Buenos Aires was the starting point for my South American trip with my flight landing on Thursday 14th February in the morning. I’d given myself a week in Argentina’s capital to get settled before flying south to Ushuaia. Read on to see how I spent my week in Buenos Aires. Hopefully it’ll come in handy for anyone planning a trip to BA.
Hop on and Hop off bus
I started off my week in BA with a ride on the hop on hop off tourist bus. Usually I’m not one for city tour buses and much prefer walking tours as a way to get my bearings. However since the city is so huge, Buenos Aires became the exception and I had my first hop on hop off bus experience. It was a great introduction to the layout of Buenos Aires and I really enjoyed it.
The bus takes 3hrs20 to do the full route around the city. Obviously factor in more time if you’re planning to hop on and off frequently! Buses run every 20/30mins from 9am to 5pm and tickets currently cost ARG$990 (£20 approx) for a 24hr period. You can buy tickets online from the company’s website or in person on the bus (cash is only accepted). You can visit their website for more information.
The Obelisk and the BA sign
The obelisk is one of Buenos Aires’ most famous monuments and located on the busy Avenida 9 de Julio. In front of the obelisk you’ll find the BA sign (normally with a queue of people waiting to have their photo taken). I hopped off the bus here for a quick stop and my first photo of Buenos Aires.
San Telmo on a Sunday
San Telmo is Buenos Aires’ oldest neighbourhood and definitely worth a visit. If you can, try and head to San Telmo on a Sunday when its weekly market is in full swing.
The market stretches from Plaza de Mayo down Calle Defensa to Plaza Dorrego. At Plaza Dorrego there is the antiques section of the market as well as a group of performers dancing tango.
Before going I had no idea of the market’s sheer size. I was definitely thinking along the lines of an average sized market. In fact, it was only when we arrived and started wandering that I realised the stalls went on for blocks and blocks and blocks!
To get to San Telmo market you can either take the Subte to Catedral and start at Plaza de Mayo or take the Subte to San Juan and walk to Plaza Dorrego.
La Boca and El Caminito
A visit to La Boca and the colourful street of El Caminito is a classic tourist stop when in Buenos Aires. I’d heard many things saying La Boca isn’t the safest place and to not stray off the tourist trail. I did heed this advice.
I went on my first day with the hop on and off tourist bus and stayed only for around half an hour walking the main street a few times. For me it was too touristy, and I felt half an hour was plenty of time to spend there.
Tango
Tango and Buenos Aires go hand in hand. Being a ballroom dancer, I was really looking forward to experiencing tango in Argentina. There are multiple tango dinner shows to attend throughout the city as well as lots of performers dancing show tango in the plazas.
If you’re after a more authentic experience and would like the chance to join in, I would recommend going to a milonga, a social tango event held in bars, restaurants and sometimes outdoors. Milongas are where you’ll find the locals dancing. Classes often run before the social dancing starts and are a great way to pick up a few basic steps and get a taste for the dance.
I really enjoyed the classes I went to despite it being slightly nerve wracking as the only English person there. Hoy Milonga is a really useful website to find tango events in the city. I used it to find all my classes.
Recoleta Cemetery
Recoleta Cemetery is a must visit when in Buenos Aires. The city’s most famous graveyard is the final resting place for Argentina’s most notable figures.
I chose to independently explore the cemetery. If you’d like more information there are free tours in English that start at 11am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The cemetery is open daily from 8am to 6pm and entrance is free.
Wander around Palermo
Palermo is another one of Buenos Aires’ neighbourhoods. It is full of trendy cafes, boutique shops and restaurants. When heading to Buenos Aires a lot of people will recommend Palermo as the place to stay.
I explored Palermo for a few hours and really enjoyed looking for street art. After wandering confusedly around the same block several times, I finally found the street art for Frida Kahlo which was really cool.
The second piece of street art I couldn’t find at all even though I was positive I was in the right place. I showed a waitress a picture of the street art I was looking for and her response was simply it’s changed. The original piece had been painted over and updated! As updates go, it was a fab one!
Don Julio Restaurant – the place to go for steak
Have you even been to Buenos Aires, or Argentina, if you haven’t had steak?! Having a steak in BA was high on my list of things to do and the Don Julio restaurant in Palermo is the place to have it.
Being the ‘it’ restaurant for steak, be prepared to queue especially for dinner. There is the option to book a table online. I tried with no success and quickly got the impression that booking online is best done at least a week in advance.
For those like me, who haven’t planned that far ahead, your best bet is to turn up and add your name to the waiting list. The restaurant opens for dinner at 7pm so try and get there for 6.45 if you’d like to be near the top of the waitlist.
I arrived with a friend at 9.30pm and was told there was a 1hr50 wait for a table. With that for a wait time I would normally head somewhere else. However, this was Don Julio after all so we decided to give it a shot. I’m super glad we did! It was an experience like no other – especially the queuing. Free glasses of champagne and empanadas were handed out as we waited! What a way to queue!
After a few glasses of bubbly and slightly earlier than anticipated we were seated. We ordered a bife de lomo to share with a side of chips and peppers. It was delicious!
If you don’t fancy queuing, your best chance at walking in is at lunchtime (opening hours are 12pm-4pm).
Go to Tigre for the day
Tigre is a town 30km from the city and a great day trip for those looking to swap the hustle and bustle of city life for a more relaxed atmosphere. It is an hour train journey from Retiro station.
