At the corner of Suipacha and Corrientes, the bass line of a tango drifts out of a doorway and onto the pavement, and someone is always practising steps under the streetlights. Buenos Aires rewards the traveller who slows down and lets the city set the pace.
This guide suits anyone with a few days to fill and a taste for street life, dance, football and long walks. It covers the sights and experiences the sources describe, with practical notes on when to go and what to pair with what.
Everything below sticks to places named in the source material. Where a district is the real draw, the guide says so rather than sending you to a specific address that cannot be vouched for.
Top things to do in Buenos Aires
1. Tango in the milongas
A milonga is both a place where tango is danced and a style of the dance itself. This is where tango is best experienced, rather than in La Boca or on Calle Florida. Locals inside are often willing to show you how to dance.
Matinée milongas start in the early afternoon and run until around 20:00–22:00, which suits visitors who would rather not stay out until 05:00. Night milongas start around 23:00 but do not fill up until about 01:30, and may run until 05:00 or 06:00. Milongas to note include Salon Canning, El Beso and Porteño y Bailarin. A free distribution guide called TangoMap Guide lists milongas day by day with times and locations, plus tango teachers and shops.
2. Confitería Ideal
Suipacha 384, just off Corrientes and near Calle Florida, is named in the sources as a good place to watch authentic tango. Pair it with an evening on Corrientes, and remember the sources' point that tango is best experienced in the milongas rather than here.
3. San Telmo on a Sunday
San Telmo is best visited on Sundays, when tourists and locals alike flood in for the weekly street fair and flea market. Be watchful for good deals, and bring your own water, as it is quite expensive here.
On Sunday nights there is a tango performance in the lovely plaza, which the sources describe as specifically for tourists. For the most amateur experience, visit an underground tango club instead — if there is advertising, or a disco ball, it is not an amateur night.
4. Palermo Viejo
This is a trendy neighbourhood with charming cobblestone streets, bookstores, bars and boutiques. The sources rate it as definitely better than the touristy San Telmo area for a nighttime excursion.
The Palermo station, on the D line, is the closest metro stop. Combine a wander here with the parkland described below, since both sit in the northern part of the city.
5. A promenade in Palermo
Palermo is the place for walking in green open spaces. You will find open spaces to walk in, a large lake where you can rent paddle boats, and a huge flower garden that is free to enter.
The Japanese and botanical gardens and their surroundings are very nice but also very noisy, as several major roads traverse the area. For a quiet, shady walk or jog, head to the golf course north of the railway tracks.
6. Caminito in La Boca
La Boca has the Caminito pedestrian street with arts and crafts. The area is famous for tango, and you can often catch glimpses of dancers practising in the streets; if you fancy a picture with a tango dancer, expect to pay a small fee.
La Boca is probably best enjoyed during the day, when the streets are crowded and there are other tourists around, and it is generally advised to be avoided at night. Prices for almost everything here tend to be two to three times higher than in the rest of the city. There is no Subte to La Boca, but many buses go there.
7. La Bombonera Stadium
In addition to tango, La Boca is famous for its football, and you can take a tour of the La Bombonera Stadium, where the buildings are painted in bright colours. Pair it with the Caminito walk on the same daytime visit.
8. A river cruise from La Boca
From La Boca you can take a river cruise and see a huge picturesque metal structure across the river. You can try to catch a rowboat to Avellaneda on the other side of the water, but you will have to try your luck, as the rower may not allow you on, citing that it is dangerous.
9. El Puerto de Buenos Aires
This is another great place to walk along and experience Argentine street life. Its personality is quite contrasting during the day and during the night, so it is worth choosing your hour deliberately.
10. Cementerio de la Recoleta
This is where the rich families of Buenos Aires have their final resting places, and you should expect big ornate tombs. Be sure to visit the tomb of Eva Perón, the daughter of an aristocrat and beloved First Lady who, despite having the most visited tomb in the cemetery, is considered by many to be too close toward the people for eternal interment in Recoleta.
11. Remembrance park (Parque de la memoria)
This public space sits in front of the Río de la Plata estuary at the northern end of the Belgrano section of Buenos Aires. It is a memorial to the victims of the 1976–83 military regime during the Dirty War.
Pack some sandwiches and perhaps something stronger to relax on the hillside and watch the planes landing overhead at the airport nearby, contemplating things after learning more about this tragic yet important part of Argentina's history.
12. A football match
Buenos Aires is the home town of Boca Juniors, which resides in Boca, and River Plate, in Núñez. A game between the two is called the "Superclásico", by far the hottest ticket in the city, and it is often necessary to buy tickets well in advance.
Tourists are often advised to go with large, organised groups with bilingual guides, in particular to a Boca Juniors game. If you want to see a match on your own, the best choice is to see River Plate. Go with a friend or someone local you trust who knows the area, supports the local side and is familiar with how match day operates.
13. A tango lesson
You can start learning tango through group lessons offered at many studios. One popular school is at the Centro Cultural Borges, on the very top floor; it can be hard to find, as there are stairs to go up and a museum to pass through, so ask the security officer where the "Escuela de Tango" is. In summer the rooms can get very hot.
The Centro is within the Galerias Pacifico, the American-style mall near Calle Florida on San Martin. The quickest way to learn, even without a partner, is with private lessons. If you want the authentic style danced socially in the milongas, look up milongueros who teach tango.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start in La Boca while the streets are crowded and other visitors are around. Walk the Caminito pedestrian street for arts and crafts, then take the tour of La Bombonera Stadium. If time allows, add the river cruise from La Boca before moving on.
Afternoon: Head north to Palermo for a promenade — open spaces, the lake with paddle boats and the free flower garden. If you want quiet rather than crowds, take the shady walk or jog by the golf course north of the railway tracks. Continue to Palermo Viejo for its cobblestone streets, bookstores, bars and boutiques.
Evening: Go to a milonga for tango. Choose a matinée milonga if you want an early finish, or a night milonga if you are happy to arrive around 23:00 and stay late. Check the TangoMap Guide for what is on that day. If you would rather watch than dance, Confitería Ideal on Suipacha is the alternative named in the sources.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit San Telmo?
Sundays, when tourists and locals alike flood in for the weekly street fair and flea market. Bring your own water, as it is quite expensive there, and note the Sunday-night tango performance in the plaza, which is aimed at tourists.
Is La Boca safe at night?
The sources advise that La Boca is best enjoyed during the day, when the streets are crowded and there are other tourists around, and that it is generally advised to be avoided at night.
How do I see a football match without going on my own?
Tourists are often advised to go with large, organised groups with bilingual guides, in particular to a Boca Juniors game. If you want to see a match on your own, the best choice is River Plate, and you should go with a friend or someone local you trust.
Where should I go for authentic tango?
The milongas, rather than La Boca or Calle Florida. Matinée milongas run from the early afternoon until around 20:00–22:00, while night milongas start around 23:00 and fill up around 01:30. Salon Canning, El Beso and Porteño y Bailarin are named in the sources.
Pick your dates, decide whether you are dancing or watching, and start building the trip around a Sunday in San Telmo and an evening in a milonga.