A Localโs Guide to the Best Things to Do in Buenos Aires
There are so many amazing things to do in Buenos Aires. The capital of Argentina is a city of mixtures, where architecture styles live next to each other, customs from different cultures blend, and people's roots are literally from all over the world.
Buenos Aires is the most populated city in Argentina, with over 3 million people living in it. It has plenty to offer for every life style and taste. There are many parks and outdoor gyms for the healthy ones, stylish restaurants for the foodies, and a never ending nightlife for those who like to party.
Here you will find everything you need to know before arriving to Buenos Aires.
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Where is Buenos Aires?
When we tell people that we travel back and forth from New York to Buenos Aires, they don't really understand just how far Buenos Aires is.
Argentina is the southern most country in the world, located just north of Antarctica! Buenos Aires is located along the coast in the middle of the country, and is the biggest hub in Argentina.

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, all the way in the south of South America.
How Can I Get to Buenos Aires?
Being that Buenos Aires is pretty far from even other cities in South America, the best way to get there is always to fly.
There are some cruise ships that stop in Buenos Aires, although there are less and less of them.
Where Do You Fly Into For Buenos Aires?
The biggest international airport is Ezeiza (EZE) which is about 45 minutes from the center of the city. There is also a small airport right in the center of Buenos Aires, but this is mostly for domestic flights, and some others coming from cities like Santiago, Chile, or Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
European cities that fly direct to Buenos Aires include Argentina, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome.
US cities that fly direct to Buenos Aires include Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and New York. Other cities around the Americas that fly direct to Buenos Aires include Asuncion, Bogota, Cancun, Cochabamba, Florianopolis, Joao Pessoa, Quito, Maceio, Mexico City, Montevideo, Lima, Panama City, Punta Cana, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, and Sao Paulo.
Flight Tip: Using Skyscanner you can use the calendar to see which are the cheapest dates to fly to Buenos Aires.
Search for a flight to Buenos Aires:
How to Get to Buenos Aires From Other Cities in Argentina
Being that Argentina is so huge, every airport in Argentina connects with Buenos Aires, and if you are coming from abroad and visiting another city in Argentina, chances are very high that you will have to connect in Buenos Aires.
Don't want to fly? You can take a bus to Buenos Aires from plenty of other cities around Argentina.
Entry Requirements for Argentina
Argentina is back open for travel! Here's what you need to know about entering.
Covid Entry Requirements for Buenos Aires, Argentina
In order to travel to Argentina you must show proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours. If you are traveling from another city in Argentina, then you either need to be fully vaccinated, or take a PCR test.
Buenos Aires is open to all travelers, with or without a vaccine.
Visa Entry Requirements for Buenos Aires, Argentina
Many countries can enter visa-free into Argentina for a period of up to 90 days. You can check the list of countries to see if you can enter visa-free.
Local Adjustments
Whenever traveling somewhere new, there are things that you may forget about, that may be different from where you are coming from. Here are a few of the local adjustments to put into consideration while traveling to Argentina.
Language Spoken in Buenos Aires
The official language of Argentina is Spanish. However, be prepared for a very different type of Spanish. Argentinians have a particular accent. The way they speak is kind of sing- songy like the way that Italians speak. They also pronounce the y sound as "sh" which can be particularly confusing for those that don't speak Spanish as a first language.
Learning a bit of Spanish will definitely help you get around. That being said, Buenos Aires is a big city, so there are plenty of people that also speak English.
Currency
Argentina is one of the most unique places in the world when it comes to currency conversion, and we're about the explain why.
Unfortunately, the economic situation in Argentina is not in great shape. There is an insanely high inflation rate, and the US dollar is in high demand. This is very sad for the citizens of Argentina, but is very beneficial for tourists, as everything is super cheap.
Not only that, but because the dollar is in such high demand, places incentivize you to spend cash over card, and things are 50% off when paid in dollars. Insane right? So you can put your credit card away and get ready to use those dollars.
What is the Best Currency to Use in Buenos Aires?
Make sure to bring a lot of USD in cash with you, and then you can exchange them on the streets at the blue dollar exchange rate (normally double of what the official rate is).
What Plugs are Used in Buenos Aires?
Argentina uses different plugs than the rest of South America. The associated plugs are types C and plug type l. Plug C is the one that has two round pins (like Europe) and plug type I has three flat pins in a triangular pattern which are curved outwards. The country of Argentina operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Is the Water in Buenos Aires Drinkable?
The tap water in Buenos Aires, and throughout Argentina is very pure, and perfectly great to drink from the tap. We suggest investing in a refillable water bottle to carry with you around the city.
Tipping Culture in Buenos Aires
It is customary to tip in Buenos Aires, but only in restaurants. While in the US we tend to tip drivers or services like salons, this is not the case in Argentina, and tips are usually only for dining experiences.
How Much Do You Tip Waiters in Buenos Aires?
The tipping culture throughout Argentina is 10% of the bill while in restaurants. Service is never included in the bill, so it is always great to have some cash to put on the table after your meal.
Places to Stay in Buenos Aires (by neighborhood)
It's hard to define the best possible location to stay, so we will narrow them down according to what we will recommend you to see to do. After that, we will give you a small list of places to stay away from, since certain areas can be dangerous.
The recommended choices are based on access to public transportation (especially subway), distance to touristic spots, and safety & security levels on a general basis.
Recoleta
It is a beautiful but expensive neighborhood. Recoleta is highly recommended for its proximity to the subway as well as a lot of places to visit, especially when it comes to going out at night.
Palermo
Palermo is the largest neighborhood in the city. It has many nice things to see during the day and even more things to do at night. This area is full of bars and night clubs. It also has a subway line going across it, making it well connected to the center. In our opinion, this is the best area to stay in the city when it comes to dining and safety.
Microcentro (City Center)
There are many hostels & nice hotels here. Pretty much all historical spots to visit are in this area, and it's also very accessible from here to any other area in the city (and even outside it).
You can do a lot within walking distance, and stroll through the daily chaos of a modern city during the working week.



