Buenos Aires is a city of grand European-style avenues, sultry tango halls, and the perpetual aroma of grilling steak. The Argentine capital blends Parisian architecture with Latin American energy across 48 barrios. Here are the 15 best things to do, organized by category with practical details on locations, hours, and ticket prices.
Things to Do in Buenos Aires: Landmarks and Icons
Recoleta Cemetery
This above-ground cemetery in Recoleta is essentially a miniature city of ornate marble mausoleums spanning 14 acres. Over 6,400 statues and crypts fill the site, many crafted by European sculptors. The most visited tomb belongs to Eva Peron (Evita). Free entry. English-language guided tours run daily at 10 AM and 2 PM (tip-based, about US$10 per person). Allow 1-2 hours. The surrounding Recoleta neighborhood features the Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar (1732), the Recoleta Cultural Center, and the weekend artisan fair at Plaza Francia. Open daily 8 AM to 5:30 PM. Best visited weekday mornings to avoid crowds.
Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
Plaza de Mayo is Argentina’s political heart, flanked by the pink presidential palace (Casa Rosada), the Metropolitan Cathedral (where Pope Francis served as Archbishop), and the Cabildo (colonial town hall). The Madres de Plaza de Mayo still march here every Thursday at 3:30 PM, a human rights demonstration ongoing since 1977. Free weekend guided tours of Casa Rosada run Saturday and Sunday (reserve online at least a week in advance). The cathedral houses the mausoleum of General Jose de San Martin. Plaza de Mayo Station (Line A) is the closest subway.
Teatro Colon
One of the world’s great opera houses, opened in 1908 and renowned for near-perfect acoustics. Guided tours (US$18 for foreigners, book online at teatrocolon.org.ar) run daily in English and Spanish, taking you through the main hall, bust gallery, and golden salon. Tours last 50 minutes. Better yet, attend a performance: tickets start at about US$10 for upper-tier seats. The opera season runs March through December. Located at Cerrito 628, near Tribunales Station (Line D).
Things to Do in Buenos Aires: Tango and Culture
San Telmo Sunday Market
Every Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM, Calle Defensa in San Telmo transforms into a sprawling antique and artisan market stretching 13 blocks from Plaza de Mayo to Plaza Dorrego. Street tango dancers perform at Plaza Dorrego throughout the afternoon. Antique vendors sell everything from vintage seltzer bottles to 1940s tango sheet music. Free to browse. The surrounding San Telmo neighborhood has cobblestone streets and some of the city’s oldest bars. Eat at the Mercado de San Telmo (open daily, especially lively on Sundays) for empanadas and choripan. Arrive by 11 AM before crowds peak at 2-4 PM.
Tango Show and Milonga
Buenos Aires offers tango at every level from free street performances to US$150 dinner shows. For an authentic local experience, attend a milonga (tango dance event) rather than a staged show. La Catedral in Almagro (Sarmiento 4006) is a bohemian warehouse milonga with classes for beginners at 7 PM and dancing until 3 AM; entry costs about US$5. Salon Canning in Palermo (Scalabrini Ortiz 1331) hosts the city’s most traditional milonga. For a polished show, Cafe de los Angelitos (Rivadavia 2100) offers dinner and performance for US$80-120. Book tango shows 1-3 days in advance during high season.
Cafe Tortoni
Opened in 1858, Cafe Tortoni is Buenos Aires’ oldest and most famous cafe. The interior is a preserved Belle Epoque time capsule of stained glass, marble tables, and dark wood. Jorge Luis Borges, Carlos Gardel, and Albert Einstein were regulars. Go for a cafe con leche and medialunas (croissants) rather than a meal (the food is average and overpriced). Expect a line during peak hours (4-7 PM). Located at Avenida de Mayo 825. Open daily 8 AM to 1 AM. Subway: Piedras Station (Line A).
Things to Do in Buenos Aires: Food and Steak
Parrilla Experience (Argentine Steakhouse)
Eating at a parrilla (steakhouse) is non-negotiable. The classic experience: Don Julio in Palermo (Guatemala 4699), consistently ranked among Latin America’s best restaurants. A 500g ojo de bife (ribeye) costs about 18,000 ARS (US$18 at blue dollar rate), a bottle of Malbec about 8,000 ARS (US$8). Reservations essential, book weeks ahead. For a more local experience, try La Carniceria in Palermo (Thames 2317) or Parrilla Pena in Recoleta (Rodriguez Pena 682). A typical parrilla dinner for two with wine: 30,000-60,000 ARS (US$30-60 at parallel rate). Most parrillas offer grilled provoleta cheese and vegetable sides for non-meat eaters.
