Buenos Aires is a place of architectural splendour drenched in lively Latino spirit. Nowhere is better to experience Argentine passion for food, music, arts and sport, or to explore the cultural majesty of South American cities. In this mega-guide, we’ve compiled the coolest things to do in Buenos Aires to help you get the most out of your time in the city.
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Buenos Aires has become like a second home to us. It was our base for several weeks during five months of travel in South America, and we really grew to love the place. Now, we return whenever we can, and we keep this guide updated with new gems that we find.
The highlights we’ve picked out below are based on our own experiences of getting out and about in this truly absorbing city. For all your travel planning needs, also check out our itinerary for 7 days in Buenos Aires.
Things to do in Buenos Aires: top 5 picks to book
Before we get into our full list of recommendations, here are quick links to Buenos Aires activities and tours we’ve tried personally that you can book in advance:
💃 El Querandi tango show: a great introduction to 150 years of the tradition
🚌 Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus: a fun and easy way to navigate the city
🥩 Fogón Asado experience: a 9-course BBQ extravaganza
🎨 Palermo street art and graffiti tour: the stories behind the artworks
🛥️ Tigre Delta boat tour: a sub-tropical environment just outside the city
Things to do in Buenos Aires: sightseeing and shopping
1. Take a city tour (on bike or foot!)
Guided city tours are a great way to learn about a city when you first arrive. There are several to try in Buenos Aires that can introduce you to some of its most interesting sights and beautiful neighbourhoods.
On our first visit to Buenos Aires, we tried a free walking tour with bafreetour.com, which was fun and informative. They offer several, but we opted to begin with the city centre free tour for some of the classic attractions.
This tour runs at 3pm daily from Monday to Saturday, meeting outside the National Congress building. You can turn up on the day, but it’s a good idea to book online to make sure you get a space.
There are many other walking tours, free or paid, that explore different parts of the city. But if you want to cram some more sights into a shorter time, and with less effort required, you could take a bike tour instead. This is one of the most fun and eco-friendly ways to see the famous landmarks and colourful streets of Buenos Aires. You can cover a lot of ground on two wheels in just a few hours!
We recommend taking a half-day cycle tour. You can choose the south circuit (in the mornings) or the north circuit (in the afternoons), or if you’re feeling really adventurous, pack both into one day.
2. Ride the sightseeing bus
To explore the city at a more leisurely pace, you could book a ticket on the Buenos Aires hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. We used this great service on a recent return trip to the city, as it was a convenient way to get around to some of the attractions we missed on previous visits.
If you are in the city for a few days, it’s well worth getting the 72-hour or 48-hour ticket rather than the 24-hour one. There’s not a huge price difference, and you can spread your sightseeing over more time.
The bus covers a huge route across the city that takes a good couple of hours if you ride it without getting off. You can sit on the rooftop and listen to an audio guide as you ride.
3. Explore San Telmo, the city’s oldest neighbourhood
San Telmo is our favourite neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, and it’s usually where we stay when we visit, full of grand old colonial buildings, cobbled streets, marketplaces and local eateries. More rough around the edges than the likes of touristy Recoleta and Palermo, it is the oldest neighbourhood and feels like the authentic heart and soul of the city.
There’s a lot to see and do in San Telmo. You can journey underneath the city at El Zanjón de Granados and see a labyrinth of tunnels and waterways beneath an old mansion. We took one of the excellent one-hour guided tours here, which you can book online.
The old Mercado San Telmo building stands at the middle of the neighbourhood. Have a wander round here for some delicious street food and interesting shops. On the streets outside, look out for Casa Minima, the city’s narrowest building, and the statue of Mafalda, a beloved cartoon character (you might need to queue for a photo with her!).
We stayed in a private room at Viajero Hostel in San Telmo, and they run a great free tour of the neighbourhood.
You can find out more in our San Telmo complete neighbourhood guide. For accommodation in San Telmo and elsewhere around the city, check out our complete guide to where to stay in Buenos Aires.
