Things To Do In The Barrios Of Buenos Aires, Argentina

1. La Boca: art, tango, and football

1/2 Caminito Farolito

2/2 El Caminito de La Boca - Buenos-Aires

Located in the southeastern par of the city, the barrio La Boca is a place to spend an entire day. It’s a popular spot to visit due to attractions like the pedestrian street El Caminito. Have a long walk through artistic street exhibitions, street markets with lots of antiques, and tango dancers at every corner.

Another interesting tour you can do if you plan it a little in advance is visiting the football stadium La Bombonera, owned by one of the most important football clubs of Argentina, Boca Juniors. If you can, catch a game, a concert, or another event so you can go inside La Bombonera. This stadium is recognised as one of the most emblematic stadiums in the world, and has been declared a public interest by the Government of Buenos Aires autonomous city.

Another attraction in La Boca is the art museum PROA Fundation. This organisation has the mission to promote the artistic movements of the XX and XXIst centuries, with exhibitions of various disciplines such as photography, cinema, design, and music. Check the their exhibitions online and something will probably catch your attention.

Fundación Proa

Address: 1929 Pedro de Mendoza AV., La Boca, Caminito [C1169AAD], Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: Fundación Proa

Stadium La Bombonera

Address: Brandsen 805, 1161 CABA, Argentina

Website: La Bombonera

2. Puerto Madero: the river, the docks, and the green

1/2 Puente de la Mujer - Puerto Madero

2/2 Fuente de las Nereidas

This is a historic barrio of Buenos Aires, covering a big portion of the Rio de la Plata riverbank. You can start by strolling around the docks where you’ll see some architectural landmarks such as the Font of the Nereids, built in 1903 by the celebrated Argentinian sculptor Lola Mora, or the modern Women’s Bridge.

Also visit the green spaces of Puerto Madero, like Micaela Bastidas Park, with different sections connected by steps and pathways. Get lost here, but don’t take it for granted, as it’s a big park. Another outdoor option includes the ecological reserve, Costanera Sur. This place has the mission to preserve the riverside nature and it’s one of the biggest green spots you’ll find in the city. It also is free to enter.

Micaela Bastidas Park

Address: Julieta Lanteri st., Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: Micaela Bastidas Park

Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve

Address: Achaval Rodriguez, T., DR. AV. 1550, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve

3. San Telmo: antiques, asado, and more tango

1/2 2011.10.16.123350 Flea market Defensa San Telmo Buenos Aires

2/2 San Telmo Market, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This barrio becomes alive on Sundays with the Street Market all through Defensa St. and the Plaza Dorrego. You can find antiques, crafts, and lots of regional products to purchase as souvenirs.

If you are looking for a good tango performance, you can also find it here. There are open Milongas in the streets and if you want to see the real deal, you can go to the Viejo Almacen dinner show, where you’ll be delighted by the quality of the food, dancers, and musicians.

And to guide your food tour of San Telmo, you can choose among the barbecue restaurants that are amazing in San Telmo. This is the barrio to get in touch with Argentinian culture to the extreme.

El Viejo Almacen

Address: Balcarce 799 and Independencia, San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: El Viejo Almacen

Restaurant Desnivel

Address: Defensa 855, C1102, San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Facebook: Restaurant Desnivel

La Brigada Parrilla

Address: Estados Unidos 465, San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Facebook: La Brigada Parrilla

4. Monserrat, San Nicolas, and Retiro: the city center

1/2 PLAZA DE MAYO A

2/2 Plaza de Mayo EZ

Geographically, you couldn’t say it’s the center, but it is commonly known as the city center because it’s the commercial spot of the city. The Government House, the main train and bus station, and most of the big office buildings are located in this neighborhood. You can tell just by the amount of people going by every day. It’s crazy! During peak hours, it get’s impossible to walk without getting pushed by someone running to get to work.

Still, some sites are worth a visit. For example, the Government Pink House, located on the emblematic Plaza de Mayo, is surrounded by historic buildings such as the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo. You can book a guided tour, or do a free walking tour of this area, which is a great idea because you’ll get to learn about the events that took place on this site all through the history of Argentina.