The Microcenter is where the business and historical center of Buenos Aires.
Other Neighborhoods to Consider
Almagro, Villa Crespo & Caballito are other neighborhoods worth checking out. Situated on the outskirts of Palermo, they all have access to the subway network, and they are relatively close to many popular places in the city.
Places to Consider Not to Visit
As we mentioned before, Buenos Aires is a big city, and it has a lot to offer. However, like most large cities, there are certain areas that you should probably not visit, since they are not very safe.
The city is limited in the south by a contaminated river known as the "Riachuelo". The neighborhoods next to this river are the ones we suggest you to keep some distance from.
If you are not sure about a place you want to visit, or if you want advice, feel free to message us. Fede is originally from this city so he knows it very well. We will be happy to assist you with your travels!
Things to Do in Buenos Aires: What to See
As a big city, Buenos Aires has a lot of interesting places to visit; from parks to historical places. and from cultural centers to malls that used to be huge fruit & vegetable markets.
We will cover two main categories, historical and recreational, to make a little city map in order for you to organize your trip better.
Historical Places in Buenos Aires
These are the top spots to visit if you want to learn more about the history of the city.
Casa Rosada
The "pink house" is the executive mansion and office of the President of Argentina. It's located in the very city center, right next to Plaza de Mayo.

La Casa Rosada is the Argentinian version of "The White House".
Plaza de Mayo
Plaza de Mayo is Buenos Aires' main square. Around it you will find several historical buildings like Casa Rosada and Cabildo. The square is a lovely place to walk around and enjoy the old French style architecture.
Cabildo
In front of Casa Rosada, and across Plaza de Mayo, you will find the Cabildo. This building was once used as the public building in Buenos Aires. It was also as seat of the town council during the colonial era, and the government house of the Vice royalty of the Rรญo de la Plata. Today the building is used as a museum.
What's also interesting about this building is that they actually cut it in order to make space for Avenida de Mayo (one of Buenos Aires' most important Avenues). In the picture below you can see how it used to look like.
Congress
Just 10 blocks from the Casa Rosada (walking down Av. De Mayo) you can find one of today's most important buildings, the Congress. It's the legislative branch of the government of Argentina.
Kilometre Zero for all Argentinian National Highways is marked on a milestone at the Congressional Plaza, next to the building.

The Congress is one of the most beautiful buildings in Buenos Aires.
Diagonal Norte
Avenue Roque Saenz Peรฑa (a.k.a. Diagonal Norte) is a diagonal street that connects the Obelisk with Plaza de Mayo. It is 5 blocks long only, but it has an incredible amount of fascinating buildings, architecture wise.
What's interesting about Diagonal Norte is that the massive buildings have all the same height as the Obelisk.
Obelisk of Buenos Aires
The obelisk is a historical monument created to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the city. In that particular spot there was a church, that was demolished to create 9 de Julio Avenue, where the Argentinian flag was raised in the city for the very first time.

The Obelisk of Buenos Aires is one of the major icons of the capital.
9 de Julio Avenue
With its 140 meters (459 feet) of width, it's considered one of the widest streets in the world, as well as one of the busiest in the city. At night you can see all the advertising lights shining, creating a mini New York out of it.

Avenida 9 de Julio is one of the main streets to check out in Buenos Aires.