4. Check out Feria de San Telmo on a Sunday
Every Sunday, San Telmo’s cobbled roads host Feria, a huge open-air market stretching along Calle Defensa and spilling out onto the side streets. Local vendors sell all manner of arts, crafts, second-hand clothes, jewellery and antiques.
There’s plenty of entertainment and nourishment to be found as well. Street food BBQs sizzle away all along the market, while tango dancers and musicians perform.
The Feria is something you simply must see if you are in Buenos Aires on a Sunday. Be sure to keep an eye on your belongings, as pickpockets are known to operate among the crowds.
5. Walk around the streets of La Boca
La Boca is a fantastic district to visit whether or not you’re into football. It’s the most colourful corner of the city, filled with brightly painted houses following an artistic renovation in the 1950s.
The district has a rich history of migration and art. It was the setting for a wave of European arrivals during the 19th century. In the 1830s, ships docked in Buenos Aires carrying immigrants from Genoa, Italy, who chose La Boca to settle.
The main road, El Caminito, is today an open-air museum. Walking along it you will find local artists and street performers at work, busy market stalls, and restaurateurs beckoning you in for a meal. The eateries here charge a tourist premium, but it’s worth it for the unique setting.
It’s a great place to walk around at your own pace, or if you prefer organised fun you can book a guided walking tour of La Boca with a local expert.
6. See the Pink House at Plaza de Mayo
Buenos Aires is full of fascinating sites of political history. None are more significant than Casa Rosada, the ‘Pink House’, which is the executive mansion of the country’s president. It’s the most distinctive feature of Plaza de Mayo, a major city square and the site at which Buenos Aires was formed.
The blue-and-white flag of Argentina flying high above the grandiose pink structure is one of the most iconic images of Buenos Aires. It’s also been the setting for much political drama in the past. During the 2001 December crisis, which saw people rioting on the streets against the government, the president of the time – Fernando de la Rúa – made an escape from the roof of the building by helicopter.
Plaza de Mayo has witnessed many more famous protests throughout history. Look for the white headscarves painted on the ground around the circle at its centre. This commemorates the Mothers protest of 1977, when women whose children had gone missing during the military dictatorship marched in front of presidential building.
7. People-watch at Plaza del Congreso
Another of the grand squares of Buenos Aires is Plaza del Congreso, a park of green gardens, symbolic statues and flowing fountains. At the western end of the plaza stands the impressive Palacio del Congreso, one of the city’s most important government buildings.
The green-domed palace was built in 1906 based on Washington DC’s Capitol Building. Four days a week you can take free tours, which include both government chambers. You can also see the ‘pink room’, where women met to discuss policies until 1951, when women were first permitted to run for office.
The square is a popular hangout spot when the weather is nice. Bring a picnic along and people-watch while taking in the impressive surroundings.
8. Find Evita’s resting place at Recoleta Cemetery
It might be strange to include a burial place in a list of the coolest things to do in Buenos Aires, but La Recoleta Cemetery is not your typical graveyard. This maze of lavish tombs and crypts is the final resting place of many prominent Argentinian public figures.
The most famous occupant of a La Recoleta crypt is Eva Perón, otherwise known as Evita. You can usually locate her crypt – that of the Duarte family – by simply looking out for the crowds of people. Many of the other extravagant shrines around the cemetery are the graves of former presidents, generals and members of high society, buried with their families.
The cemetery has very much become a tourism draw. It is open to the public every day between 9am and 5pm, maps are available at the entrance.
It might seem a strange thing to actually take a guided tour of a cemetery, and we couldn’t quite believe it when we saw it, but it is possible at La Recoleta! On a tour you can hear about the many stories of the icons and legends buried here. Check for availability on this form:
9. Explore a library built in an old theatre
Hidden among the myriad high-street shopping outlets on Avenida Santa Fe in downtown Buenos Aires is one of the city’s coolest quirks. El Ateneo Grand Splendid is a giant library built inside a converted century-old theatre. Is this the world’s most beautiful bookstore? Maybe.
