Things to See & Do
Museums
MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires)
Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3415, Palermo
For us, this is definitely the best museum in Buenos Aires. There is a constantly rotating series of exhibitions here, but they also have a great collection of contemporary art from Latin America, which we usually don’t get to see a lot of in New York, for instance. The building itself is also beautiful, and they have a great café where you can get a coffee or a cocktail.
Museo Evita
Lafinur 2988, Palermo
This small museum in Alto Palermo gives you a good overview of the life of Argentina’s favorite daughter. It’s a really good exhibition and doesn’t take much time, so we recommend it. After all, what trip to Buenos Aires is complete without paying tribute to Eva Perón?
Fundación Proa
Avenida Pedro de Mendoza 1929, La Boca
This contemporary art museum next door to El Caminito is a little hit-or-miss, depending on which exhibition they have on display. But the building itself is wonderful, and they have a great bar upstairs that looks out over the old harbor of La Boca. We have a cocktail event scheduled here on Tuesday, so if you want to come with a group, that would be the moment.
Colección de Arte Fortabat
Olga Cossettini 141, Puerto Madero
We haven’t been to this museum, but a lot of our friends recommend it. It’s actually just the private collection of a really rich Argentinean. The building is pretty stunning, and it features contemporary and classical artwork from all over the world. It’s also a nice location along the banks of the old port, where you can stroll along the sidewalks and visit the newly rejuvenated neighborhood of Puerto Madero.
Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3415, Palermo
For us, this is definitely the best museum in Buenos Aires. There is a constantly rotating series of exhibitions here, but they also have a great collection of contemporary art from Latin America, which we usually don’t get to see a lot of in New York, for instance. The building itself is also beautiful, and they have a great café where you can get a coffee or a cocktail.
Museo Evita
Lafinur 2988, Palermo
This small museum in Alto Palermo gives you a good overview of the life of Argentina’s favorite daughter. It’s a really good exhibition and doesn’t take much time, so we recommend it. After all, what trip to Buenos Aires is complete without paying tribute to Eva Perón?
Fundación Proa
Avenida Pedro de Mendoza 1929, La Boca
This contemporary art museum next door to El Caminito is a little hit-or-miss, depending on which exhibition they have on display. But the building itself is wonderful, and they have a great bar upstairs that looks out over the old harbor of La Boca. We have a cocktail event scheduled here on Tuesday, so if you want to come with a group, that would be the moment.
Colección de Arte Fortabat
Olga Cossettini 141, Puerto Madero
We haven’t been to this museum, but a lot of our friends recommend it. It’s actually just the private collection of a really rich Argentinean. The building is pretty stunning, and it features contemporary and classical artwork from all over the world. It’s also a nice location along the banks of the old port, where you can stroll along the sidewalks and visit the newly rejuvenated neighborhood of Puerto Madero.
Other Things to See and Do
Recoleta Cemetery
Recoleta
It’s not just a cemetery…it’s more like a city of the dead. Or at least a city of formerly wealthy, now dead porteños. All the tombs are above ground, and each one is like a mini-mansion, built in its own architectural style, all in an attempt to outshine the others. You’ll see tombs of famous former presidents and the founding fathers of Argentina, but the most famous spot here is the humble tomb of Evita Perón. She is buried with her family, under her maiden name, Duarte.
El Ateneo Bookstore
Avenida Santa Fe 1860, Recoleta
Buenos Aires has more independent bookstores per capita than anywhere else in the world, and they are all pretty wonderful. The most spectacular, however, has to be the Ateneo. It’s built in a former grand theater, so you’ll be browsing the bookshelves in the same places where the audience seats used to be. And if you are in the mood for a coffee, just go up on stage, where they have a full café.
Avenida Alvear
Recoleta
This street competes with the Avenida de Mayo as the most beautiful in Buenos Aires. Lined with embassies and grand hotels, it’s a great place to go for a stroll, especially if you’re visiting the Recoleta Cemetry, which is at the head of the street.
Floralis Generica
Recoleta
Just across Avenida Libertador, behind the Recoleta Cemetery, and next to the Museo de Bellas Artes, you’ll find this massive statue of a silver flower. It closes up at night time and re-opens each morning. A really beautiful sight to see if you’re in the neighborhood.
