BUENOS AIRES TRAVEL GUIDE 2025 - Intro

Just back from my first visit, I’m wondering while writing this why Buenos Aires doesn’t feature on more 'Top 5 cities of the world' lists. It’s friendly, pretty and eminently walkable which is rare. We spent four nights in the capital which felt just about enough but if you're on a wider Argentinian experience, you should be able to squeeze in a good dose of it in three days. Or, do a mega long walk from morning til night which is how I've structured this guide.

But let's start with the basics.

ARRIVING

We were admittedly a bit worried about how to change money and get from the airport to the hotel etc. but needlessly so. Just book an Uber using the airport's free Wi-Fi (public transport and normal taxis available too) and then ask your hotel for closest / best place to change money. Bring new $100 bills with no marks. There's no rush as most places accept credit cards so you only need $ARS for tips and on excursions in the countryside.

For mobile phones, one of us had free roaming through O2 and the other simply bought a Claro SIM card (USD 17) in one of the many small shops selling them which worked a treat.

WHERE TO STAY

Recommending what part of the city to stay in is tricky as there are quite a few nice areas. However, it doesn't actually matter because wherever you stay in the following areas, it will be easy to walk to the others or jump in a cab.

The most popular areas are Palermo (restaurant and bar packed), Micro centro (close to main attractions and shows but more of a CBD feel), Retiro/Recoleta (a bit of both) and finally San Telmo (close to Boca and has great markets).

Start your day south east in Boca which you will have seen images of, showing the multicoloured buildings of the Caminito street. Have the cab drop you off in the port where the street starts and then stroll around the area for a couple of hours before heading north past the Bombonera stadium of Boca Juniors and Maradona fame.

This working class area reminiscent of how the first immigrants lived (since transformed by the artist Quinquela Martín) is still quaint but has become less rough and quite touristy. Having said that, there's a reason my guide starts here as opposed to finishing (after dark). Also, tourist buses start arriving at around 11AM making it crowded.

There are two museums if you want to find out more, Museo Quinquela Martín and the Museo de la Pasíon Boquense for football fans. Fan of historic bars? Try Bar Roma on 409 Olavarría st.

(Click on image to enlarge)

From La Bombonera to Museo Histórico Nacional (pictured above) in Parque Lezama, it's a 20 min walk, see map above. The museum is housed in a beautiful mansion and holds numerous artefacts from Argentina's history. Free admission.

Stop off for a quick beer or coffee at the Bar Britanico, named after soldiers frequenting it during WWII. Don't fill up too much though because only 10 mins walk away is Mercado San Telmo with tons of streetfood stalls to choose from in an amazing building from 1897 (restored 2022). Maybe have your first Choripán?

Next door you will find the square Plaza Dorrego with its stalls and tango dancers, a San Telmo hub.

Next to the Obelisco (a good landmark to navigate by) you’ll find tons of shows and theatres, including the impressive Teatro Colón. We stayed here for part of our stay and although we thought the first day’s late arrival would mean a write-off, within five minutes we had cold beers with a street tango show at El bar de Julio (Av Presidente) and amazing lomo steaks at La Hacienda (on Lavalle, pictured above). A cracking start.

Carrying on north via the superwide Avenida 9 de Julio from the Obelisco, you will reach the Retiro district in around 20 mins by foot, Paraguay street being worth a detour en route (and Bar San Moritz if you get thirsty). Heading up the 60m steps of Torre Monumental will get you great views and photos of Retiro, and there’s a nice park surrounding it. Otherwise this is, albeit elegant, a more residential area, built when the wealthy fled north to escape the cholera.

THE ITALIAN INFLUENCE

British, Spanish, Armenian you name it, the residents of Buenos Aires (or Porteños as they call themselves, the port having played such a big part historically) come from all over the world. As you spend a few days here though you’ll invariably raise an eyebrow to seeing them drink birra (instead of cerveza), gorging on pizza, pasta and Milanesa, to then finish it all off with a gelato and leaving with a loud ciao. It stems from a massive wave of Italian immigration between 1860 and 1940. Today around 60% (!) of Argentines claim Italian heritage influencing the culture, cuisine and language, making it a defining aspect of the city’s identity.

I’m not saying I’ve saved the best for last but there’s definitely a reason I’m finishing this mega walk with the evening in smart Palermo. Once you’ve finished your cocktails in Recoleta, it’s a 15min cab to the heart of Palermo Soho and its 100s of restaurants and bars. Start at Plaza Serrano and just go in any direction for a good time. The architecture is quaint, no high rises. Shops are high end yet there is a very laid back vibe all through out the area. If you’re out late, as you should be in Buenos Aires, and go down Calle Thames or Guatemala, don’t miss out on a drink at “Tres Monos” (pictured). Tiny but vibrant and fantastic cocktails has got it on to the top 50 bars in the world. You could also book many of the guided foodie walking tours, normally giving you a taster of 3-4 places and an informative way of finding your bearings (around USD 90 pp).

Now, next morning, do pour yourself a revitalising cup of Mate because, only 10-15 mins walk away you have the “Ecoparque”, a beautiful park and (rescued) animals park with Maras walking free amongst you. Then head on to “Parque 3 Febrero” where Porteños spend their lazy Sundays with a picnic or renting a pedalo to float around the lake next to the famous rose garden. On the way back to Palermo Soho you can stop by the Japanese garden “Jardín Japonés” via lunch or a coffee at the delightful Selena Café. The Japanese garden is one of the few places in BA that charges an entrance fee, most all others including the Ecoparque are free.

CHORIPÁN, A MEAT CONUNDRUM & MATE TEA

For a simpler lunch, Choripán is a type of asado sandwich with grilled chorizo, but not as fierce as the Spanish version. You’ll find them almost as prevalent as empanadas. If you’re a meat lover then a parilla grill restaurant for dinner at least one night is a must. Now, we should all eat less meat I’m sure you agree so in our case we try to do it less often but make it count when we do. But here’s the rub. One evening we splashed out and booked Don Julio (pictured), one of the best grill restaurants in the world. The food and service was excellent but, the minimum steak order was 500g which most people will not cope with so there’s a lot of waste which is a shame. Argentinians often order their steaks medium to well done but restaurants in BA seem to think that if Europeans say medium they want medium rare or rare. So, top tip, share a steak between two and describe the colour you want it cooked to. “La Estancia” asador in Microcentro for two with wine: USD 70, “Don Julio” in Palermo: USD 240.

Walking around you will see people carrying funny bowls with a straw coming out of them. These are Mate bowls, used to drink the strong smoky green tea that’s often shared and, is my theory as to how the Porteños are able to stay up so late yet bounce back the next day. You can also buy sachets of it in supermarkets to bring home.