The original red-curtained stage, stalls and balconies are still in place, but filled with shelves of books instead of seats. It’s a creative repurposing of space that will delight lovers of the arts, and an endless hunting ground for bookworms. Even if you just like to see interesting buildings, it’s worth a visit.
10. Explore the old book shops of San Telmo
Buenos Aires is a real haven for literature lovers. The romantic city has been a natural home over the years to some of Argentina’s best-loved writers and poets. Tucked away on the cobbled streets of San Telmo you will find many book shops, from antique to modern, that are packed with literary treasures.
Many of the shops have sections for second-hand English books. In Libreria La Calesita, a few blocks north of the heart of San Telmo (and a few doors across from Café Tortoni – more on that legendary place below), I picked up a copy of the great travel book In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin.
Walrus Books is probably the shop with the most English titles on sale in San Telmo. Check out the Buenos Aires Herald for more great bookstores around the city.
For some great reading ideas before your trip, check out our rundown of books about Argentina to inspire your travels. You might even find some of these in the San Telmo shops.
11. Stroll on the dockside at Puerto Madero
The old docks of Buenos Aires at Puerto Madero have been transformed into a thriving district, and the place where all the city’s new money is heading. The waterside is now lined with trendy cafés, bars, and some of the city’s most upmarket hotels.
It’s a nice place to just take a stroll around on the dockside. If you fancy a beer, check out Peñón del Águila, a really cool floating bar on the water that serves craft brews and stays open late.
Puerto Madero is also right next to Costanera Sur, a huge ecological reserve that sits on the riverside. This is the largest biodiverse green space in Buenos Aires. Extend your walk here to escape from the city rush for a while.
Things to do in Buenos aires: tours and activities
12. Learn tango at a local milonga night! (Or take lessons)
Tango is part of the fabric of Buenos Aires and one of Argentina’s most famous traditions. You can fully immerse yourself in the city’s way of life by learning some steps of the famous dance.
One of the most fun ways to do this is to go to a local milonga night. This is when locals gather in a big hall for some informal tango lessons before dancing and drinking the night away. We went to the Sunday milonga night at La Viruta Tango Club in Palermo, and it remains one of the most memorable experiences of our time in Buenos Aires.
The tango lessons begin at about 8:30pm, with the hall divided into three sections for advanced, intermediate and beginners. It’s a very welcoming atmosphere and you are made to feel at home. The lessons last an hour or two, and then you can stay on dancing until 5am.
You might even want to take tango more seriously. On our first visit to Buenos Aires, we met a young traveller from France called Lucie who was volunteering in our hostel. She was staying in the city for several months to fulfill her dream of learning to tango. When we first met her she was just getting started, and by the time we left, she was already performing at a mid-week show!
If you want to take more formal tango lessons, Buenos Aires has a whole host of dancing schools for people of all levels, from beginner upwards. You can book a private tango lesson to learn the basic steps, with the option to cancel for free via GetYourGuide.
13. Go to an Argentine football match
No country in the world is more passionate about football than Argentina. Its great players through the ages – the likes of Alfredo Di Stéfano, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi – are lauded with national legend status.
Football matches in Argentina can be intense affairs. A few years back, away fans in the top division were permitted to attend matches after a five-year ban that followed a series of violent incidents. Buenos Aires’ biggest two clubs, Boca Juniors and River Plate, made international headlines in 2018 when they had to play a cup final abroad due to problems between fans.
Despite this image, we’ve found that football matches in Buenos Aires are fun, and the crowds are welcoming in the most part. We went to a cup match between Racing Club and Temperley, and we were seated behind the goal with the notorious “ultras”. We had no problems at all, and shared a laugh with the fans around us.
Going to a game is an exciting experience, but it’s not one for the faint-hearted. When a goal is scored by the home team, fans rush forwards and the noise is deafening. It’s enjoyable and all part of the fun, as long as you’re prepared for it!