Mercado de San Telmo
This indoor market has operated since 1897. Inside the iron-framed building, find produce stalls, antique shops, and food counters serving empanadas (400 ARS each, about US$0.40), choripan (grilled chorizo sandwich, 2,500 ARS/US$2.50), and fresh-pressed juices. The most famous stall is El Hornero for empanadas baked in a clay oven. Open daily 9 AM to 8 PM. Defensa 961, San Telmo.
Things to Do in Buenos Aires: Colorful Neighborhoods
La Boca and Caminito
La Boca’s Caminito street museum is a 150-meter pedestrian strip of brightly painted corrugated metal houses, originally immigrant tenements (conventillos) painted with leftover ship paint. Street tango dancers perform for tips, and artists sell paintings. The PROA Foundation contemporary art museum (free, closed Tuesdays) overlooks the Riachuelo River. Go during daylight hours (10 AM to 5 PM) and stay on the main tourist streets. La Boca is a working-class neighborhood and areas beyond the tourist zone require caution after dark. Bus 29 from the city center or a 15-minute taxi from San Telmo. La Bombonera, Boca Juniors’ stadium, is a 10-minute walk; the museum (3,500 ARS/US$3.50) is open daily.
Palermo Parks and Rose Garden
The Parque Tres de Febrero (Bosques de Palermo) is Buenos Aires’ equivalent of Central Park, 400 hectares of lakes, rose gardens, and cycling paths. The Rosedal (Rose Garden) features 18,000 roses of 1,200 varieties and peaks in October. Paddle boat rentals on the lake cost about 3,000 ARS (US$3) per 30 minutes. The adjacent Japanese Garden (Jardin Japones, 1,500 ARS/US$1.50 entry) is one of the largest outside Japan. The Eco Park (free, formerly the city zoo) is nearby. Access via Plaza Italia Station (Line D). Best on weekends.
Puerto Madero Waterfront
Puerto Madero is Buenos Aires’ newest neighborhood, a redeveloped docklands district of converted red-brick warehouses now housing upscale steak restaurants and corporate offices. The Puente de la Mujer (Women’s Bridge) by Santiago Calatrava spans the dock. The 2km waterfront promenade is ideal for an evening stroll and dinner. Restaurants here are pricier than elsewhere (steaks 20,000-35,000 ARS/US$20-35). The Costanera Sur ecological reserve at the southern end offers 350 hectares of wetlands with free walking trails and bird watching (over 300 species). Open Tuesday to Sunday 8 AM to 6 PM.
Things to Do in Buenos Aires: Museums and Art
MALBA (Museum of Latin American Art)
MALBA houses the finest collection of modern Latin American art in Argentina, including Frida Kahlo’s “Self-Portrait with Monkey and Parrot” and works by Diego Rivera, Tarsila do Amaral, and Antonio Berni. Admission is 3,000 ARS (US$3) for foreigners. Open Thursday through Monday 12 PM to 8 PM, closed Tuesdays. Located at Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3415 in Palermo. Allow 2 hours.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Argentina’s national fine arts museum holds an impressive collection of European masters (Goya, Renoir, Van Gogh, Rodin) alongside Argentine artists (Xul Solar, Pettoruti). Free admission. Open Tuesday to Friday 11 AM to 8 PM, weekends 10 AM to 8 PM. Avenida del Libertador 1473 in Recoleta, across from the cemetery. Allow 2-3 hours.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid
Consistently named one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores, El Ateneo occupies a converted 1919 theater. The original stage curtains, balconies, and ceiling fresco remain intact, with bookshelves where the audience once sat. The stage now hosts a cafe. Free to browse. Open Monday to Thursday 9 AM to 10 PM, Friday-Saturday 9 AM to midnight, Sunday 12 PM to 10 PM. Avenida Santa Fe 1860, Recoleta. Subway: Callao Station (Line D).
For neighborhood details, see our Buenos Aires neighborhoods guide, and for events timing see our Buenos Aires events calendar.