To get the most out of your visit to Tigre and a feel for the place, I’d recommend doing an hour boat tour of the Parana river delta. Our boat tour took us down the waterways where we passed lots of cabins and houses on stilts. I could easily see Tigre as that weekend getaway for Argentineans looking to relax and enjoy the sunshine.
Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
As the oldest public square in Buenos Aires, Plaza de Mayo has been the stage for many of the city’s most important events from political demonstrations to national celebrations.
Casa Rosada overlooks the plaza and is the office for the President of Argentina. I went to the plaza on my first day. Casa Rosada tours are available for those interested in exploring the interior.
Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve
The Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve is one of the greenest open spaces in BA and a great refuge from the city’s busy streets and life. There are several trails for walking and cycling.
I went to the reserve in the afternoon (I’d spent the morning exploring the San Telmo market) and it was lovely to spend an hour relaxing in the shade and watching the locals picnic with friends and family.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid
The Grand Splendid is known as one of the most beautiful book shops in the world. The building was originally a theatre which was renovated and converted into what it is today. It’s well worth a quick visit to the upper floors to see the interior of the store in all its glory.
There is a small story behind my visit to the El Ateneo Grand Splendid book shop. I searched El Ateneo on MapsMe and headed to the location shown which involved a 30 min ride on the metro.
I had an odd feeling coming up the escalators from the metro that the location was quite out the way for such a renowned book store. This feeling was quickly confirmed when I found myself standing in front of a very average book shop. It turns out that El Ateneo is a chain of book stores! So, make sure to search for the El Ateneo Grand Splendid to end up at the right shop!
The Giant Metal Flower
Located in the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas, the Floralis Genérica is a giant flower sculpture made from steel and aluminium. It is designed to behave like a real flower, opening during the day and closing at night.
It is near the Recoleta area, so you could tick two sights off your list by combining a visit to the flower and cemetery in the same morning or afternoon.
Japanese Gardens
The Japanese Gardens are located near the Palermo area. I spent an hour relaxing in them one afternoon. Although they were pretty and there was a peaceful atmosphere, I wouldn’t say they are a must see for Buenos Aires. That said, if like me and you have the time, then it’s a place to spend some time. Entrance costs ARG$150 (approx £3).
How to get to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires has two airports: Ezeiza (EZE) and Jorge Newbery (AEP). Which one you fly in or out of will depend on whether your flight is domestic or international. Domestic flights fly from Jorge Newbery and International ones from Ezeiza.
Ezeiza Airport
I flew into Ezeiza airport from London. As a non Argentinean national, the queue for passports took a while – at least 45 minutes. That said collecting bags was then a quick and no fuss process as my rucksack had loads of time to do multiple loops of the belt.
From Ezeiza there are several options to get into the city:
Private transfers
They don’t really need an explanation. Look for a sign with your name in arrivals
Taxi
Taxi costs always depend. They’re more direct and quicker than buses. If you’re looking to save money, try and share one with a couple of others.
Local bus
This is the cheapest option and longest option. From my time in BA, I’ve found the buses to not be the easiest to navigate. Knowing where to get off can be tricky. If you’ve just arrived, opting for the bus might present more of a challenge than you’re after.
Tienda Leon shuttle
This is the option I went for! It was very straightforward and reasonably priced. After walking through nothing to declare at customer you’ll exit into the arrivals lobby. To the right you’ll see the orange Tienda Leon office. I bought my ticket for ARG$370 (approx £7) and hopped on one straight away.
They run every half an hour to Terminal Madero in the centre and the journey takes 40 minutes. From there you can get a taxi to your accommodation or walk if you’re crazy like me! I walked for about an hour to get to my hostel in Recoleta so maybe a taxi is the better option!
Jorge Newbery Airport
Being the closer of the two airports, AEP is much easier to get to. How long it takes depends on where you’re in staying in BA.
Taxi
I was staying in the Recoleta area and a taxi was estimated to take 15/20 minutes. Cost wise I didn’t get an approx price – sorry!
Bus
I actually chose to get the bus because I was being cheap. The bus to the airport from the Recoleta area is number 37 and branch 4. Bus timetables don’t really exist in BA. I was waiting at the stop for a while and almost gave up and got a taxi. Thankfully a bus finally showed but it was definitely a wait! The journey was around 25 minutes and got me to the airport just over 2 hours before my flight. I had time to spare!
The stressful bit was not knowing when the right bus would arrive. Lots of 37 buses came and went but none of them were branch 4. If you do take the bus, do give yourself plenty of leeway so you’re not stressed about missing your flight.
Tienda Leon shuttle
You can go to Retiro bus station for a Tienda Leon shuttle. The journey takes half an hour and costs ARG$160 (approx £3). The shuttle bus does have departure times so do check the timetable for the time that works best for you.
That’s it…
So that’s what I got up to in a week in Buenos Aires. It’s an interesting and huge city for sure with lots and lots to do. Since I had a week, I was able to set a more relaxed pace.
If you have less time, you can definitely do and see most of the things on this list. My advice would be to group the things you’d like to see and do by neighbourhood so you can be more time efficient.
I have enjoyed my time in Buenos Aires. It’s been a good place to find my feet and it’s been nice not rushing around trying to fit everything in. Next stop…Ushuaia!!