Tickets for Boca and River are hard to come by and can cost a lot of money. Oftentimes it’s only possible to get them through tour companies, which charge big commissions. Other local clubs like Racing are a good alternative. We bought our tickets at their stadium, but it’s also possible to get them in club shops or online beforehand.
If you want to cut out the need to sort your own logistics, you can book a football match experience in Buenos Aires with a local. This is a popular way to see a game, and also ensures you will be in safe hands.
Tip: make sure you check local advice on safety and getting around before planning to attend a match.
14. Take the stadium tour of La Bombonera
If going to a match sounds like a bit too much, an alternative way to get immersed in the city’s football culture is to take a tour of La Bombonera, the famous home stadium of Boca Juniors. Located naturally in the La Boca district, the stadium’s bright blue and yellow colours blend into the vibrant atmosphere of the streets surrounding it.
Boca has been home to many of world’s greatest football talents. Maradona, Batistuta, Riquelme, Caniggia and Tevez are just some of the legendary names to have played for the club.
The stadium’s museum, Museo de la Pasión Boquense, is open from 10am to 6pm every day (apart from match days). Through interactive exhibits and memorabilia, you can relive over a century’s worth of Boca Juniors history. Tours of the stadium run throughout the day; see the museum website for the latest information.
You can reach La Boca from the main downtown districts using the 29 and 64 local bus services, or the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus.
15. Take a street art and graffiti tour in Palermo
The leafy, low-rooftop neighbourhood of Palermo is like a polar opposite to La Boca. With wide avenues and green parks, it’s a more laidback place during the daytime, but is also the epicentre of the city’s nightlife.
Palermo is also a cultural hub in Buenos Aires, known for its colourful street art murals and creative graffiti tags. We took the Palermo street art and graffiti tour to learn more about this scene, and it turned out to be fantastic value, costing only a few dollars. A local student guide kept us well entertained with the stories behind the artworks.
The tour runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, beginning at 3pm. At two hours it has a really nice length, shorter than many walking tours tend to be, and then you can relax and enjoy the neighbourhood’s early evening vibes. It’s also a great spot to stay around for food, as we’ll see later in this guide.
16. See amazing artworks at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
For a more traditional artistic experience, head to the Recoleta neighbourhood and spend a couple of hours exploring Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Set in a 19th-century building that was originally a draining pumping station, the museum is full of magnificent paintings by renowned local and international artists.
Look out for the epic depictions of the 19th-century Argentine–Paraguay wars by Cándido López, an artist who fought as a soldier in the conflict. You can see more of his works on battlefield scenarios in the National History Museum, located in a park between San Telmo and La Boca.
17. Learn Argentina’s harrowing past at ESMA Museum
Some of Argentina’s most bleak days occurred within living memory, when the country was ruled by a military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983. In the years that followed, evidence quickly emerged of human rights abuses, including the imprisonment without trial of anyone considered a political dissident. Tens of thousands of these were murdered or disappeared.
One of the main imprisonment sites has been turned into a museum and memorial centre, ESMA, which is now designated as a National Historic Monument. We took a detour from the sightseeing bus route to explore this place, and it does take a little effort to reach, but it’s worthwhile to learn about this harrowing history.
Various other museums are located on the same complex, notably Museo Malvinas (the Falklands Museum). The displays here aren’t translated into English, but the visual cues are easy to follow, and you can use a translation app on your phone.
Things to do in Buenos Aires: food and drink
18. Eat at an Argentine steakhouse
Argentina is world-famous for its steak for very good reason. We’ve eaten in steakhouses all over the world on our travels, including New York, London, Melbourne and Paris, but nothing has compared with Buenos Aires.
There are countless steakhouses across the city to choose from. Everybody will give you a different answer if you ask which is the best. We have tried dozens during our repeat visits to the city, which you can read about in our article on the where to find the best steak in Buenos Aires.
As a rule of thumb, if you see a steakhouse filled with locals rather than tourists, it’s likely to be a good one. You’ll find plenty of these in the old San Telmo neighbourhood, like La Brigada and El Desnivel. Our favourite for the quality of meat, however, was La Carnicería in Palermo.