Casa Rosada

Address: Balcarce 50, 1064 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: Casa Rosada

Plaza de Mayo

Address: Av. Hipólito Yrigoyen s/n, 1087 CABA, Argentina

Website: Plaza de Mayo

Plaza San Martín

Address: Santa Fe AV. and Maipu AV., Retiro, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: Plaza San Martín

5. Recoleta: the French, the rich, and the dead

1/2 Recoleta-tower-TM

2/2 Plaza Intendente Alvear4

The barrio of Recoleta is known as the richest district of Buenos Aires. It’s wonderful to walk around and discover the French heritage in the architecture. One of the most popular tourist spots here is the Plaza Francia. On the weekends, you can enjoy a very big crafts market and live music shows.

This barrio is also where the Recoleta Cemetery is located. You can have a guided tour or take a walk on your own and visit the tombs of many important Argentinian figures, like Eva Peron, dearly known as Evita.

Here you will also find the Recoleta Cultural Center with different modern exhibitions or the Bellas Artes Museum (Museum of Beautiful Arts). Another feature you can find in the more commercial area of Recoleta is the Ateneo bookstore, which used to be an old theater.

Plaza Francia

Address: 1400 Del Libertador AV., Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: Plaza Francia

Recoleta Cemetery

Address: Junín 1760, 1113, Recoleta, CABA, Argentina

Website: Recoleta Cemetery

Recoleta Cultural Center

Address: Junín 1930, C1113AAX, Recoleta, CABA, Argentina

Website: Recoleta Cultural Center

El Ateneo

Address: 1860 Santa Fe AV., Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: El Ateneo

6. Palermo: the largest of them all

1/2 Planetario Galileo Galilei Palermo Argentina

2/2 The Lake, The Rose Garden, Palermo, Buenos Aires

There’s a lot to do in this barrio. It is one of the best barrios for tourists. Palermo can be subdivided into several contrasting and individual parts: Palermo Chico and Barrio Parque, Palermo Norte, Alto Palermo and Villa Freud, Palermo Nuevo and Palermo Zoológico, Las Cañitas, Palermo Viejo, Palermo Soho, and Palermo Hollywood.

One of the biggest attractions to visit Julio Cortazar Park, locally known as Plaza Serrano. This park is especially crowded on weekends, because it is full of street markets and open bars.

Another attribute of this barrio is that it has one of the biggest green areas of the city, the Palermo Woods. If you want to have a picnic or go for a run, this is the place to go. Here you can also visit the Planetarium Galileo Galilei. Another tour you can do is visit the Botanical Garden.

Palermo Woods

Address: Av. Infanta Isabel 410, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website: Palermo Woods

Galileo Galilei Planetarium

Address: Av. Sarmiento s/n, 1425 CABA, Argentina

Website: Galileo Galilei Planetarium

Plaza Julio Cortazar or Plaza Serrano

Address: Jorge Luis Borges y Honduras s/n, 1424 CABA, Argentina

Website: Plaza Julio Cortazar or Plaza Serrano

7. Balvanera, Almagro, Villa Crespo and Chacarita: experience Corrientes Ave.

1/2 Obelisco-desde Corrientes-TM

2/2 Buenos Aires - Avenida Corrientes - Abasto shopping

If you are up for a big walking challenge, this could be it. You can start at the Obelisk and go through all of Corrientes Ave. until you reach the Chacarita Cemetery. That’s about 9 km (14.5 mi) walk. Don’t worry! You can also make a use of the B-line subway that covers this area.

What will you find along the way? A lot. Some of the stops to consider are the Guerrin Pizza restaurant and the Abasto Shopping Mall. You’ll also find plenty of shops, markets, bars, bookstores, and get a real sense of the city.

Abasto Shopping Center

Address: Av. Corrientes 3247, 1193 CABA, Argentina

Website: Abasto Shopping Center

Güerrin Pizza

Address: Av. Corrientes 1368, C1043ABN CABA, Argentina

Website: Güerrin Pizza

Ready to pay a visit to Buenos Aires?

There’s a lot more to this city than what you can see in this guide, but still, it’s helpful to have an idea on where to start. If you want to see some of the most touristic and emblematic spots of Buenos Aires, visit these barrios and you won’t miss any of them. You might need a few weeks to see it all, or come back for round two. Whatever you prefer, you’ll find that in Buenos Aires, there’s always a new treasure to discover and something to do every day.