Your guide to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires highlights
Time to tango
Moody, sensual and globally admired, tango is the dance of Buenos Aires. It originated in La Boca neighbourhood, and it’s now deeply ingrained in the city’s identity. You can’t miss it on your stay in Buenos Aires, whether you go to a stage show at a glam venue or stop to watch a couple perfecting their art on a random street corner.
World-class steak
Argentinian steak is considered to be among the best in the world for good reason. The gauchos (cowboys) who run the country’s vast cattle ranches take quality to another level. The result is exceptional steak landing on plates in restaurants across Buenos Aires. And there are literally hundreds of parrillas (steakhouses) with rave reviews to choose from.
Green and open
Buenos Aires promises plenty of parks and gardens that relieve travellers from the summer heat. The Botanical Garden and Japanese Garden are popular havens with abundant space to roam. Parque de los Ninos is a surprising spot by the river that transforms into a beach during the summer.
Buenos Aires: Know before you go
| Language | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Currency | Argentine peso ($) |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (ART) |
| High season | December - February and July |
| Low season | March - June and August - September |
Find the best time to go to Buenos Aires
Weather in Buenos Aires
March – May: The weather can change quickly in autumn, so be prepared with plenty of layers. By May, you’ll be requesting indoor seating at the cafes.
June – August: Winter is mild but humid, with the occasional cold front. Take advantage of the chilly days by ducking into one of the city’s world-class museums.
September – November: This is a beautiful time to visit the capital. Temperatures are pleasant, and come November, the jacaranda trees are in full bloom. Keep an eye out for flash flooding from surprise storms.
December – February: The summer months are hot and humid, with occasional heatwaves. But cool breezes from the Rio de la Plata keep the heat in check.
Events in Buenos Aires
Carnaval Porteño (February to March): Music, dance and colourful costumes take over the streets during the city’s pre-Lentern celebrations, which include a festive parade.
Buenos Aires Tango Festival (August to September): Hundreds of dance teams compete during this week-long celebration of tango. See musical performances and attend workshops and tango socials.
Buenos Aires Jazz Festival (November): Top musicians from across Latin America and the world converge on the city for a long weekend of jazz concerts.
Argentine Open Polo Championship (November to December): Pro polo players face off over several weeks at Palermo’s Campo Argentino de Polo for this tournament. Stick around to see who wins the sport’s Triple Crown.
The best neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires
Palermo
Known for its rolling green spaces and trendy locales such as Palermo Soho, this is one of the best areas to stay in Buenos Aires. With pavement cafes, suave cocktail bars, big-deal museums and countless parks, a stay in Palermo can be as chilled or action-packed as you like.
Good for: Picnics, cocktails, museums
San Nicolas
Combining grand architecture and performing arts venues, San Nicolas offers a creative haven in the heart of Buenos Aires. While the soaring Obelisco monument watches over the neighbourhood and beyond, celebrated arts hotspots such as Teatro Colon draw in culture lovers from far and wide.
Good for: Culture, entertainment, shopping
Montserrat
This historic neighbourhood on the border of San Telmo is easy to get to and easier to love. Home to some of the most iconic buildings in the city, Monserrat is where to stay in Buenos Aires to immerse yourself in an Argentina from the past. But there’s an eclectic side to Monserrat too, with a number of local bars and tucked-away family-run shops.
Good for: History, sightseeing, bars, shopping
Things to do in Buenos Aires
Family friendly things to do
Take your pick from a huge choice of things to do with family in Buenos Aires. Hire pedal boats on the lake in lush Bosques de Palermo park, go stargazing at the Planetario Galileo Galilei, or enjoy some interactive role-play at Museo de los Ninos. Little football fans in tow? Head to La Bombonera stadium, where legends like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi became household names.
Shopping
The shopping in Buenos Aires ranges from sparkling malls such as Galerias Pacifico to meandering markets like the one in San Telmo. Find everything including arts, antiques and top-notch food here, and watch mesmerising tango dancers perform in the streets. Book lovers shouldn’t miss El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a bookshop in a century-old theatre with original frescoes on the ceiling.
Take in the culture
The many museums in Buenos Aires show off the city from different perspectives. The Museo Evita is dedicated to the famed former First Lady Eva Peron, while the art-filled Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes houses hundreds of 19th-century European masterworks. You can take a peek inside the pink presidential palace, Casa Rosada, on weekend afternoons too — just book online first.
Places to eat
Given the city’s obsession with eating out, restaurants in Buenos Aires are guaranteed to impress. There are Michelin-approved fine dining places, a multitude of steakhouses and laidback neighbourhood hangouts to choose from. Much care goes into ice cream making in the city too, so join the locals in line for a sweet treat any time of day.
Nightlife
Speakeasies and tango halls in every neighbourhood make nightlife in Buenos Aires easy to access. For a flavour of after-dark adventures in the South American city that never sleeps, head to the nightclubs in Palermo. Pop-up tango clubs such as Maldita Milonga are always hopping, and the vintage vibes at hidden drinking den Frank’s are perfect for a mellow night out with friends.
Free things to do
Finding free things to do in Buenos Aires couldn’t be easier. Start by getting a feel for the city centre on a walking tour with Buenos Aires Free Walks. Or lead your own way to La Boca, a neighbourhood of colourful buildings, bold murals and kitschy papier-mache figures. And Centro Cultural Kirchner regularly hosts exhibitions and performances — just remember to book your free tickets in advance.
Get ready for Buenos Aires
Budget
From birdwatching in the nature preserve to browsing the Mercado San Telmo, you don’t need to break the bank to have a good time in Buenos Aires. If you’re planning a budget trip to Buenos Aires, it’s easy to find an inexpensive meal for around 15 Argentine pesos ($). Domestic beers and cappuccinos run less than $4. Need a lift? Short taxi rides start at around $4.
Day trips from Buenos Aires
The town of Tigre, just an hour away by bus or train, is the perfect departure point for exploring the Paraná Delta by kayak. Learn all about Argentina’s gaucho culture in San Antonio de Areco, especially during the annual horsemanship festival. Or hop on a ferry to Colonia del Sacramento, in Uruguay, with its cobblestone streets and working lighthouse.
Getting around Buenos Aires
Navigating the city centre on foot is a breeze. But to get to the surrounding neighbourhoods, you’ll want to take the underground metro or a bus. Buy tickets at Subte stations and corner shops across the city or at the airport. Prefer to travel on your own schedule? Hail a licensed black or yellow taxi off the street — they all run on meters.
FAQs about visiting Buenos Aires
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