If you want the absolute best of the best, Don Julio in Palermo is the crown jewel of steakhouses in Buenos Aires. It isn’t cheap, and you need to book for months in advance, or spend hours queueing for a table (but with free champagne while you wait!). Don Julio has been officially rated among the top restaurants in South America for many years.
19. Experience a traditional asado meal at Fogón
If you want to eat Argentine steak and other BBQ meat cuts while experiencing one of the country’s most important traditions, then you must try an asado night while you are in Buenos Aires.
Asado is Argentina’s national dish, which comprises various different meat cuts barbecued on a parrilla grill over several hours. It’s often a big social event that brings friends and family together.
We tried the 9-course Fogón Asado experience, which was an all-round incredible evening out. It’s not just a meal, it’s also an entertainment show and a social gathering too.
Read our full review of Fogón Asado to find out more about what you can expect.
An alternative way to experience Argentina’s finest meat on a budget is to attend an asado night at a hostel. The Sunday night asado at Rayuela Hostel (which you need to be a hostel guest to attend) is absolutely superb, and was often the highlight of our week on our first trip to the city..
Rayuela’s asado night is hosted by the hostel owner, Christian, who is highly knowledgeable in the tradition and provides insightful commentaries when serving each dish. The courses served vary each week but usually include steaks, chorizo, beef ribs, blood sausage, sweetbreads and potatoes cooked in meat fats. Argentine red wine flows through the night, and it’s an awesome way to meet fellow travellers and share stories.
We also went along to the asado night at Viajero Hostel during our stay there, which was a lot of fun followed by a night out with the people we met. It’s a bigger hostel, so this asado night is a bit less intimate, which gives it a different vibe, but just as enjoyable.
20. Have an incredible burger at El Banco Rojo
It has now become a ritual for us that whenever we return to Buenos Aires, our first meal is a burger and beers at El Banco Rojo in San Telmo. I don’t exaggerate when I say this is my favourite burger bar in the world.
You will find it hard to believe how cheap the burgers are at this hipster-ish joint in the heart of the neighbourhood. We barely spent ten dollars on burgers, fries and beers for two of us. Be ready for some juicy, fatty, greasy goodness!
There’s a cosy little beer garden out the back of the bar. Also, if you’re out for beers in the evening in San Telmo, there’s a fun atmosphere here with the music ramping up.
21. Sip a coffee at historic Café Tortoni
Café Tortoni is the oldest coffeehouse in Buenos Aires. While the name sounds Italian, its origins are actually French. It was built in 1858 by a French immigrant who named it after the legendary high-society Parisian café on Boulevard des Italiens.
The café’s visitors throughout the years have included the likes of Albert Einstein, the King of Spain and Hillary Clinton, as well as many notable artists, journalists and tango stars.
Stepping inside, you can see why it’s popular among dignitaries and creatives. The insides are plush with marble tables, fancy wooden panelling, grand chandeliers and a Tiffany glass ceiling. The café’s cellar regularly hosts events, such as poetry readings and the above-mentioned Saturday night tango shows.
22. Try the city’s best coffee at Öss Kaffe
If you are a true hardcore coffee connoisseur, you won’t be disappointed in Buenos Aires. The city has an amazing diversity of coffee houses, from the old traditional hangouts like Café Tortoni to more modern and artisan cafés.
We were given a tip by a walking tour guide that we would be sure to find the best coffee in Buenos Aires at a chic little place called Öss Kaffe in Recoleta. It’s actually a small chain of coffee shops, but this one is the most central in the city and was easiest for us to reach.
The coffee is really fantastic. Along with classic blends, there are some creative versions to try. I tried the gin and honey on a recommendation, which was lovely. You can also try coffee with orange juice for something a bit more breakfast-y, and there are some delicious homemade brownies or other cakes to go with it.
23. Discover the city’s wine culture
If anything can rival steak for popularity in Argentina, it’s wine. The country is the world’s leading producer of Malbec, and you won’t find a finer glass of the red stuff anywhere else in the world. No visit to this amazing country would be complete without trying some!