Avenida de Mayo
Microcentro
Stretching between Avenida 9 de Julio and the Plaza de Mayo, this is perhaps the most beautiful avenue in the city. This tree-lined street has some incredible architecture, not to mention a number of nice cafes. We especially recommend Café Tortoni (see below).
Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
Microcentro
The central square of Buenos Aires sits directly in front of the main seat of government, the Casa Rosada, or the Pink House (so-called for obvious reasons). The president doesn’t live here, but it is where he conducts all of his business. And it was from this balcony that Eva Peron gave the speech that would inspire the song “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” The square itself is also very important because it is the site of the weekly marches of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group of women whose children were disappeared by the military dictatorship that controlled this country from 1976-1983. The women began marching weekly in 1977 to demand the return of their children, and they still march every Thursday afternoon at 3 pm. The Mothers are much older now, and there are much fewer of them, but it is still an incredibly inspirational sight to behold.
Catedral Metropolitana
Microcentro
Also next to the Plaza de Mayo is the City Cathedral. It looks like a Greek temple or a bank from the outside, but the inside is totally different and quite beautiful. It also holds the tomb of General San Martín, one of the founders of Argentina.
El Cabildo
Microcentro
Also off the Plaza de Mayo, this distinctive white building was the seat of government during colonial times. It’s one of the only examples of colonial architecture that still exists in a city that was totally redesigned in the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. The Cabildo now houses a history museum that is open to the public.
Calle Florida
Microcentro
This pedestrian street stretches between the Plaza de Mayo (above) and Plaza San Martín (below), so if you’re in the neighborhood, take a stroll down. It’s a great street for shopping, but also to see some really interesting architecture. (When you look above street-level, that is; things can get a little grubby down below.) The fanciest place to shop in the city is along this street. It’s called Gallerias Pacífico. The merchandise here is pretty outrageously priced, but the building itself is worth a peek inside. Calle Florida also takes you right to the Plaza de Mayo, where you can see a lot of other sites like the Casa Rosada, the City Cathedral, and the Cabildo.
Plaza San Martín
Retiro
This is a beautiful square in a beautiful neighborhood. A nice place to walk around, admire the architecture, and find a café.
Teatro Colón
Cerrito 628, Microcentro
Perhaps the most splendid theater and opera house in Latin America. If you want to get dressed up and see a show, you can look for tickets at the box office. But they also offer tours of the beautiful space during the day.
Obelisco
Microcentro
A central landmark of Buenos Aires, the Obelisk stands at the center of Avenida de 9 de Julio, which has the distinction of being the widest street in the world (with almost 20 lanes of traffic). The white obelisk marks the 400 year anniversary of the founding of the city of Buenos Aires in 1636.
Feria de San Telmo
Defensa, San Telmo
Every Sunday morning vendors come to set up their stands along Calle Defensa (which begins at the Plaza de Mayo) in the historic neighborhood of San Telmo. You can easily spend a full day walking down the crowded street to look at the artisan crafts and the beautiful, if decrepit, architecture of San Telmo. There are also some great restaurants and cafés along the route, though you can just as easily enjoy a choripan or some other street food from one of the market vendors.
El Caminito
La Boca
Probably the most iconic street of Buenos Aires, the vibrantly colored houses that line El Caminito make it a must-see attraction for first time visitors to Buenos Aires. This street along the former port used to be a shanty village of immigrants. Now it is the top tourist attraction in the city. It’s not a good place to eat…the food is bad and they’ll rob you blind. But it’s a great place to get a coffee and watch some tango dancers perform. If you’re interested, we’ll be going here as a group on Tuesday afternoon.
***Note: Don’t wander too far off of El Caminito. While El Caminito itself is really safe—except for the occasional pickpocket—the neighborhood around it is not.
Puerto Madero and the Women’s Bridge
Puerto Madero
This neighborhood is the newly refurbished historic port of the city. It’s a really nice place for an afternoon or evening stroll, especially to see the beautiful Puente de las Mujeres, or Women’s Bridge. The area has some great restaurants, though they are all pretty expensive. It is also host to a couple nice museums (see above).
