being the greenest neighborhood in the center. One of the best things you can do in Buenos Aires on a sunny day is visit the parks of Palermo. Start in the huge Bosques de Palermo with its lake and rose garden. On the way back, pass by the Ecoparque, the former zoo. This beautiful park is full of ducks, peacocks, and maras, amongst others. While the zoo is officially closed and most animals have been released or moved to more suitable enclosures, some animals still remain in their enclosures. The giraffes cannot be moved due to their size for example, and the camel due to its age.
5. Explore the Paraná Delta from Tigre
North of Buenos Aires you will find the delta of the river Paraná. The city of Tigre is the main gateway to this delta. Interesting fact: Tigre means tiger in Spanish and the city got its name from the jaguars (“tigers”) that were hunted here on occasion.
The best way to explore Tigre is with a river cruise. Along the riverside, you’ll see many mansions, dating from the “Belle Époque”. Besides mansions, you’ll also see many birds, and weekend houses on small islands. It’s a very green and peaceful place. Perfect to spend a (half) day and escape from the big city for a while.
6. Try mate
Mate is Argentina’s traditional drink. Maté refers to both the drink and the special cup. Mate is like a very strong green tea, but instead of having your own cup and a teabag, the leaves (maté hierba) are put loose in the maté cup and you drink it with a special straw that filters out the leaves. The cup gets passed around and everyone gets their turn to drink. It’s a whole ritual with special rules and customs which some take more seriously than others.
The best way to try maté is by making Argentinian friends, they’ll surely offer you to share maté with them! Can’t wait for your friends? La Mateada por Fabrica de Mate offers tastings in Palermo. This is a very touristic experience, however. Drinking mate is a social thing and is generally shared with friends, but you can drink it on your own as well. The tradition around it is the best part of it though in my opinion. It’s not a drink you’ll find on the menu of a café for example. So if you have no luck in Buenos Aires, better continue your travels in Argentina and wait for the right opportunity.
7. Eat an asado
Asado (barbecue) is Argentina’s most iconic meal and you cannot leave Argentina without trying one. As with maté, the best way to experience an asado is by making Argentinian friends. With the current economic crisis, asado’s are not as common anymore in the city as they used to be. Traditionally families would get together every Sunday for an asado, but many families cannot afford it this regularly anymore.
But you can find Parilla’s (grill restaurants) around the city which offer small asados, generally for 2-4 people which you can share. They are a great way to try the different types of meat typically found at an asado. Estacion Villa Crespo close to Palermo is such a parilla and offers great value for money.
Feel like a more upscale place for a luxury diner? Don Julio in Palermo has repeatedly been voted the best steakhouse in the world.
8. Find out why Buenos Aires is nicknamed "The Paris of South America" in Recoleta
If you’ve been wondering where Buenos Aires got its nickname The Paris of South America from, head to the neighborhood of Recoleta. A stroll through this beautiful and classic neighborhood will answer your question immediately. While you’ll find several buildings with European-inspired architecture, Recoleta is full of them. If you want to know more about the history and buildings of Recoleta, join the free walking tour.
9. Order ice cream by the kilo
Move over Italy, Argentina has some of the best ice cream in the world! It’s so good that you don’t just order a scoop or two, Argentinians order their ice cream in kilos. Luckily for those traveling alone or with one other person and who don’t have access to a freezer, you can also order 1/2 or 1/4 kilos. 1/4 is the perfect amount to share between two and you can pick 3 flavors. Hint: Dulce de Leche is almost mandatory when ordering ice cream in Argentina. 😉
10. Visit the most contrasting neighborhood of Buenos Aires: Puerto Madero
Puerto Madero is Buenos Aires’ newest neighborhood. It’s home to many offices, luxury hotels and upscale bars and restaurants. The contrasting part? The huge reserve lying just behind these highrises: La Reserva Ecologica. This reserve is home to many birds and has paths allowing you to walk around for hours. Or do as the Argentinians do and sit down on a patch of grass drinking maté.
11. Try Argentine pizza at El Cuartito or Pizzaría Güerrín
I love Argentine pizza! Toppings are rather simple compared to European and American pizzas, but they are tasty. Argentinian pizzas have rather thick bottoms compared to Italian pizza, and they are loaded with cheese meaning they are quite the filler. It’s custom to share pizzas in Argentina and one pizza is generally enough for 2-4 people, depending on how hungry you are.
El Cuartito and Pizzaría Güerrín are two of the best pizza places in Buenos Aires and are located in the city center. So they are the perfect places to see what Argentine pizza is all about.
12. Try as many flavors of empanadas as possible
I love empanadas! They are like tiny calzone pizzas but with more filling. While empanadas with meat, chicken, or ham, and cheese are quite common, in Buenos Aires you can find an incredible amount of different flavors. From different veggie options like spinach and cream, corn, or calabrese to ham and Roquefort (one of my favorites 😋) or cheeseburger, you will find the widest variety of flavors in Buenos Aires.
13. Spend a Monday night at Ciudad Cultural Konex with Bomba de Tiempo
La Bomba de Tiempo is an amazing concert held every Monday evening. This huge drum band teams up with another guest artist every week and together with their conductor they improvise the concert. It’s great fun and very energizing. An absolute must if you’re in Buenos Aires on a Monday.
14. Drink a Fernet and Coke
Confession: I’m not a fan of this drink, but Argentinians swear by their Fernet and Coke. Fernet is a herb liquor, comparable to Jagenmeister. I have yet to meet a foreigner who likes it, even in Italy where Fernet is originally from, it is not a popular drink. But you can’t leave Argentina without giving it a try!
15. Make friends with locals
Argentinians are some of the most outgoing and friendly people in the world. They love to share their culture and to meet people from other cultures. If you speak a little bit of Spanish, language exchanges are a great way to meet locals and practice your language skills. Don’t speak Spanish (yet)? Speaking the language will greatly improve your travel experience, not only in Argentina but in all of South America. While you can get by with English and Google Translate, it’s not the same as being able to freely speak with the locals. There are many language schools in Buenos Aires offering Spanish courses for as little as one week. With so many things to do, Buenos Aires is a great place to study Spanish and spend a bit more time getting to know the city.
This was The 15 best things to do in Buenos Aires
For more tips for your stay in Buenos Aires, read my articles about the best neighborhoods in Buenos Aires and this one-week example itinerary.