All across the city you will find wine bars and shops where you can taste vintages, especially around Palermo, Recoleta and San Telmo. We dropped into La Uvateca in San Telmo, where we bought a couple of bottles to take home.
You could also try a city wine tour and tasting. One great option is an introduction to Buenos Aires wine culture, which explores a family-run winery in San Telmo, where you will try Argentine wine and food pairings.
24. Try the craft beer scene in Palermo
Argentina isn’t as famous for beer as it is for wine, so you might not have heard that the capital city has a thriving craft beer scene. Palermo is the hub for it, with many independent craft beer bars to be found hidden along its avenues.
Whenever we go for drinks in Palermo we usually begin at Choppería, a large, popular craft beer bar on the central crossroads of Gurruchaga and El Salvador. And from there, 1516 Cerveceria, Baum and Desarmadero are some of our other favourite beer bars in the neighbourhood.
It’s possible to take a craft beer tour of Palermo if you want to get to know the scene even better. The local guides will introduce you to some of the neighbourhood’s hidden gems, with tastings along the way, as well as sampling some local street food.
25. Eat empanadas from a local bakery
Empanadas have been a staple of our diet when travelling in South America. These pastry snacks come with many different fillings, usually savoury, and they are more popular in Argentina than anywhere. They’re great to eat at any time of day. We love one for breakfast!
All over Buenos Aires you will find bakeries that make empanadas fresh every morning. The best we’ve tried are at Panadería y Confitería La Mariposa, a small, family-run bakery on the back streets of San Telmo.
26. Snack on sweet alfajores
If you’re more partial to a sweeter snack or looking for something traditional to try for dessert, then you must try some alfajores while you are in Buenos Aires. These cake-biscuits are filled with dulce de leche, a sort of caramel made with milk, and usually come dusted with shredded coconut or covered in chocolate.
On our last few days in Buenos Aires we decided to do a taste test of many different alfajores from shops around the city. We were never disappointed, so you really can’t go wrong wherever you buy them, but we particularly liked the souvenir alfajores from La Casa del Dulce de Leche and Dulce De Leche & Co, both of which have various outlets around the city. Another great place in San Telmo is La Vaca Lechera.
At one of the central stalls in Mercado San Telmo, you can buy giant alfajores. We stopped to try one with a coffee while we were exploring the neighbourhood. They’re not cheap but they’re delicious, and one is easily enough to share between two.
27. Visit a historic Buenos Aires pizzeria
You might be surprised to hear that Buenos Aires has more pizza restaurants than any other city in the world. The city has had a strong Italian influence since workers from Genoa arrived in La Boca in the 19th century, and it has grown so much that there are almost as many pizzerias here than there are steakhouses.
You will find pizzas in many different styles and sizes across the city. This guide to pizza in Buenos Aires will help you make sense of it, and find the best places to try it.
If you’re staying around San Telmo, you can try one of the oldest pizza institutions in Buenos Aires at Pirilo. We were first introduced to this place by a walking tour guide, and we always go back there now whenever in need of a pizza fix.
This small takeaway joint, with a hole-in-the-wall feel, has been there for decades and seemingly opens at random times. Come the evening, you can count on finding queues of locals outside waiting to buy a slice, which is an indication of how good the pizza is. It’s unbelievably cheap as well.
Things to do in Buenos Aires: nightlife
28. Go to a tango show
A tango night in Buenos Aires is a one-of-a-kind dancing extravaganza. You must try and make time to see a show while you’re in the city.
There are many tango shows to choose from, each with a different vibe. We went to see the tango show at El Querandi, which is perfect if you want an all-round introduction to the tradition. The show walks through the history of tango in Buenos Aires in about 90 minutes, giving you a taster of the different styles and the stories behind them.
We made a night of it and booked the three course dinner option, which was well worth it. Read our full review of the El Querandi tango show to find out more.