ESMA
Avenida de Libertador 8151, Nuñez
Argentina suffered its own genocide during the military dictatorship of 1976-1983, during which some 30,000 “political subversives” (i.e. leftists) were disappeared, tortured, and murdered. ESMA is the former navy training academy, but it was also the largest concentration and torture center during that period. Now it is an official site of memory that contains a number of sites, some of which are open to the public. The two worth mentioning here are the Haroldo Conti Cultural Center of Memory, where you can see performances and art exhibitions relating to the past. It has a nice bookstore and café. ESMA also houses the Museo Malvinas, a new and impressive (propaganda) museum about Argentina’s claim on Las Malvinas, or the Falkland Islands.
Parque de la Memoria
Avenida Costanera Rafael Obligado, Palermo
A beautiful memorial park to commemorate the 30,000 disappeared of the dictatorship. The park contains a sculpture garden with a number of impressive works, but the main focal point is the broken wall with the names of all the known disappeared persons of the dictatorship. An impressive and sobering place to visit.
Tierra Santa
Avenida Costanera Rafael Obligado 5790, Palermo
This is assuredly the most ridiculous way to spend an afternoon in Buenos Aires, but Tibi and I had a blast doing it. Tierra Santa (or Holy Land) is an amusement park based on the Bible. You get to see reenactments of the Nativity scene, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion. And every hour on the hour, a big mechanical Jesus rises again from the dead. Not a must-see, by any means. But if you’re in the mood…
Recoleta
It’s not just a cemetery…it’s more like a city of the dead. Or at least a city of formerly wealthy, now dead porteños. All the tombs are above ground, and each one is like a mini-mansion, built in its own architectural style, all in an attempt to outshine the others. You’ll see tombs of famous former presidents and the founding fathers of Argentina, but the most famous spot here is the humble tomb of Evita Perón. She is buried with her family, under her maiden name, Duarte.
El Ateneo Bookstore
Avenida Santa Fe 1860, Recoleta
Buenos Aires has more independent bookstores per capita than anywhere else in the world, and they are all pretty wonderful. The most spectacular, however, has to be the Ateneo. It’s built in a former grand theater, so you’ll be browsing the bookshelves in the same places where the audience seats used to be. And if you are in the mood for a coffee, just go up on stage, where they have a full café.
Avenida Alvear
Recoleta
This street competes with the Avenida de Mayo as the most beautiful in Buenos Aires. Lined with embassies and grand hotels, it’s a great place to go for a stroll, especially if you’re visiting the Recoleta Cemetry, which is at the head of the street.
Floralis Generica
Recoleta
Just across Avenida Libertador, behind the Recoleta Cemetery, and next to the Museo de Bellas Artes, you’ll find this massive statue of a silver flower. It closes up at night time and re-opens each morning. A really beautiful sight to see if you’re in the neighborhood.
Avenida de Mayo
Microcentro
Stretching between Avenida 9 de Julio and the Plaza de Mayo, this is perhaps the most beautiful avenue in the city. This tree-lined street has some incredible architecture, not to mention a number of nice cafes. We especially recommend Café Tortoni (see below).
Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
Microcentro
The central square of Buenos Aires sits directly in front of the main seat of government, the Casa Rosada, or the Pink House (so-called for obvious reasons). The president doesn’t live here, but it is where he conducts all of his business. And it was from this balcony that Eva Peron gave the speech that would inspire the song “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” The square itself is also very important because it is the site of the weekly marches of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group of women whose children were disappeared by the military dictatorship that controlled this country from 1976-1983. The women began marching weekly in 1977 to demand the return of their children, and they still march every Thursday afternoon at 3 pm. The Mothers are much older now, and there are much fewer of them, but it is still an incredibly inspirational sight to behold.
Catedral Metropolitana
Microcentro
Also next to the Plaza de Mayo is the City Cathedral. It looks like a Greek temple or a bank from the outside, but the inside is totally different and quite beautiful. It also holds the tomb of General San Martín, one of the founders of Argentina.
El Cabildo
Microcentro
Also off the Plaza de Mayo, this distinctive white building was the seat of government during colonial times. It’s one of the only examples of colonial architecture that still exists in a city that was totally redesigned in the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. The Cabildo now houses a history museum that is open to the public.
Calle Florida
Microcentro
This pedestrian street stretches between the Plaza de Mayo (above) and Plaza San Martín (below), so if you’re in the neighborhood, take a stroll down. It’s a great street for shopping, but also to see some really interesting architecture. (When you look above street-level, that is; things can get a little grubby down below.) The fanciest place to shop in the city is along this street. It’s called Gallerias Pacífico. The merchandise here is pretty outrageously priced, but the building itself is worth a peek inside. Calle Florida also takes you right to the Plaza de Mayo, where you can see a lot of other sites like the Casa Rosada, the City Cathedral, and the Cabildo.
Plaza San Martín
Retiro
This is a beautiful square in a beautiful neighborhood. A nice place to walk around, admire the architecture, and find a café.
Teatro Colón
Cerrito 628, Microcentro
Perhaps the most splendid theater and opera house in Latin America. If you want to get dressed up and see a show, you can look for tickets at the box office. But they also offer tours of the beautiful space during the day.
Obelisco
Microcentro
A central landmark of Buenos Aires, the Obelisk stands at the center of Avenida de 9 de Julio, which has the distinction of being the widest street in the world (with almost 20 lanes of traffic). The white obelisk marks the 400 year anniversary of the founding of the city of Buenos Aires in 1636.
Feria de San Telmo
Defensa, San Telmo
Every Sunday morning vendors come to set up their stands along Calle Defensa (which begins at the Plaza de Mayo) in the historic neighborhood of San Telmo. You can easily spend a full day walking down the crowded street to look at the artisan crafts and the beautiful, if decrepit, architecture of San Telmo. There are also some great restaurants and cafés along the route, though you can just as easily enjoy a choripan or some other street food from one of the market vendors.
El Caminito
La Boca
Probably the most iconic street of Buenos Aires, the vibrantly colored houses that line El Caminito make it a must-see attraction for first time visitors to Buenos Aires. This street along the former port used to be a shanty village of immigrants. Now it is the top tourist attraction in the city. It’s not a good place to eat…the food is bad and they’ll rob you blind. But it’s a great place to get a coffee and watch some tango dancers perform. If you’re interested, we’ll be going here as a group on Tuesday afternoon.
***Note: Don’t wander too far off of El Caminito. While El Caminito itself is really safe—except for the occasional pickpocket—the neighborhood around it is not.
Puerto Madero and the Women’s Bridge
Puerto Madero
This neighborhood is the newly refurbished historic port of the city. It’s a really nice place for an afternoon or evening stroll, especially to see the beautiful Puente de las Mujeres, or Women’s Bridge. The area has some great restaurants, though they are all pretty expensive. It is also host to a couple nice museums (see above).
ESMA
Avenida de Libertador 8151, Nuñez
Argentina suffered its own genocide during the military dictatorship of 1976-1983, during which some 30,000 “political subversives” (i.e. leftists) were disappeared, tortured, and murdered. ESMA is the former navy training academy, but it was also the largest concentration and torture center during that period. Now it is an official site of memory that contains a number of sites, some of which are open to the public. The two worth mentioning here are the Haroldo Conti Cultural Center of Memory, where you can see performances and art exhibitions relating to the past. It has a nice bookstore and café. ESMA also houses the Museo Malvinas, a new and impressive (propaganda) museum about Argentina’s claim on Las Malvinas, or the Falkland Islands.
Parque de la Memoria
Avenida Costanera Rafael Obligado, Palermo
A beautiful memorial park to commemorate the 30,000 disappeared of the dictatorship. The park contains a sculpture garden with a number of impressive works, but the main focal point is the broken wall with the names of all the known disappeared persons of the dictatorship. An impressive and sobering place to visit.
Tierra Santa
Avenida Costanera Rafael Obligado 5790, Palermo
This is assuredly the most ridiculous way to spend an afternoon in Buenos Aires, but Tibi and I had a blast doing it. Tierra Santa (or Holy Land) is an amusement park based on the Bible. You get to see reenactments of the Nativity scene, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion. And every hour on the hour, a big mechanical Jesus rises again from the dead. Not a must-see, by any means. But if you’re in the mood…