There are other ways to see some tango dancing in Buenos Aires if you don’t have time for a ull show. Sometimes you will find tango performances staged for free in restaurants, in particular in tourist-filled spots like La Boca. Other eateries have ticketed shows. Café Tortoni often hosts tango shows in its basement – check its website for what’s coming up.
29. See the amazing percussion show of La Bomba de Tiempo
Want to begin your trip to Buenos Aires with a bang? If you want to throw yourself in at the deep end of Buenos Aires’ music and party scene, there’s no better way to start than with this explosive show of talent and energy.
La Bomba Del Tiempo (‘the time bomb’) is a 17-piece percussion group that fuses Argentine folk and samba with styles from Africa and Central America. Every Monday night, crowds pack out the Ciudad Cultural Konex centre to see their freestyle improvisational performance. The show starts at 8pm and lasts a couple of hours, but the fun doesn’t stop there; street parties usually continue well into the small hours.
The Konex centre is easy to reach from most of the city’s popular neighbourhoods. It’s close to the Carlos Gardel (yellow line) and Once (red line) underground stations. You can book tickets online or buy at the venue on the night, with doors opening at 7pm. There’s usually a bit of a queue; look out for street vendors selling empanadas outside to eat while you wait.
30. Discover Buenos Aires nightlife on a pub crawl
We have visited many cities in South America, but few have nightlife that can quite rival that of Buenos Aires. The city’s exuberant spirit really comes to life after dark.
If you’re not sure where to go for a night out, you could take an organised pub crawl. We often do this on our travels and we’ve tried a couple in Buenos Aires, which were both a lot of fun. It’s a fantastic way to meet other travellers while getting an expert inside introduction to the best bars and clubs in the city.
This pub crawl runs five nights a week, with a different meeting point and theme on each night.
31. Go for a night out in Palermo
We’ve already mentioned that the Palermo neighbourhood is where you will find the liveliest nightlife in Buenos Aires. Wherever we stay in the city, we usually find that we end up here by the end of a night out.
As well as the cool craft beer pubs and wine bars dotted among the restaurants, there are also great places to enjoy a cocktail around Palermo. We’ve had a couple of fun nights in Rey de Copas, a cocktail and wine bar set in an old “casa chorizo” family house, recommended to us by the staff at Fogón Asado.
Day trips from Buenos Aires
32. Cruise on the Tigre Delta
The Tigre Delta is the world’s third-largest river delta, and it sits just 25 kilometres or so outside downtown Buenos Aires. Its subtropical environment is like a completely different world from the high-rises and busy streets, which we discovered when we took a Tigre Delta boat tour.
It’s possible, but complicated, to reach the Tigre Delta via public transport, and so we enjoyed taking an organised day trip to remove the hassle and learn about the environment and history from an expert. Most tours, including the one we took, also include plenty of time to explore the resort town of Tigre, with its markets and fun fairs.
Read our Tigre Delta boat tour review for more about our experience and other ways to visit Tigre.
33. Take a ferry across the river to Uruguay
Perched on the mouth of River Plate, a 75-minute ferry ride separates Buenos Aires from the nearest port in neighbouring country Uruguay. This short hop makes it easy to take a day trip from Buenos Aires to Colonia Del Sacramento, a picturesque port town on the Uruguay side of the river.
Colonia is a Unesco World Heritage Site, distinguished by Portuguese colonial architecture, cafés and craft markets, rows of sycamore trees and riverside views. For us, one of the highlights was witnessing the local tradition of applauding the sunset disappearing below the horizon across the river.
Several crossings are made every day by the three ferry services, Buquebus, Colonia Express and SeaCat. It’s best to arrive an hour before your departure to allow plenty of time to get through customs.
Coolest things to do in Buenos Aires: map of attractions
You can click on map below to browse the locations of the various sites, eateries and activities compiled in this article:
Are you planning a short trip to Argentina’s capital? See our perfect itinerary for 3 days in Buenos Aires for ideas.
Have you spent time in the city already? Let us know about your experience in the comments below, and share your own ideas for the best things to do in Buenos Aires.
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